John McCrea of CAKE discusses their elusive catalogue on vinyl, rarities of the band, upcoming Australian tour, new recordings, record nerdery and more.
Tickets & info on CAKE's Australian tour is here
Topics Include:
- John McCrae discusses collecting records, revisiting old favorites like Perez Prado
- He describes "chasing goosebumps" — the feeling of rediscovering great music
- Shares vivid teenage memory seeing Led Zeppelin at Knebworth, England
- Recalls dancing to washing machine rinse cycles as a toddler
- Names early formative records: Beatles, Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie, Arlo Guthrie
- His parents played accordion and folk guitar, shaping his musicality
- Discusses his dad's Eastern European minor-key accordion versus polka music
- Talks about "Rancho Seco," his first recorded song, a protest track
- Song addressed a nuclear plant illegally releasing radioactive steam locally
- Connects Dylan influence and poets to his built-in social justice streak
- Reflects on growing up near Sacramento, Berkeley, and Nevada City, California
- Compares old Bay Area culture to today's flashier Silicon Valley wealth
- Describes Cake's early '90s formation, self-financed four-song EP release
- EP funded through show earnings and merch, later expanded into album
- Album got European distribution and unexpected early popularity in France
- "Rock and Roll Lifestyle" got college radio play before wider fame
- Cake signed to Capricorn Records, a small Southern rock label
- East Bay Ray advised McCrea to fight for keeping album masters
- McCrae says most bands don't retain their masters like Cake did
- Vinyl of Cake albums historically hard to find, tied up licensing
- Discusses 2014 box set now reselling for $700–$1,000 secondhand
- New Cake album is finished, awaiting mixing, targeted early 2027
- Explains he avoids forced album themes, focuses song by song
- Reflects on why Cake albums come infrequently, citing family, industry fatigue
- Criticizes modern music industry as increasingly exploitative and financially unsustainable
- Explains reduced touring due to travel dislike and environmental concerns
- Considers eco-friendly vinyl options and shifting kids' preference toward CDs
- Discusses Cake's DIY visual identity, homemade posters, and lino-cut aesthetic
- Talks rare live vinyl pressings, including $300 Crystal Palace release
- Wraps up promoting Cake's Australian tour dates and Sydney ticket sales
High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide
