Cardiacs - Knowledge (XXG)

2134:"I don’t know what influences really, I wouldn’t say that we are influenced by any actual bands in particular, I’ve got no bones about musically ripping someone else’s band off though…. I’ve definitely nicked bits and pieces here and there, I don’t mind if they don’t mind…. I remember working on one song we did a little while ago which was based just on the memory of a song I heard by someone else way back when I was about 14 years old, trouble was that it ended up quite similar to the original, I didn’t care, but the audacity of it raised a few wiggly eyebrows, the actual tune I wrote was totally different and all that… but the atmosphere was very similar, which pleased me as it was that which I was trying to rekindle…. I thought my memory of it had twisted the atmosphere into this new creature, but as it turned out my memory wasn’t that bad… but so what, tunes are for borrowing, you give them all back in the end. * 2282:

completely fucking neurotic". During any given performance Tim Smith ranted between and during numbers, acting out bizarre childlike ideas and emotions. During the 1980s the band perfected a detailed stage act involving shabby lift attendant costumes, badly-applied clown makeup, Tim Smith's bullying and confrontation of other band members (predominantly Jim Smith), and a final formal presentation of champagne and flowers by the Consultant and Miss Swift complete with confetti, taking place to "a euphoric sweep of saxophone and keyboards that wouldn't seem out of place in a '70s cigar advert." During the 1990s, the theatrical elements of the live show were toned down and the uniforms replaced by formal suits, although certain rituals (including the childlike mannerisms and Smith's ranting style) were retained.

1621:) were immediately shelved until further notice. A year of silence followed during which Smith recuperated in private. In June 2009, a new announcement appeared on the official Cardiacs website, letting readers know that, after a year of rehabilitation, Tim Smith's mind had returned to full functionality and that "no part of your favourite pop star's intellect or personality has been found to be absent whatsoever." It thanked fans for their kind thoughts and made clear Smith's interest in returning to playing music with Cardiacs at such time as his physical rehabilitation allowed. However, it became clear that such rehabilitation would be a long process; and in August 2010, Kavus Torabi stated in an interview podcast that Cardiacs would never play live again. 1744:

bit with someone and I was more than happy to do that. The way things stand, is nearly done but needs vocals and eyebrows and some of them need a few other touches. What there is does sound great but there's far more stuff completed that hasn't come out yet, that needs to come out. Tim is a perfectionist, and rightly so. Because his melodies make so much sense of everything, it would be ridiculous to put out these recordings, as exciting as they are, without the melodies. We have talked about people who Tim would approve of adding vocals, under his direction. I think Tim just wants to be well enough to really be producing it. I think his big drive at the moment is to finish off things that were started. There are a lot of loose ends that need tying up.

616:. Tim Smith had previously met Drake in 1982 at the debut performance of Drake's band Honour Our Trumpet (who promptly invited him to join as bass guitarist.) Following Cawthra's departure, Smith returned Drake's favour by inviting him to join Cardiacs. Drake played his first concert with the band on 31 August 1983. Later in the year, Cardiacs added Marguerite Johnston (alto saxophone) and Graham Simmonds (guitar), and for about a year the band worked as an octet. Both Johnston and Simmonds left during the following summer (in July and August respectively), although Simmonds stayed on as Cardiacs' sound engineer. At some point in 1983, Tim Smith produced two issues of a comic alternatively called "Peter and His Dog" and "Peter and His Dog Spot". 1034: 1334:). Another song, the Jon Poole-penned "Silvery", appeared regularly in the band's live repertoire, and was later re-recorded by Jon Poole himself for the God Damn Whores' second album (albeit under the title "Sparkly Silver Sky"). While Tim Smith's given explanation for the album's nonappearance was that it had been rendered "broken" in some manner, bandmate Kavus Torabi has since stated that, while the band did record around this time, the concept of a "lost album" was apocryphal. Cardiacs concerts were rare over the next few years, although the band played the Glastonbury Festival on 23 June 2000 and played two subsequent Whitchurch Festivals on 5 August 2000 and 3 August 2001. 758: 785: 652: 641: 673:(although Cawthra featured throughout on drums, keyboards and voice; and Simmonds and Johnston also appeared on several tracks). The album was released on Cardiacs own record label, Alphabet (which later became Alphabet Business Concern). The bizarre and sinister "Alphabet Business Concern" mythology now began to become a significant part of Cardiacs' artistic presentation, and the band members would promote and add to it at every opportunity. The band evolved an elaborate and theatrical stage show, involving off-putting "bandsmen's uniforms, makeup, Sarah's music stand, (and) Tim's mile-wide grin". 1906: 40: 1435: 1471: 2178:"You look at a road on an aerial photograph and you think, bloody hell, it's suburbia, all those little houses, all in a row, but all those houses have people in them – say there's four people in a house, that is four whole worlds... Yes, I mean we're part of it all, we're all in it, but it's strange that you have a house and it's all you ever wanted, you've worked all your life for it and you're keeping it in order for the eyes of others who probably couldn't give a toss anyway – or people who want to compete, to care, which is even weirder." 532: 697:. Whilst the tour afforded the band a new level of publicity, generally they were not well received by Marillion's fanbase. On most dates of the tour, the band was pelted with a variety of makeshift missiles. During the 13 December show at the Hammersmith Apollo, Fish himself was indignant enough about the Marillion fans and their hostile behaviour to come onstage during Cardiacs' set and berate the audience about it. The band eventually ducked out of the last three days of the Marillion tour. 2270: 1506:. Smith would later perform as a live acoustic trio with Ginger Wildheart and former Cardiac Jon Poole. Around this time a "Diary" was begun and updated for the majority of 2005 on the official Cardiacs website, chronicling the band's exploits in typical absurd fashion. Three more annual Astoria gigs were performed over the following three years (the 2005 edition having been professionally shot but left in an unedited state awaiting Tim Smith's involvement). 1752:, whose songs had been recorded around the same time as the first album but were left unreleased for over 20 years. The album was released in November 2016 in CD and vinyl formats. The completion of on the Dry Land was made possible thanks to a turn for the better in Tim Smith's health; he was able to return to the studio to supervise production and additional recording necessary to the album's completion between 2015-2016. In an interview with 1423:– was eventually released in 2005. Professional video camera equipment was apparently seen being used to record the band during the concerts, leading to a rumour that members of Org Records had filmed the entire three nights for later video release. This was debunked by Torabi in a 2009 interview, in which he stated that no such recordings existed. However, a static cam recording of one night was released by The Consultant. 1157: 1146: 1594: 7551: 1201:"Odd Even" and left me to find a guitar line amongst the chords so I was sat on my own dropping myself in. When he came back it was done and he was very happy... particularly with my choice of last note! We would both make suggestions then Tim would edit the ideas into something that worked. Tim would chip in with ideas for my songs too like the string arrangement on "Manhoo" which was lovely. 723:) and his colleague Nick Elborough, both of whom were at that time students at Portsmouth College of Art and Design. Francombe and Elborough offered to film the band for free as part of their coursework project. However, when the band viewed the resultant footage, they decided against releasing it. Instead, they retained Francombe and Elborough for a new video project which would become 1807:

care for Smith with the hope that the proper neurological treatment it would fund would help him regain control of his body, as he had responded positively to similar, but minimal and inconsistent treatment in the past. The initial donation goal of 40,000 GBP was breached in less than 24 hours, and a new goal of 100,000 GBP was instated, which would fund treatment for one year.

