List of Cardiacs band members
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Cardiacs performing in 1987, 1998, 2005, and 2024
Cardiacs are an English rock band hailing from Kingston upon Thames, Surrey.[1] The band was formed by frontman Tim Smith with his brother bassist Jim Smith, vocalist Michael Pugh and drummer Peter Tagg in 1977.[2][3] Since its inception, more than a dozen members have cycled through the group, contributing keyboards, percussion, vocals and woodwind.[2] The Smith brothers were the only constant members in Cardiacs' regularly changing line-up.[4]
History
After playing his first gig as Gazunder, Tim Smith formed Cardiacs under the name Cardiac Arrest,[5][a] and released their debut single "A Bus for a Bus on the Bus" in 1979.[8] It was recorded by the band's first full lineup, including keyboardist Colvin "Max" Mayers and saxophonist Ralph Cade.[9][7] The same year, Tagg was replaced by Mark Cawthra and went on to form the Trudy with Cade.[10] Cardiac Arrest's reputation was kickstarted with two cassette-only albums — The Obvious Identity (1980) and Toy World (1981) — and they adopted the name Cardiacs on the second.[11][5] During this time, Mayers left and later joined the Sound.[12] Cade was replaced by Sarah Cutts in 1981 on keyboards and saxophone,[13] who married Tim Smith three years later.[8] By 1983, the band had reached a semi-stable lineup with percussionist and keyboardist Tim Quy, keyboardist William D. Drake and drummer Dominic Luckman.[11] For a short time, Cardiacs were an eight-piece with the employment of guitarist Graham Simmonds and saxophonist Marguerite Johnston,[7] who featured on the cassette album The Seaside (1984) released by their own label the Alphabet Business Concern.[14]
The six-piece lineup toured extensively alongside Alphabet label representatives the Consultant and Miss Swift.[15] Shortly after releasing On Land and in the Sea (1989), Cardiacs were joined by guitarist Christian "Bic" Hayes the same year.[16] Hayes appeared on the video and subsequent live album All That Glitters Is a Mares Nest (1992; 1995), which was also their last performance with Quy.[7] Drake and Sarah Smith also left the group, continuing to guest on future albums, and Hayes was replaced by guitarist and keyboardist Jon Poole in 1991.[17][18] By 1992, the band had slimmed to a four-piece for Heaven Born and Ever Bright, displaying a new metal-leaning sound.[19] Mayers died due to complications with AIDS in 1993.[20] Luckman was replaced by drummer Bob "Babba" Leith the same year, giving Cardiacs their second "classic" lineup on Sing to God (1996).[21][22] The lineup continued on Guns (1999) with assistance from session musicians.[23]
Poole subsequently left Cardiacs to join the Wildhearts as a bassist after playing in Silver Ginger 5.[24] He was replaced by guitar tech, Kavus Torabi in 2003 who played on the two volume live album The Special Garage Concerts (2005).[15][25] Between 2004 and 2008, Cardiacs expanded their lineup to include vocalists Claire Lemmon and Melanie Woods of Sidi Bou Said and Sharron Fortnam of the North Sea Radio Orchestra, as well as percussionists Cathy Harabaras and Dawn Staple.[26][27] The collective released the single "Ditzy Scene" in 2007,[4] teasing an upcoming double album called LSD which was due to be released in October 2008.[17][28] Cardiacs stopped touring the same year,[29] and the band's lineup comprised Tim Smith, Jim Smith, Bob Leith, Kavus Torabi, Melanie Woods and Cathy Harabaras until the 2008 hospitalisation of Tim Smith resulted in an indefinite hiatus.[30][31] On 22 July 2020, it was confirmed by Torabi that Smith had died of a heart attack the previous night.[5][3] Former percussionist Tim Quy died on 2 February 2023 after a lengthy battle with several health problems.[32]
Cardiacs announced their return to the stage in 2023 in Tim Smith's honour, playing the Garage on 4 May 2024 (subsequently adding dates 3 May at the Garage and 5 May at Brudenell Social Club).[33] On 3 May, the band consisted of Jim Smith, Hayes, Leith and Poole, with Craig Fortnam (percussion, keys), Chloe Herington (saxophone), and Adrien Rodes (keyboards). Sharron Fortnam, Joanne Spratley, Tiny Wood from Ultrasound and Sleepy People, Torabi and Cawthra were guests.[34]
