Cardiacs

Cardiacs

Cardiacs are an English band formed in 1977. Combining the excitement and energy of punk rock with the intricacies and technical cleverness of early British progressive rock, a combination sometimes referred to as pronk, although singer Tim Smith prefers the description psychedelic, their sound is unique, varied, complex and intense.

History so far

Cardiacs were formed by Tim Smith in suburban Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, in 1977. Since then the band line-up has remained fluid, undergoing numerous line-up changes, with Tim's brother Jim Smith being the only other surviving original member, and many previous members appearing now and again for live performances or to help out backstage (and vice versa).

Starting off as Cardiac Arrest, then settling on Cardiacs by the end of 1980. Early releases followed the punk DIY ethic, and included limited runs of the cassette albums The Obvious Identity, Toy World, and The Seaside.

The band's line-up was whittled down throughout 1983 from eight to six (Tim, Jim, Sarah, Bill, Dom, and Tim, the line-up that would remain for the rest of the 1980s). Tim and Sarah got married in July 1983.

In 1984, Cardiacs supported Marillion at the personal request of Marillion’s lead singer Fish. While the tour gave Cardiacs some overdue publicity, Marillion's fanbase took an aversion to them resulting in the band being pelted with a variety of makeshift missiles (including - but not limited to - bottles, batteries and lit cigarettes) on stage. A handful of the current Cardiacs Chatlist regulars were at these early shows and speak unhappily of the reception they were given, especially when someone attempted to set fire to the safety curtain at the Manchester show.

In March 1987 the British tabloid newspaper the Sunday Sport ran a story 'exposing' the supposedly incestuous relationship between Tim and Sarah, mistaking the couple for brother and sister, "In the bizarre world of music.. anything goes - even INCEST." Much of the misunderstanding was perpetuated by Tim himself.

The release of Is This The Life in 1988 saw brief chart success and the attention of a wider audience, as the single reached the Indie top ten in the UK. By the end of 1990, the band had slimmed down to a four piece, using a backing tape for live shows. In 1995 much of the Cardiacs back catalogue was re-released on CD.

For several years, Cardiacs have been playing a regular annual gig in London. This usually takes place towards the end of the year and is regarded as a major Cardiacs event, attended by fans of all ages (as most long-standing Cardiacs fans now have children of their own) from all over the world. The next one will take place on 16 November 2007; on this occasion it will be prefixed by a full UK tour.

The last official release of new Cardiacs material was in 1999 with the album Guns. According to the Cardiacs official website, a new album is in preparation - a track from which was included on the 2002 Greatest Hits compilation. A two volume set of recordings from the three shows at the Highbury Garage in November 2003 was released in the beginning of September 2005, and is available from All My Eye and Betty Martin Music (along with other recordings from the likes of William D Drake and Spratleys Japs).

The band has enjoyed a quiet renaissance lately thanks to YouTube where the bizarre 1987 video for "Tarred and Feathered" - shot for Channel 4's music show The Tube, and strikingly similar to the surreal comedy of Channel 4's own comedy show Absolutely - has become a popular attraction along with other past Cardiacs and associates' clips (including "Is This The Life?")

A new single was announced on 24th September, for release on 5th November 2007. It will be entitled "Ditzy Scene" and will feature the tracks "Ditzy Scene", "Gen" and "Made All Up". This single will act as a taster for the new album, expected in the new year. The single is released on ORG Records

• Guapo (Kavus Torabi)
• Lake of Puppies (Bill Drake - after leaving Cardiacs, and Sharron Fortnam)
• Levitation (Christian Hayes - after leaving Cardiacs)
• Mice (Dominic Luckman and Christian Hayes - after leaving Cardiacs)
• Mikrokosmos (Christian Hayes solo project)
• The Monsoon Bassoon (Kavus Torabi - prior to joining Cardiacs)
• Mr and Mrs Smith and Mr Drake (Tim Smith, Sarah Smith, and Bill Drake)
• Panixphere Mk1 1982-1984 (Christian Hayes, Flat Hat, Little Hicky (became Cardiacs roadie))
• Panixphere Mk2 1991-1993 (Christian Hayes, Tim Smith, Jon Poole, Dave Francolini)
• Ponce (Jim Smith and Melanie Woods)
• Ring (Christian Hayes - prior to joining Cardiacs)
• Sidi Bou Said (Clare Lemmon and Melanie Woods band who toured extensively with Cardiacs in the early 1990s, before Tim asked the girls to do backing vocals on the "Sing to God" and "Guns" albums
• The Sea Nymphs (Tim Smith, Sarah Smith and Bill Drake)
• The Shrubbies (Dominic Luckman - after leaving Cardiacs)
• Tim Smith's OceanLandWorld (Tim Smith's solo project)
• The Sound (Colvin Mayers - after leaving Cardiacs)
• Spratley's Japs (Tim Smith) -
• The Trudy (Peter Tagg and Ralph Cade - after leaving Cardiacs)
• The Wildhearts (Jon Poole - after leaving Cardiacs)
• Also listen out for Tim Smith's production for Sidi Bou Said (Bodies on Ultimate, 1995) and other bands too (eg. Eat's 'Epicure', Fiction 1993; Secrets and Signals album by Stars In Battledress, House of Stairs 2003)
• Also listen for Jon Poole's production on Sidi Bou Said followup album "Obsessive"
• North Sea Radio Orchestra - (Sharron Fortnam, with Kavus Torabi, William D Drake, Melaine Woods) album produced by Mark Cawthra

