The Cab was always a bit of an anomaly in that mid-2000s Fueled by Ramen and Decaydance era. They weren't quite pop-punk, but they weren't straight Top 40 pop either. Honestly, they were just a group of kids from Las Vegas who happened to have enough soul and hook-writing ability to get Panic! At The Disco's Spencer Smith to take notice. If you grew up listening to Whisper War, you probably remember the iconic five-piece lineup, but if you look at the band today, it's basically a solo project. It's weird how that happens. One minute you're a full band touring on a bus, and the next, life, ego, and the brutal reality of the music industry peel people away until only the frontman is left standing.
Most people associate the band's peak with the 2008-2011 era. That was the sweet spot. But the revolving door of The Cab band members is a saga of creative differences, departures to join other massive acts, and the inevitable shift toward pop production.
The Core Lineup: Where It All Started
When Whisper War dropped in 2008, the chemistry felt permanent. You had Alexander DeLeon on vocals, Cash Colligan on bass, Alex Marshall on piano and guitar, Ian Crawford on lead guitar, and Alex Johnson behind the drum kit. It was a lot of guys named Alex. That lineup was the one that gave us "One of THOSE Nights" and "Bounce."
Alexander DeLeon was, and is, the face of the brand. He has that classic frontman energy—ambitious, slightly polarizing, but undeniably talented at sniffing out a hit. Alex Marshall was the secret weapon. His piano work gave the band that R&B-tinged pop sound that separated them from the "neon pop-punk" bands of the time. While everyone else was power-chording their way through Vans Warped Tour, Marshall was adding actual texture.
Then you had Ian Crawford. If you know anything about guitarists in this scene, you know Ian is a beast. He didn't stay long. He left in 2009. Why? He wanted to do something more "classic rock" and eventually ended up touring with Panic! At The Disco and Never Shout Never. It was a huge loss for the band's technical edge, but they kept moving. They had to.
The Mid-Era Shifts and "Symphony Soldier"
By the time Symphony Soldier rolled around in 2011, things were already messy. Cash Colligan, the bassist and co-founder, had exited in 2009. This was a blow to the "original brotherhood" vibe. To fill the gaps, they brought in Bryan Dawson and eventually Joey Thunder.
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It's fascinating because Symphony Soldier is arguably their best work. It was independent. They left Fueled by Ramen because they wanted more control, which is a ballsy move for a band that wasn't exactly a household name yet. The lineup for that record was technically DeLeon, Marshall, and Johnson, but the touring band was a different story.
Why Alex Marshall Left
This is the one that hurt fans the most. Alex Marshall wasn't just a side player; he was the primary collaborator for DeLeon. In 2014, he officially parted ways with the group. There wasn't a huge public blow-up, but it was clear that the creative partnership had run its course. Marshall went on to do his own thing, producing and writing, and even released some solo material under his own name. Without him, The Cab lost its "band" feel and transitioned almost entirely into a vehicle for DeLeon’s pop ambitions.
Alex Johnson: The Beat That Kept Going
Alex Johnson—the drummer—stayed longer than most. He was there through the highs of the early tours and the grind of the independent years. Eventually, though, even the rhythm section changed. These days, Johnson is still active in the music world, often seen working with other artists and staying connected to the Vegas music scene.
It's easy to look at a band like The Cab and think "what happened?" but the reality is that being in a mid-tier touring band is exhausting. The money isn't always there. The personalities clash. When you're 18 and you sign a record deal, you’re not the same person at 25.
The Solo Era: Bohnes and Beyond
If you look up The Cab band members in 2024 or 2025, you’re basically looking at Alexander DeLeon. He’s been releasing music under the moniker Bohnes, which leans much heavier into a dark, cinematic pop-rock aesthetic.
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Interestingly, The Cab never "officially" broke up in the way most bands do. There was never a final tour. They just stopped. They released the Lock Me Up EP in 2014, which had some massive tracks like "Numbers," and then... silence. For years.
Is a Reunion Possible?
People ask this constantly. DeLeon has teased "The Cab" stuff on social media multiple times over the last few years. He’s played some shows under the name, but usually with a backing band of session musicians rather than the original 2008 crew. Honestly, a full original lineup reunion is unlikely. Ian Crawford is in a different musical world. Cash Colligan has moved on. The "band" is effectively a legacy name for DeLeon at this point.
What Most People Get Wrong About The Cab
There’s a common misconception that The Cab "failed" because they didn't become the next Maroon 5. That’s a weird way to look at it. They actually influenced a ton of the "alt-pop" sound that dominated the late 2010s. They were doing the R&B-meets-emo thing way before it was cool.
- They weren't just a boy band. They wrote their own stuff. Alex Marshall's compositions were legit.
- The Fueled by Ramen exit wasn't a mistake. It allowed them to own Symphony Soldier, which remains a cult classic.
- Alexander DeLeon isn't just a singer. He’s become a massive songwriter behind the scenes for other artists.
Where Are They Now?
- Alexander DeLeon (Bohnes): Lives a high-profile life, married to model Josephine Skriver, and continues to release solo music while teasing Cab "projects."
- Alex Marshall: Mostly private, still involved in music production, and occasionally resurfaces on social media to the delight of nostalgic fans.
- Ian Crawford: Continues to be one of the most respected guitarists in the scene, playing with various projects and showing off his incredible blues-rock skills.
- Cash Colligan: Has stayed mostly out of the spotlight but remains a foundational part of the band's history.
- Alex Johnson: Still drumming and involved in the industry.
Practical Steps for Fans and Collectors
If you're trying to track down the history of The Cab band members or collect their work, don't just stick to Spotify.
Track down the "The Lady Luck" EP. This was their pre-fame era. It’s raw, it’s unpolished, and it shows exactly why they got signed in the first place. You can find rips of it on YouTube or old SoundCloud accounts.
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Watch the "Webisodes." Back in 2008, The Cab was one of the first bands to really use YouTube to show behind-the-scenes life. If you want to see the real personality of the original five members, those old tour diaries are gold. They show the dynamic before the industry stress took over.
Follow the individual credits. If you like the sound of Symphony Soldier, look at the production credits. You'll see names like John Feldmann and even Bruno Mars (who co-wrote "Endlessly"). This gives you a roadmap of other music you'll probably like.
The story of The Cab is a classic tale of Vegas ambition. They burned bright, changed the sound of their scene, and then evolved into something else entirely. Whether they ever get back in a room together for a ten-year anniversary tour of Symphony Soldier remains to be seen, but the DNA of that original group is still all over the modern pop-rock landscape.
If you're looking for that specific 2000s nostalgia, your best bet is to dig into the B-sides and the unreleased tracks that leaked during the transition between Whisper War and Symphony Soldier. That's where the real magic of the full band lived. Stop waiting for a "reunion" that looks like 2008 and appreciate the fact that they gave us two of the best pop-rock records of that decade before the wheels came off.