Ep558: John McCrea of CAKE

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 Apple: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-ios Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-spot Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-amazon Support the show at Patreon.com/VinylGuide