Published: January 1, 1970
Out today, Cactus have released their album Temple of Blues - Influences & Friends as a CD and also as double vinyl album via Cleopatra Records. Cactus also released today a new music video for the track One Way...Or Another that features both dUg Pinnick & Ted Nugent in the video.
Featured along with the current Cactus band is a who's who of blues and rock icons: Guitarists Joe Bonamassa, Ted Nugent, Pat Travers, Warren Haynes, Vernon Reid, Steve Stevens, Johnny A (The Yardbirds), Ty Tabor (King's X) and bassists Billy Sheehan (Mr Big), Dug Pinnick (King's X) Tony Franklin (The Firm, Blue Murder), Phil Soussan (Ozzy Osbourne, Billy Idol), Rudy Sarzo(Quiet Riot, Ozzy Osbourne), Kenny Aaronson (ex- Joan Jet and The Yardbirds), as well as members of Government Mule, Vixen, Rainbow, Zebra, and Whitesnake. Vocalist Dee Snider of Twisted Sister appears on the band's remake of the Howlin' Wolf classic "Evil," and Appice's bandmate in Vanilla Fudge Mark Stein turns in a powerful vocal on Little Richard's "Long Tall Sally." A second version of "Guiltless Glider," appears as a bonus track with former Judas Priest vocalist, Ripper Owens. Another of Appice's musical partners, Fernando Perdomo, also appears on the new record.
The new album merges the members of Cactus with a super ensemble of featured artists, all of whom have called the group among their biggest influences. Once heralded by critics as America's answer to Led Zeppelin, Cactus recorded four hard rockin' albums for Atco Records before Appice and bassist Tim Bogert left to form their own supergroup: Beck, Bogert & Appice.
TED NUGENT ONE WAY OR ANOTHER -
I was raised and inspired by the American rock founding fathers Chuck Berry, Bo Diddly, Little Richard, James Brown and allthings Motown soul music. Vanilla Fudge epitimised the combination of all that fiery music. When my Motor City music monsters Jim McCarty and Rusty Day teamed up with the most powerful rhythm section of Tim Bogart and Carmine Appice to form Cactus, I thought my musical world would surely spin off its axis! The raw Detroit energy of Rusty and Jim with the definitive thrust of Tim and Carmines richter scale groove made every band in the world practice harder! Cactus were a serious force to reckon with.
dUg PINNICK EVIL & ONE WAY OR ANOTHER -
"It was 1971, Led Zeppelin, ZZ Top, Deep Purple and Yes were my go to bands, and one day I went to visit a musician friend who played me" Long Tall Sally" by Cactus! From the beginning Jim's guitar intro I was hooked! The riff was so heavy, and when Rusty sang the first verse my mind was blown. A Little Richard cover!!!!..the reason I play rock music was because of Little Richard! So I listened to the whole album. Great song writing, Carmine's brutal drumming, TIM's bass and Jim's guitar playing, So inspirational they were! Rusty had a special knack for writing amazing down to earth lyrics! I loved his voice! I learned to sing and play every song and I never looked back. These albums still stand the test of time!! Cactus is one of my ALLTIME favorite bands. This is why I said "Yes" to playing on this record...
In addition to Appice on drums on all tracks, original Cactus guitarist Jim McCarty also appears on Temple Of Blues. Current band members vocalist/guitarist and harmonica player Jim Stapley and bassist Jim Caputo also appear on many of the tracks. Appice announced today a new member to the band's line-up: guitarist Artie Dillon will handle guitar duties for live tours and plays on one track for the new album. Founding member Jim McCarty currently contributes as a writing and recording member of Cactus on occasion but no longer does live tours.
Upcoming Cactus Tour Dates:
6/7/24 - CLEARWATER FL - RUTH ECKERD HALL WITH PAT TRAVERS & FOGHAT
6/8/24 - BOCA RATON FL - FUNKY BISCUIT
6/9/24 - ORLANDO FL - ORLANDO LIVE! WITH FOGHAT
6/27/24 - LIMA NY - FANATICS
6/28/24 - NEW YORK CITY NY - IRIDIUM
8/10/24 - WESTLAND MI - TOKEN LOUNGE
Track listing:
1. Parchman Farm feat. Joe Bonamassa & Billy Sheehan (Mr. Big / David Lee Roth)
2. Bro. Bill feat. Randy Jackson (Zebra), Randy Pratt (Cactus) & Bob Daisley (Ozzy Osbourne)
3. Guiltless Glider feat. Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal (Guns N' Roses) & Phil Soussan (Ozzy Osbourne)
4. Evil feat. Dee Snider (Twisted Sister) & Dug Pinnick (King's X)
5. One Way...Or Another feat. Dug Pinnick (King's X) & Ted Nugent
6. Alaska feat. Johnny A. & Tony Franklin (The Firm)
7. No Need To Worry feat. Warren Haynes (Gov't Mule) & Jorgen Carlsson (Gov't Mule)
8. Oleo feat. Steve Stevens (Billy Idol) & Billy Sheehan (Mr. Big / David Lee Roth)
9. Big Mama Boogie feat. Pat Travers & James Caputo (Cactus)
10. You Can't Judge A Book By The Cover
11. Rock N' Roll Children feat. Britt Lightning (Vixen), Vernon Reid (Living Colour) & Rudy Sarzo (Quiet Riot)
12. Let Me Swim feat. Doug Aldrich (Whitesnake) & Marco Mendoza (Blue Murder)
13. Restrictions feat. Ty Tabor (King's X) & Phil Soussan (Ozzy Osbourne)
14. Long Tall Sally feat. Mark Stein (Vanilla Fudge) & Fernando Perdomo
BONUS TRACK
15. Guiltless Glider feat. Tim "Ripper" Owens (Judas Priest)
PRODUCED BY CARMINE APPICE
CO- PRODUCED BY PAT REGAN-JIM STAPLEY
MIX ENGINEER PAT REGAN
MIXDOWN BY PAT REGAN WITH CARMINE APPICE.
CARMINES DRUMS RECORDED AT "REALISTIC ROCK STUDIOS" FLORIDA . ENGINEERED BY CARMINE APPICE
About Cactus
The current line-up of Cactus came together in 2021. Lead vocalist Jim Stapley comes from England and had worked with ex-Faces/Who drummer Kenny Jones in the Jones Gang and Humble Pie. "Nearly five decades after I formed this band, the time had come to re-invent Cactus once again," says Appice, who also still drums for Vanilla Fudge, The Appice Brothers Drum Wars, and a hybrid tribute to former band leader, Rod Stewart. Adds Appice: "The music remains the same and Cactus is still a 'hot and sweaty' band. The level, quality and consistence of the band's musicianship is as strong as ever."
Cactus has had a long and turbulent history. Formed in 1970 from the ashes of Vanilla Fudge by Carmine Appice and Tim Bogert, the initial line up also featured McCarty (from Mitch Ryder and The Buddy Miles Express) and Amboy Dukes vocalist Rusty Day. While Cactus saw success from the start and soon built a loyal fan base, by early 1973 the band had collapsed mainly due to lack of real support from its label and the fact that Jeff Beck was now ready play with Carmine and Tim in BBA.
The band reformed in 2006, three decades after the tragic death of Rusty Day with Randy Pratt on harp (who also appears on this album) and Jimmy Kunes vocals. When the late Tim Bogert was forced into retirement due to complications after a serious motorcycle accident, Pete Bremy joined on bass before Caputo replaced him in 2020.
Now, with a powerful new line-up Cactus and an album the marries the band with some of the biggest names in rock and blues, embarks on a new and exciting musical journey to the Temple Of Blues.
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