I was there in August, so I had missed a big explosion on WABX in June. How about this coincidence? Today, in 2011, I wanted to read about the "fight," on live radio, between Ted Nugent and Patti Smith and turns out that it happened on this very day (June 16) in 1978. Evidently, Nugent was the guest on "Lunch With (Jerry) Lubin," and was supposed to be done by 1pm, so Lubin could bring on Smith.
This is from the "Democratic Underground" site (entry by "Former Air Ace," who had a tape rolling. I've had to make a couple of edits):
WABX-FM/Detroit, "Lunch with Lubin," June 16, 1978
On the turntable: Ted Nugent--"Snakeskin Cowboys" (music fades out)
(Laughter fades in)
Nugent: Alright.
Lubin: Is your name really Theodore?
Nugent: It's true, it's true.
Lubin: Theodore, Theodore, Theodore.
Nugent: And Theodore says hi to young Patricia, who just sleazed in the door out there. I see ya out there, Patti. Don't pretend you're not here. We smelled ya when ya crossed Woodward and Gratiot.
Lubin (as if not hearing the last comment): Listen, is it true that this tune (Nugent laughs) we just played...Ted, is it autobiographical?
Nugent: "Snakeskin Cowboys"? No, actually that's about (homophobic term, plural).
Lubin: Huh?
Nugent: No, it's not really autobiographical. No, that's a song...
Lubin: I thought that maybe you had ah...
Nugent: Well...
Lubin: ...Offed some animal and, ah, made a jacket.
Nugent: Snakeskin? That, yeah...Stuff like that, yeah. I used to wear that kinda stuff. In fact, I still have some snakeskin boots lurking around some closet somewhere.
Lubin: Hmmm.
Nugent: Yeah, snakeskin cowboys, you know--who the hell you think you are?
Lubin: What we were talking about when listening to this...
Nugent (interrupting): Ah, the new band.
Lubin: The new band.
(Patti Smith enters)
Nugent: There she is! Have a seat. Patti's gonna make a statement.
Smith: Out--out.
Nugent: She's gonna make a statement.
Smith: It's One O'Clock.
Nugent: One O'Clock my rectum, honey. Gimme da mic!
(Unintelligible words)
Smith: It's One O'Clock.
Nugent: You're from New York, I'm from Detroit.
Smith: I ain't from New York.
(Scuffling and unintelligible words)
Lubin: Wait a minute. Wait a minute. Wait a minute, guys. (Smirky tone) We can't have
any fights here in the studio.
(Scuffling and unintelligible words)
Smith: Don't touch me! Don't touch me!
Nugent: I know you said that last time.
Smith: Get your #*&%in' hands off me!
Nugent: Whoa...welllllllll.
(Scuffling)
(Note: Some sources say that Nugent groped Smith and she then punched Nugent
in the chest)
Nugent: Look at this--on the air.
Smith: Get your hands off me--and out.
Nugent: Arite, arite. We got it.
Turntable starts abruptly: Ted Nugent--"Cat Scratch Fever"