Carmine Appice - drums, vocals; Rick Derringer - guitar, vocals; Kasim Sulton - bass, vocals; Tom Petersson - bass, vocals; Duane Hitchings - keyboards, vocals; special guests:; Charlie Daniels - vocals, guitar; Phil Lynott - vocals; Fran Sheehan - percussion; Mark Stein - organ, vocals; Tim Bogart - bass, vocals; Vinnie Martell - guitar, vocals
In 1982, a UNICEF benefit held at the Savoy in New York City was organized by rock drummer extraordinaire Carmine Appice. Appice first came to notoriety as the skin basher for Vanilla Fudge, a pioneering heavy metal band that merged blue-eyed soul and psychedelic music. The Fudge had a number of hits with covers of contemporary pop hits of that period, such as The Supremes' "Keep Me Hanging On," Sonny & Cher's "Bang Bang," and Trade Martin's "Take Me For A Little While."
When the Fudge began to fade in 1970, Appice and Fudge bassist Tim Bogart regrouped with a new blues/rock/boogie band called Cactus. From there he and Bogart formed a power trio with Jeff Beck, before Appice went to work for Rod Stewart.
For Carmine Appice the show would mark the first and one of the few times he performed under his own name, and not as part of a band. But, that didn't stop him from still playing within a band, anyway. After running through a number of popular songs with guests Rick Derringer (who does his trademark "Rock 'N Roll Hoochie Coo") and Charlie Daniels (singing outstanding versions of "C.C. Rider" and "Amazing Grace"), and doing the obligatory lengthy drum solo, Appice surprised the audience by staging the first reunion in 12 years of the original Vanilla Fudge.
The Fudge were a little rusty, but overall sounded exceptional as they blasted through powerful versions of "Take Me For A Little While," and "Keep Me Hanging On."
The benefit show was broadcast as part of the King Biscuit Flower Hour, and closed with an ensemble version of the rock classic "Bo Diddley." It was a quirky gathering of musicians and the music is certainly all over the place, but for the Fudge reunion alone, this show is historic, not to mention a lot of fun.