1) 1960s s… Read Full Bio ↴There are several musical projects under the name Cactus:
1) 1960s supergroup
2) A Bengali Rock Band from Kolkata, India
3) 8 piece ska band from Brisbane, Australia
4) a psytrance artist
5) Noise/Drone from San Francisco.
6) A Norwegian rock band with screamo elements.
1) The plan was for the Vanilla Fudge rhythm section of bassist Tim Bogert and drummer Carmine Appice to join with guitar god Jeff Beck and his singer Rod Stewart in a supergroup of sorts in the fall of 1969. The plan was derailed when Beck had an automobile accident that incapacitated him for the next 18 months. Stewart then joined pal Ron Wood in the revamped Faces (and pursued a somewhat lucrative solo career), leaving Bogert and Appice to find alternates for their dream band. They recruited guitarist Jim McCarty from Mitch Ryder's Detroit Wheels, Ted Nugent's Amboy Dukes and The Buddy Miles Express, and singer Rusty Day from Ted Nugent's Amboy Dukes.
This line-up managed three albums (Cactus, One Way... Or Another, and Restrictions) before interband troubles led to Jim McCarty quitting at the end of 1971. Shortly afterwards Rusty Day was fired from the group. The fourth and last Cactus album ('Ot 'N' Sweaty) featured original rhythm section Bogart and Appice joined by Werner Fritzschings on guitar, Duane Hitchings on keyboards and Peter French on vocals.
After Cactus' dissolution in 1972, Bogert and Appice finally joined with Beck to form Beck, Bogert & Appice. After one studio album (the self titled Beck, Bogart & Appice) and one live album (Live In Japan, released only in Japan) the band dissolved. Their second album remains unreleased to this day, along with recordings of the band's last concert at the Rainbow Theatre in London on January 26, 1974.
The New Cactus Band, led by Duane Hitchings, released one album (Son Of Cactus) and featured no original Cactus members. Mike Pinera, formerly of Blues Image and Iron Butterfly, came in on guitar, along with Roland Robinson on bass and Jerry Norris on drums. The New Cactus Band soon disbanded.
In the late 70s Rusty Day formed a new version of Cactus in North Florida, where he had relocated. This version of Cactus featured Steve Dansby on guitar, John Sauter on bass, and Gary Moffatt on drums. There are no known studio recordings from this era, though live recordings do circulate.
After a long hiatus Cactus unexpectedly emerged in June 2006 with two appearances in New York City: a radio appearance on 92.3 Free FM, and their first show since 1972 at B.B. King's Blues Club in Times Square. This show was a warm up for the gig which sparked the reunion, an appearance at the Sweden Rock Festival in Norje, Sweden. The 2006 version of Cactus sees original members Carmine Appice, Tim Bogart, and Jim McCarty reunited and joined by Jimmy Kunes on vocals. Randy Pratt joined the band in NYC and Sweden on harmonica.
Discography
Studio albums
Cactus (1970)
One Way...Or Another (1971)
Restrictions (1971)
'Ot 'N' Sweaty (1972)
Cactus V (2006)
Black Dawn (2016)
Tightrope (2021)
Live albums
Ultra Sonic Boogie (2010)
Do Not Kick Against The Pricks (2012
Tokyo Nights 2012 (2013)
Compilation albums
Cactology: The Cactus Collection (1996)
Barely Contained: The Studio Sessions (2CD, 2004)
Fully Unleashed: The Live Gigs (2004)
Fully Unleashed: The Live Gigs Vol. 2 (2007)
2)
A Bengali Rock Band from Kolkata, India, Cactus was formed in 1992. Inspired by the likes of Deep Purple, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Iron Maiden and many others, they started the journey with the purpose of doing rock n' roll in a language closer to our soil, thereby expanding the vistas and erasing all existing limitations. Cactus went on to become the first ever professional Bangla rock band. ( Prior to them rock already existed in Bangladesh and Cactus started doing music as modern bangla song. There music turned towards rock at a much later stage after Fossils and Lakkhichhara had already done rock music in bengali)
The professional debut of the band saw the light of the day on March 6, 1993, at Aban Mahal (CLT), Kolkata.
3)
Cactus was also an 8 piece ska band from Brisbane, Australia. They focused on writing songs that made no sense. They often practiced in the trumpeters basement and often played at birthday parties for the ska kids. After 3 years they broke up, rock and roll style, whilst playing for a friends 21st.
4)
Cactus is also the name of a psytrance artist
5)
Noise/Drone from San Francisco.
6)
A Norwegian rock band with screamo elements.
