Rock Band CAKE Mourns Loss of Founding Guitarist Greg Brown After Brief Illness
CAKE, the iconic Sacramento-based rock act, announced the passing of its founding guitarist and songwriter Greg Brown on Saturday. The news was shared in a heartfelt social media post alongside a black-and-white photo of Brown.
According to the band, Brown's death was due to a brief illness, although no specific cause or details were disclosed. CAKE expressed their sadness and gratitude for Brown's immense creative contributions to the band's early sound and development. His presence both musically and personally will be deeply missed.
Brown joined CAKE in 1991 alongside vocalist John McCrea, trumpeter/keyboardist Vince DiFiore, and others. He played on the band's first two albums, Motorcade of Generosity (1994) and Fashion Nugget (1996). The latter, featuring Brown's songwriting credits, including the hit single "The Distance," reached No. 4 on Billboard's Alternative Airplay chart.
In a recent Billboard feature in 2021, Brown shared his thoughts on "The Distance" and how it was chosen as the single from Fashion Nugget. He recalled feeling initially uncertain about the song but appreciated its sound. However, he attributed the band's choice of the track to the record label rather than his personal preference.
Brown left CAKE in 1997 following a tour promoting Fashion Nugget. The subsequent year saw the release of their third album, Prolonging the Magic.
Since leaving CAKE, Brown went on to form his own band, Deathray, and collaborated with fellow ex-Cake member Victor Damiani on bass. He also participated in side projects, including Homie with Weezer's Rivers Cuomo and contributing to a solo project by Matt Sharp.
In 2021, CAKE drummer Todd Roper reflected on Brown's continued connection with McCrea as musicians, stating that despite their departure from the band, they maintained an enduring chemistry.
CAKE, the iconic Sacramento-based rock act, announced the passing of its founding guitarist and songwriter Greg Brown on Saturday. The news was shared in a heartfelt social media post alongside a black-and-white photo of Brown.
According to the band, Brown's death was due to a brief illness, although no specific cause or details were disclosed. CAKE expressed their sadness and gratitude for Brown's immense creative contributions to the band's early sound and development. His presence both musically and personally will be deeply missed.
Brown joined CAKE in 1991 alongside vocalist John McCrea, trumpeter/keyboardist Vince DiFiore, and others. He played on the band's first two albums, Motorcade of Generosity (1994) and Fashion Nugget (1996). The latter, featuring Brown's songwriting credits, including the hit single "The Distance," reached No. 4 on Billboard's Alternative Airplay chart.
In a recent Billboard feature in 2021, Brown shared his thoughts on "The Distance" and how it was chosen as the single from Fashion Nugget. He recalled feeling initially uncertain about the song but appreciated its sound. However, he attributed the band's choice of the track to the record label rather than his personal preference.
Brown left CAKE in 1997 following a tour promoting Fashion Nugget. The subsequent year saw the release of their third album, Prolonging the Magic.
Since leaving CAKE, Brown went on to form his own band, Deathray, and collaborated with fellow ex-Cake member Victor Damiani on bass. He also participated in side projects, including Homie with Weezer's Rivers Cuomo and contributing to a solo project by Matt Sharp.
In 2021, CAKE drummer Todd Roper reflected on Brown's continued connection with McCrea as musicians, stating that despite their departure from the band, they maintained an enduring chemistry.
man thats so sad, i used to listen to cake all the time back in school and 'the distance' is still one of my fave songs 
i always loved how greg brown's guitar work and songwriting were such a big part of their sound... he was definitely an iconic guitarist and i'm gonna miss hearing him play 
and idk if im gonna cry or just start rockin out to all the cake jams 
anyway thats a bummer cause brown was like the heartbeat of cake before john mccrea took over but i guess that's what happens when u gotta move on from ur boyz band life 
just heard about Greg Brown's passing... feels like a piece of Sacramento's music history is gone 
"The Distance" is such an iconic song - it's crazy how much nostalgia comes flooding back just thinking about it 
Anyone else remember listening to Fashion Nugget on repeat during high school? 
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don't get me wrong, dude was a genius and all, but let's give him some props for that too.
like, 25 years in music and all that jazz. It's crazy how much impact one person can have on a band's sound and history. 
I mean, who doesn't love a good solo project? 
And I've heard great things about his collaborations with Weezer and Matt Sharp, so that's pretty cool too. 
But, I don't know, it just feels like he was still so young when he passed away... 
#CakeForever [
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it sounds so sad... what happened to him? 
i mean, CAKE is like this legendary band and now Greg Brown is gone 
i mean hes been gone since 97 and everyone just now remembers him? maybe its time to move on and focus on the music thats still relevant today 
i mean what can you even say about someone who wrote the iconic "The Distance" 
his songs like "The Distance" still hold up today 
and it's crazy that he had side projects too - Deathray, Homie with Weezer... what a talented guy! 
Greg Brown was such a huge part of Cake's sound & legacy 
i remember listening to Fashion Nugget for the first time in 2002 and being blown away by "The Distance" 
CAKE is gonna miss him so much 
