Cake (band)

This article is about the rock band. For other uses, see Cake (disambiguation).

Cake

Cake (officially capitalized "CAKE") is an American alternative rock band from Sacramento, California which has had several hits throughout the 1990s and 2000s from six albums.

History

Cake was formed in 1991 by vocalist/songwriter John McCrea, guitarist Greg Brown, trumpeter Vince DiFiore, bassist Shon Meckfessel and drummer Frank French. Shon Meckfessel soon left and was replaced by Gabe Nelson. In 1993, the band released its debut single, "Rock 'n' Roll Lifestyle." Although self-released, the single managed to hit number 31 on the US Modern Rock Tracks. After the moderate radio success of their first single, Cake released their debut album entitled Motorcade of Generosity. Eventually, Cake signed a deal with Capricorn records, who in turn released the album nationally. Some time after this deal Gabe Nelson and Frank French left the band.

In 1996, Cake released their second album, Fashion Nugget. The album produced the radio gem "The Distance," which "dominated alternative radio that fall". The next single released from Fashion Nugget was a cover of Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive".

Later Victor Damiani was replaced by Gabe Nelson when he rejoined the band.

Cake released their third studio album, Prolonging the Magic, in 1998. This album contained the hit single "Never There" which reached number 1 on the U.S. Modern Rock Tracks.

In 2001 Cake released their fourth full-length album entitled Comfort Eagle. This was Cake's first release under Columbia records. The lead single "Short Skirt/Long Jacket" was a major hit on alternative radio stations, climbing to number 7 on the U.S. Modern Rock Tracks. And is now the theme song to the Chuck (TV series)

Cake's fifth album, Pressure Chief, was released on October 5, 2004. It contained the moderately successful singles "No Phone" and a cover of the Bread song "The Guitar Man."

Cake released a compilation, B-Sides and Rarities, in October 2007. It features covers of Black Sabbath's "War Pigs," Barry White's "Never, Never Gonna Give You Up," Frank Sinatra's "Strangers in the Night," and Piero Umiliani's "Mahna Mahna," as well as live versions of Cake songs "Short Skirt/Long Jacket" and "It's Coming Down". Rarities is the band's first album on its own label, Upbeat Records.

The band has announced that two new albums are in the works: Live at the Crystal Palace, the band's first live album; and a new studio album, originally due in fall 2008, but later announced to be early 2009 at the band's Earthfest 2008 performance. John McCrea describes the studio album's sound as "very different" from previous Cake records, also indicating that he will be playing piano much more than usual. Both will be released on Upbeat Records.

In 2008 the band removed their studio (Upbeat Studio) from dependence on Sacramento, California's power grid by installing a system of solar panels. The band subsequently announced that their upcoming studio album will be "recorded using 100% solar energy."

Member changes

Damiani left the band in 1997, replaced by Gabe Nelson. Greg Brown left in 1998, replaced by Xan McCurdy. Brown and Damiani continued to work together when they formed the band Deathray. Todd Roper left the band to focus on parenthood after recording Comfort Eagle, and has also joined Deathray. Drummer Paulo Baldi joined the band in 2003 during the second "Unlimited Sunshine Tour". (See "Band Lineup" for more)

Musical style

Although Cake's music is often classified as alternative rock or indie rock, it combines multiple musical genres, such as funk, ska, rockabilly, pop, jazz, rap, and country. Cake's music features droll lyrics rife with word play and syncopation, catchy distorted guitar riffs (courtesy of guitarist Greg Brown until 1998, and bass player Victor Damiani until 1997), prominent use of a Moog, and a solo trumpet (played by Vince DiFiore).

The laconic and rap-like style in which lead vocalist/guitarist John McCrea brings the lyrics is sometimes called sprechgesang. Cake's approach to arrangement, composition, and instrumentation has been compared to Soul Coughing, They Might Be Giants, Talking Heads, The Cars, Camper Van Beethoven, and Lou Reed.

Touring

Cake headlined the Unlimited Sunshine Tour festival in the summer of 2002 among an eclectic ensemble of bands including Modest Mouse, The Flaming Lips, De La Soul, Latin techno fusion band Kinky and bluegrass group The Hackensaw Boys. Cake brought back the tour in 2003 with Cheap Trick, country singer Charlie Louvin, garage rockers The Detroit Cobras and a return performance from The Hackensaw Boys. The tour returned in 2007 with the Brazilian Girls on the East Coast dates, return of The Detroit Cobras for the West Coast dates, and Oakley Hall, Agent Ribbons and King City for all the shows.

In June 2008, lead singer John McCrea told music publication REVUE that he is thinking seriously of quitting touring to become a farmer.