1055:

and virtuoso keyboards), Cardiacs' live music shifted away from the wider instrumentation of the past and moved towards a more guitar-heavy, power-rock sound in line with the remaining quartet lineup. However, the music remained complex, if narrower in focus, and Smith recorded additional keyboard and percussion parts onto backing tapes for the band to play over.

1756:, Smith said that even more Sea Nymphs material will be released at some point. He also stated that he was "deeply touched" by the efforts of those who had contributed toward the Cardiacs tribute album, Leader of the Starry Skies (the sales of which went directly toward rehabilitating Smith) and that he had since "made a pledge to self to get better". 6809: 1922:). On 3 May, Cardiacs consisted of Jim Smith (bass and backup vocals), Jon Poole (vocals and guitar), Christian Hayes (vocals and guitar), and Bob Leith (drums), with new members, long-time associates Craig Fortnam (percussion), Chloe Herington (saxophone), and Adrien Rodes (keyboard). Sharron Fortnam (vocals), Jo Spratley (vocals), 5695: 704:– emerged in 1984. As the name suggests, this featured Tim and Sarah Smith plus William D. Drake and consisted of a quieter, more acoustically-orientated take on Cardiacs' music. The project released a self-titled cassette album which was only available via the Cardiacs fan club. Later on, the project would be renamed 439:), all of which was topped by Smith's anarchic vocals and hard-to-decipher lyrics. The band's theatrical performance style often incorporated off-putting costumes and make-up, complete with on-stage confrontations. Their bizarre sound and image made them unpopular with the press, but they amassed a devoted following. 2137:‘Influences’ come more from random or abstract things… like I might walk past a radio playing something nice in somebodies window…. or I’ll hear a ghost in the bushes, or whatever, and I’ll think ‘oooh I’ll do a song like that’ but it’ll twist into something totally different in the end….but I do like 2204:

Smith was also responsible for the majority of the band's lyrics, which were written in a cryptic fractured form of English alternately hailed as poetic or nonsensical. He generally refused to discuss their content, preferring to keep the words and their inspirations shrouded in mystique and allowing

1743:

It was an extraordinarily interesting and brilliant time for me because we'd already talked a great deal about what the plan was for the next few years for Cardiacs. We were going to make a film. Tim and I were planning out loads of treatments and scripts. Tim wanted to share the burden of Cardiacs a

1113:

could neither be stocked nor ordered by record shops, with the result that Cardiacs were left thousands of pounds in debt and unable to recoup their recording expenses. (The album was eventually reissued on a revived Alphabet Business Concern in 1995 – it featured a picture of Jon Poole on the cover,

934:

It was horrible, really like one of those yellow panic nightmares where everything's going wrong and you can't stop it, but I kept thinking it was a nightmare, then about halfway through the evening I tried to wake up and I realised this was actually happening, right? (S)o I panicked, but nothing was

1759:

In November 2016, Jo Spratley gathered several musicians of Cardiacs-influenced origins and "reformed" her and Tim Smith's band, Spratleys Japs (albeit without Smith due to his health, although he did attend as an audience member), for a one night show in which the band performed the entirety of the

1629:

Despite the enforced halt in Cardiacs' work as an active band, the group's influence and presence has been sustained by various concerts and campaigns. While most of these have been primarily aimed at raising money for Tim Smith's medical rehabilitation, they have also served both to raise awareness

1549:

Claire Lemmon and Dawn Staple had also left the active lineup by the time of the 2007 winter tour, on which Melanie Woods and Cathy Harabaras both doubled on percussion and singing. On the tour, Torabi recalled that "the crowds were getting bigger and younger and something was definitely happening",

1054:

band Ad Nauseam). While Cardiacs were still able to record more fully orchestrated music in the studio, a lack of suitable personnel (or the budget to keep them in place) meant that the live band had to change drastically. Abandoning several signature musical features (saxophone, assorted percussion

2290:

While the critical status of Cardiacs is wildly mixed (the band tends to attract extreme responses, with some critics hailing them while others violently condemn them to the point of pariahhood), Cardiacs were renowned for their unique performing and songwriting styles and their poetically cryptic,

1337:

Counterbalancing the lack of tours, the band set up an annual tradition of one-off large-scale London concerts (the first of which took place on 11 November 2000 and the last in 2007). These usually took place in November at the London Astoria, and soon became a kind of Cardiacs family gathering in

996:

played his own final gig as a Cardiac in Oxford on 16 May: although Cardiacs and Levitation were friendly with each other and had even toured together, Hayes had finally found it impossible to balance the demands of both bands. Both Hayes and Drake would continue to be associated with Cardiacs, and

1806:

In January 2018, almost ten years since Tim Smith's cardiac arrest, an interview and full explanation of his condition were published in multiple major news publications as well as the official Cardiacs website. A donation campaign was simultaneously launched, its goal being to facilitate improved

1802:

DVD) in preparation for "The Special Garage Concerts"-era live shows. (Prior to this, only four clips had been available to the public via the "abcglobus" YouTube channel, with a nearly-complete version of the DVD having been screened at the 2013 Alphabet Business Convention. During this time, the

965:). The band performed as a seven-piece, with Sarah Smith making a one-day return as a band member. Although the concert has achieved legendary status amongst Cardiacs fans, it was problematic for the band. Among other things, Tim Smith's guitar fell apart and keys fell off Sarah Smith's saxophone. 1962:

block, nearly 16 years after their last public radio appearance (also hosted by Marc Riley). During their Riley & Coe interviews, Jo Spratley and Jim Smith explained that attempts had been made to resume live activity in 2020 and 2021, but were aborted for various reasons. With the passage of

1200:

Tim would have drums and rough keyboard chords on tape and would ask me to come up with guitar and bass riffs. I was literally allowed to do pretty much anything I wanted. Tim would then do the production bit and get the best out of me… I remember Tim had programmed the weird bit in the middle of

573:

on drums. The project was initially called the Filth, but soon changed their name to Cardiac Arrest. According to the official history, Tim Smith formed the band merely to punish his brother "for all the unkind things he would do to him as an infant", as Jim allegedly couldn't play an instrument.

