Genre: rock
Rating: 3 stars ***
Title: Restrictions
Company: ATCO
Catalog: SD 33-377
Year: 1971
Country/State: US
Grade (cover/record): VG / VG
Comments: --
Available: 1
GEMM catalog ID: 5205
Price: $8.00
Ah, another plan to hatch a musical super group turns to crapola ... Drummer Carmen Appice and bassist Tim Bogert were former members of Vanilla Fudge, singer Rusty Day's credentials included The Amboy Dukes, while guitarist Jim McCarty had been a member of Mitch Ryder's Detroit Wheels.
The original plan was for Appice and Bogert to hook up with ex-Yardbirds guitarist Jeff Back and singer Rod Stewart. Unfortunately Beck was sidelined by a near fatal car accident. Rather than wait for Beck to recuperate Stewart hooked up with the remnants of The Small Faces for what was to become The Faces and a solo career. Left high and dry, Appice and Bogert settled for a collaboration with Day and McCarty.
Produced by Geoffrey Haslam, 1971's "Restrictions" served as the band's third studio set (and final release by the original line up). With all four members contributing material the set wasn't all that different than their earlier collections. Day was a decent enough singer, capable of bangin' his way through the group's pounding sound. Appice and Bogert combined to form a powerful, if heavy handed rhythm section that occasionally threatened to beat the rest of the band into dust. That left McCarty to take up the role of the band's secret weapon. A far better guitarist than the band deserved, he was also a killer slide player (check out his solo on the title track). Given those credentials nobody bought this album looking for musical subtlty, or to check out their sensitive singer/songwriter moves. Material like the title track, 'Evil' and 'Sweet Sixteen' offered up competent, if largely uninspired blues-rock. Elsewhere ATCO tapped the album for a pair of singles:
- 'Token Chokin'' b/w 'Alaska' (ATCO catalog number 45-6842)
- 'Evil' b/w 'Evil' (ATCO catalog number 45-6872)
"Restirctions" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) Restrictions (Rusty Day - Carmen Appice) - 6:17
2.) Token Chokin' (Rusty Day - Carmen Appice) - 3:07
3.) Guiltless Glider (Rusty Day - Tim Bogert - Carmen Appice - Jim McCarty) - 6:45
(side
2)
1.) Evil (C. Burnett) - 3:14
2.) Alaska (JIm McCarty - Tim Bogetr) - 3:35
3.) Sweet Sixteen (Rusty Day - Tim Bogert - Carmen Appice - Jim McCarty) - 3:17
4.) Bag Drag (Rusty Day - Jim McCarty) -5:11
5.) Mean Night In Cleveland (Rusty Day - Tim Bogert - Carmen Appice - Jim McCarty) -2:10
Shortly after the album was released McCarty called it quits. He was subsequently replaced by Werner Fritschings. Day was then fired with ex-Leafhound vocalist Peter French taking his place.
Sadly in March 1982 Day was shot dead in a drug deal.
In 2006 Appice, Bogert and McCarty reunited with ex-Savoy Brown singer Jimmy Kunes replacing the late Rusty Day. The group undertook a brief tour and even recorded a new studio album "Cactus V".
Here's a YouTube clip of the reunited group performing 'Evil' during a 2006 New York performance. The fact they could still generate some heat while in their 60s was quite impressive.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-7ODYNuoiE
There's also an official Cactus website: