As the California based CAKE get closer to the Webster Theater, we took a little time to sit down with Vince DiFiore (trumpet player in CAKE) and pick his brain.

Harris: Can you talk about where the name of the band came from and how the group initially formed?

Thriving Ivory: We formed back in Santa Barbara while we were going to school. Got our start playing college parties to masses of drunk people and then eventually moved to the Bay Area where most of us are originally from. That's when things really started getting going for us. The band name was just put together from a list of words on a page that we thought sounded good and represented the bands sound somewhat. We have no crazy story to tell unfortunately but we welcome your ideas if you can think of one. That would put an end to our boring answer to that question.

Harris:Your debut album came out a little over a year ago (June of 2008), how would you describe the year that has followed the release?

Thriving Ivory: It has been great and busy. We traversed the country four times in a 15 person cargo van through blistering heat and bone chilling cold and saw some corners of this country that we never would've seen otherwise. We had great success and response from "Angels on the Moon" and while it took some time to catch on, it has really propelled us onto the music scene and to more of the mainstream consciousness. Now we are working our current single "Hey Lady" and are starting the process over, only this time from where we left of with "Angels".

Harris: I wrote a while back that Clayton Stroope was a mix between Axl Rose and Gerard Way of My Chemical Romance, how do you find the audience at your shows? Does it reflect similar crowds to either of those bands?

Thriving Ivory: We have some of the best looking crowds out there I would argue. We also have a lot of devout fans who travel hundreds of miles (sometimes further than we do) to get to the shows. I'm sure both of those bands experience that so I guess we have some things in common. I would say those shows are a little rougher around the edges than ours. I have to say it's been a long time since we saw a mosh pit break out, but if it did with all the girls at the show, that would be pretty entertaining.

Harris: Who would you say are your greatest musical influences?

Thriving Ivory: There are a few that we share as a band such as U2, Coldplay, Maroon 5, Muse, Our Lady Peace, Aqualung, and the list goes on. But we also come from different backgrounds and if you asked each individual to comprise a list of their favs they would all look pretty different from each other.

Harris: "Angels on the Moon," was a huge single for you, could you talk about how that song came about and is it the kind of song that your just sick of playing already?

Thriving Ivory: "Angels" was one of our first songs that we played as a band and it went through some serious changes from it's original 6 minute form. We never get too specific about the inspiration behind it because people react so intensely to the lyrics that we don't want to detract from what it means to them. I don't think we're sick of it yet, playing for new cities every night and getting the reactions from fans and hearing them sing along helps keep it new and fresh for us.

Harris: What are some notable bands that you have shared the stage with in the past?

Thriving Ivory: Sarah McLaughlin (??? I never spell it right), Switchfoot, Third Eye Blind, Hootie and the Blowfish, Filter, Augustana, Colby Calait, Shinedown, Saving Able, Kate Perry, Missy Higgins, OAR, Sara Boralles, Second Hand Serenade, and last but not least Young MC and Flo Rida... that was interesting.

Harris: Do you have a wishlist of bands to play with in the future?

Thriving Ivory: All of the influences I listed earlier would be amazing to play with. That would probably be our wishlist.

Harris: Is there a follow up album in the works? Anything you can tell us about it?

Thriving Ivory: We're always writing new songs, so you could say yes, the next album is in the works but we haven't stepped into a studio to record anything yet. Our sound is evolving in a lot of ways and becoming more succinct just from playing together for so long, so I think album two will sound like a more refined Thriving Ivory. Since the first album was a combination of songs we wrote over the six years before we were signed, we're gonna milk this one a little longer.

Harris: What advice would you give other artists who are where you were just one year ago?

Thriving Ivory: Keep looking forward and take advantage of the opportunities that are presented to you, without compromising your integrity of course. Also compromise is extremely important in reaching a common goal. We don't all see things the same way and while that can be tough to deal with, it's also what makes us great.

Harris: Here are some rapid fire questions for you:

Harris: Blink 182 or Green Day

Thriving Ivory: Green Day, they're from our home in the Bay Area

Harris: Coke or Pepsi

Thriving Ivory:Coke... but only the carbonated stuff

Harris: New York or Los Angeles

Thriving Ivory: New York... best night life and culture of almost any city we've been to

Harris: Britney Spears is (good or bad) for music

Thriving Ivory: Whatever, I think music has been bad for her

Harris: Star Wars or Lord of the Rings

Thriving Ivory: I grew up on Star Wars and grew into Lord of the Rings, that's an impossible question to answer

Harris: Myspace or Facebook

Thriving Ivory:Myspace for music and Facebook for everything else

Harris: Mac or PC

Thriving Ivory:We love our Macs and our IPhones

Harris: Thanks so much for taking the time and hopefully having some fun with these questions. I look forward to seeing you when you pass through Hartford later this spring.