Discography

Studio albums

• The Obvious Identity Cassette (1980)
• Toy World Cassette (1981)
• The Seaside (1st Version) Cassette (1984) ALPH 001
• A Little Man and a House and the Whole World Window (1988) ALPH 007
• On Land and in the Sea (1989) ALPH 012
• The Seaside (2nd Version) (1990) reissue ALPH 013 (This has fewer tracks than the original Seaside, one of the several master tapes was allegedly lost)
• Songs for Ships and Irons (1991) ALPH014
• Heaven Born and Ever Bright (1991) ALPH 017
• Sing to God (1995) ALPH 022 limited edition DOUBLE CD, 023 (CD One), 024 (CD Two). This LP was released in two parts.
• Guns (1999) ALPH 027
• a new recording is expected soon

Compilations

• Archive Cardiacs Cassette (1989) ALPH 000 (This is a compilation of tracks from 'Toy World' and 'The Obvious Identity'. It was originally released in about 1989 as a cassette available only to members of Cardiacs' information service (known as The youseletter Family). It was later available on general release on CD)
• Songs for Ships and Irons (1991) ALPH 014 (a Compilation including the tracks from the 'Big Ship' and 'Too Many Irons in the Fire' eps, plus some b-sides and one previously unreleased track)
• Sampler (1995) ALPH 019
• Greatest Hits (2002) ALPH 029

Singles and EPs

• A Bus for a Bus on the Bus 7" (1979) TOR 002
• Seaside Treats 12" EP (1985) ALPH 002
• Big Ship Mini Album (1986) ALPH 004
• There's Too Many Irons In The Fire 12" EP (1987) ALPH 006
• Night Tracks (The Janice Long Session) 12" EP (1987) SFNT 013
• Is This The Life? 7" and 12" (1988) ALPH 008
• Susannah's Still Alive 7" and 12" (1988) ALPH 009
• Baby Heart Dirt 7" and 12" (1989) ALPH 011
• Day Is Gone 12" and CD (1991) ALPH 015
• Manhoo (1995) ALPH 025
• Bellyeye (1995) ORGAN011
• Odd Even ALPH 026
• Signs (1999) ALPH 028

Live albums

• Rude Bootleg (1986) recorded live at the Reading Festival ALPH 005
• Cardiacs Live (1988) recorded live at The Paradiso, Amsterdam ALPH 010
• All that Glitters is a Mares Nest ALPH 018
• The Special Garage Concerts Vol I (2005) ALPH CD030
• The Special Garage Concerts Vol II (2005) ALPH CD031

Videos

• Surbiton Assembly Rooms (1985) -semi-official
• Seaside Treats (video) (1985)
• Maresnest, live at Salisbury Arts Centre 30 June 1990.

Related releases

• Mr and Mrs Smith and Mr Drake (1984) Cassette ALPH 003
• The Sea Nymphs Cassette (1992)
• Tim Smith's Extra Special OceanLandWorld (1995) ALPH 020
• Cardiacs and Affectionate Friends (2001) ORG228

References

Literature

No official Cardiacs histories or biographies have been published. The ORGAN fanzine produced a Cardiacs anthology of interviews and reviews in 1993. In November 2006 The Organ announced that they would be putting together a book incorporating the previous anthology, interviews and features that been in Organ since that anthology was published and contributions from fans.

External links

• Cardiacs Official Site.
• http://bak.spc.org/abc/ The Consultans Memorabilia Collection
• http://www.death.plus.com/cardiacs/cardiacs.htm Pete's Cardiacs site - contains a wealth of information from 1976-present
• The Cardiacs Lyrics Organ - a searchable database of lyrics from many Cardiacs albums
• Cardiacs: An Informative Compendium Of Knowledge - an expanding collection of early lyrics and other articles not compiled elsewhere
• http://www.tangento.net/CARDIACS.html The Tangento Cardiacs Pages (for fun)]
• http://www.anyware.co.uk/ame/ All My Eye And Betty Martin Music - home to Spratleys Japs, William Drake, Mr and Mrs Smith and Mr Drake
• http://www.frappr.com/cardiacsfans/ Cardiacs Frappr Page
• http://www.forum.cardiacs.org/ The new Maresnest forum dedicated to Cardiacs discussion
• http://www.cardiacs.org/ The first and only online Cardiacs Museum!
• http://www.myspace.com/cardiacs Myspace

YouTube Videos

• "Tarred & Feathered" video
• "Is This The Life?" video