Prior to forming the Cupcakes, Matt Walker, Solomon Snyder and Preston Graves had previously played together in a band called Tribal Opera. Following the break-up of Tribal Opera, Graves started working with Greg Suran, and by 1996 both Walker and Snyder had joined. They started performing as the Cupcakes. By 1997 they were signed by DreamWorks and they flew to London to record with notable producer, Stephen Street (The Smiths, Blur, the Cranberries). However, the label dropped the band shortly after their self-titled album was released in 2000.
Following the end of Tribal Opera, Walker had been touring with Filter when he was recruited by the Smashing Pumpkins to replace Jimmy Chamberlin.[7] He joined the Smashing Pumpkins, but left when Cupcakes got signed by DreamWorks.[8]
After Cupcakes
In December 2012, Graves and Walker formed a new band called Stuttgart, with Scott Tallarida, Thomas Walker and Michael Sinclair rounding out the line-up.[9]
Reception
"Alternating arena roar with moments of fey, falsetto fragility, and threading android synthesizers through power-chord anthems, the Cupcakes' debut is a big, bombastic dare." (Greg Kot, Chicago Tribune)[10]
"Ably propelled by former Smashing Pumpkins and Filter drummer Matt Walker and produced by Stephen Street (Blur, the Smiths, the Cranberries), these 13 tracks court wretched excess with walls of snarling guitars and chirping keyboards" (Jim DeRogatis, Chicago Sun-Times)[11]
^"Bye Pumpkins, Hello Cupcakes". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. November 18, 1997. Retrieved November 10, 2013. Smashing Pumpkins carves off a drummer — again. Matt Walker was hired by the band last year to replace Jimmy Chamberlin, who the other Pumpkins said was hitting controlled substances a bit hard. Walker will concentrate full time on his own band, Cupcakes. His final appearance with the band will be Dec. 5, when the Pumpkins open for the Stones at Miami's Orange Bowl.