Something new
under the sun

Cake take a slice out of energy consumption

GOT IT COVERED: Cake

by ERIK LEIJON

An unlikely success story of the ’90s quirky alternative scene, Sacramento, California rockers Cake have vibraslapped their way from novelty act, with early hits such as talk-singing “The Distance” and the post-ironic cover of Gloria Gaynor’s disco-diva hit “I Will Survive,” to oddly iconic elder statesmen on the college rock scene. They come to Montreal on a small North American tour bearing no new fruit, as the oft-delayed first record for their own imprint is due in 2009 (a planned live record has been shelved), but that doesn’t mean the quintet hasn’t been busy. The Mirror spoke to trumpet player Vince Di Fiore about going indie, going green and doing covers.

Mirror: The timing of this mini-tour seems strange, given that the new record isn’t finished.

Vince Di Fiore: We’re not on a big label anymore [the group formed Upbeat Records in 2007 after leaving Columbia], so we don’t have an advance on the upcoming record. We need to keep some funds coming in so everyone can get paid and we can make a living while we continue to write. It’s a different way we’re operating now. Where there’s demand, we’ll take them up on it.

M: Will Montrealers get a preview of the new material at the show?

VD: I don’t really know, but I don’t think so. We have different versions of these songs, and we haven’t come up with definitive arrangements yet. I’ve encouraged everyone in the band to do that and no one has taken me up on it. We’re all very cautious and that’s probably the right way to go. We’ll be keeping the songs close to the vest.

M: So I hear the new album will be recorded with 100 per cent solar power. Can you explain how you took your Sacramento studio solar?

VD: We installed solar panels on the roof. We wanted to free ourselves up from the energy grid, and use the renewable resource of the sun’s energy. It’s always stressful in the studio and that makes the process a little easier to cope with, taking solar energy and not using electricity. The electricity in Sacramento comes typically from natural gas, and we’re creating a lot of energy that goes back into the grid—we’re not using nearly as much energy as our panels are generating.

M: Environmental causes seem to be especially important to [singer] John McCrea. He’s been talking about retiring and becoming a farmer.

VD: The environmental issues weigh heavily on him and he’s willing to actually make a big life decision based on what’s happening with energy consumption. But he seems to be sticking with it.

M: On 2007’s B-Sides and Rarities, you guys do covers of Sinatra and Sabbath. Why do you guys feel comfortable doing covers?

VD: It makes us think as players. When you’re doing original songs, the scope of the resources in your head narrows down sometimes. It’s good to listen to and perform other people’s music because it opens up your mind to different ways of approaching your own material. You know, the idea of all-original material started with the Beatles, but before that, bands didn’t really feel pressed to always do their own stuff. Like a lot of old country artists, some of our favourite albums are by people who don’t even do their own material, they would just pick songs that fit them.