Frank Rondel
Greg Brown, the founding guitarist of the American alternative rock band CAKE who shaped the band’s first two albums, has passed away after a brief illness, reports customreceipt.com, via Facebook. CAKE released a statement on Saturday expressing their grief, saying, “Greg was an integral part of CAKE’s early sound and development. His creative contributions were immense, and his presence—both musical and personal—will be deeply missed. Godspeed, Greg.”
Brown performed on CAKE’s 1994 debut Motorcade of Generosity and its 1996 follow-up Fashion Nugget. He is especially known for writing the band’s breakout single “The Distance,” which became a defining track of the mid-1990s alternative rock scene and helped establish CAKE’s distinctive sound.
After departing from CAKE shortly before the release of their third album, Brown founded the band deathray, releasing their self-titled debut in 2000. The project became his main focus throughout the 2000s. In addition, he collaborated with Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo in the short-lived supergroup Homie and contributed to a solo project by Matt Sharp, formerly of Weezer and The Rentals.
In 2011, Brown briefly reunited with CAKE, providing guitar for the track “Bound Away” on their album Showroom of Compassion, highlighting his continued influence and connection to the band even years after his initial departure. His work with CAKE and subsequent projects reflected his versatility as a guitarist and songwriter and left a lasting mark on alternative rock.
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