2196:

Earlier lineups of the band were sextets and octets employing extensive use of saxophones, percussion and live keyboards. From 1991 onwards, the band was a rock power quartet centred on two guitars (with the remaining keyboard and percussion parts sequenced on tape). Vocally, Cardiacs employed a

678:

A lot of people find our act disturbing because it brings out something in you that a lot of people won't admit to. It's the weirdness in everyone whether you like it or not. Some people think it's dead funny, others hate it. It's strange when people hate us—they really do hate us, it brings out

1041:

Although the band had historically been well-used to lineup changes, Cardiacs were profoundly affected by the multiple departures taking place between 1989 and 1991. A particular blow had been the departure of Drake, whose virtuoso keyboard skills and compositional input had made him one of the

910:

Over the following two years, the Cardiacs lineup began to disintegrate. Sarah Smith left the band suddenly in April 1989 and was not replaced, removing saxophone from the standard Cardiacs sound. Although Sarah would not rejoin the band, she would retain a long-term connection with Cardiacs by

806:

relationship between Tim Smith and Sarah Smith, in which the couple were portrayed as brother and sister. The headline ran, "In their bizarre world of music... anything goes – even incest." (The article ultimately debunked the story by including a corrective quote from Tim Smith's mother). Band

666:

By autumn 1984, the band lineup had settled as the sextet generally referred to as "the classic lineup" – Tim Smith (lead vocals and guitar), Jim Smith (bass and vocals), William D. Drake (keyboards and vocals), Sarah Smith (saxophones and vocals), Tim Quy (percussion and keyboards) and Dominic

1852:

Following twelve years of living with dystonia, Smith died on 21 July 2020, with his death announced on Cardiacs website and other news publications the following day by his brother and original band member Jim Smith. A tribute post was made on the official site several days later by Cardiacs'

1729:

In 2013 and 2015 events dubbed "The Alphabet Business Convention" were held in celebration of and with all proceeds going towards Tim Smith's rehabilitation. They featured Cardiacs-related groups in performance such as Knifeworld, William D. Drake, and Redbus Noface, and were attended by Smith

2281:

In performance, Cardiacs generally rejected (or occasionally parodied) standard rock band posturing. The band's shows instead featured behaviour which has been described as "therapeutic, surrealist pantomime", compared to absurdist theatre, and labelled "not so much theatrically eccentric as

1885:

A video recording of 2005's "Secret Bull & Gate Concerts" was broadcast on Cardiacs' YouTube channel December 2020. Percussionist Tim Quy died on 2 February 2023, aged 61, having been through long and difficult illnesses. Jim announced his passing on the Cardiacs website. In 2023, a 35th

968:

After the Salisbury concert, Tim Quy left the band to pursue other projects. Like Sarah Smith, he was not replaced: the removal of live tuned and untuned percussion from the lineup further altered the established Cardiacs sound. Quy's departure was commemorated by a message at the end of the

2291:

philosophical and abstract lyrics, as well as for their ability to produce a unique, complex and innovative sound with all their musical ventures over and over again throughout their long career. Tim Smith regularly attracted fulsome praise: he has been described in the music press as the "

517:

were influenced by Cardiacs' eclectic music, which appeared on streaming services in 2021. Alternately billed as "Cardiacs", "The Cardiacs", and "Cardiacs Family & Friends", Cardiacs members "past, present, and future" performed the music of Tim Smith at several sold-out gigs in 2024.

1843:

With the advent of social media, it has been noted that Cardiacs had perhaps become a more popular band during their inactivity than ever before. Facebook group membership numbers swelled sharply during this period, and video essays on the band now garner hundreds of thousands of views.

2201:'s singing style has been described by music critics as 'skittish'; it has also been commented that his singing voice sounded very similar to his speaking one. The band's music was written almost entirely by Tim Smith, although contributions were sometimes made by other group members. 1301:

At the start of 1999, Cardiacs played three nights in a row at the Camden Falcon, London between 29 and 31 January: on the final date, Sarah Smith and William D. Drake joined in for the encore. On 20 and 21 March the band played two concerts at the Garage with support from

2353:"I love it when a celeb is on our side. It's not as if their opinions are any more important than anyone else's, I just like it. Who wouldn't? Imagine if a great big celeb lived next door to you and they said they liked your slippers, you'd tell everyone. I would." 975:

video stating "this film is dedicated to Tim Quy who left our world 30/6/90". (At the time, this was widely misinterpreted as an announcement of Quy's death). Quy remained on good terms with the band and would later appear as a special guest during Cardiacs' 2001

1329:

During 1999–2000, Cardiacs began work on a new studio album that remains incomplete and unreleased. Only one song slated for inclusion ("Faster Than Snakes With a Ball and a Chain") has ever been released to the public (it appears on the band's 2002 compilation

923:– and the new two-guitar lineup toured extensively around the UK and Europe for the rest of the year (with Sarah Smith making the first of her special guest appearances at a Brixton Fridge concert on 17 September). During this period, the band also released 1117:

Despite this crippling blow, the band soldiered on, but by July 1993 yet another long-term member – drummer Dominic Luckman – had decided to quit. He played his last concert as a Cardiacs member on 20 July at Camden Palace, London (and would later join the

1967:

was in the mixing stage, and that he had hoped to release it around April 2025. He also elaborated that the album had been worked on before and during Tim's illness and after his passing, with contributions from many Cardiacs family members and friends.

1938:

Following the May shows in London and Leeds, on 7 May 2024 it was announced that Sing to Tim would be coming back for another 4 shows in early October. These shows were marketed as an "Autumn tour" and the announcement was posted, like the last, on the

1392:

For these concerts, the band delved back into their distant past, abandoning virtually all of their available back catalogue in favour of exclusively playing songs that had been performed prior to 1983. These were taken mostly from the cassette albums

873:. By this time, Cardiacs concerts were drawing hundreds of audience members and they were well on their way to becoming a hit underground band. On 15 May, the band played a concert at the Paradiso in Amsterdam, which was recorded for later release as 1978:"Think about what pop music is, and where it has been, the things and changes that it has gone through, however ridiculous. All pop is ridiculous and fantastic. Who is to say that you can't do whatever you like with it when you look at its history?" 1446:

In the autumn of 2004, Torabi officially replaced Poole as Cardiacs' second guitarist, and made his formal debut as a full group member at the annual London Astoria concert on 12 November (Poole would go on to concentrate on God Damn Whores, various

712: 605:, a group led by Borland. Sarah Cutts briefly covered live keyboards as well as saxophone, before Mark Cawthra swapped drums for keyboards and Dominic Luckman was recruited from the road crew as the new drummer. At around the same time percussionist 2277:

Alphabet's original representative characters were Cardiac's "sordid, waxy" manager "the Consultant" (real name James Stevens) and his assistant and band advisor "Miss Swift", both of whom made onstage appearances with Cardiacs during the 1980s.

