HTML tags: David Lowery and his band Cracker were pioneers of angst-fueled guitar-based rock in the ’90s. Their unforgettable hits like “Low” and “Get Off This” resonated with Gen-Xers and some elder Millennials during their formative years. But David Lowery’s talents extend beyond music. With advanced degrees in business and mathematics, he even teaches music business at the University of Georgia.
Despite his busy touring schedule, David Lowery spared some time to speak with us about his life, music, and upcoming performance in Albany. Cracker will be playing at the Empire State Plaza tonight (July 12) alongside another iconic ’90s band, the Spin Doctors. Here’s a snippet of our interview (lightly edited for clarity):
JM: Have you been to Albany and the Capital Region before?
DL: Oh, absolutely. We’ve played there before. I still remember our first time in Albany back in 1986 during a Camper van Beethoven tour. It was a freezing winter day, around minus five degrees. Coming from California, it blew my mind. But surprisingly, the show was a success, despite the harsh weather. We performed at a little underground pub club called the Queen Elizabeth, or QE something.
JM: Ah, yes, it’s now called the Fuze Box. Besides the cold, do you have any other notable memories of Albany?
DL: Well, that was a long time ago. Since then, we’ve performed in Albany and the surrounding area quite often. The memory that stands out the most now is playing in front of the State Capitol at the Empire State Plaza. It’s a beautiful venue with the Egg there. It’s actually a fond memory of Albany for me now, much nicer than that first experience.
JM: Fans here are really excited about your upcoming show. Can you give us an insight into what you have planned for the audience and your current tour with Cracker?
DL: We started touring again in late April this year, gradually increasing the frequency. Now, we’re pretty much playing nonstop. During our performances, we like to include a mix of songs from all our albums since 1990 up until our last studio album in 2015. Of course, we make sure to play the hits that our audience loves. Lately, we’ve been leaning back into our punk alternative roots after exploring our country side in recent years. So expect some rock, punk, and a few slower numbers throughout the set.
JM: Have you noticed a shift in your audience? Are you connecting more with younger fans now?
DL: It’s interesting because streaming has introduced our music to younger audiences through curated playlists. Many younger people discover Cracker through ’90s rock playlists, where we usually have a few songs featured. So we do have a younger audience that may only know a handful of our tracks.
JM: Streaming seems to have its pros and cons for artists. How do you feel about its impact on your career?
DL: In terms of the cultural aspect, streaming puts veteran artists like us in direct competition with younger musicians. It’s not necessarily fair. Back when I started, bands would have their hits and then fade away, making room for new acts. Nowadays, young artists have to compete with our massive 60 million global streams per year. It’s definitely an intriguing dynamic.
JM: So your audience is diverse, thanks to streaming.
DL: Our audience primarily consists of late 40s to early 50s fans, but we also have a younger demographic, ranging from 23 to 18-year-olds, who discovered us through streaming. Here’s something funny though. Since many film directors, producers, and music supervisors are from our generation, our classic tracks have found their way into popular films and TV shows. In 2014 and 2015 alone, we had 11 major licenses. This exposure has introduced our music to younger teenagers as well.
JM: It’s like the phenomenon we see with songs featured in hit shows or movies, like Kate Bush and “Stranger Things.” Speaking of which, guitar-based rock seems to be making a comeback in modern music. What are your thoughts on that, considering the role you played in popularizing the genre in the ’80s and ’90s?
DL: Absolutely. It’s a cyclical pattern. We go through phases where pop, sampling, and computer-oriented songs dominate the scene before someone discovers an obscure garage rock band from the ’60s and realizes how authentic it sounds. Right now, we’re witnessing a resurgence of ’90s grunge and guitar-based rock, offering a refreshing contrast to the pop-driven era. It’s the natural ebb and flow of music trends.
JM: Let’s shift gears and focus on your own music, not just with Cracker, but also with other ensembles like Camper Van Beethoven. What’s happening in your musical journey? What inspires you currently?
DL: In 2019, I released a record where I stripped everything down and recorded using just an acoustic guitar. It was an experiment for me, and I decided to release it physically through our mailing list instead of streaming services. Surprisingly, it worked well, and I plan to eventually put it on streaming platforms. Then COVID happened, and I ended up making two more records during that time, still releasing them directly through our mailing list. Although this approach may not be feasible for new artists, it allowed me to connect with my dedicated fanbase. I’m working on one more record like that, which has been an exciting experience.
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