CACTUS Recruits DEE SNIDER And TRACII GUNS For 'The Little Red Rooster' From Upcoming 'Temple Of Blues II' Album

It's been two years since drum legend Carmine Appice and his reformed CACTUS — singer Ed Terry, guitarist Artie Dillon and bassist James Caputo — first unbarred the doors to the "Temple Of Blues - Influences And Friends", a 15-track slab of headbanging, hip-swinging heavy blues rock whose subtitle roped in a host of special guests, all of whom held the band very close to their hearts.

Now the "Temple" opens again with its sequel, "Temple Of Blues II", due out April 3 via Cleopatra Records. This time there's an all-star aggregation that recalls Ted Nugent, Billy Sheehan, Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal, 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 album's second track, "The Little Red Rooster" (featuring TWISTED SISTER's Dee Snider on lead vocals and L.A. GUNS' Tracii Guns on guitar) was released today on all digital outlets. With a little help from A.I., a Western-themed video was created and edited by Dominic Esposito/Deville Films and co-directed by Carmine Appice. It can be seen below.

"It was great working on 'The Little Red Rooster' with Dee and Tracii," says Appice. "I arranged it with the drums first, then sent it to Artie Dillion and Ed Terry for their feedback. We created the demo with Ed's amazing vocals for Tracii, Dee and James Haslip who finished the song. Ed was gracious sitting on the sidelines for this one so Dee could sing the lead vocals. It was such an honor to have Dee on the song and to have him make an appearance in the video, especially since he's retired now. The song rocks!"

"CACTUS! The name conjures such amazing memories for me," exclaims Dee Snider. "An inspiration for the rock I would play in the years to come. Can you imagine what it was like to 'get the call' that your heroes want you to rock with them? Mind-blowing! And now to be asked for second time!? What a treat to dig into a blues classic like 'The Little Red Rooster' with CACTUS!!! Hell yeah!!"

"The Little Red Rooster" is the follow-up to the first single, "Back Door Man" (featuring MR. BIG bassist Billy Sheehan and guitarists Eric Gales and Artie Dillon),which was released February 18 on all digital outlets. As Carmine enthuses about the track, "When we finished 'Back Door Man' and listened to the whole mix, it blew me away. Billy and Eric are amazing together on top of my drums."

Oft described as America's LED ZEPPELIN, the original CACTUS grew out of Appice's past experiences with VANILLA FUDGE and BECK, BOGERT & APPICE, debuting in 1970 with a self-titled album and an immediate impact on the live circuit. "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 (who recorded lead vocals for the song before her passing in 2024),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", and Ted Nugent and Bob Daisley (RAINBOW) join forces for an astonishing "Spoonful".

"We are doing seven of the great Howlin' Wolf and Willie Dixon songs," Appice says.

Every track 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.

"Temple Of Blues II" will feature the following track listing:

01. Back Door Man Pt. 1 & 2 (feat. Eric Gales & Billy Sheehan)
02. 300 Pounds Of Joy (feat. Ty Tabor)
03. Moanin' At Midnight (feat. Pat Travers)
04. Down In The Bottom (feat. Dug Pinnick)
05. Token Chokin' (feat. Bumblefoot)
06. Bad Stuff (feat. Steve Morse, Joe Lynn Turner, Derek Sherinian & Tony Franklin)
07. Tail Dragger (feat. Rudy Sarzo & Alex Skolnick)
08. The Little Red Rooster (feat. Dee Snider, Tracii Guns, Jimmy
Haslip)
09. Purple Haze (feat. Melanie)
10. Spoonful (feat. Ted Nugent & Bob Daisley)

Bonus track (CD only):

11. Feel So Good (feat. Billy Sheehan & Britt Lightning)

Photo credit: Vito Geraci