1185:

was a double album, due to the sheer amount of material that Smith had written over a number of years. The album was notable for a change in Cardiacs' working methods – whereas most previous material had been written and arranged by Smith, the

1194:

who played a strong role in orchestrating Smith's basic material with detailed riffs and keyboard parts (and contributed several songs entirely written by himself). Drummer Bob Leith also made significant contributions to the album's lyrics.

591:

in 1980, which was released at around 1000 copies exclusively sold at concerts. Shortly after, the group went through a number of name changes, settling on simply Cardiacs in 1981. They held their first concert under the new name in April.

853:", saw brief chart success due to exposure on mainstream radio, and garnered the attention of a wider audience when it entered the Independent Top 10 in the UK. The band followed up this burst of success with another single, a cover of 2197:

distinctive singing style centred on Tim Smith's lead vocals (reedy and high-pitched, with a strong, punk-styled south London suburban accent) and choral sections (varying from yelled to falsetto) involving most or all of the band.

1766:(1999), as well as the remaining tracks from the "Hazel" EP (and ended the set with Cardiacs' own "Flap Off You Beak"). A second show was announced shortly afterward for January 2017, as a double billing with Kavus Torabi's band 1316:, described by some of the music press as being their most accessible album to date. The band performed another radio session on 13 June for "Inside Tracks" (on BBC Choice digital radio). Three more concerts followed in October. 1099:(which featured several of Hayes' guitar and vocal parts, plus a track he had co-written called "Goodbye Grace"). This was released as the new Cardiacs album in the summer of 1992, the first fruit of a new distribution deal with 1917:

announced a show, featuring Cardiacs members "past, present, and future" to pay tribute to Tim Smith and his music, which was to take place at the Garage on 4 May 2024 (subsequently adding dates 3 May at the Garage and 5 May at

1122:). Luckman retained his connection with the band and would later make an appearance on stage during Cardiacs' 2001 Astoria show. In December 1993, Cardiacs revealed their new drummer, Jon Poole's former Ad Nauseam bandmate, 601:, featuring both new material and recordings dating back to the Cardiac Arrest period. (Consequently, some tracks featured Michael Pugh as lead singer rather than Tim Smith). During 1981, Colvin Mayers left the band to join 7819: 987:

played his final concert with the band on 2 May at The Venue in New Cross (going on to join the band Nervous and, in 2001, embarking on a long-delayed solo career). Having joined up-and-coming indie-psychedelic band

1346:

and Dominic Luckman all appeared onstage with the band on various occasions, as did the Consultant and Miss Swift. Support bands were always musicians with a professed Cardiacs connection or influence, and included

585:. Smith, the primary lyricist, initially took on guitar and backing vocal duties before Pugh's departure saw him promoted to frontman. Cardiac Arrest followed the single with a full-length cassette release titled 2854:

The band was initially formed as the Filth before changing their name to Cardiac Arrest. Performing under the name until 1980, the group went though a number of name changes before settling on simply Cardiacs in

1286:. During the same year Cardiacs also played several performances in Germany and the Netherlands, and made appearances in Brighton and at a festival in St Austell in Cornwall. 1998 also saw renewed activity by 739:. The latter featured Cardiacs (and various people connected with them) in bizarre, comedic situations which continued to propagate the absurdist Alphabet Business Concern mythology which surrounded the band. 3175: 5641: 4836: 1220:

was released in two formats – as a limited edition double CD, and as two separate CDs. At the same time, the band reissued almost their entire back catalogue on CD. This constituted all of the albums from

935:

going right and nobody could hear anything and Sarah's sax kept cutting out, and I think that's on the video, me shouting to myself that I can't stop it... but everyone else said it was a really good gig!

1004:) performed live shows in a revitalized lineup of Hayes' 80's band, Panixphere. The band performed Hayes' original material, the Tim Smith-penned "More Money Than God", various covers including Cardiacs, 7705: 7524: 1635: 2153:

have there moments of total unique brilliance (and moments of embarrassing grimness as well, like anyone unfortunately) but I can’t say that they influence us any more than a crow on a stump does."

1864:. The song was officially released on 1 September 2020 to mark Smith's funeral which was held the same day. It was released by the band's record label, the Alphabet Business Concern, as a free 1455:

in December 2004 as part of the station's "Barn Sessions". A number of other new members were drafted into the Cardiacs lineup around the same time – three backing singers (Claire Lemmon and

1840:

Further fundraising events were held in 2018 and 2019, featuring live music from Cardiacs members and related bands, film screenings and interviews, with Tim Smith sporadically in attendance.

1482:

After several years of limited live activity in front of established fans, Cardiacs made another attempt to recapture their momentum and play to fresh audiences by supporting long-terms fans

1538:). On the release, Cardiacs biographer Adrian Bell comments "It's only when you become aware how insular the Alphabet Business Concern is that you realise the high regard they must have for 3572: 1791:

A third Alphabet Business Convention was held on 26 August 2017, featuring Cardiacs-related and inspired bands, with Tim Smith in attendance, in the spirit of the preceding conventions.

1076:. Their debut single, "Appealing to Venus", was a free bonus item with the first 500 copies of "Day Is Gone" and was subsequently sold through the fan club. The debut Sea Nymphs album, 719:

On 1 April 1985, an attempt was made to film Cardiacs at a live concert at the Surbiton Assembly Rooms. The band had been approached by film-maker Mark Francombe (later a member of

4242: 5970: 1417:(which had never been officially recorded before and had only ever been played at concerts in the late '70s/early '80s). A two-volume CD set of recordings from the three shows – 442:

Tim Smith was the primary lyricist, noted for his complex and innovative compositional style. He and his brother were the only constant members in the band's regularly changing

1042:

backbones of the band. Drake was considered irreplaceable and Cardiacs opted not to look for a new keyboard player, remaining as a quartet of two guitars, bass and drums (with

7038: 6767: 4784: 4679: 2778: 1888: 890: 845: 456: 7737: 7712: 609:

became a full-time member (also doubling on bass synthesizer). In July 1983, Tim Smith married Sarah Cutts – taking his surname, she was henceforward known as Sarah Smith.

547:

began his musical career in 1975 after forming a nameless band at school in which he played guitar. Smith played his first gig at Surbiton Assembly Rooms aged 16 alongside

2303:" of rock and pop music for his complex and innovative compositional skills, as well as being hailed as a genius (albeit sometimes a "deranged" one). The snooker player 3103: 1748:

Later the same year, teaser images began appearing on Cardiacs' website and Facebook group, culminating in the announcement of the long-awaited next Sea Nymphs album,

807:

manager Mark Walmesley is thought to have started the whole rumour to gain some publicity for the band, predating the superficially similar strategy later employed by

1082:, was released in 1992. Cardiacs remained active during 1992, touring frequently within the UK, including a double-headed tour with Levitation. On 4 June 1992 at the 3165: 1716:. Among other updates, an amendment to the 'History' section of the site humorously addressed Tim Smith's accident, subsequent incapacitation and the band's hiatus. 3597: 3697: 7789: 1641: 39: 4874: 4844: 3541: 5099: 3573:"Sing To Tim – The Smith & Drake Ensemble/Crayola Lectern/Spratleys/Cardiacs & Friends – Garage, London & Brudenell, Leeds 4-6 May 2024 - Joyzine" 1657:, with all proceeds going directly to the continuing care of Tim Smith. The albums featured cover versions of Smith-penned material (originally for Cardiacs, 1856:

An unreleased Tim Smith Cardiacs song (who had performed it solo in occasional live performances) "Vermin Mangle" was shared publicly on 30 July 2020 during

1726:

containing the original album remastered and with the original four "missing" tracks restored, as well as various supplementary material related to the era.

