Cracker is an American alternative rock band featuring Camper Van Beethoven singer and guitarist David Lowery. They are best known for the hit songs "Low," "Get Off This" and "Teen Angst (What the World Needs Now)". In 1993, Cracker contributed the song "Good Times Bad Times" to the Encomium tribute album to Led Zeppelin (which was recorded after their rendition of "When the Levee Breaks" was deemed "too weird"). Alternative music redirects here. ... Camper Van Beethoven is an American alternative rock group. ... David Lowery is an American guitarist, vocalist and songwriter, the founder of two alternative rock bands: Camper Van Beethoven and Cracker. ... Good Times, Bad Times is the first song by British Rock band Led Zeppelin, on their 1969 debut album Led Zeppelin. ... Encomium: A Tribute to Led Zeppelin is a tribute album by various artists dedicated to Led Zeppelin, released by Atlantic Records on March 14, 1995. ... For the bands 1969 eponymous debut album, see Led Zeppelin (album). ... When the Levee Breaks is a blues song written and first recorded by husband and wife Kansas Joe McCoy and Memphis Minnie in 1929. ...

Cracker mixes influences and sounds ranging from classic country music, psychedelia, punk and folk into their brand of "Americana" style rock. country music, see Country music (disambiguation) Country music, the first half of Billboards country and western music category, is a blend of popular musical forms originally found in the Southern United States. ... Psychedelia is a term describing a category of music, visual art, fashion, and culture that is associated originally with the high 1960s, hippies, and the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood of San Francisco, California. ... Punk rock is an anti-establishment music movement beginning around 1976 (although precursors can be found several years earlier), exemplified and popularised by The Ramones, the Sex Pistols, The Clash and The Damned. ... Folk song redirects here. ... For other uses, see Rock music (disambiguation). ...

Experiences

Shortly after Camper Van Beethoven called it quits in 1990, Lowery began demoing material along with guitarist Johnny Hickman and bassist Davey Faragher, eventually going by the name Cracker.

By 1991, the newly formed band had signed a recording contract with Virgin Records and enlisted the help of several drummers/percussionists (Jim Keltner, Rick Jaeger, and Phil Jones), issuing their self-titled debut in 1992. A year later, Cracker issued their best-known album, Kerosene Hat, which spawned the hit "Low." Virgin Records was a British recording label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, and Nik Powell in 1972. ... Kerosene Hat is Crackers second album, released on August 24, 1993. ...

Cracker's underlings underwent numerous personnel changes during the late 90s and early 2000s. The group left Metropolis Records in 2003 with the independent release Countrysides. A collaboration with bluegrass band Leftover Salmon, Oh Cracker, Where Art Thou? (2003), contained bluegrass versions of old Cracker songs. Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music. ... Leftover Salmon is a genre-bending band from Boulder, Colorado. ... O Cracker Where Art Thou? is Crackers seventh album. ... Bluegrass has three principal meanings, the second two both deriving from the first listed. ...

Their newest studio album Greenland was released on June 6, 2006. For the illustrated magazine, see Studio Magazine. ...

Current members

• David Lowery - Guitar/Vocals (1990-Present)
• Johnny Hickman - Lead Guitar (1990-Present)
• Frank Funaro - Drums (1996-Present)
• Sal Maida - Bass (2006-Present)

A sunburst-colored Precision Bass The electric bass guitar (or electric bass; pronounced , as in base) is a bass stringed instrument played with the fingers (either by plucking, slapping, popping, or tapping) or using a pick. ...

Former members

• Davie Faragher - Bass (1990-1993)
• Bob Rupe - Bass (1994-2000)
• Brandy Wood - Bass (2000-2004)
• Victor Krummenacher - Bass (2004-2006)
• Joe Frezza - Guitar (1996-1997)
• Phil Jones - Drums (1990-1994)
• Johnny Hott - Drums (1994-1996)
• David Lovering - Drums

David Lovering was a drummer for the Pixies from 1986 through 1993. ...

Discography

Albums:

• Cracker (1992)
• Kerosene Hat (1993)
• The Golden Age (1996)
• Gentleman's Blues (1998)
• Forever (2002)
• O' Cracker Where Art Thou? (2003)
• Countrysides (2003)
• Greenland (2006)

Singles & EPs: Cracker is Crackers first album, released on March 10, 1992. ... Kerosene Hat is Crackers second album, released on August 24, 1993. ... The Golden Age is Crackers third album. ... Gentlemans Blues is Crackers fourth album. ... Forever is Crackers sixth album. ... O Cracker Where Art Thou? is Crackers seventh album. ... Countrysides is Crackers eighth album. ...

• "Teen Angst" (1992)
• "Tucson" (1993)
• "Low" (1993)
• "Get Off This" (1994)
• "Euro-Trash Girl" (1994)
• "I Hate My Generation" (1996)
• "Nothing To Believe In" (1996)
• "The Good Life" (1998)
• "The World Is Mine" (1998)
• "Shine" (2002)
• "Merry Christmas, Emily" (2002)
• "Something You Ain't Got" (2006)
• "Give Me One More Chance" (2006)
• "Everybody Gets One For Free" (2006)

Compilations:

• The Virgin Years (1995) with Camper Van Beethoven
• Garage D'Or (2000) 2 disc Greatest Hits Album and oddities collection
• Hello, Cleveland! Live at the Metro (2002)
• Get On With It: The Best of Cracker (2006) Virgin Records greatest hits collection (Not authorized by the band)
• Greatest Hits Redux (2006) Band authorized re-recordings of major hits

Tributes: Gentlemans Blues is Crackers fifth album. ... Track listing Teen Angst (What the World Needs Now) I See the Light Mr. ...

• If I Were A Carpenter (1994) - "Rainy Days and Mondays"
• Encomium: A Tribute to Led Zeppelin (1995) - "Good Times Bad Times"
• Burning London: The Clash Tribute (1999) - "White Riot"
• This Is Where I Belong: The Songs of Ray Davies & The Kinks (2002) - "Victoria"

If I Were a Carpenter is a tribute album to the Carpenters. ... Composed in 1971 by fairly unheard of composers Roger Nichols and Paul Williams, Rainy Days and Mondays is a 3:35 long song by The Carpenters that went to the top 10 in the Billboard Hot 100 charts. ... Encomium: A Tribute to Led Zeppelin is a tribute album by various artists dedicated to Led Zeppelin, released by Atlantic Records on March 14, 1995. ... Good Times, Bad Times is the first song by British Rock band Led Zeppelin, on their 1969 debut album Led Zeppelin. ... White Riot was the first single put out by seminal punk band The Clash, in 1977. ... Victoria is a song written by Ray Davies of The Kinks, which appeared as the opening track of the 1969 concept album, Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire). ...

External links

• Official Website
• Johnny Hickman
• Band Cracker Gives Virgin Records The Finger
• myspace.com/crackerhatesmyspace
• Frank Funaro
• Camper Van Beethoven
• Pitch-A-Tent Records
• Sound of Music Studios
• Live Music Archive
• The Van
• Interview and performance on Corporate Country Sucks TV Show
• Johnny Hickman interview with Tony DuShane on Drinks with Tony
• Sidi Ifni