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

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