1712:

In 2013, after a long period of radio silence, the official Cardiacs website relaunched with many pieces of merchandise for sale, including a DVD release of

6515: 5799: 3077: 7779: 7624: 7499: 1811: 1666: 2879:

were initially unsure if the tracks would be on the album as they were promised a variety of old and new material and expected another single soon after.

1930:(vocals), Kavus Torabi (guitar, and who was slated to be a main member before schedule conflicts) and Mark Cawthra (vocals) appeared on stage as guests. 5748: 4184: 1278:

The next two years saw no new music from Cardiacs and reduced live activity. However, there were three more London concerts in 1998 – at one of these (

555:

and drummer Bruce Bisland as Gazunder. The Cardiacs biography describes their two gigs in 1976 as sounding "a bit like the rocky instrumental bits" on

7804: 4210: 1338:

which the band was joined by various guests including former members and newer Cardiacs-inspired supported bands. During these concerts, Sarah Smith,

1773:

In December 2016 Tim, Sarah, and William D. Drake were interviewed for Prog magazine, detailing more of Tim's current condition, the sessions behind

4131: 6070: 5069: 3513: 1963:

time, all involved believed it was now the right time to continue. During Cardiacs' interview, Jim Smith confirmed that the long-unreleased album

4158: 3923: 2069:" – and has led to Cardiacs being labelled the primary exponents of this musical style. Tim Smith rejected the term, preferring the description " 6183: 5642:"Organ Thing: Singing Cardiacs songs for him, the Sing For Tim celebration at the Garage, London, of course it was wonderful, of course it was…" 7809: 4239: 1520:" single was released on Org Records as a limited edition of 1,000 copies, and featured the new line-up, albeit minus Sharron Fortnam. Heavily 1033: 6702: 4399: 4030: 3969: 7233: 6038: 5853: 5537: 4608: 4012: 2987: 829: 1543: 911:

playing on future albums and would very occasionally appear as a special guest for live concerts. Tim Smith brought in a second guitarist –

3898: 3611: 7814: 7600: 6044: 832:". In October, a live-in-the-studio session was recorded and broadcast by BBC Radio Leeds, followed in December by a similar session on 5967: 5882:"Six-string psychonaut Kavus Torabi on the mythology of Gong, Hotel California moments with Steve Hillage and his epiphany with scales" 5035: 3408: 6891: 4303: 1249: 561: 1524:, the single featured two other new tracks "Gen" and "Made All Up", which teased Cardiacs' next planned project, a full album called 7183: 7144: 4774: 1781:

Cardiacs will always be here. As for me, I'm still fighting them critters who are trying their best to stop me. But they are losing.

1713: 1573: 1229: 961: 757: 6485: 4105: 781:, the first studio release by the sextet, to mixed reviews. The title track would prove to be one of their most enduring anthems. 7774: 5589: 4962: 3145: 6433: 3643: 1264:

at their triumphant London Mile End Stadium concert. From 31 October to 18 November, Cardiacs performed a long support stint on

7784: 6405: 6380: 6355: 6330: 6302: 6273: 6241: 3201: 1853:"ordinary shop girl" and website maintainer, Mary. Following his death, Tim Smith received a raft of tributes on social media. 1834: 20: 2127:

was particularly influential on Smith's approach to songwriting, having taught how to write musical notation from the album's

7190: 6752: 6002: 5154: 4814: 3441: 2890: 2245: 2102: 1126:. However, the following year proved to be Cardiacs' quietest year for a long time, with only four concerts played in total. 828:, giving Cardiacs their first exposure on national television. Later in the year, Cardiacs released a 12-inch single called " 5775:

Tim Smith's mental art-rock project still churn out their unique brand of turbo-charged whimsy with scarily psychotic gusto.

3786: 2340:" (progressive punk) music genre; Tim Smith rejected the term from the off, stating that Cardiacs are better described as a 1872:

page at midnight, intended as a thank you to the group's fans. It was their first single and release of new material since "

6157: 5439: 1905: 1072:

mini-album plus various singles and EPs. Also making an appearance in 1991 was the debut release by the Cardiacs spin-off,

651: 640: 7658: 7485: 7336: 7111: 6631: 4482: 3229: 3150: 2895: 2528: 1823: 1720: 1434: 1275:

on 2 November. The June tour was promoted by a second BBC Manchester radio session with Mark Radcliffe, aired on 11 June.

701: 443: 193: 1777:'s creation and completion and confirming "at least an album's worth" of Sea Nymphs material that is yet to be finished. 6761: 4985:"The Quietus | Features | Strange World Of... | The Golden Age Is Now: The Strange World of Kavus Torabi" 4673: 3067: 1943:

Facebook page. The four dates were to take place between 10–13 October and will take place in the cities of Manchester (

1291: 1223: 669: 552: 6093: 2919: 7506: 7052: 3846: 3816: 2794: 1892:, overseen by Tim Smith in 2020 as his final task, was released in dedication to Smith and Quy, and quickly sold out. 1762: 1719:

In the coming years, various Cardiacs releases would and continue to be added to the online shop, most notably a 2015

1419: 1360: 1109: 1095: 888:

which was released in 1989. The album successfully consolidated the intricate style and unusual songwriting vision of

468: 45: 5953:

Eccentric U.K. indie rockers whose cassette-only releases and oddball performances built them a 1980s cult following.

5822: 4866: 2894:

also recognises Bill Hiles, the Consultant and Miss Swift as band members. For further details on the topic, see the

2316:

Cardiacs have had a profound underground influence on over three decades of musicians, including the pioneers of the

4694: 3268: 7226: 6281: 6249: 5091: 4984: 3010: 1810:

In March 2018, almost all of the Cardiacs back catalogue (including all of the post-1990 singles and EPs, plus the

1606: 1389:, Torabi was also a long-standing Cardiacs associate who'd served as their guitar technician since the mid-1990s.) 578: 509:

Smith's illness brought increased and belated critical recognition to Cardiacs, with several music outlets calling

1470: 7418: 7307: 7247: 7169: 6511: 5791: 5669: 3955: 2721: 1955:

On 17 June 2024, Cardiacs, along with Tim Smith's Spratleys, played a double-header radio session as part of the

1694: 1464: 1064: 858: 824: 777: 1373:

Between 17–19 October 2003, Cardiacs recorded three special concerts at the Highbury Garage venue in London. As

7799: 7176: 7021: 4570: 3104:"The Cardiacs - an epic overview by Mr. Spencer with help from Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon and Captain Sensible" 2754: 2065:

The broad combination of styles in the band's music has sometimes been referred to as "progressive punk" – or "

1456: 1241: 447: 340: 5563: 2516:

Six months after Tim Smith's death, Cardiacs' discography was added to streaming services on 22 January 2021.

