Tim Smith (Cardiacs)

For other people named Tim Smith, see Tim Smith (disambiguation).

Tim Smith
Born	(1961-07-03) 3 July 1961
Genres	Art rock, psychedelic pop, progressive rock, post-punk
Occupation(s)	Singer-Songwriter, Composer, Poet, Music Producer, Vocalist, Lyricist, Music Video Director, Record Label Owner, Recording Studio Owner
Instrument(s)	Vocals, Guitar, Organ, Piano, Synthesizer, Mellotron, Flute, Recorder, Percussion
Years active	1975–present
Labels	Alphabet Business Concern All My Eye And Betty Martin Music
Website	http://www.cardiacs.com

Tim Smith (born 3 July 1961 in Carshalton, Surrey, England) is an English singer-songwriter, composer, poet, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and music video director.

Musical approach

Instrumental

In addition to singing, Smith plays electric and acoustic guitars, bass guitar, a variety of keyboards (including piano, synthesizer, mellotron and organ), flute, recorder and percussion.

Musical style

Smith is credited as being the inventor of the Pronk (progressive punk) music genre; a name actually coined in the early 90s, but attributed to music critics of the late 70s "who were baffled by Cardiacs' unique sound, in order to try to place a genre label on their music". The term Pronk was said to have only been used by these music critics when trying to describe Cardiacs' very early work of the late 1970s, and that "However, Smith 'rejected' the term from the off - stating that Cardiacs are a Pop or Psychedelic act if anything".

Lyrical style and themes

Smith's work often deals with the exploration of childhood or adolescent fears and anxieties, the terror of war, paranoia, loneliness, pain, love, obsession, isolation, sexuality, satire on ways of living, the sins of religion and the ideal of a better world.

Inspirations

While expressing appreciation for such artists as XTC, Gong, Gentle Giant, early Genesis, and Frank Zappa, Smith's lyrical references include the work of George Darley, Charles Kingsley, William Blake, Pedro Carolino, William Shakespeare, Charles Laughton and David Lynch.

History

In 1975, Tim Smith played guitar in a nameless punky, psychedelic instrumental band with school friends Mark Cawthra (Drums) and David Philpot (Keyboard). Tim was taken aback by the sound of David’s Korg synthesiser and would later use the sound early on in Cardiac Arrest/Cardiacs.

In 1979, Tim helped record a 7”, A Bus for a Bus on the Bus, at Elephant Studios in London. He was later forced to look for a new vocalist and drummer after Mike Pugh, Ralph Cade and Peter Tagg left the band. He decided to take over the vocals himself and invited Mark Cawthra in to play drums. 1980 saw Tim recording the first and only Cardiac Arrest album, The Obvious Identity. Eventually, 1000 cassettes were recorded, but only sold at concerts to save on expenditure.

Tim decided to change the name of the band to Cardiacs in 1981. He helped record the band’s first album, Toy World, in the same manner as the Cardiac Arrest album – on cassette tape – at a small basement studio known as Crow Studios (owned and run by Peter Kunzler). After another line up change, Tim recruited Tim Quy (Percussion), Sarah Cutts (Saxophone) and Dominic Luckman (Drums) into the fold.

In 1983, Tim saw William D. Drake performing on a piano in a public house and drafted him into the ranks of Cardiacs as keyboard player. He also married Sarah Cutts this year.

The low budget label Alphabet Business Concern was created in 1984. Tim was asked by vocalist Fish to support his band Marillion on their forthcoming tour near the end of the year. Tim agreed but was not prepared for the hostile audience that awaited them on all legs of the tour (forcing them off the final three days of the tour).

In 1985, Tim was approached by students Mark Francombe and Nick Elborough with an offer to shoot footage of them at one of their live concerts as part of their coursework project. The Surbiton Assembly Rooms was chosen, but Tim was unhappy with the resultant footage and canned the project. The students then assisted Tim with making a promotional video, produced and directed by Tim himself, which would include a 10-minute feature called "The Consultant’s Flower Garden" and three music videos. The video was released.

During the 1990s, Tim took a break from Cardiacs to work on various other projects. During 1989 and 1991, he wrote songs for a solo album, Tim Smith's Extra Special OceanLandWorld, eventually released in 1995. He, estranged wife Sarah (now said to be practising as a white witch) and William D. Drake were reunited as The Sea Nymphs, a folkier, more ethereal and relaxed version of Cardiacs. The threesome had already recorded before in 1984 and released a cassette album, Mr and Mrs Smith and Mr Drake. Tim also performed with ex-Cardiacs guitarist Bic Hayes in Panixsphere in 1993 (although no official recordings exist yet) and with love interest Jo Spratley in Spratleys Japs from 1995. 1999 saw the release of the latest Cardiacs studio album, Guns, on the Alphabet label.

The 21st Century has seen Tim (with Cardiacs) release one single, "Ditzy Scene", in 2007. He has used most of the time again touring and working on new recording output for the near future. In March 2006, he toured with Ginger & The Sonic Circus as their support act, performing acoustic versions of Cardiacs songs, along with his own material.

On 25 June 2008 Tim Smith suffered a combined heart attack and stroke, and is currently in the process of recovering. As such, all plans for the new Cardiacs album and other future work have been postponed indefinitely. However, a tribute album was released in December 2010 on the website of The Genepool.