Band lineup

• John McCrea - lead vocals, acoustic guitar, organ, vibraslap
• Vince DiFiore - trumpet, keyboards, percussion
• Xan McCurdy - electric guitar (joined after Prolonging the Magic)
• Gabe Nelson - bass guitar (left after Motorcade of Generosity, replaced by Damiani; rejoined before Prolonging the Magic)
• Andrew Griffin - Drums, joined in 2007 for european tour

Former Members:

• Greg Brown - electric guitar (1991-1998)
• Shon Meckfessel - bass guitar (1991)
• Victor Damiani - bass guitar (1991-1997)
• Frank French - drums, percussion (1991-1994)
• Todd Roper - drums, percussion (1994-2001)
• Pete McNeal - drums, percussion (2001-2004)
• Paulo Baldi - drums, percussion (joined for Pressure Chief tour after drumming on two tracks on Pressure Chief)

Discography

Main article: Cake discography

Studio albums

• Motorcade of Generosity (1994)
• Fashion Nugget (1996)
• Prolonging the Magic (1998)
• Comfort Eagle (2001)
• Pressure Chief (2004)
• B-Sides and Rarities (2007)
• Motorcade of Generosity (Re-issue) (Spring 2009)
• 6th Upcoming Studio Album (Summer 2009)

Appearances in other media

• The song "Love You Madly" is prominently featured in the soundtrack of the Judd Apatow film Forgetting Sarah Marshall.
• The theme song to NBC show Chuck is parts of Cake's 'Short Skirt/Long Jacket'.
• The song "Shadow Stabbing" from Comfort Eagle appears in the opening credits of the movies Orange County and Wordplay.
• The Daria episode "The Road Worrier" featured the song "Frank Sinatra" and used "Rock 'n' Roll Lifestyle" for its closing credits. The song "Daria" was used as closing credits for "The New Kid", "Never There" was used in "Depth Takes a Holiday", "Sheep go to Heaven" was in "The Lost Girls", and "Friend Is a Four-Letter Word" was the closing credit theme of episode 13 of season 4 : "Dye! Dye! My Darling".
• The song "Frank Sinatra" was also featured at the close of The Sopranos episode "The Legend of Tennessee Moltisanti."
• Cake's cover of "I Will Survive" was featured in the 2004 Japanese movie Survive Style 5+, the 2003 film Secretary, and the 2003 Canadian comedy, Mambo Italiano.
• The song "Comfort Eagle" was featured in the 2001 movie Shallow Hal, as is "Never There."
• "When You Sleep," "Sheep Go to Heaven," "You Turn the Screws," "Open Book" and "Never There" were featured on the soundtrack to the 2001 film Sidewalks of New York.
• "Never There" was in the Friends episode "The One Where Rachel Smokes" during her surprise party.
• "Hem of Your Garment" was in the movie Me, Myself & Irene.
• "Stickshifts and Safetybelts" is featured in the film Waking Up in Reno.
• "Short Skirt/Long Jacket" was featured in the movie Waitress, as well as in the ER episode Blood, Sugar, Sex, Magic.
• For two years, "The Distance" was used in the TV advert for the Powers (whiskey) Irish Grand National, which takes place in Dublin, Ireland every Easter Monday.
• An instrumental version of "The Distance" was used in Episode 13 of Season 11 of 'The Simpsons', called "Saddlesore Galactica".
• The song "Love You Madly" was used in Episode 2 of Season 1 of Smallville.
• The beginning of "You Turn The Screws" is featured occasionally as a buffer segment on National Public Radio, along with the song "When You Sleep". Also, excerpts of "Stickshifts and Safetybelts" are often used as buffer segments on The Splendid Table, which is produced by American Public Media and airs on public radio stations nationwide.
• Cake's cover of "Mahna Mahna" appears on the charity CD For the Kids whose proceeds benefit the "VH1 SAVE THE MUSIC" organization.
• The video of "Rock 'n' Roll Lifestyle" aired on an episode of Weird TV.
• "Never, Never Gonna Give You Up" featured in the movie An American Werewolf in Paris.
• Cake's cover of Strangers in the Night appears on the PC video game soundtrack Stubbs the Zombie in "Rebel Without a Pulse"
• The cover of "I Will Survive" and other songs from the record Fashion Nugget are used in the German film Herr Lehmann.
• An instrumental and uptempo version of the song "Italian Leather Sofa" plays over the opening credits of the animated cartoon "Mission Hill" (1999-2002)
• "Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps" is featured on the soundtrack of Welcome to Woop Woop

External links

• Cake's official web site
• Allmusic entry for Cake
• Singer and Guitarist John McCrea of Cake - John McCrea discusses Pressure Chief on NPR's Fresh Air
• BlogCritics Music interview with John McCrea
• CNN Interview with Cake
• Rolling Stone interview with John McCrea