Crackers – The Christmas Party Album
| Crackers - The Christmas Party Album | ||||
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| Studio album by Slade | ||||
| Released | 18 November 1985 | |||
| Recorded | 1985 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 46:52 | |||
| Label | Telstar | |||
| Producer | Jim Lea, John Punter | |||
| Slade chronology | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
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| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   |
| Classic Rock | unfavourable |
Crackers – The Christmas Party Album is the thirteenth album by the British glam rock band Slade. It was released on 18 November 1985 and reached number 34 in the UK charts. It contained several of the band's 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 of the album.
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. The album has had numerous re-issues and re-releases over the years under various names. It was reissued the following year in the guise of 'Slade's Greatest Hits' by Telstar, still containing the original vinyl disc for Crackers, unre-titled, but did not sell in large numbers. 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 Gold by the BPI in November 1985.
In a 1986 interview, guitarist Dave Hill spoke of the album compared to the band's previous 1985 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.
The band had a Christmas party on the album's release date in order to celebrate the album's release.
In an 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."
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