As drummer for Vanilla Fudge, Carmine Appice set the grooves for the groundbreaking band‘s 1967 psychedelic debut, inadvertently inventing Stoner Rock in the process. The Fudge had no precedent. The band was totally unique. No rock group, up until that point, had ever so lugubriously s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d out well-known pop tunes like the Beatles “Eleanor Rigby” and “Ticket To Ride,” Curtis Mayfield‘s “People Get Ready,” Sonny & Cher‘s “Bang Bang,” and Rod Argent‘s “She‘s Not There.”
Most famously, The Supremes‘ Motown classic “You Keep Me Hangin‘ On” was transformed into a hippie anthem. With Mark Stein‘s mysterioso wash of keyboard theatrics, Tim Bogert‘s trippy bass runs, and Vince Martell‘s era-happy soloing, Appice boomed like no other drummer in rock history. Their debut album is still regarded as a Hard Rock classic, and Vanilla Fudge went on to tour with Jimi Hendrix, Cream, and even had Led Zeppelin as an opening act.
Post-Fudge, Bogert and Appice formed Cactus, influencing bands like King‘s X and Van Halen. Later, the rhythm section teamed up with Grammy-winning guitar hero Jeff Beck to form the first supergroup: Beck, Bogert & Appice (BBA). Appice became known worldwide for his live performances, in addition to recording with countless artists. In ‘76, he joined Rod Stewart‘s band, co-writing two of Stewart‘s biggest hits, “Do Ya Think I‘m Sexy” and “Young Turks.”
In the mid-80s, he formed King Kobra and later played on a Pink Floyd record. He also formed Blue Murder with Whitesnake‘s John Sykes and The Firm‘s Tony Franklin. In the early 90s, he drummed for The Edgar Winter Group. As an educator, Carmine’s landmark book *The Realistic Rock Drum Method* sold over 400,000 copies, and he was the first Rock Drummer to conduct instructional clinics globally.
