Journey to the Center of the Mind

Production

Journey to the Center of the Mind was recorded on a higher budget than the previous album, following the success of its single "Baby Please Don't Go", and features two new members to the line-up; Greg Arama replacing Bill White on bass, and Andy Solomon replacing Rick Lober on piano/organ. Stylistically, the album is a departure from its predecessor by abandoning much of their blues influences altogether (with the exception of "Mississippi Murderer"). This was also the first Dukes album to feature all original songs, all of which were written by Ted Nugent and rhythm guitarist/singer Steve Farmer. The album was in part a commercial attempt to reach the counter-cultural market by producing somewhat of a concept album. Originally, the record's A and B sides were to be stylistically contrast to each other, and written separately by Nugent and Farmer, respectively. The final project, however, includes most of the lyrics on the first half to be written by Farmer, while the second half features Nugent's only writing contribution to be the music for the album's title track and "Conclusion", which uses the same music. While Nugent's songs are more geared in the direction of hard rock that would pioneer into what is now considered an early precursor to heavy metal music, Farmer's work has much more of a psychedelic, almost trendy by design, feel that tends to make satire out of the music scene at the time rather than embrace it, even going as far as to play out like a continual concept album. Despite the musical differences, the two sides are both experimental in their own right, as they were still in the process of developing their sound that Nugent would ultimately continue to reinvent until the end of the band's career.

Shortly after the album's release, Drake left the band over creative disputes, and was replaced by Rusty Day the same year.

Side one

1. "Mississippi Murderer" (Nugent, Farmer) – 5:12
2. "Surrender to Your Kings" (Nugent) – 2:52
3. "Flight of the Byrd" (Nugent) – 2:50
4. "Scottish Tea" (Nugent) – 4:01
5. "Dr. Slingshot" (Nugent, Farmer) – 3:09

Side two

1. "Journey to the Center of the Mind" (Nugent, Farmer) – 3:33
2. "Ivory Castles" (Farmer) – 3:21
3. "Why Is a Carrot More Orange Than an Orange" (Farmer) – 2:26
4. "Missionary Mary" (Farmer) – 2:35
5. "Death Is Life" (Farmer) – 2:08
6. "Saint Philips Friend" (Farmer) – 3:33
7. "I'll Prove I'm Right" (Farmer) – 1:38
8. "Conclusion" (Nugent, Farmer) – 1:57

CD bonus track

1. "You Talk Sunshine, I Breathe Fire" (Nugent, Farmer) – 2:44

Personnel

Covers

The song "Journey to the Center of the Mind" was covered by Slade (as "Ambrose Slade") in 1969 on the album Beginnings, by The Ramones in 1994 on Acid Eaters and by Sun City Girls in 2001 on Libyan Dream.