Cactus (American band) Cactus (American band) Cactus is an American hard rock band formed in 1969. It is composed of 5 members, Jimmy Kunes as lead singer (2006–present), Jim McCarty on the guitar (1970–71, 2006–present), Carmine Appice on the drums, Pete Bremy on the bass and Randy Pratt on the harmonica. Cactus was initially conceived in late 1969 by former Vanilla Fudge members bassist Tim Bogert and drummer Carmine Appice after plans to team up with guitarist Jeff Beck were scuppered when Beck had an automobile accident and was out of the music scene for over a year. In early 1970, Bogert and
Carmine de Laurentiis Carmine de Laurentiis Carmine de Laurentiis was a 19th-Century Italian mandolinist, musical educator, author and composer who taught mandolin and guitar in Naples. His only well-known student was Carlo Munier. He wrote a mandolin method, "Metodo per Mandolino", that was published in Milan in 1874, reported the following year in the "Musical World". The article mentioning Laurentiis' method talked about the decline of the mandolin, calling the mandolin "entirely out of fashion." He is significant because his efforts helped to bring the mandolin back to international prominence after a period of international indifference, by teaching and promoting the instrument. His