CAKE

Vocalist John McCrea was a solo folk musician performing in Sacramento coffeehouses before he formed the alternative rock band Cake with trumpeter Vince DiFiore in the early ’90s. ∙ Cake scored a record deal due to the success of their 1994 indie album, Motorcade of Generosity, which they initially sold directly to fans from their tour van. ∙ In late 1998, they earned their first modern rock No. 1 hit with the song “Never There.” ∙ A big fan of The Louvin Brothers, McCrea persuaded country legend Charlie Louvin to open their 2003 summer tour with Cheap Trick. ∙ Their self-released 2011 album, Showroom of Compassion, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. ∙ The band create their music in a solar-powered recording studio, which they built over the course of five years.