Funk, folk, hip-hop with a dash of rock-country twang. How else can you describe Cake? Their unique style was hard for some music critiques to swallow in their early beginning, but Cake, like their first big hit song, knows all about “Going the Distance.” The band is celebrating its tenth anniversery together on the road. Currently, the band is right in the heart of their Comfort Eagle Tour, which will make its way to Cincinnati Monday night. The BG News had a chance to catch up with Cake trumpet player and back up vocalist Vincent DiFiore to talk about Bowling Green, their beloved cover songs and dancing to the beat of a blender making a smoothie.

VINCE: Bowling Green … Isn’t that in Kentucky?

NH: Yeah, there’s a Bowling Green, Kentucky. We just happen to live in the flatter, windier, less known Bowling Green, Ohio.

VINCE: It’s really funny, because where I’m from in Sacremento, there are two streets named Bowling Green along with an elementary school. I think a lot of people in the midwest ended up making their way out to places like Sacremento, and they took the names with them.

NH: There’s also a band named Bowling Green. VINCE (laughing): Yeah, I think I’ve heard of them. What’s with the name Bowling Green? Does it all have to do with Boccie ball or something?

NH: You’ve got me there, but Boccie ball sounds like a good start. I think there was a general during the Civil War under (Abraham) Lincoln named Bowling Green.

VINCE: What a strange name.

NH: I agree.

NH: After 10 years, a lot of groups have already made their way to VH1’s “Where are They Now.” What has kept Cake going all these years?

VINCE: Perseverance. People always like guitar rock. We’re not the super heavy guitar rock, but there’s enough hooks on the guitar to really keep people’s attention, combined with the lyrics of the songs. Somehow, by the skin of our teeth, we’re still on the radio. I think we’ve always been an alternative to the alternative, I suppose.

NH: Alternative to the alternative?

VINCE: I don’t even think there’s an alternative category anymore; it’s just called modern rock. We’re just playing our style of music. I guess we’re just still around because of luck and our willingness to keep on trying.

NH: There are a lot of other bands we can fit into the modern rock catergory that have been around awhile, like Beck and Radiohead. Over the years, they have changed style of music. Have you guys ever woken and decided with the band members: “Hey, let’s be a boy band or let’s tear up the techno charts?”

VINCE (laughing): No, we haven’t thought about that. It’s interesting, though, because we are looking for a new manager. We went to visit some new managers in Los Angeles, and one of the guys was saying, “I see you in a cowboy hat.”

There was a moment during our career where we did put on some cowboy clothes. It was something that we wanted to do to bring attention to ourselves. It never stuck, though. We appreciate the T-shirt ethic. We’re one of those bands that will just go up in a T-shirt and jeans, and I think we’ll probably stick to that.

NH: “Sheep go to Heaven, Goats go to Hell.” “Short Skirt, Long Jacket.” When John writes these songs, do you ever scatch your head the first time you see them?

VINCE: John will rarely explain a song to someone. He’d rather just put the words out there and let people figure them out themselves.

His lyrics have become less vague over time. There were songs I enjoy that I never understood the meaning of. I just liked how the words sounded together.

NH: So how’s the tour been so far?

VINCE: It’s a little bit more satisfying this time with the relationship with our fans. On the other tours, I was surprised that there were people out there. Now that there are people at our shows, I feel really appeciative. It makes me realize how special this is.

NH: Your songs have some funky beats to them. Is it interesting watching white boys with no rhythm like me dance to your music?

VINCE: If people want to dance to anything, they can. You can dance to a blender making a smoothie. We have souped-up, funky kind of songs. Maybe line dancing would be the easiest thing to do for our song. It would be hard to organize a line-dance at a concert.

NH: I’d like to see that.

VINCE: So would I.

NH: You guys have done some pretty popular covers over the years, the most famous being Gloria Gainer’s “I Will Survive.” Are there any more you guys are working on?

VINCE: During rehearsal, we always wind up doing a Bad Company or ACDC song. We’ve done our own version of Ohio Player’s “Fire.” We’ll see if one of the songs makes it on our next album.

NH: We hear your songs on the radio, but they’re not on every other song like many overplayed groups today. Do you consider that a good thing?

VINCE: Maybe it’s a benefit that we’re not more successful than we are. We’re not burning anyone out. It’s a love-hate relationship with the radio. You want them to play your songs, but you don’t want them to strangle the listeners with it. Radio stations are like a big party. If your songs fit into their party, then they will use them. Once the party is over, then it’s over.