Greg Brown, Founding Guitarist of Cake and Songwriter of ‘The Distance’, Passes Away Following Short Illness
Greg Brown, the founding guitarist for the rock band Cake and the composer of their iconic hit “The Distance,” has passed away after a brief illness, as announced by the band on social media on Saturday, February 7. The age of Brown was not disclosed, but a 2021 feature from Billboard indicated he was 51 at that time.
“It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of Greg Brown’s passing,” the band wrote on Instagram, accompanied by a black-and-white photograph of Brown. The announcement did not specify the exact cause of death.
Based in Sacramento, California, Cake currently includes vocalist John McCrea, trumpeter/keyboardist Vince DiFiore, guitarist Xan McCurdy, bassist Daniel McCallum, and drummer Todd Roper. The band emphasized Brown’s significant role in shaping their early sound, stating, “His creative contributions were immense, and his presence — both musical and personal — will be deeply missed. Godspeed, Greg.”
Founded in 1991, Cake originally featured Brown, McCrea, and DiFiore, among others. He was instrumental in the creation of their first two albums: the debut, *Motorcade of Generosity* released in 1994, and the 1996 follow-up, *Fashion Nugget*.
Brown alone penned the band’s successful 1996 single “The Distance,” which peaked at No. 4 on Billboard’s Alternative Airplay chart. Reflecting on the song in a 2021 interview, Brown noted, “[McCrea] took to it right away, and I didn’t really understand what he saw in it so much. I liked the way it sounded and everything, but I thought ‘Frank Sinatra’ was a much stronger choice for the single. But the record label chose it, and it worked out.”
After departing from Cake in 1997 following a tour, Brown later stated, “I might have told you one thing back when I was 27 years old, and I left hot-headed and mad about what I considered to be irreconcilable personality problems… I would just say there was a lot of turmoil at the time, and I felt like leaving Cake would be a decision that would be good for my health.” He subsequently formed his own band, Deathray, with former Cake member Victor Damiani and joined a side project by Weezer’s Rivers Cuomo called Homie.
Following the release of two albums with Deathray in the early 2000s, Brown reunited with Cake, contributing guitar to the track “Bound Away” which appeared on their 2011 album, *Showroom of Compassion*.
Cake’s heartfelt announcement regarding Brown’s passing can be found on their Instagram page.
