I am researching Tim Bogarts career and want to explore Cactus ... What are your fav albums? Thank you
Well, there aren’t many, so it will be easy: Cactus One Way or Another Restrictions ‘Ot ‘n’ Sweaty (half studio/half live) There’s the Barely Contained set, from Rhino, which has all of the studio stuff from above. Then there are the 2 Fully Unleashed sets, from Rhino Handmade, which includes the half live side from ‘Ot ‘n’ Sweaty plus rounding up a few scattered live tracks and 2 unreleased live gigs. The Barely Contained and Fully Unleashed sets may cost a bit of $ but it will cover your needs. Cactus on Atco is worth seeking out. I recommend Restrictions, if you can find one with “Sterling RL” in the dead wax. You can’t go wrong with Cactus
I mean... they only have 4 albums from their heyday, (which are all great) so it's hard to go wrong. If you're purchasing vinyl keep an eye out for RL versions, I bought one on accident and was absolutely blown away, and they're regular price right now...
Unless you're a huge Mike Pinera fan, but nobody from the classic Cactus lineup is on it. Always wondered why this was released as a Cactus album at all. (other than that one of the new guys from the previous album is there)
My favourite is One Way... or Another, probably because it was the first I heard and the only one I had for a long time (the European version with the different cover). If you just want to check them out Cactology: The Cactus Collection is a nice compilation. But since they don't have that many albums just getting the first three with the original lineup is also just as easy. That Rhino Handmade set, also reissued on Wounded Bird, is extremely expensive in both versions, there are several other options. There are for example in print 2-fers on Hear No Evil (part of Cherry Red), these include the same bonus tracks. I wish someone would make the live material from the Fully Unleashed releases available, that stuff is even more expensive (always was too) and it's not on streaming either.
The first album is a classic slice of early '70s American rock. You could even make a case that it was the first hard rock album by an American band -- well, maybe not the *first*, but perhaps the one that laid the groundwork for the 1970s style of heavy rock which came after.
I like the s/t and second albums the best. I’ve heard them called the “American Led Zeppelin” but I can’t say I agree with that.
Have to agree Cactus didn't really venture into 'breakdown' nor jam territory. Was there (general consensus on) an American Led Zeppelin ultimately? Granicus would've, could've and should've been... aside from that...
I wouldn’t say it sucks, but it doesn’t bear any resemblance to the first 4 albums. It’s basically a different band.
There are many "first" hard rock albums from around that time, just to take an example associated with another fallen hero, Mountain Climbing! came out four months earlier. (James Gang were on their second album and Grand Funk were on their third, etc.) But you may have a point that Cactus sounded closer to what was to come after than many others. I think that description comes from interviews where they've stated that was their plan or model for what the band was going to be, but things don't turn out as their planned and they became their own thing, no need to compare.
I don't actually have them, I have the old stand alone Wounded Bird CDs and the Rhino Handmade Barely Contained (plus original US pressings on LP), I was just pointing to what is most readily available.
Yeah....I started off by typing "FIRST AMERICAN HARD ROCK ALBUM EVER!" and then I realized that the hyperbole was going to get me in trouble! Bands like the James Gang and Grand Funk definitely rocked, but they also had a certain element of blues/R&B/psych which spilled over from their '60s roots. But Cactus was one of the first bands to emphasize the straight-ahead hard rock, which I think paved the way for KISS and the rest of '70s rockers.