Work as producer, video director and label boss

Smith owns and operates his own recording studio - Apollo 8, currently based near Salisbury, Wiltshire - and has a long list of production credits to his name.

Since the early nineties Smith has produced recordings for a variety of musicians and musical groups, many of whom belong to the so called "Cardiacs family". These include Levitation, Sidi Bou Said, Eat, The Monsoon Bassoon, Wildhearts frontman Ginger (including his Silver Ginger 5 and Howling Willie Cunt projects), Stars In Battledress, Oceansize, William D. Drake, The Shrubbies, The Scaramanga Six and The Trudy.

Smith has created and/or edited pop videos for various bands including Sepultura, Dark Star and The Frank and Walters, as well as Cardiacs.

In 2008 Smith created a film called "The Wildhearts Live In The Studio: A Film By Tim Smith", featuring The Wildhearts playing their self titled album along with surreal interludes.

Smith also runs the record label All My Eye And Betty Martin Music which has released material by Spratleys Japs, William D. Drake, and Mr and Mrs Smith and Mr Drake.

Discography

Cardiac Arrest

• A Bus for a Bus on the Bus 7" (1979) TOR 002
• The Obvious Identity Cassette (1980)

Cardiacs

• Toy World Cassette (1981)
• The Seaside (1st Version) Cassette (1984) ALPH 001
• Seaside Treats 12" EP (1985) ALPH 002
• Big Ship Mini LP (1986) ALPH 004
• Rude Bootleg Cassette/LP/CD (1986) ALPH 005
• There's Too Many Irons In The Fire 12" (1987) ALPH 006
• A Little Man and a House and the Whole World Window LP/CD (1988) ALPH 007/TORSO CD060
• Is This The Life? 7" and 12" (1988) ALPH 008/TORSO 70060
• Susannah's Still Alive 7" and 12" (1988) ALPH 009
• Cardiacs Live LP/CD (1988) ALPH 010
• Night Tracks (The Janice Long Session) 12" EP (1988) SFNT 013
• Baby Heart Dirt 7" and 12" (1989) ALPH 011
• On Land and in the Sea LP/CD(1989) ALPH 012
• Archive Cardiacs Cassette/CD (1989) ALPH 000
• The Seaside (2nd Version) LP/CD (1990) ALPH 013
• Songs for Ships and Irons CD (1991) AlPH 014
• Day Is Gone 12" and CD Single (1991) ALPH 015
• Heaven Born and Ever Bright CD (1991) ALPH 017
• All that Glitters is a Mares Nest CD (1995) ALPH 018
• Sampler CD (1995) ALPH 019
• Bellyeye CD Single (1995) ORGAN011
• Sing to God CD (1995) ALPH 022 (limited edition DOUBLE CD), ALPH 023 (CD One), ALPH 024 (CD Two).
• Manhoo CD Single (1995) ALPH 025
• Odd Even CD Single (1995) ALPH 026
• Cardiacs/Camp Blackfoot CD Single (1998) ORG056
• Guns CD (1999) ALPH 027
• Signs CD Single(1999) ALPH 028
• Cardiacs and Affectionate Friends CD (2001) ORG228
• Greatest Hits CD (2002) ALPH 029
• The Special Garage Concerts Vol I CD (2005) ALPH CD030
• The Special Garage Concerts Vol II CD (2005) ALPH CD031
• Ditzy Scene CD Single (2007) ORG419

The Sea Nymphs

• Mr and Mrs Smith and Mr Drake Cassette (1984) ALPH 003/CD Reissue (2007) AME CD004
• Appealing To Venus 7" (1991) ALPH 016
• The Sea Nymphs Cassette/CD (1992) ALPH 021
• Appealing To Venus CD Reissue (1998) ORGAN044

OceanLandWorld

• Tim Smith's Extra Special OceanLandWorld CD (1995) ALPH 020

Spratleys Japs

• Pony CD (2001) AME CD001
• Hazel CD Single (2001) AME CD002

Albums produced

• Eat - Epicure LP (Fiction, 1993)
• Oceansize - Relapse EP (Beggar's Banquet 2002)
• Levitation - Need For Not album (CWWNN ltd. 1992)
• Sidi Bou Said - Bodies album (Ultimate, 1995)
• SilverGinger 5 - Black Leather Mojo album (Sanctuary, 2000)
• Stars In Battledress - Secrets and Signals album (House of Stairs, 2003)
• The Monsoon Bassoon - In Bold Gardens EP (Unreleased, 1996)
• The Monsoon Bassoon - I Dig Your Voodoo album (Weird Neighbourhood, 1999)
• North Sea Radio Orchestra - North Sea Radio Orchestra EP ()
• The Scaramanga Six - Cabin Fever album (Wrath Records 2005)
• The Scaramanga Six - The Dance of Death album (Wrath Records 2007)
• Shrubbies - Memphis in Texas album (Merlin Audio 1997)
• William D. Drake – William D. Drake album (All My Eye And Betty Martin Music, 2003)

External links

• Cardiacs homepage
• Cardiacs Museum (tribute page)
• Cardiacs Lyrics Organ (searchable lyrics database)