Cracker (band)

Crackeris an Americanrockband formed in 1990 by lead singerDavid Loweryand guitaristJohnny Hickman. The band's first albumCrackerwas released in 1992 onVirgin Records; it included the single "Teen Angst (What the World Needs Now)", which went to #1 on the U.S.Modern Rockchart. The band's follow-up, the 1993 albumKerosene Hatincluded the hit songs "Low", "Get Off This", and "Euro-Trash Girl".
Cracker has released nine studio albums and several compilations, collaborations, solo projects and live albums.The band mix influences and sounds fromrock,punk,grunge,psychedelia,country,bluesandfolk.
Shortly after Lowery's former groupCamper Van Beethovendisbanded in 1990, he began demoing material along with boyhood friend, guitarist Johnny Hickman. After moving from Redlands, California to Richmond, Virginia, Lowery and Hickman recorded a demo tape, later nicknamedBig Dirty Yellow Demosby the group's fans, which included early versions of songs that appeared on later albums. They eventually chose the name Cracker and teamed up with fellow Redlands bass guitaristDavey Faragher. A brief tour with Virginia drummer Go Weatherford followed.
By 1991, the newly formed band had signed a recording contract with Virgin Records and enlisted the help of several drummers/percussionists (Jim Keltner, Michael Urbano and Phil Jones), issuing its first album,Cracker, in 1992.From the album came radio hit "Teen Angst (What the World Needs Now)", which peaked at No. 1 onModern Rock Tracks, and a second single entitled "Happy Birthday to Me." The album went on to sell more than 200,000 copies.
A year later, Cracker issued its best-selling album,Kerosene Hat.The album included hit singles "Low" and "Get Off This" (both with official music videos directed by Carlos Grasso), as well as a cover of theGrateful Dead's "Loser."The album sold almost half a million copies that year and eventually almost reached platinum status.Urbano performed onKerosene Hatand toured with Cracker before leaving the band, along with Faragher. After a short spell withBruce Hughes, Lowery and Hickman addedBob Rupe, formerly of The Silos, as bass guitarist and Charlie Quintana (Bob Dylan, The JuJu Hounds) on drums. In 1993, Cracker contributed the song "Good Times Bad Times" to theEncomium: A Tribute to Led Zeppelinalbum. Initially, the band had recorded a rendition of "When the Levee Breaks" but it was deemed "too weird."
Three years later,The Golden Agewas released, with "I Hate My Generation" as the lead single.However, the music scene was shifting away from guitar-driven alternative rock, and although critically acclaimed, the album sold only moderately. Following the long-term additions of drummerFrank Funaroand keyboard player Kenny Margolis, the band returned in 1998 withGentleman's Blues, with "The Good Life" as the lead single. Although the album received only a lukewarm critical response, it solidified an ever-growing and devout following both in the United States and Europe who referred to themselves as "Crumbs."
In 1995 the song "Whole Lotta Trouble," co-written by Hickman and Chris LeRoy, was used in the filmEmpire Records. The same year, Cracker's cover of theFlamin' Grooviessong, "Shake Some Action," was used in the teen romantic-comedyClueless.
Camper Van Beethoven unexpectedly re-formed in 1999, and in 2004 released the critically acclaimedNew Roman Times. During this time, Hickman released a first solo recording,Palmhenge, which received "Voices Choice" accolades inThe Village Voiceby the rock criticRobert Christgauand a positive review inBlendermagazine. Since then, Lowery has performed in both Cracker and Camper Van Beethoven.
A compilation album calledGarage D'Orwas released in 2000, with one disc composed of greatest hits and three new songs, and another of out-takes, soundtrack contributions, demos and other obscurities. Rupe departed in January 2000 and was replaced by bass guitarist Brandy Wood. In 2002, the band released its next studio album,Foreverwhich, once again, met with limited commercial success.
The group left Virgin in 2003 with the independent releaseCountrysides, composed of eightcountry and westerncovers and one new, original song. A collaboration with thebluegrassbandLeftover Salmon,Oh Cracker, Where Art Thou?(2003), contained bluegrass versions of many Lowery and Hickman compositions. In 2005, Cracker and Camper Van Beethoven started an annual three-night "Campout" at Pappy and Harriet's Pioneertown Palace inPioneertown, California, close to where Lowery and Hickman met, in which they and several other bands perform, including sets by Cracker and Camper band members performing their own music. Previous years' guests have includedRoger Clyne,John Doe,Neko Case,Ike Reilly,Ryan Bingham,Vermillion Lies,Jason Molinaand Magnolia Electric Co,Built To Spill,Brant Bjorkand the Bros,Clem Snide,Gram Rabbitand TheBellrays.
With Camper Van Beethoven bass guitaristVictor Krummenacherreplacing Wood, the band released the studio albumGreenlandon June 6, 2006, and continued to tour extensively. After the departures of Margolis and Krummenacher, the band's lineup stabilized in 2007 around Hickman, Lowery, Funaro and new bass guitarist Sal Maida, who had played withRoxy Music.
Cracker released a new studio album entitledSunrise in the Land of Milk and Honeyto positive reviews on May 5, 2009. It was the band's first chart on theBillboard200in more than a decade, after having sold more than 3,000 copies in a week. This was in part due to theTriple Achart success of the album's lead single, "Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out With Me," which was used in the television showCalifornication.
In January 2011, Lowery released his first solo album,The Palace Guards, on429 Records. In March, Cracker announced Campout East, the east coast counterpart to their Campout festival, to be held inCrozet, Virginia. The first Campout East was held at Misty Mountain Camp Resort and was co-hosted bySons of Bill. The second Campout East took place inBuena Vista, Virginiaat Glen Maury Park on June 1–2, 2012.
Johnny Hickman released a second solo album,Tilting, in July 2012, while Cracker's song "Low" appeared in the 2012 filmThe Perks of Being a Wallflowerand again inThe Wolverineand an episode ofHindsight.
Drummer Frank Funaro was unable to tour due to an injury to his arm that sidelined him for all of 2014.
In July 2014, a revival of theKerosene Hatera lineup toured China. Lowery and Hickman were joined on the tour by original bassist Davey Faragher and former drummer Michael Urbano. Faragher and Urbano also joined the band in recording roughly half of the double albumBerkeley to Bakersfield. The other half was recorded with an entirely new lineup that also became the current touring lineup. The album was released on December 9, 2014, with "Waited My Whole Life" released as a single.
In December 2015, Lowery (along withCamper Van Beethoven) filed a class action lawsuit against music streaming serviceSpotify, alleging that Spotify knowingly and unlawfully reproduced and distributed copyrighted recordings without obtaining proper music licenses.