Ep.207: Interview with CARMINE APPICE of CACTUS

George Dionne interviews CACTUS drummer CARMINE APPICE about their latest album TEMPLE OF THE BLUES - INFLUENCES AND FRIENDS. “[CACTUS] was supposed to be JEFF BECK, ROD STEWART, ME, and TIM [BOGART].” Highlights include: - The formation of CACTUS is 1970 - How/why CACTUS became an all-star project - Discussion of the new album - Recruiting the guest musicians - Having to adjust his recording style - Deciding on who plays on what - Being surprised by who was influenced by CACTUS - Eddie Van Halen’s “Eruption” born from a CACTUS song - Why two versions of “Guiltless Glider” - Who passed on appearing on the new album - Debuting on the Billboard Blues Chart at #3 - Working with an AI version of folk vocalist Melanie (Safka) - The parallels between this album and his Guitar Zeus (1995) series - Vinyl release of CACTUS - THE BIRTH OF CACTUS 1970 - His thoughts on the 2023 Royal Albert Hall tribute to JEFF BECK - KING KOBRA’s 2023 album WE ARE WARRIORS - No money in writing new music - His live Rod Stewart Tribute show with ROB CAUDILL - Touring with CACTUS & VANILLA FUDGE - 2023’s BECK, BOGART, & APPICE - Live 1973 & 1974 - And much, much more!