1572:. During an interview segment, Tim Smith revealed the band's plans for the rest of the year: a DVD release of 1467:

singer Sharron Fortnam) and two percussionists – Cathy Harabaras and Dawn Staple – playing mostly bass drums.

6067:"Interview with Tim Smith in Harmonie Magazine, May 2000, by Jean-Luc Putaux (archived on Cardiacs homepage)" 5762: 4922: 4722: 4188: 689:

Between 5 November – 21 December 1984, Cardiacs performed their first major British support tour, supporting

7794: 7593: 4896: 4727: 2478: 2227: 2082: 1682: 1568:

On June 23, 2008, the band performed three songs, including the unreleased live favorite "Silvery", live on

920: 6512:"Interview with Tim Smith in Margen Magazine, April 2001, by Luis Gonzalez (archived on Cardiacs homepage)" 5881: 5504: 3725: 1913:

Over 3 years after Tim's passing, and having teased at something involving the band in the days preceding,

959:(produced by Steve Mallet and directed by Steve Payne, and eventually also released as the 1995 live album 953:

at Salisbury Arts Centre on 30 June. The Cardiacs half of the concert was filmed and released as the video

729:, named after the 12" single that was released at the same time. As well as containing three music videos, 7492: 7045: 6884: 4255: 2786: 1271:

In June and November 1996, Cardiacs embarked on two UK tours of their own, most significantly filling the

1078: 884: 731: 725: 462: 1730:

himself. Several smaller benefit concerts were held from time to time in this period and moving forward.

7653: 7453: 7268: 7066: 6966: 6541: 6066: 4515: 2810: 2667: 2623: 2498: 1919: 1819: 1803:

unreleased film was commonly referred to as "The Bumming Shed video" or "The Garage Rehearsals video".)

1658: 1554:

said "something was in the air, that this might be our time." Cardiacs toured until the winter of 2007.

1312: 1287: 1073: 862: 705: 570: 531: 484: 281: 198: 167: 6580: 6119:"Dancing About Architechture: [sic] The PIEmag * C a R D I a C S * - interview - THE CORROSEUM" 5061: 2062:

once commented that "one Cardiacs song contains more ideas than most other musicians' entire careers."

4277: 4162: 3927: 2269: 7609: 7433: 7331: 7091: 7073: 6958: 6191: 5886: 5466: 3273: 2818: 2771: 2739: 2604: 2307:

is also a big fan of the band and attended many of their live gigs, as well as co-authoring the book

2296: 2256: 2198: 1877: 1690: 1526: 1460: 1310:) and Camp Blackfoot. Cardiacs toured the UK in June 1999 to support the release of their new album, 1253: 587: 544: 540: 490: 380: 376: 332: 273: 124: 62: 6782: 3669: 2519:

In 2024, Cardiacs members past, present "and future" reformed to play sold-out shows across the UK.

513:

a masterpiece. His death in 2020 saw a raft of tributes on social media. Many rock groups including

7413: 7361: 7105: 6912: 6414: 6339: 5914: 4027: 2539: 2456: 2440: 2428: 2329: 2309: 2218: 1580:

and two accompanying singles, another Marc Riley session and a fall tour supporting the new album.

1551: 1386: 1352: 1279: 1104: 1100: 983:

The band was quiet for the first four months of 1991, during which time two more members departed.

566: 384: 227: 5723:"BBC Radio 6 Music - Riley & Coe, It's Cardiacs and Spratleys live in session. Double whammy!" 4931: 3305: 667:

Luckman (drums). The first Cardiacs release featuring the "classic" lineup was their third album,

7673: 7586: 7300: 5382: 3974: 2436: 2407:; during the 1990s, emerging bands and musicians who were or became Cardiacs fans included Blur, 1985: 1495: 1356: 1295: 850: 451: 1617:. All Cardiacs-related releases and activity (including the work-in-progress for the unfinished 6459: 5331: 3474: 1486:

for the latter's tour between 8–15 December 2004. This tour saw another substitution – drummer

894:, but the stable lineup which the band had enjoyed for four years was now beginning to weaken. 7769: 7554: 7531: 7448: 7408: 7355: 6877: 6864: 6595: 6389: 6311: 6034: 5409: 4604: 4449: 4424: 4008: 3730: 3591: 3374: 2983: 2481:"). During the 2000s, Cardiacs influenced musical acts such as Rocketgoldstar, Little Trophy, 2472: 2337: 2321: 2070: 2066: 2047: 2019: 1956: 1923: 1670: 1487: 989: 808: 473: 416: 412: 106: 6118: 6028: 1697:

as well as former Cardiacs including Hayes himself (as Mikrokosmos), Torabi (as Knifeworld),

565:(1970). The band that would become Cardiacs was formed in late 1977 by Smith and his brother 7683: 7668: 7458: 7423: 7393: 7342: 7240: 7162: 6993: 6787: 5909: 5858: 5646: 5509: 4930: 4665: 4487: 4310:(interview with Kavus Torabi in Subbacultcha webzine, August 2009) – accessed 18 August 2009 3206: 3015: 2691: 2632: 2482: 2345: 2214: 2206: 2059: 2031: 1999: 1944: 1798:

which featured Cardiacs rehearsing early songs (mixed with surrealist comedy similar to the

1753: 1698: 1610: 1499: 1339: 1303: 1283: 1257: 1235: 1176: 1001: 984: 949:

Cardiacs toured and gigged intermittently during 1990, culminating in a shared concert with

925: 882:

Later in the year, Cardiacs recorded tracks for what would become their fifth studio album,

