Cactus

-Carmine Appice-
After VANILLA FUDGE, Carmine went on to form CACTUS with bassist Tim Bogert. CACTUS has been citied as a major influence on such artists as KING X and Alex and Eddie Van Halen. This union with Bogert evolved into an alliance with Grammy-winning guitar hero, Jeff Beck, a stellar combination of talent known internationally as BECK, BOGERT AND APPICE.
One of the premier showmen in rock, he became known worldwide for his astonishing live performances, in addition becoming a highly sought-after session drummer, recording with countless artists throughout the seventies. In 1976, his friend Rod Stewart invited Carmine to join his band, after auditioning more than forty other drummers. As a member of THE ROD STEWART BAND, Carmine exhibited yet another talent: writing hit songs. Do Ya Think I`m Sexy? and Young Turks were two of his biggest singles.
After a rewarding period with Rod Stewart, Carmine left to pursue his own projects. His first solo album ROCKERS, was followed by tours of the U.S. and Japan with an all-star band. Next Carmine led the high-energy band KING KOBRA, recording two albums on Capitol records, and touring internationally.
Carmine's discography demonstrates his broad musical scope, having worked with artists ranging from Stanley Clarke to Ozzy Osbourne and from Ted Nugent to Pink Floyd. Such versatility stems from Carmine having been influenced by the jazz drumming of Buddy Rich and Gene Krupa, combined with extensive classical training.
Some of Carmine's world tours have been with the Geffen Records super group BLUE MURDER featuring guitarist extraordinaire John Sykes from WHITESNAKE and Tony Franklin (THE FIRM), and with the legendary EDGAR WINTER GROUP. Being a performer with universal appeal, his playing reaches more than just drummers, as evidenced by proclamations of Carmine Appice Day in Los Angeles and four other major U.S. cities, in recognition of his contributions to music, drumming, and music education. He was further immortalized in 1991 by his induction into the Hollywood Rock Walk, his handprints and signature side by side with his idols Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich. This year the Hollywood Rock Walk is issuing a commemorative book, with a full page on Carmine, next to a page on superstar James Brown.
As a true artist, Carmine stretches the limits of his talents, always pursuing new experiences with a broad spectrum of musicians. His high standards have earned him the respect of the world's most admired performers, as well as captivating the loyalty of legions of fans. He has reshaped the path of music education, redesigned the very instrument he plays, and recreates excitement with every performance. Carmine Appice is a Different Drummer.
-Tim Bogert-
After Tim left high school, he was in and out of a number of bands in the NYC area. In 1965, he went on a lounge tour of the Eastern Seaboard with Rick Martin and the Showmen, where he met Mark Stein, the keyboardist and vocalist of Vanilla Fudge. The two of them hit it off and they soon left to join with drummer Joey Brennan and guitarist Vince Martell to for their own band, The Pigeons. After recording an album called "While the World Was Eating", they replaced drummer Joey Brennan with Carmine Appice and changed the name of the band to Vanilla Fudge.
According to Mark Stein, he and Tim were "hanging out" one day in early 1967 when You Keep Me Hanging On by The Supremes came on the radio. They both agreed that the words were very soulful and that the song was too fast. Tim replies that they took the idea to slow it down back to Vince and Carmine.
They performed it that night and refined the arrangement over the next few weeks and the rest is history. It was recorded in one take and that's the version we've been listening to for thirty years! The album soared to number 3 on the national charts behind The Beatles and The Supremes. It stayed on the charts for over 200 weeks! The first notes Tim plays in the intro to this symphonic rock peice indicate his incredible speed and his unique ability to take you on a "bass trip" while down the bottom and completing the rhythm section. This was the emerging Tim Bogert style. Tim recorded five albums with Vanilla Fudge between 1967 and 1969. As Vanilla Fudge matured, so did his style on both the melodic and rhythmic sides. His "bass trips" became even more imaginative, utilizing more effects and greater speed, yet his rhythmic grooves were just as awesome. These techniques are prevalent on the Some Velvet Morning and Break Song tracks on the Near the Beginning album. Tim and drummer Carmine Appice became undoubtedly the tightest rhythm section in rock.
Following the breakup of Vanilla Fudge in March of 1970, Tim went on with Carmine to form Cactus with guitarist Jim McCarty (Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels), and vocalist Rusty Day (Ted Nugent and the Amboy Dukes). Says Tim, "Carmine and I were lying in the back of a limo on the way home from a gig in Arizona. We were talking about leaving the Fudge. We passed under a sign that read 'The Cactus Drive-In'. It was the easiest band name we ever thought of.
This high energy rockin' blues band gave Tim the opportunity to further prove his ability to fill the gaps in what was essentially an instrumental trio, while maintaining his meaty, melodic style. After three studio albums, Jim McCarty left the band and was replaced by unknown guitarist Werner Frischings, from Germany, who they met in New York. Carmine once said that he and Tim had trouble with many guitarists because the two of them were "crazy musicians from New York" and were too high energy. Well, so much the loss for the guitar players! With the addition of keyboardist Duane Hitchings, from the original Buddy Miles Express and a new vocalist, Pete French from Atomic Rooster, they recorded a fourth album 'Ot 'n Sweaty in 1972. This Cactus version lasted only another seven months before breaking up completely.
