After 20 years, Cracker still going strong

The band had formed almost 20 years before, so no one was expecting much. They sure didn’t expect the 2009 album to be the band’s biggest hit since its 1993 platinum-selling album “Kerosene Hat.”

“I don’t really know how to explain the success of this record and all the incredibly positive press,” said guitarist Johnny Hickman, who co-founded Cracker with David Lowery. “When you think about it, we have been around twice as long as the Beatles and we’re very, very thankful. I can’t imagine not being in Cracker. When David and I sit down together to write we both really, really enjoy it.”

As fans known, Lowery is the founder of Camper Van Beethoven. He and Hickman — who knew each other from the music scene in Redland, Calif. — formed Cracker after Camper temporarily disbanded in the mid-1980s. Although Camper is known for a more distinctive, eclectic sound, Cracker is more of a straight rock band that has had major alt/rock hits and a loyal fan following.

“I feel so honored and happy about that,” Hickman said of the fan base. “They are almost like Deadheads; we adore that. Some people have been with us the whole time and others just found us [after the released of the 2009 album]. They help each other get to shows, they take their vacations so they can follow Cracker for a week.”

Creating music and touring with guest artists including Drive By Truckers’ Patterson Hood, Leftover Salmon and Cyril Neville of the Neville Brothers also has won the band fans although it has occasionally puzzled critics as they try to define Cracker’s sound.

“David and I don’t strive to be that eclectic but it’s what we like,” he said. “I’m kind of proud we have a non-genre specific band. I mean, what would you call The Beatles? What would you call the Rolling Stones or Tom Petty or the Kinks? Sure, they’re rock, but there’s also pop and country and [other genres] mixed into their sound. Our fans don’t worry about that. They just think of it as Cracker music.”

The sound created for Cracker just develops naturally, often from personal experiences, often just as fun. Hickman talks about his delight at watching Lowery and Hood sing the Cracker song he wrote, “Friends.”

“I wrote that song about men who have lifelong friendships,” he said. “Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley, Tom Petty and Mike Campbell, me and David. I wrote that from a very personal place and it was great to watch Patterson and David sing a duet of it.”