[Closed] Cardiacs? (the band)

The cardiacs where/are an amazing band. Fantastic live. Unfortunately the lead singer ( Tim Smith)has been ill for a while so they don't perform anymore.
There are a few you tube clips of them and they do have quite a substantial back catalogue to catch up with.

To go off and things
Joining the plankton
This is the life

to name few good songs.

also the Sea nymphs were a short lived off shoot.

Like you I only discovered them in the last 12 months, and immediately was gutted and bewildered that had missed over 20 yrs of them. A real national treasure. Check out the Mare's Nest live video, monumental.

They never lost their edge either if the more recent 'shed' recordings are anything to go by. Tim Smith eh? What a tragedy that happened to him and His.

Lots to listen to....and I found Knifeworld via their family tree (See if you can grab a listen to latest LP there is a heartbreaking and quite beautiful song that is kind of living eulogy to Tim Smith - 'Send Him Seaworthy') and Monsoon Bassoon both headed by Kavus Torabi whom I discovered via Chrome Hoof, which is where my journey backwards began. All just excellent stuff. This video is epic, just f^*#%# epic!

Cheers guys!

Woohoo, a potential pondie! You have a lot to look forward to!

There is so much to Cardiacs I don't know where to begin, you'll need
time to get into their music but don't give up as the rewards are there.
I've been listening to them for years but I'm still learning the lyrics and getting caught out by the time changes and things. Trying to follow some of the lyrics even when I have them in front of me still fries my brain.

There's a lot of fun in their music but also some very dark stuff and bits that will tug at your emotions.
I think pretty much their whole catalog is available now as there was a clarion call to raise money for Tim. www.cardiacs.net

Where have you lot been for the last 30 Years? 😉

I don't know where I've been 🙂

I mean, all I've heard so far reminds me of XTC, some prog, some Krautrock, some Cope- all things I like. Very English sounding, if you get me.

I'm looking forward to this!

Well that's five of us! Haven't met another Cardiacs fan for a few years despite wearing my ALMAAHATWWW t shirt at every opportunity.

IIRC they started in 1969... plenty of catching up to do.
There's no-one else quite like them - just try tapping your foot to the beat and you'll find out they change timing almost from bar to bar - must've been a nightmare trying to drum for them 🙂
For starters, find Heaven Born And Ever Bright and Songs For Ships And Irons which was when they were at their closest to getting accepted. Sing To God wasn't their best IMO. Cardiacs Live gives you an idea about their gigs. Me and a mate managed to start a "Jim" chant once...
UK music press absolutely hated them because they refused to be part of any kind of label or scene, which is probably what Tim and Jim wanted 🙂
They're actually quite influential. Blur got them to support them at their Mile End gig (1994/5?) and the crowd had absolutely no idea how to cope with them so they threw bottles. Heathens...

Thanks for the suggestions. I hear some Beefheart and Zappa in there too, again- stuff I like 🙂

WHERE HAVE I BEEN LIVING!!!!?!??!

And yeah, can hear Blur too. Good gravy. I've been sleepwalking.

Mind getting blown right now listening to "Songs For Ships And Irons".

First encountered them at Stonehenge in 1984. They made the top of my head pop off. I may also have made some regrettable choices about what I let into my body that night.

Poor quality recording but this is my fave:

Hello!
I work for that Singletrack an' that - and I am a colossal Cardiacs fan, and have been for 20 years. Ali, techbloke is a fan too 🙂

Good to know there's a healthy intersection between the forum and the pond!

The tendrils of the Cardiacs FB page have picked up on this thread, so you must now join them. Join them, join them now! :0)

I say yes to Cardiacs

If it's any consolation OP, I was thinking "Yeah, I heard of the Cardiacs ages ago, maybe as much as 10 years" and had no idea they'd been around for longer than I've been alive 😆 I vaguely had them down as one of the 18,723 bands containing Wildhearts members.

According to Wikipedia 'Interesting' Steve Davis is a fan... 😯

I seem to remember MrWoppit had quite strong links to the band.

brooess - Member

According to Wikipedia 'Interesting' Steve Davis is a fan...

EDIT.
Just had a look on the Wiki page.
Is there any band that Blur don't claim to have been influenced by?

