- Crackers
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Crackers - The Christmas Party Album Studio album by Slade Released November 18, 1985 Genre Hard rock Length 46:52 Label Telstar Producer Jim Lea, John Punter Slade chronology Rogues Gallery
(1985)Crackers - The Christmas Party Album
(1985)You Boyz Make Big Noize
(1987)Crackers – The Christmas Party Album is an album by the British glam rock band Slade. It was released November 18, 1985 and reached number 34 in the UK charts. It contained several hits that had been re-recorded, and tracks that had been hits for other bands. Two singles from the album were also released, promoting sales.
More of a 'covers' album than a proper studio album, Slade tried to create an LP that had a party atmosphere to it and was value for money. They succeeded, and this album has had numerous re-issues and re-releases over the years under various names. Its 1999 re-release as "Slade's Crazee Christmas!" was supposed to coincide with the Millennium. Its current CD incarnation on the Salvo label was released in 2006 and bears the title Crackers: The Rockin' Party Album!.
The album was certified UK Gold by BPI in November 1985.[1]
The album peaked at #881 for 1985 on rateyourmusic.
Contents
Recording
In a 1986 interview, guitarist Dave Hill spoke of the album compared to the band's previous 1975 album Rogues Gallery. "I enjoyed making the tracks for 'Crackers' a lot more than those for 'Rogues Gallery'. I think that maybe too many of the songs on 'Rogues Gallery' sounded like pop hits, so the album began to lean too much to being regarded as a sort of 'poppy' album, and there is nothing worse than that for me."
During the recording of "Crackers", Hill discovered Victor Herman, a busker, who was playing bagpipes in Oxford Street, London. Hill knew that Slade planned to record "Auld Lang Syne" for the party album, so he invited Herman to add an authentic touch to the recording. Herman agreed, and when he'd finished his recording work, Slade gave him an envelope with a sizeable sum of money in it, along with their thanks and best wishes. Two days later, the envelope was returned by post, along with a letter from Herman, saying that he'd enjoyed himself so much in the studio that he didn't want the money. Slade did however later invite him to their Christmas Party on 18 November 1985, when they officially launched the album. At the party, Slade presented Herman with one of the band's Gold Discs as keepsake.[2][3]
Release
The band had a Christmas party on the album's release date in order to celebrate the album's release.[3]
In a early 1986 fan club interview, drummer Don Powell was asked if Telstar Records were pleased with the performance of the album. "Yes - it went gold! I know that it didn't go too high in the charts, but that's due to it being Christmas time and the records sell a lot more anyway."
Powell was also asked whether he thought Telstar Records would offer a "Crackers II" album for the next Christmas season. Powell responded "I don't really know, they may do as they were really pleased with this one."
Powell was asked whether he was pleased with the making of the album. Powell replied "Well, we were a bit dubious at first, we thought that it might have been another Black Lace type of thing. When we actually recorded the cover versions though, we had a great time doing them. We just went into the studio and put them down one after the other - it was like playing live on stage."[4][3]
Original track listing
- "Let's Dance"
- "Santa Claus is Comin' To Town"
- "Hi Ho Silver Lining"
- "We'll Bring the House Down"
- "Cum On Feel the Noize" (re-recording)
- "All Join Hands"
- "Okey Cokey"
- "Merry Xmas Everybody"
- "Do You Believe in Miracles"
- "Let's Have a Party!"
- "Get Down and Get With It"
- "My Oh My"
- "Run Runaway"
- "Here's to... (the New Year)"
- "Do They Know It's Christmas?"
- "Auld Lang Syne / You'll Never Walk Alone"
1999 re-issue
- "Merry Xmas Everybody" (live)
- "Let's Dance"
- "Santa Claus is Coming To Town "
- "We'll Bring the House Down"
- "Cum On Feel the Noize" (re-recording)
- "All Join Hands"
- "Okey Cokey"
- "Run Runaway"
- "Do You Believe in Miracles"
- "Get Down and Get With It" (re-recording)
- "Mama Weer All Crazee Now" (re-recording)
- "My Oh My"
- "Here's to... (the New Year)"
- "Auld Lang Syne / You'll Never Walk Alone"
Critical reception
Professional ratings Review scores Source Rating Allmusic [5]
Chart performance
Original release
Chart (1985) Peak
positionTotal
weeksUK Albums Chart[6] 34 7 Reissue "Slade's Crazee Christmas"
Chart (2001) Peak
positionUK Albums Chart[7] 31 Chart (2002) Peak
positionUK Albums Chart[7] 23 Chart (2003) Peak
positionUK Albums Chart[7] 21 Chart (2005) Peak
positionUK Albums Chart[7] 37 Personnel
Slade
- Noddy Holder - lead vocals, rhythm guitar
- Dave Hill - lead guitar, backing vocals
- Jim Lea - bass guitar, keyboards, synthesizers, vocals, producer
- Don Powell - drums
Additional credits
- Dave Garland - engineer
- John Punter - producer
- Victor Herman - additional bagpipes on "Auld Sang Lyne" (uncredited)
References
- ^ "Home". BPI. http://www.bpi.co.uk/. Retrieved 2011-08-10.
