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Motor City Madman Ted Nugent was present and accounted for Wednesday in his hometown of Palatine, Ill. just prior to his early evening Star Productions-produced concert at the Genesee Theatre in Waukegan.

The outspoken guitarist known for wearing loincloths and riding on stage atop a buffalo, has a new CD titled, "Love Grenade," that detonates worldwide Sept. 4.

Ted was in his old hometown of Palatine to attend the dedication of a 7,800-pound stone monument honoring his late mother, Marion "Ma" Nugent, herself a Palatine resident for nearly 30 years.

The monument project, which now stands in front of Durty Nellie's eatery and music pub in downtown Palatine, was spearheaded by local musician and Palatine resident Eric Kinkel.

"After she passed away in 1988, there was never anything done to honor Ted's mom in a way that she should be remembered," Kinkel said. After discussing his plans with Ted and Durty Nellie's club owner Mark Dolezal, along with Palatine's Mayor Rita Mullins, Kinkel proceeded with his project.

Aside from giving birth to one of rock 'n' roll's most colorful rock stars, "Ma" Nugent, as she was affectionately known, scribed a very popular advice columnist called "Ma Nugent's Mail" in the pages of The Illinois Entertainer from 1980 to 1988.

Ma also was a very familiar face at local concert halls and clubs where she would go out and support regional bands, often doing her part to inspire them to "be the best they could be."

I also wrote for the I.E. during Ma's time there and we often crossed paths over the years.

Like most who knew her, I found "Ma" to be an amazing woman, full of warmth, compassion, determination and considerable humor. Not to mention, she was a darn good writer and a huge music fan. It's fitting that she has been honored and remembered in such a way. Kudos to Mr. Kinkel.

To learn more about Ma Nugent, go to www.erickinkel.com.

PLAIN WHITE T's STRIKE GOLD ...

"Ma" Nugent would certainly appreciate that her honor came during the same week that a struggling young Chicagoland rock group got a well deserved bit of recognition.

Earlier in the week came the news that Chicagoland's latest rock 'n' roll success story, Plain White T's, saw its latest album "Every Second Counts" (Hollywood/Fearless Records) officially certified as "Gold" by the RIAA, signifying sales in excess of 500,000 units.

The album's high sales owe much to the huge success of the hit single, "Hey There Delilah," which hit No. 1 on the iTunes "Top Song" chart, selling more than 1 million digital copies. The song is currently sitting at No. 2 on the "Billboard Hot 100" singles chart this week.

Aside from that mega-hit single, some of the better songs on "Every Second Counts" are "Our Time Now," "Come Back To Me" and "Friends Don't Let Friends Dial Drunk," a humorous tale about late night, alcohol-inspired booty calls.

Just a few months ago, these power popsters, whose five members hail from the Chicago suburbs of Lombard, Addison and Elk Grove, were unknown in mainstream music circles. Today, they are one of the nation's leading "buzz bands."

MTV's 24-hour college network, mtvU, named Plain White T's "Best New Emerging Artist of 2006," over fellow nominees Arctic Monkeys, Imogen Heap, Chamillionaire and Lupe Fiasxco.

Congratulations guys! You have come a long way from the local VFW halls you used to rent out to host your own shows during the days when no one else would risk hiring you.

MINISTRY CALLS IT QUITS ...

Chicago industrial music pioneer, Ministry, was just beginning its career and was one of those young regional groups championed by "Ma" Nugent in the pages of The Illinois Entertainer.

But Ministry founder and creative genius Al Jourgensen reported last week that the last ever album is soon to be forthcoming from the band.

"The Last Sucker" is scheduled for international release Sept. 18, via 13th Planet/MegaForce Records, and will be followed by one last world tour that will keep the band on the road for most of 2008.

Then, after 11 studio albums and 27 years, including four Grammy Award nominations, Jourgensen will finally lay Ministry to rest and focus on running and expanding his 13th Planet Records label.

"I want to sign, produce and collaborate with other artists through 13th Planet," Jourgensen said. "Being in the studio writing and producing has always been my favorite part of this snake-oil industry anyway. I've always preferred being behind the [production] console than behind a microphone."

Like the last two Ministry albums -- 2004's "House Of Mole" and 2006's "Rio Grande Blood" -- this latest 11-track set is an unrelenting and critical assault on President George W. Bush, which is peppered with sound bites and sampled snippets throughout. Jourgensen lets up on Dubya just long enough to lay one on the chin of the nation's Vice President Dick Cheney with the CD's fourth number, "The Dick Song."

MUSIC NOTES ...

* Pamela Moore, a rock 'n' roll transplant from Seattle, Wash. to Schererville, can be seen and heard prominently in the brand new 2-disc DVD set "Queensryche: Live At The Moore" (Rhino Video).

During 2006 and most of this year, Moore has been out on tour with the popular heavy prog-rock group, reprising her famous role in Queensryche's landmark rock opera, "Operation Mindcrime." Since 1988, when the first half of the Mindcrime saga was debuted, Moore has portrayed "Sister Mary," a former teenage prostitute and drug addict turned Catholic nun who gets brutally murdered.

The newly released DVD features the entire Mindcrime saga performed live on stage during a 2006 hometown Seattle performance with the group at The Moore Theatre.

Moore also has her own musical career and a collection of impressive solo recordings, apart from her extensive work with Queensryche, which can be explored at www.pamelamoore.net and www.myspace.com/pamelamoore.

* Northwest Indiana reggae/rock band White Dove has completed and released its debut album "Paradise." More information at www.whitedoveonline.com.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer. He can be reached at beatboss@aol.com.