Xan McCurdy

CAKE
CAKE in 2009. From left to right, John McCrea, Tom Monson, Xan McCurdy
Background information
Origin	Sacramento, California, U.S.
Genres	Alternative rock
Years active	1991–present
Labels	Capricorn, Columbia, Upbeat
Associated acts	Deathray
Website	cakemusic.com
Members	John McCrea Vince DiFiore Xan McCurdy Gabe Nelson Paulo Baldi
Past members	Greg Brown Victor Damiani Shon Meckfessel Pete McNeal Todd Roper Frank French Ari Gorman

Cake (stylized CAKE) is an American alternative rock band from Sacramento, California. Consisting of singer John McCrea, trumpeter Vince DiFiore, guitarist Xan McCurdy, bassist Gabe Nelson and drummer Paulo Baldi, the band has been noted for McCrea's sarcastic lyrics and monotone vocals, DiFiore's trumpet parts, and their wide-ranging musical influences, including country music, Mariachi, rock, funk, Iranian folk music and hip hop.

Cake was formed in 1991 by McCrea, DiFiore, Greg Brown, Frank French and Shon Meckfessel, who soon left and was replaced by Nelson. Following the self-release of its debut album, Motorcade of Generosity, the band was signed to Capricorn Records in 1995 and released its first single, "Rock 'n' Roll Lifestyle", which hit number 35 on the Modern Rock Tracks music chart and was featured on MTV's 120 Minutes; French and Nelson then left the band, and were replaced by Todd Roper and Victor Damiani. Cake's second album, 1996's Fashion Nugget, went platinum on the strength of its lead single, "The Distance". Following a tour of Europe and the United States, both Brown and Damiani announced they were leaving Cake, which led to speculation about the band's future; McCrea eventually recruited Xan McCurdy to take over on guitar, and persuaded Nelson to return.