- ^ "Slade Fan Club Archive". Weebly. http://sladefanclub.weebly.com/uploads/7/6/6/0/7660950/2138208_orig.jpg. Retrieved 2011-08-10.
- ^ a b c Slade International Fan Club newsletter January - February 1986
- ^ "Slade Fan Club Archive". Weebly. http://sladefanclub.weebly.com/uploads/7/6/6/0/7660950/387714_orig.jpg. Retrieved 2011-08-10.
- ^ Thompson, Dave (2001-10-22). "The Party Album - Slade". AllMusic. http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-party-album-r917255/review. Retrieved 2011-08-10.
- ^ "UK Singles & Albums Chart Archive". Chart Stats. http://www.chartstats.com/release.php?release=43453. Retrieved 2011-01-09.
- ^ a b c d "Chart Log UK: DJ S - The System Of Life". Zobbel.de. http://zobbel.de/cluk/CLUK_S.HTM. Retrieved 2011-08-10.
Noddy Holder • Jim Lea • Dave Hill • Don Powell
Mal McNulty • John Berry • Steve Whalley • Steve Makin • Trevor Holliday • Dave Glover • Craig FenneyStudio albums Beginnings (Ambrose Slade, 1969) • Play It Loud (1970) • Slayed? (1972) • Old, New, Borrowed and Blue (1974) • Slade In Flame (1974) • Nobody's Fools (1976) • Whatever Happened to Slade? (1977) • Return to Base (1979) • We'll Bring the House Down (1981) • Till Deaf Do Us Part (1981) • The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome (1983) • Keep Your Hands Off My Power Supply (1984) • Rogues Gallery (1985) • Crackers: The Party Album (1985) • You Boyz Make Big Noize (1987)Live albums Compilations Sladest (1973) • Slade Smashes! (1980) • Slade's Greats (1984) • Wall of Hits (1991) • Feel The Noize- Greatest Hits (1997) • The Genesis of Slade (2000) • The Very Best of Slade (2005) • Slade Alive! - The Live Anthology (2006) • The Slade Box (Anthology 1969-91) (2006) • B-Sides (2007) • Live at the BBC (2009) • Merry Xmas Everybody: Party Hits (2009)Singles "You Better Run" (The N' Betweens) • "Genesis" (Ambrose Slade) • "Wild Winds are Blowing" • "Shape of Things to Come" • "Know Who You Are" • "Get Down and Get With It" • "'Coz I Luv You" • "Look Wot You Dun" • "Take Me Bak 'Ome" • "Mama Weer All Crazee Now" • "Gudbuy T' Jane" • "Cum On Feel the Noize" • "Skweeze Me, Pleeze Me" • "My Friend Stan" • "Merry Xmas Everybody" • "Everyday" • "The Bangin' Man" • "Far Far Away" • "How Does It Feel" • "Thanks for the Memory (Wham Bam Thank You Mam)" • "In For a Penny" • "Let's Call It Quits" • "Nobody's Fool" • "Gypsy Roadhog" • "Burning in the Heat of Love" • "My Baby Left Me - That's All Right" • "Give Us a Goal" • "Rock 'n' Roll Bolero" • "Ginny, Ginny" • "I'm a Rocker" • "Sign of the Times" • "Okey Cokey" • "Six of the Best (EP)" • "Live at Reading (EP)" • "Xmas Ear Bender (EP)" • "We'll Bring the House Down" • "Wheels Ain't Coming Down" • "Knuckle Sandwich Nancy" • "Lock Up Your Daughters" • "Rock and Roll Preacher" • "Ruby Red" • "(And Now the Waltz) C'est La Vie" • "My Oh My" • "Run Runaway" • "Slam the Hammer Down" • "All Join Hands" • "7 Year Bitch" • "Myzsterious Mizster Jones" • "Little Sheila" • "Do You Believe in Miracles" • "Still the Same" • "That's What Friends Are For" • "You Boyz Make Big Noize" • "Ooh La La in L.A." • "We Won't Give In" • "Let's Dance '88" • "Radio Wall of Sound" • "Universe"Video "Slade in Flame" • "Wall of Hits" • "Inside Slade - The Singles 1971-1991" • "The Very Best of Slade" • "Slade Alive! - The Ultimate Critical Review" •Related articles DiscographyCategories:- 1985 Christmas albums
- Christmas albums by British artists
- Slade albums
- Covers albums
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