Carmine Appice recently revealed his preference for Papa Roach over Shinedown and shared his candid thoughts on the modern music industry.
During an interview on Dayna’s Diner With Dayna Steele, Appice was asked if there were any newer bands he’d pay to see live. “I like — what was the name of that band? Oh, come on… Papa Roach,” the legendary drummer said. Recounting his experience, he explained, “I went to see them with… I have neighbors up the street here. The kids are [a guitarist] and a drummer, and I helped the drummer kid out. They were going to see Papa Roach and Shinedown, and they had an extra ticket. They said, ‘You wanna go?’ I said, ‘Sure.’”
Although his neighbors were excited about Shinedown, Appice had a different take. “They were all raving about Shinedown. For me, I thought Papa Roach was awesome. So I actually downloaded some of their songs on iTunes,” he added.
Appice also shared his perspective on the state of rock music and the release of his new Cactus album, Temple Of The Blues: Influences And Friends, during a conversation with Ted Nugent on the Spirit Campfire podcast. Discussing the album’s branding, he remarked, “I wanted to market it differently because [it has been] a blues rock band from the beginning. I told the owner, ‘Let’s market this as a blues record, not a rock record because rock today is Taylor Swift.’” He further explained the decision to tweak the album’s title and cover to reflect its blues identity.
When promoting the album in July 2024, Appice voiced his criticism of streaming services, particularly Spotify, during an interview with Toilet Ov Hell. “Keep pushing this album. That’s what we need. And keep telling people to buy it and don’t Spotify it. Buy it on iTunes. Buy it on Amazon. Because musicians get screwed on Spotify,” he stated firmly.
Appice elaborated on his personal approach, saying, “I will never, ever play a song on Spotify. If I want a song, I’ll buy it on iTunes. I’ve done it a few times. I heard a song on YouTube, and I said, ‘I’m gonna buy that.’ That’s the way to do it, ’cause that keeps the musician alive and making money. Otherwise, the only way a musician can make money is through touring and merchandise.”
Temple Of The Blues features an impressive lineup of collaborators, including Joe Bonamassa, Ted Nugent, Billy Sheehan, Bumblefoot, Dee Snider, Steve Stevens, Pat Travers, and Rudy Sarzo, further cementing its place as a standout release in the blues rock genre.