-Jim McCarty- Jim McCarty broke onto the music scene as guitarist for "Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels" in 1964 and from '64 thru '66 they charted with the songs "Jenny Take a Ride" (4), "Devil With a Blue Dress On" (2) and "Sock It to Me" (4). When Mitch Ryder decided that he wanted to turn the group into a Las Vegas act, McCarty knew it was time for a change.
Jim moved on to join up with Corry Siegal and the "Siegal Schwall Blues Band" and, on a trip to the west coast, he met Buddy Miles. Buddy was coming off the "Electric Flag" and putting his own band together and asked Jim to join the Buddy Miles Express. McCarty accepted because he wanted to work with the "Big Sound" of a horn section. Jim recorded two albums with the "Buddy Miles Express," the latter being produced by Jimi Hendrix....
Jimi Hendrix was around quite a bit and he was talking to Buddy about putting a band together. "It was a little intimidating", McCarty remembers, "doing guitar overdubs with Hendrix on the other side of the glass in the studio, but he was a huge Mitch Ryder and Detroit Wheels fan so it was cool." Jim had the chance to play with Hendrix on quite a few occasions with the most memorable being in L.A. with players that included Jimi Hendrix, Jack Bruce, John McLaughlin, Mitch Mitchell, Buddy Miles and Jim!
With the end of Vanilla Fudge in late '69 Jim was approached by Carmine and Tim to form Cactus. McCarty was heavily into Jeff Beck's first two albums (Truth and Beck Ola) so it seemed like good timing. The band recorded three albums and broke up because of different views about the direction of the music, but the music Cactus made had a strong cult following which still exists today.
With the end of Cactus in '72, McCarty moved back to Detroit and put "The Rockets" together with his old drummer from the "Wheels" the lgendary Johnny B-Badandek. The band cut six albums and toured constantly wtih artists ZZ Top, Bob Seeger, REO Speedwagon, The Who, The Cars, Kiss and more. The Rockets were together for ten years, but Jim was feeling a strong desire to play the kind of music that had always been close to his heart: the Blues. With the end of the Rockets, Jim joined the Detroit Blues Band. Jim stayed with the Detroit Blues Band for eight years and they ultimately recorded four albums.
New things were on the horizon for Jim when a new blues club called the Memphis Smoke opened. They asked Jim to put together a house band and Jim saw this as an opportunity to put together a band with musicians of his choice. The band that resulted was named Mystery Train and they are still together today with four c.d.'s to their credit. Jim is at home with Mystery Train playing his brand of blues and rock.
-Jimmy Kunes-
Jimmy Kunes served his musical apprenticeship in the U.K., playing with numerous bands honing a style which could be best described as Acoustic/ Electric Hard Rock and Heavy Blues. Fronting and touring with acts such as Savoy Brown, Silent Partner (RIOT members), EXCITER (Canada), Hilfire (w/ Andy and Billy Hilfiger and Jimmy Cacala), as well as his current outfit "LOVE TRAIN" which includes Rick Ventura (RIOT). Currently at work in the studio finishing recording andmixing his second record, "GATE OF ALL SAINTS," which includes guest drummers Simon Kirke (FREE/ BAD Co.), Steve Gorman (Black Crowes/ Stereophonics), and Carmine Appice (Vanilla Fudge/ Cactus). Also contributing are Jim McCarty and Tim Bogert of CACTUS.
The first LOVE TRAIN album, "Slow Moving Vehicle," was released in 1999 and was basically a solo effort with friends joining in from The Lizards (Randy Pratt and Patrick Klein), Sir Lord Baltimore (John Garner) with Rick Ventura and Teddy Rondinelli offering up some blistering additional leads. The record is in heavy rotation on Rocklandworldradio.com, with a radio session featuring interviews, live performance and a preveiw of the upcoming record available at the above site in the archives section.
Among other studio recording projects, 2002 saw Jimmy appearing on the W.W.E./ World Wrestling Entertainment "ANTHOLOGY", a 3 C.D. set, singing the theme song for Eric Bischoff entitled "I'm Back", which is still being played at W.W.E. matches to this day. The ANTHOLOGY was a Top Ten Independent Billboard charting release.
"Jimmy was in the studio finishing up his second record when we started recording a new CACTUS c.d. for the new millenium. Members Carmine Appice, Jim McCarty and Tim Bogert wanted someone to put down some working vocals so there was a voice to play along to. Little did they know that Jimmy's killer vocals were going to end up on the new CD and on the stage of the SWEDEN ROCK FESTIVAL....
http://www.rivedata.com/escapi/Cactus%20Final.mov (VIDEOS!)