Cactus was initially conceived in late 1969 by former Vanilla Fudge members bassist Tim Bogert and drummer Carmine Appice after plans to team up with guitarist Jeff Beck were canceled when Beck had an automobile accident and was out of the music scene for over a year.

In early 1970, Bogert and Appice brought in blues guitarist Jim McCarty from Mitch Ryder’s Detroit Wheels and The Buddy Miles Express, and singer Rusty Day (born Russell Edward Davidson) from The Amboy Dukes.

This line-up released three albums on Atco Records, Cactus (1970), One Way… or Another (1971), and Restrictions (1971), before intraband troubles led to McCarty quitting at the end of 1971. Day was fired from the group shortly afterwards. The fourth and last original Cactus album, ‘Ot 'n’ Sweaty (1972), featured original rhythm section Bogert and Appice joined by Werner Fritzschings on guitar, Duane Hitchings on keyboards and Peter French (ex-Leaf Hound and Atomic Rooster) on vocals.