This Is The Life is just about my favourite song ever.
Guitar solo to end all guitar solo's.

Everyone needs a

Oh god I love this!!!

Just to round off my part of tonight's Cardiacs love-in - I literally giggle with glee during this performance where Tim looks simultaneously appalled and delighted at his own stilted, incongruous yet somehow perfectly transporting guitar solo. Can't think of another band with such natural off the wall humour. I live for the day when we might hear Liza Tarbuck play this on Radio 2 and finish with 'Big oop!' to Tim Smith et al. Night all.

Yep, massive Cardiacs fan here...

Not familiar with much of their material, sadly. One more band who's name you'd see in reviews and gig adverts, but without airplay and not knowing anyone at all who had any of their stuff, well they just got passed over.
Thanks to 6Music, however, I've finally heard some of their music; it's now a question of finding the money to get some of it, alongside all the other stuff that keeps demanding to be bought!
So much music, so little time/money... 😐

Anyone on here read the Org?
Steve Davis has worked with Bic, one of the Cardiacs guitarists. Also, another one time member works with Somone from Blur so there are connections everywhere with the Cardiacs, a bit like the Kevin Bacon thing.
Anyway I mentioned the sea nymphs before so here is link,

This is all great, I know now I'm in good company!

Dominic was never tired of blagging my used cymbals. Even after we nicked their keyboard player.

Great bunch, sad about Tim.

You are 🙂 Brooess mentioned up there somewhere ^^ that they started in 1969, which I don't think is quite true. Most sources put it at '77ish I believe. There are certainly no recordings from before that sort of date. I first got into them listening to Heaven Born - I couldn't tell the songs apart originally - but it was the most incredible stuff I've ever heard, and it still is. For my part, I think A Little Man (from the early stuff) and Sing to God (from the later stuff) are the best jumping in points, but they all have jaw dropping bits all over them. Stoneage Dinosaurs is still one of my all time faves, Core, Gina Lollabridgida, RES, Ideal, Nurses... oh god, I could just list all of them...

Right! Need to work - Fresh Goods doesn't write itself you know 😉

"Stoneage Dinosaurs" grabbed me hard last night Barney (I just dug into "Songs For Ships And Irons" last night).

Yeah, get writing!

MRW- you'll need to tell us all some stories about them (and you) some time.

" Even after we nicked their keyboard player." Not the good Mr W D Drake, by any chance?

Oh, and Codybrennan - get a hold of the Cardiacs Garage Concerts vols I and II for old, old tunes played by the last/most recent lineup - I think you can still get II here: http://abc-mary.myshopify.com/collections/cds

There are a couple of other pondies I know who ride bikes - maybe we should sort out a collective or get some biking shirts made with all proceeds to Tim *mulls over*

I once saw Tim and Sarah sitting together composing a new song. I mean, they were making it up and discussing the arrangement, tune, notes, everything. AND Tim was writing it all down on proper sheet music notation.

As someone in a band who just made stuff up by playing and working it out then then committing it to memory, I remember being incredibly impressed with this...

" Even after we nicked their keyboard player." Not the good Mr W D Drake, by any chance?

Colvin "Max" Mayers.

Don't really know a lot about the Cardiacs but I know a friend of mine has done an album inspired by them with proceeds going to Tim's care.
The bandcamp page is here
http://7shades.bandcamp.com/

Fantastic band of musicians, I saw them at the Zap Club in the 80's probably one of the most smiliest gigs ever. A mate of mine formed a band called Old Fruit that were similar. They are gone now but if you can find onbe of their CD's you will definitely like the similarity in style.

There *might* be a few references in this week's FGF 🙂

😀 @ Barney

Anyone on here read the Org?

Cardiacs are without a shadow of a doubt my favourite band. I was lucky enough to go on tour with them way back and they are all such nice people. Really is terrible what happened to Tim and I hope he recovers enough for them to play again. A Lot of musicians love them as I think they realise exactly how much goes into the music. My personal favourites are 'Big Ship' and 'to go off and things' ...gives me goosebumps every time.

Much STW love for the Cardiacs. I've just taken some steps into a much larger world!