766: 613: 602: 396: 308: 172: 81: 4298: 1569: 1062:", and played several concerts from October to December. This year also saw the release of 7438: 7388: 6608: 6409: 6384: 6359: 6334: 6306: 6277: 6245: 5974: 5827: 5700: 5475: 4837:"THERE NOW FOLLOWS AN ANNOUNCEMENT OF GREAT IMPORTANCE FROM THE ALPHABET BUSINESS CONCERN" 4520: 4307: 4034: 3926:. Time Out of Mind fanzine (reproduced on Cardiacs Museum website. c. 1987. Archived from 3702: 3108: 2730: 2486: 2420: 2055: 1654: 1646: 1381:(and busy rehearsing for the upcoming Wildhearts tour) he was replaced for the concert by 1343: 1307: 1043: 993: 912: 784: 327: 3755: 3542:"Members Of Faith No More, Voivod And Napalm Death Join Fundraiser For Cardiacs Vocalist" 5937: 3338: 450:, the Alphabet Business Concern, in 1984 and found mainstream exposure with the single " 7468: 7443: 6489: 5435: 4954: 4661: 4250: 2490: 2468: 2452: 2432: 2333: 2106: 2039: 1940: 1914: 1865: 1815: 1686: 1662: 1650: 1602: 1483: 1451:-related projects, Crayola Lectern and others). This lineup performed classic songs on 1448: 1439: 1378: 1083: 977: 929:, a collection of material from the 1976–83 period (some of it previously unreleased). 582: 548: 499: 428: 388: 387:(bass, backing vocals) in 1977 under the name Cardiac Arrest. One of Britain's leading 208: 156: 6437: 5470: 1593: 1156: 1145: 7763: 7730: 7282: 7208: 7137: 6940: 4699: 4629: 4543: 4246: 3518: 3514:"The Essentiality of Cardiacs' 'A Little Man and a House and the Whole World Window'" 3369: 3343: 3063: 2575: 2448: 2424: 2384: 2240: 2232: 2210: 1927: 1674: 1516:

On 5 November 2007, Cardiacs released their first new material for eight years. The "

1475: 1051: 1013: 875: 720: 694: 432: 247: 6402: 6377: 6352: 6327: 6299: 6270: 6238: 4624: 4056: 3890: 1016:

songs, and raw versions of Jon Poole-penned tracks that would later be recorded for

7398: 7349: 7130: 7004: 6977: 6546: 6364: 6286: 6254: 4867:"Episode 52: Kavus Torabi Interview | The Epileptic Gibbon podcast music show" 4779: 4039: 3987: 3413: 3170: 2979: 2712: 2650: 2510: 2464: 2416: 2412: 2372: 2161: 2150: 2142: 2123: 2098: 1767: 1702: 1562: 1531: 1491: 1382: 1175:

single on Org Records (the record-releasing wing of long-term Cardiacs' supporters

1000:

Between 1991 and 1993, Tim Smith, Christian Hayes, and Jon Poole (with drumming by

997:

would occasionally guest with the band at selected live concerts many years later.

950: 798: 771: 420: 319: 292: 5994: 5146: 4806: 1739:, Kavus Torabi shed light on several past, present, and future Cardiacs projects. 535:

Brothers Tim and Jim Smith co-founded the band and were the sole constant members.

4598: 4002: 3794: 2973: 7383: 7275: 7254: 7059: 6161: 5522: 5500: 5444: 5121: 4575: 4136: 3674: 3479: 3072: 2865: 2802: 2444: 2404: 2392: 2380: 2368: 2304: 2169: 2146: 2114: 2110: 2086: 2074: 1873: 1857: 1735: 1517: 1265: 1261: 1216: 1181: 1059: 1018: 1009: 916: 866: 833: 556: 514: 478: 424: 7565: 6623: 5614: 5202: 4492: 4132:"A Little Man & A House & The Whole World Window By Cardiacs Revisited" 3166:"Cult heroes: Tim Smith led the Cardiacs in the face of hatred – and much love" 3140: 1502:) stood in for Bob Leith, who had previous tour commitments with art-punk band 711: 7678: 7403: 6728: 6678: 6654: 6567: 5307: 4750: 4321: 4082: 2494: 2460: 2408: 2388: 2251: 2236: 2222: 2078: 2043: 2023: 2003: 1959: 1947:), Glasgow (SWG3 Warehouse), Newcastle (The Grove) and Brighton (Concorde 2). 1861: 1833:

On October 25, 2018, Tim Smith was awarded an honorary music doctorate by the

1510: 1058:

Before 1991 was over, the revitalised band had released a new single, called "

436: 372: 203: 111: 86: 569:

on bass guitar and backing vocals, alongside Michael Pugh on lead vocals and

7688: 7663: 7463: 7428: 7098: 6933: 6926: 6919: 5722: 2923: 2641: 2566: 2557: 2548: 2502: 2396: 2376: 2341: 2325: 2090: 2027: 2007: 1706: 1678: 1521: 1374: 1348: 1272: 1191: 1123: 1119: 1087: 1047: 971: 955: 854: 819: 690: 597: 404: 242: 237: 232: 188: 91: 3854: 3824: 2395:. During the 1980s, Cardiacs were a professed influence or inspiration for 1794:

In September 2017, the Alphabet Business Concern released the long-awaited

1260:. On 17 June, they appeared as special guests of (and concert openers for) 6851: 6403:

December 1988 live review of Cardiacs at Town and Country Club, London, UK

6353:

December 1988 live review of Cardiacs at Town and Country Club, London, UK

5228: 2471:(who would later pay direct tribute via their track "Tim Smith" on 2009's 1294:" single reissued with extra tracks by Org Records, and a rare concert at 6570:

Justin Hawkins Rides Again. 28 November 2021. Retrieved 28 November 2022.

5941: 5387: 5280: 5254: 4240:"Ginger's Secret History of Rock’n’Roll (pt. 7)" in Classic Rock magazine 3759: 3647: 3615: 3546: 3379: 3309: 2400: 2317: 2300: 2239:

as a perfect example of absurdity) and the nineteenth-century Irish poet

2165: 2160:* Based on the relative dates provided, Smith is likely referring to the 2128: 2015: 1995: 1869: 1827: 1614: 1452: 1107:

ceased trading shortly after the release of the album. This ensured that

814:

On 17 April, the band's music video for "Tarred and Feathered" (from the

577:

Cardiac Arrest produced a demo in 1977, and released their debut single "

495: 400: 392: 101: 76: 6860: 6213: 3958:(Cardiacs article by Tom Goodhand in The Yorkshire Post, 9 November 2007 2026:. Cardiacs' music is noted for balancing the attack and 'raw energy' of 1171:

After three years without any new releases, 1995 saw the release of the

1114:

although he had not actually played on the album when it was recorded.)

6982: 6855: 6328:

March 1988 live review of Cardiacs at Town and Country Club, London, UK

6271:

1987 live review of Cardiacs at The Bunker Club, Rotterdam, Netherlands

5125: 4600:

Aylesbury Bolton Wolverhampton Hove: A Little Man and 101 Cardiacs Gigs

2676: 2336:. The band are sometimes credited as having been the inventors of the " 2118: 2011: 1653:

singer Jo Spratley. These were released on Kavus Torabi's record label

1630:

of the band's work and the growing body of musicians influenced by it.

