CALIFORNIA ROCK NEWS

CARMINE APPICE and CACTUS Announce New Album Temple of Blues II Releasing April 3rd

 

Carmine Appice and his reformed Cactus blues rock album, Temple Of Blues II, that’s due out April 3 via Cleopatra Records.

It’s been two years since Cactus first unbarred the doors to the Temple Of Blues, a 15-track slab of headbanging, hip swinging heavy blues rock whose subtitle, ‘Influences And Friends,’ roped in a host of special guests, all of whom held the band very close to their hearts.

Now the Temple opens again, this time for an all-star aggregation that recalls Ted Nugent, Billy Sheehan, Bumblefoot, Dee Snider and Pat Travers from volume one, alongside an all-new wave of heavy hitters including Steve Morse (Deep Purple), Tracii Guns (L.A. Guns), Joe Lynn Turner (Rainbow, Deep Purple), Rudy Sarzo (Ozzy Osbourne, Quiet Riot), Alex Skolnick (Testament), and a whole lot more!

The original Cactus grew out of Appice’s past experiences with Vanilla Fudge and Beck Bogart and Appice, debuting in 1970 with a self-titled album and an immediate impact on the live circuit. And Temple Of Blues II takes us back to their birth. That summer, Cactus were among the main attractions at the Isle of Wight Festival in England, and the new album’s “Purple Haze” reunites them with both another of that bill’s audience favorites, Melanie, and its overall headliner, Jimi Hendrix.

Elsewhere on this thunderous sequel, Pat Travers returns for the mighty “Moanin’ At Midnight,” Joe Lynn Turner joins Morse, Carmine’s Guitar Zeus bandmate Tony Franklin and Derek Sherinian (Dream Theater) for “Bad Stuff,” Dee Snider (Twisted Sister) and Tracii Guns (L.A. Guns) lead the way for “The Little Red Rooster,” and Ted Nugent and Bob Daisley (Rainbow) join forces for an astonishing “Spoonful.”

But every track here expands the raw blues rock vision of volume one with even more fire, swagger, and authority. And Carmine, of course, anchors the proceedings with his unmistakable power, groove, and feel, driving every track and reaffirming his status as one of the most influential drummers in rock history.

Track List:

1. Back Door Man Pt. 1 & 2 feat. Eric Gales & Billy Sheehan
2. 300 Pounds Of Joy feat. Ty Tabor
3. Moanin’ At Midnight feat. Pat Travers
4. Down In The Bottom feat. Dug Pinnick
5. Token Chokin’ feat. Bumblefoot
6. Bad Stuff feat. Steve Morse, Joe Lynn Turner, Derek Sherinian
& Tony Franklin
7. Tail Dragger feat. Rudy Sarzo & Alex Skolnick
8. The Little Red Rooster feat. Dee Snider, Tracii Guns, Jimmy Haslip
9. Purple Haze feat. Melanie
10. Spoonful feat. Ted Nugent & Bob Daisley

BONUS TRACK [CD ONLY]
11. Feel So Good feat. Billy Sheehan & Britt Lightning

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.
 
Links to Website and All Socials
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