Oleo
Cactus Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
rocking with the rising sun
I was up this morning
rocking with the rising sun
Cause I got to find my baby
and all the wrongdoing she's done
Well I should've known she'd leave me
Well I should've known she'd leave me
I should've known she'd slip away
Too bad woman's like that
be greasy both night and day
I handle it night and day baby
Well I miss that woman
and Lord knows I love her so
Well I miss that baby
and Lord knows I love her so
She's my greased-down mama
and I call her Oleo
Oleo that's what I call her
grease me
Well I was up this morning
rocking with the rising sun
I was up this morning
rocking with the rising sun
Cause I got to find my baby
and all the wrongdoing she's done
Well I love that woman
and Lord knows I love her so
Well I miss my baby
and Lord knows I love her so
She's my greased-down baby
and I call her Oleo
Oleooooo
The song "Oleo" by Cactus is a blues-rock song that tells the story of a man who wakes up in the morning determined to find his woman, who has done him wrong. The singer starts out by announcing that he was up early, "rocking with the rising sun," and declares his intent to locate his woman and uncover all of the wrongdoing she has committed. As the song continues, he reflects on his past relationship with the woman, admitting that he should have seen her departure coming. However, even though she has left him, he still misses her and loves her deeply. He recalls her as his "greased-down mama," calling her Oleo, and mourns her loss, declaring that she is a "bad woman."
The lyrics of "Oleo" express the singer's pain and frustration at being betrayed by the woman he loves. The use of phrases such as "be greasy both night and day" and "greased-down mama" underscore the emotional charge of the song, as they highlight the imagery of a woman who is untrustworthy and manipulative. The repetition of the phrase "Lord knows I love her so" emphasizes the depth of the singer's feelings, while the use of the name Oleo as a term of affection adds a note of sweetness to the song. Ultimately, "Oleo" is a powerful and haunting narrative of love, loss, and betrayal.
Line by Line Meaning
I was up this morning rocking with the rising sun
I woke up early and was dancing to the music of the morning sun
Cause I got to find my baby and all the wrongdoing she's done
I need to search for my love and address the mistakes she has made
Well I should've known she'd leave me, I should've known she'd slip away
I should have known that my love would leave me and disappear
Too bad woman's like that be greasy both night and day, I handle it night and day baby
It's unfortunate that women can be sneaky all the time, but I deal with it constantly
Well I miss that woman and Lord knows I love her so
I'm missing my woman and I love her more than anything
She's my greased-down mama and I call her Oleo
My lover is slick and smooth like butter, and that's why I call her Oleo
Well I was up this morning rocking with the rising sun
Once again I woke up early and was dancing to the music of the morning sun
Well I love that woman and Lord knows I love her so
My love for this woman is immense and undeniable
She's my greased-down baby and I call her Oleo
My lover is smooth and slippery and I affectionately refer to her as Oleo
Oleooooo
An extended expression of endearment towards my lover Oleo
Contributed by Noah E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@Mr.Bassman
Tim Bogert, an absolute monster on bass and could sing better than most leads in the bands he played in. He and Appice combined make one of the most capable and skilled rock rhythm sections of all time.
@stlrockn
The first three Cactus albums are favorites. I am still listening to them 50 years later. RIP Tim Bogert and Rusty Day.
@rathert3
Yeah, sad to see Tim go so young. Rusty? You knew he wasn't gonna live to be an old man. Just sad his young son died because of Day's lifestyle. Rusty was a gangsta rocker before there were gangsta rappers or any other sort of musician.
@marksavage1744
What a way for Rusty to go huh? Damn that band was great. Wish I could've seen 'em live.
Cool to see Carmine still carrying on with Cactus and a new line up. "Cactus 5" and the newest "Tightrope" sound pretty damn good.
@fishfool446
I remember seeing this album .back in the day when they would let you listen to it in the store to see if you liked it. I bought all their albums.These guys kicked ass!
@j.a.armour2427
I saw them in August 1970 at The Aragon Ballroom in Chicago and they played this song among others. I still remember the hypnotic beat Carmen kept on his drums while Tim played his bass solo. Ordinarily bass solos can be boring. However, this bass solo was exceptional. Everyone enjoyed Tim's bass solo so much that I think we gave him a standing ovation. He walked up to the front of the stage and just shot both his arms straight up over his head clenching his fists with total exuberance in response to our warm reception of his fabulous bass solo. It was an unforgettable moment!
@srenpetersen8060
Wow...Lucky you!! I havnt seen them, but I still enjoy their LPs....Awsome music!!
@87dramarama
Liar. I was there and I didn't see you
@paullevine1813
Rip Tim Bogart we will miss you greatly. Cactus put out some of the most kick ass rock we have had & those days of the early 70s will never be matched again. Also less we not forget Mr. Rusty Day on this sad day .
@dregs28
One of my faves another legend gone...Rest well Tim :-(