1093:

Prior to the departure of Hayes, Cardiacs had recorded an album called

612:

In mid-1983 Mark Cawthra left the band, to be replaced on keyboards by

606: 300: 96: 4775:"Cardiacs tribute album to raise money for paralysed singer Tim Smith" 2183:—Tim Smith discussing suburbia (an early Cardiacs lyrical obsession), 1179:). This was a taster for Cardiacs' most epic recorded effort to date. 7261: 6756:(liner notes). Cardiacs. Alphabet Business Concern. 2002. ALPH CD029. 3756:"Tim Smith, singer with influential rock band Cardiacs, dies aged 59" 2506: 2292: 2034:. The band also incorporates elements of other musical forms such as 803: 503: 6581:

https://www.pressreader.com/uk/classic-rock/20210105/281552293486209

6300:

January 1988 live review of Cardiacs at The Marquee Club, London, UK

2367:

Groups who have cited Tim Smith's work as a major influence include

1248:

In April 1995, Cardiacs performed a BBC Manchester radio session on

5176: 7378: 4571:"Once In A Lifetime: On Land And In The Sea By Cardiacs Revisited" 2268: 1904: 1592: 1503: 1469: 1433: 1032: 802:

ran a story claiming to be an exposé and revealing the supposedly

783: 756: 710: 530: 4159:"July 2009 interview with Jon Poole on Cardiacs homepage, page 2" 2972:

Phillips, Lance (2003). "The Cardiacs". In Buckley, Peter (ed.).

1909:

Cardiacs Family & Friends at the Sing to Tim show, 4 May 2024

898:

1989–1999: Classic lineup fractures and power quartet established

769:

on 24 August 1986, releasing the very rough audio footage as the

19:

This article is about the English rock band. For other uses, see

6158:"[Clemens] Mark Twain's essay: English as She is Taught" 5854:"Cardiacs – A Little Man And A House And The Whole World Window" 5538:"Cardiacs – A Little Man And A House And The Whole World Window" 4695:"Tim Smith, the Cardiacs singer hoping to overcome brain injury" 4544:"Cardiacs - biografia, recensioni, streaming, discografia, foto" 4323:

Cardiacs Special Garage Concert 19th October 2003 with CD Sounds

3370:"Cardiacs - biografia, recensioni, streaming, discografia, foto" 2138: 2094: 2051: 408: 7582: 7569: 6873: 6486:"Cardiacs Official Website" Live Reviews - London Astoria 2004" 4603:. Sullivan County, New York: Iron Bell Publishing. p. 78. 2030:

with the intricacies and technical cleverness of early British

7706:

Leader of the Starry Skies: A Tribute to Tim Smith, Songbook 1

7525:

Leader of the Starry Skies: A Tribute to Tim Smith, Songbook 1

5757: 5255:"Cardiacs Benefit Gig 2018 - Spratleys, Knifeworld & Zoff" 4454: 4185:"Cardiacs Official Website" Your Vexed Questions October 2005" 3234: 2255:

in Smith's words and music videos. Jim Smith recalls the film

2035: 1636:

Leader of the Starry Skies: A Tribute To Tim Smith, Songbook 1

1005: 7820:

Musical groups from the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames

5968:

Live review: Cardiacs – The Wedgewood Rooms, 22 November 2007

4084:

Panixphere - More Money Than God (Inslington Powerhaus, 1993)

506:

in 2008, which caused the band to go on hiatus indefinitely.

7578: 6239:

1987 live review of Cardiacs at The Marquee Club, London, UK

6132: 5847: 5845: 5356: 5177:"Caridacs Tim Smith Doctor of Music Ceremony Video With Jim" 5010: 4374: 3644:"Tim Smith dies aged 59: Tributes paid to Cardiacs frontman" 2513:

have also professed an affinity for Cardiacs and Tim Smith.

2225:. Two favourite cut-and-paste sources were Pedro Carolino's 2077:". Musicians that the band have cited as influences include 1848:

2020–2023: Death of Tim Smith, Tim Quy, and other activities

1282:

concert on 4 December) the band was joined for an encore by

843:

In 1988, Cardiacs released their debut studio album proper,

775:

album. On 27 January 1987, Cardiacs released the mini-album

494:, was left unfinished after Tim Smith was hospitalised with 6869: 4344: 4269: 1613:, leaving Smith severely debilitated by the rare condition 4270:"Organ Art - Hard Music - Hard Life - Independent Records" 3612:"Magic Numbers and XTC raise funds for Salisbury musician" 6783:"The Sound, a tragically overlooked 1980s post-punk band" 6214:"Cardiacs Special Edition Vinyl Casebound Book for Sale!" 5823:"Cardiacs first full-length album gets four disc reissue" 5281:"Cardiacs Salisbury Benefit Gig 2019 - Tim Smith Tribute" 5229:"The Cardiacs Whole World Window Festival - Preston 2018" 3409:"Tim Smith, frontman of cult band Cardiacs, dies aged 59" 2209:

lyrical approach drawing on the works of (among others),

2205:

for fan interpretations. Smith also sometimes employed a

2156:-Margen Magazine (Spain) April 2001, Tim Smith Interview 6846: 6094:"The Strange (Parallel) World of… Tim Smith Of Cardiacs" 3918: 3916: 2493:. During the 2010s, Cardiacs-inspired musical acts like 1837:. Jim Smith accepted the award on his brother's behalf. 1325:

Rare sightings, family gatherings and aborted recordings

6460:"dfan says» Blog Archive" Cardiacs: musical vocabulary" 3402: 3400: 6839: 6680:

Wind and Rains is Cold - Cardiacs. Animation by Cyriak

6184:"CARDIACS: Poetry and words for your viewing pleasure" 5792:"Cardiacs albums finally appear on streaming services" 5410:"Cardiacs Secret Bull & Gate Concerts Watch Party" 3956:"Meet the most influential band you've never heard of" 3468: 3466: 3464: 3462: 1886:

anniversary remastered and expanded boxset release of

357: 6378:

1987 live review of Cardiacs at Dingwalls, London, UK

4425:"BBC - 6 Music Messageboard - Marc Riley - Cardiacs!" 3058: 3056: 3054: 2166:

Läuft...Heißt Das Es Läuft Oder Es Kommt Bald...Läuft

1876:" in 2007, and was intended as the closing track for 1050:

who had previously played with the Cardiacs-inspired

6730:

Jim Woodring Episode #24 Alan Fulle's Art Interviews

5963: 5961: 5696:"Cardiacs : Cardiacs Family : Live Review" 4235: 4233: 4231: 3951: 3949: 3947: 3945: 3052: 3050: 3048: 3046: 3044: 3042: 3040: 3038: 3036: 3034: 1601:

At the end of June 2008, Tim Smith collapsed from a

1252:'s show. During May, they toured with Pura Vida and 693:

at the personal invitation of Marillion's vocalist,

595:

In 1981, Cardiacs self-released the cassette album,

7722: 7697: 7641: 7634: 7616: 7516: 7477: 7371: 7324: 7317: 7292: 7218: 7200: 7154: 7122: 7083: 7039: