Hickman-Dalton Gang

The side project of Johnny Hickman (Cracker) and Jim Dalton (The Railbenders, Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers)

[hickmandaltongang]

January Jam 2013, Puerto Penasco, Mexico.

[earpeeler]

Songfacts – Johnny Hickman of Cracker

Songfacts – Johnny Hickman of Cracker

Cracker’s first, self-titled album was released in 1992, just in time to join the alternative explosion. But rather than sounding like just another band that had hopped the grunge train down from Seattle, Cracker’s visible country roots and unique lyrical style set them apart from the rest of the pack. Their first single, “Teen Angst (What the World Needs Now),” became an underground anthem for…

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[willard]

Johnny Hickman #johnnyhickman #cracker #campout11 #campouteleven #pioneertown #pappyandharriets (at Pappy And Harriet’s Pioneer Town Palace)

[rcpmfanjennie]

Hickman-Dalton Gang SXSW AXS review

Hickman-Dalton Gang SXSW AXS review

Well, more of a mention than a review, but Hickman-Dalton Gang got a paragraph and a nice pic from their SXSW set in the AXS article “20 bands, 20 venues, one night“. And the writer was a non-country fan to boot. Still, he hung around to see them and picked up on their great humor. (“Hold My Drink …” is one of my fave songs of theirs too, real fun to see live.)

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[irockphotos]

Last Sunday the band Cracker held their first ever ‘Spring Training Camp’ at Pappy and Harriet’s in Pioneer Town. The ‘Spring Training Camp’ was a term coined by Cracker fans who are proudly know as the Crumbs, who named this event as prep for Camp Out Eleven set for August 27-29 at Pappy and Harriet’s. The Crumbs are a merry band of Cracker music fanatics who are the happiest group of people I have the pleasure of meeting at a concert. Those in attendance came from across the USA to see their beloved band in a crammed Pappy and Harriet’s, which has in shrined the gold record for Kerosene Hat on Pappy’s wall of fame that was recorded a few steps away in a neglected sound stage in Pioneer Town a relic of Pi-Town’s glory day as a film location for cowboy serials. Lead Singer David Lowery acknowledged the connection by stating, “Our career has centered around here.”

Cracker was in town backing their new dual album “Berkeley to Bakersfield” released last year via 429 Records. This time around Cracker performed as a six-piece touring band with a keyboardist and a pedal steel guitar, added to the group. The show started with David Lowery singing “Where Have Those Days Gone” which is featured on disc two of their new double album. Lead Guitarist Johnny Hickman sang “California Country Boy” and a cover of by his first band the Dangers a humorous tune about “The San Bernardino Boy,” Hickman pointed west towards San Berdu as he began to sing, “In his underwear playing in that dirty air and his daddy is in the Chino Jail, he will grow up to be, dumb as dirt by 23 with the County Sheriff on his trail.”

David Lowery rules the “King of Bakersfield” a version of the american dream in the Central Valley that is so prophetic regarding what is important in life, “I got some motorcycle riding neighbors, we never have no trouble round here, all my friends say I live like a king out in Bakersfield, So do what you want if you ain’t hurting no one, Ain’t nobody’s business how you live your life.”

Lowery is a well-known advocate for artist rights demanding equity in compensation for lyricists. Cracker is overtly political in “March of the Billionaires” and “Torches and Pitchforks,” voicing concerns regarding special interest and class equality. The theme of gentrification in the San Francisco Bay area is present in the song “El Cerrito, “Everyone’s is squeaky clean, they look and dress and act the same, I don’t give a shit about your IPO, I live in El Cerrito.”

Cracker has a way of engaging their audience by having the musical aptitude to cover genres as diverse as traditional country to alternative rock. The mainstay “Low” made the set list but you can’t have every song on the list and fan favorite Euro-Trash Girl was missing. With manager and spouse Velena Vego present, Lowery adapted  ‘Gimme One More Chance’ to “Gimme One More Chance Velena” for one of the verses. Vego the unofficial den mother of the Crumbs was even presented with a birthday cake that was accepted graciously by her husband as she stayed off the jam-packed stage during Cracker’s performance. Cracker ended with a two-song encore “The World is Mind” and  “Mr. Wrong.” After the band concluded smiling Crumbs rallied the entire audience to take a group photo that is tradition in Pi-Town. This is something that you never see in the storied venues of the Sunset Strip.

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© Guillermo Prieto 2015

[irockphotos]

Johnny Hickman co-founder and lead guitarist of Cracker. Cracker is headlining the the Indie West Fest Saturday June 4th at the Ventura County Fairgrounds in California. 

[hickmandaltongang]

[hickmandaltongang]

Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving from the Hickman-Dalton Gang. We feel lucky to have friends like you. Looking forward to some big things in 2014. https://soundcloud.com/johnnyhickman/lucky

[irockphotos]

Johnny Hickman tearing it up last night at Pappy and Harriet’s at the 9th Annual Campout. http://irockphotos.net/ © Guillermo Prieto 2013

[hickmandaltongang]

Don't forget, we're opening for @jessedayton on August 22 at the Marquis in #Denver! Tix: http://goo.gl/6mnY3h

[hickmandaltongang]

Hickman-Dalton Gang is playing at the 9th Annual Cracker / Camper Van Beethoven Campout this year! Join us on September 9 at Pappy & Harriet's in Pioneertown, CA. Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers and the Cracker Duo will be playing on that Thursday night as well!

Here's a taste of what Campout is like:

[hickmandaltongang]

Thank you to everyone who came out to see us at the Mish last night. What an awesome time!

[hickmandaltongang]

Remember, we go on at 7 tonight! Then Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers, then Cracker. Share pics from the show - tag us!

[hickmandaltongang]

TONIGHT! Join us at the Mish where we’re opening for Cracker and Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers! We go on at 7 - don’t be late!

[hickmandaltongang]

Tomorrow night! Join us at the Mish with Cracker and Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers. Last minute tix: http://goo.gl/v0KwN

[americanaroots-blog]

In this episode I play an interview that I had with Johnny Hickman of Cracker, and I play some Johnny Hickman related music.

Music in this episode:

- Sunrise In The Land Of Milk And Honey

- Turn On Tune In Drop Out With Me

- We All Shine A Light

- Friends

All songs above were by Cracker...

[hickmandaltongang]

Here's a fan video showing some of the fun from last year's show at the Mish. Join us on May 26 to see what happens this year!!

"Lonesome Johnny Blues" - Johnny Hickman with Jim Dalton and Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers, Mishawaka Amphitheatre, May 2012