Album:Fully Unleashed:The Live Gigs Vol. 1
Released:July 13, '04(2013 Mix)
Recorded:'70–'72
Genre:Hard rock, blues, boogie
Label:Rhino Handmade
Founding members of "Cactus" and ex-members from "Vanilla Fudge" drummer Carmine Appice(from Brooklyn NY), and bassist Tim Bogert(from Ridgefield NJ)decided to take a break from the "psychedelic Fudge" seen and put together a "Cream"/"Led Zeppelin" oriented but AMERICAN HEAVY ROCK'N ROLL BLUES band.Their dream was to play with Jeff Beck(after hearing Jeff's 2nd album "Beck-Ola" released in June '69)and in '69 Carmine's friend from "Zeppelin" John Bonham said Jeff was interested in the collaboration but after a car crash in Dec '69 Jeff would not reunite with the 2 until Dec '72 to record the 1 and only album "Beck, Bogert & Appice" released in '73.Carmine remembers touring with "Vanilla Fudge" in '69 in either Phoenix Arizona or Tucson and seeing a drive in movie theater called "CACTUS" which inspired him for a band name after seeing the name up in lights.Carmine, Tim, & lead vocalist/harmonica/DRUMMER LOL Rusty Day(born Garden City Detroit Michigan)from Ted Nugent's "The Amboy Dukes" and guitarist/DRUMMER LOL Jim McCarty(born Detroit Michigan)from "Mitch Ryder and The Detroit Wheels" where Tim meet him in '66@"Whisky a go-go" on Sunset Strip in California.Jim also played on Jimi Hendrix's "Band Of Gypsy" drummer Buddy Miles's albums "Expressway To Your Skull" debut released in '68, "Electric Church" released '69, and "Them Changes" released in '70(All Co-produced/written by Jimi Hendrix).According to Carmine "Vanilla Fudge" played their last gig@the "Action House" owned by their manager Phil Basile in March '70.Tim remembers playing with both "Fudge" and "Cactus" at the same time, and by Oct-Dec '69 "Cactus" was born and were in the studio to record their debut album which was rehearsed/recorded@"Break-Out Studio and Ultra-Sonic Recording Studios completed sometime by Feb '70 and released on July 1, '70 mixed by Les Paul's son Gene Paul."Atlantic" hated the album cover, but stickers(seen on Carmine's bass drum)were already distributed to the groupies!"Cactus" playing their 1st gig on May 16, '70 with "The Steve Miller Band", "The Grateful Dead" and opening for "Jimi Hendrix"@Temple Stadium/University Philadelphia PA(My town)$6.50 tickets 200,000 fans.Tim remembers hurting his hand when playing their Mose Allison cover of "Parchman Farm" from their debut hitting the bass so hard trying to impress Jimi Hendrix."Parchman Farm" originally written by "Bukka White" in '40, but Cactus's version based off of "Mose Allison's" version. According to Carmine from the "Cactology The Cactus Collection" album credits released on April 23, '96, he remembers jamming this out when the band began and did not realize it was a cover.Carmine's DOUBLE BASS DRUM FAST ROCK SHUFFLE on "Parchman Farm" was one of(or ONLY)the fastest drum beats ever at the time, and the opening chords/guitar solo on "Let Me Swim"(both songs from "Cactus" '70)inspired bands like "Van Halen"."Van Halen" even asked to borrow the opening on "Let Me Swim" for their opening track "Eruption" on their debut album "Van Halen" released on Feb 10, '78.3 "Isle of Wight Festivals" took place@"Afton Down"(farm area in England.It was like the UK's version of "Woodstock")between '68-'70.An estimation of 600,000-700,000 people("HIPPIES")on the festival held between Aug 26-31 '70, which was larger than "Woodstock"(400,000)held@Max Yasgur's dairy farm in Bethel, NY, USA held between Aug 15-18 '69."Isle of Wight County Council Act 1971" was established for any kind of controlled large attendee festivals moving forward, like a liablity act."Parchman Farm" off '70 debut "Cactus".After analyzing the few photos we have of "Cactus" and some research from the credits inside the "Cactology The Cactus Collection" album, looks like Jim was most notable for using a late '50's or early '60's Gibson Les Paul Standard in a Marshall(not sure what model or year)cabinet and head(stack)with an Ampeg "Scrambler" fuzz pedal which created "Hendrix" like SCREAMING overtones and a wah-wah.
Cactus Live@Isle of Wight 3rd Festival, East Afton Farm, Isle of Wight, England,
Setlist
1.No Need To Worry
2.Parchman Farm
3.Let Me Swim(Full recording MIA, 22 sec clip here [ Ссылка ] )
*List of a few favorite acts held @ Isle of Wight 3rd Festival Aug '70
Jimi Hendrix
Taste(Rory Gallagher)
Free
Cactus
The Doors
The Who
Supertramp
Procol Harum
Chicago
Black Widow
Joni Mitchell
Ten Years After
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Miles Davis
John Sebastian
Sly and the Family Stone
Jethro Tull
The Moody Blues
Redbone(on bill but did not perform)
Cactus
Rusty Day–lead vocals harmonica
Jim McCarty–guitar
Carmine Appice–drums
Tim Bogert–bass
Gear
Gibson/EpiphoneLesPaulStandard
RolandMicroCubeGXAmp(ClassicStack/Reverb)
FulltoneBC-108CFuzz
BossFB-2Feedback/Booster
ElectroHarmonixOceans11Reverb(Plate)
BossGE-7Equalizer
Hendrix"BlueWildAngel"Tee
