Carmine Appice is one of the most legendary drummers the rock world has ever seen. It would be easier to make a list of people that Carmine hasn’t played with. He toured with Jimi Hendrix, had Led Zeppelin open shows for him, had deep friendships with Jeff Beck, John Bonham, Rod Stewart, and so many more. Carmine has been the drummer for classic acts like Vanilla Fudge, Rod Stewart, Ozzy Osbourne, Blue Murder, King Kobra, Beck, Bogert, & Appice, and of course CACTUS. Speaking of Cactus, Carmine is ready to release the latest Cactus record called Temple Of Blues II, and it comes out on April 3, 2026, on Cleopatra Records.
In this interview, Carmine talks about the new Cactus record, Temple Of Blues II, and some of the incredible musicians he has playing on it. He talks about his memories of The Isle Of Wight Festival in 1970, and the last time he spent with Jimi Hendrix. He also talks about his great Guitar Zeus records and what it was like having tennis pro John McEnroe and actor Steven Seagal on a record that also included Yngwie Malmsteen. Carmine also shares his excitement of the groundbreaking new video he made for the single “Little Red Rooster”. Sit back and enjoy some special moments with a musical treasure known as Carmine Appice.
“Little Red Rooster” video:
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Hello everyone! My name is Scott Itter, but some know me as Dr. Music. I am a music journalist and photographer out of the Chicagoland area, and I have been in practice for over 20 years. I grew up in the 70’s with two big brothers that showed me all kinds of rock and roll. As I grew older I ventured out into different genres like jazz, funk, folk, and whatever else I could wrap my ears around. As I read every liner note and every Circus and Hit Parader like they were the Old and New Testament, I came to realize that I just love sound and appreciate all the people that create it.
I later became a stay-at-home dad and started honing my writing and photography skills to keep my mind from turning into mashed peas. My kids are now adults, my mind is only slightly mushy, and I am thrilled to have the honor of presenting my work to you!