Though it’s been seven years since the last Cake studio LP, you can understand why it took the eclectic Sacramento, Calif., rockers so long to finish album number six. Like its predecessors, Showroom Of Compassion was self-produced, but for the new LP, the band members engineered it themselves in their solar-powered studio and released it on their self-run Upbeat label. And aside from gigging relentlessly, the group also organized the multi-genre Unlimited Sunshine Tours (which have featured bands as diverse as the Flaming Lips, De La Soul and Cheap Trick) and is currently in the planning stages for a 2011 UST. Cake—vocalist/pianist John McCrea, multi-instrumentalists Vincent DiFiore, Xan McCurdy and Gabriel Nelson and drummer Paulo Baldi—is taking to the road this week in support of Showroom Of Compassion, playing multiple nights in numerous cities. The band will also be guest editing magnetmagazine.com all week. Read our new Q&A with DiFiore.
Xan McCurdy: There’s a quote from John Lydon where he says something about the bass guitar being the least important part of a rock ‘n’ roll band. I could not disagree more. Maybe what he was trying to say—but was in a punk-rock huff—was that the average listener may not be completely aware how much they do appreciate the bass guitar. I’m not talking about these chest-pain-causing bass-frequency fanatics, but the subtle melody-enhancing, rhythm-keeping, ass-caressing bass-guitar sounds. Put on any Marvin Gaye and turn up the low frequencies on your home or car stereos or your mp9 player (or whatever) just a tad, and I promise it’s a little bit better. And kiss your local bass player. He works a lot harder than you think.
Video after the jump.
2 replies on “Cake Loves You Madly: Bass Guitar”
John Lydon’s an idiot. Ask Bryan Wilson or Paul McCartney how important bass is in music–better yet listen to their music.
The context of Lydon’s quote was discussing the fact that Sid Vicious couldn’t really learn to play the bass beyond a few fills. Also, Lydon’s continuing grouchiness with Glen Matlock. It had everything to do with the internal poltics of the Pistols, and very little to do with what Lydon actually thought about bass.
Listen to anhy PiL record, and you’ll note the significance that Jah Wobble’s bass has on every track. This is not an accident.