Crackers: The Christmas Party Album

Recording

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.

Release

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."

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."

In an early 1986 Slade fan club interview, drummer Don Powell replied to the fact that the single Do You Believe in Miracles was included on the album, the same time as being released as a single, suggesting why the single only peaked at #54 in the UK. "That could be a reason. Funnily enough, that was one of the bones of contention - Telstar said that they wanted it on the album, whereas we didn't because that would mean that it would split the sales between the single and the album. I know that if I personally like someone's single, and it's going to be on their latest album, then I'll wait and buy the album."

Aside from the covers, the album featured re-workings of previous Slade hits Cum on Feel the Noize and Get Down and Get With It. The live version of Merry Xmas Everybody was taken from the 1982 single (And Now the Waltz) C'est La Vie, where the song was the b-side, titled Merry Xmas Everybody (Live & Kickin'). Other Slade hits were also included, but these were the original studio versions, with All Join Hands and Run Runaway being the single versions rather than the album versions.

Original track listing

1. "Let's Dance"
2. "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town"
3. "Hi Ho Silver Lining"
4. "We'll Bring the House Down"
5. "Cum On Feel the Noize" (re-recording)
6. "All Join Hands"
7. "Okey Cokey"
8. "Merry Xmas Everybody"
9. "Do You Believe in Miracles"
10. "Let's Have a Party!"
11. "Get Down and Get With It"
12. "My Oh My"
13. "Run Runaway"
14. "Here's to... (the New Year)"
15. "Do They Know It's Christmas?"
16. "Auld Lang Syne / You'll Never Walk Alone"

1999 re-issue

1. "Merry Xmas Everybody" (live)
2. "Let's Dance"
3. "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town"
4. "We'll Bring the House Down"
5. "Cum On Feel the Noize" (re-recording)
6. "All Join Hands"
7. "Okey Cokey"
8. "Run Runaway"
9. "Do You Believe in Miracles"
10. "Get Down and Get With It" (re-recording)
11. "Mama Weer All Crazee Now" (re-recording)
12. "My Oh My"
13. "Here's to... (the New Year)"
14. "Auld Lang Syne / You'll Never Walk Alone"

Critical reception

In early 2010, Classic Rock magazine featured Slade as part of their ‘The Hard Stuff Buyers Guide’ where the magazine reviewed numerous Slade albums. As part of the ‘Avoid’ section, a review of Crackers - The Christmas Party Album wrote "Cunningly repackaged several times afterwards in no less excusable form (‘Slade’s Crazee Christmas!’; ‘Crackers: The Rockin’ Party Album!’), this turkey was very much a nadir for Slade. The combination of re-recorded hits and festive fare (‘Okey Cokey’, ‘Santa Claus is Coming to Town’, ‘Here’s to the New Year’, ‘Auld Lang Syne’, worse of all ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas’) achieved its commercial goal, peaking at #34 in the UK, but the album’s very existence slammed the credibility of HMS Slade amidships like some unforgiving German torpedo."

Slade

Additional credits