Members
Current
| Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jim Smith ("Patty Pilf") |
|
|
all releases | |
| Christian "Bic" Hayes |
|
|
| |
| Jon Poole |
|
|
| |
| Bob "Babba" Leith |
|
|
all releases from Sing to God (1996) | |
| Craig Fortnam | 2024–present |
|
none to date | |
| Chloe Herington |
| |||
| Adrien Rodes | keyboards | |||
| Quoted names in brackets denote aliases used on early recordings as Cardiac Arrest.[7] | ||||
Former
| Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tim Smith ("Philip Pilf") |
1977–2008 (died 2020) |
|
all releases to date | |
| Michael Pugh ("Peter Boker") |
1977–1980 | lead vocals |
| |
| Peter Tagg ("Richard Targett") |
1977–1979 | drums | "A Bus for a Bus on the Bus" (1979) | |
| Colvin "Max" Mayers ("Duncan Doilet", "Max Cat", "Button Poppet") |
1978–1981 (died 1993) |
|
all releases from "A Bus for a Bus on the Bus" (1979) to Toy World (1981) | |
| Ralph Cade[b] ("Raphel Cadd") |
1978–1979 | saxophone | "A Bus for a Bus on the Bus" (1979) | |
| Mark Cawthra ("Little Bobby Shattocks") |
1979–1983 (guest 2024) |
|
| |
| Sarah Smith (née Cutts, now Jones)[36] |
1980–1989 (touring and studio guest 1989–2007) |
|
| |
| Tim Quy | 1981–1990 (substitute bass 1980–1981) (died 2023) |
|
| |
| Dominic Luckman | 1982–1993 |
|
| |
| William D. Drake | 1983–1990[c] |
|
| |
| Graham Simmonds | 1983–1984 | guitar |
| |
| Marguerite Johnston[d] | saxophone |
| ||
| Kavus Torabi | 2003–2008 (guest 2024) |
|
| |
| Cathy Harabaras | 2004–2008 | percussion |
| |
| Melanie Woods | vocals | |||
| Sharron Fortnam (née Saddington) |
2004–2007 (guest 2024) |
| ||
| Claire Lemmon | 2004–2007 |
| ||
| Dawn Staple | percussion |
| ||
| Quoted names in brackets denote aliases used on early recordings as Cardiac Arrest.[7] | ||||
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Honorary
Some members of the Cardiacs crew are listed on the album liner notes of Greatest Hits (2002) alongside the other band members.[35]
| Image | Name | Role | Release contributions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mr Hiles (Bill Hiles) |
Ordinary Shop Girl[30] |
| |
| The Consultant (James Stevens)[38] |
| ||
| Miss Swift (Wendy Swift) |
label representative |
|
Session
| Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tim Hills | 1984 | trombone |
| |
| Mike Peters | trumpet | |||
| Nick Pell | ||||
| Lanze Lorrens |
| |||
| Wendy Collins | vocals on "A Little Man and a House" | |||
| Ashley Slater | 1988 | trombones | A Little Man and a House and the Whole World Window (1988) | |
| Phil Cesar |
| |||
| Elain Herman | violins | |||
| Mr Walmesley (Mark Walmsley)[39] |
vocals |
| ||
| Natalie Box | 1996 | violins | Sing to God (1996) | |
| Jane Kyprianidis | scissors | |||
| Mark Barratt | trumpets | |||
| Chris Brierly |
|
string quartet |
| |
| Catherine Morgan | ||||
| Mark Pharaoh | ||||
| Robert Woollard | ||||
| David Murder | 1996 | orchestral arrangements on "Fiery Gun Hand" and "Wireless" |
| |
| Joanne Spratley | 1999 | vocals on "Sleep All Eyes Open" and "Come Back Clammy Lammy" | Guns (1999) | |
| Rob Deschamps |
| |||
| Suzanne Kirby | 2007 | vocals |
|
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Touring
| Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jon Bastable | 1983 (substitute) | bass | Bastable filled in for Jim Smith when neither he nor Tim Quy could make it to a gig.[7] A noted gig was at the Kingston Grove Tavern on 13 July 1983.[21] | |
| Stephen Gilchrist | 2004 (substitute) | drums | Gilchrist filled in for Bob Leith at a show supporting the Wildhearts on 8 December 2004.[30][21] |
Timeline
Lineups
| Period | Members | Releases |
|---|---|---|
| Late 1977 – 1978 |
|
none |
| 1978 (The Filth) |
|
|
| 1978 – 1979 (Cardiac Arrest) | ||
| July 1979 – June 1980 (Cardiac Arrest) |
|
|
| c. June 1980 – March 1981 |
|
|
| c. March 1981 – 30 August 1983 |
|
none |
| 31 August 1983 – 10 July 1984 |
|
|
| 11 July 1984 – 13 August 1984 |
|
none |
| 14 August 1984 – 11 February 1989 |
|
|
| 1989 – 30 June 1990 |
|
|
| 31 June 1990 – 16 May 1991 |
|
none |
| c. 17 May 1991 – 20 October 1991 |
|
|
| 21 October 1991 – 20 July 1993 |
|
|
| 2 December 1993 – 16 October 2003 |
|
|
| 17 October 2003 – 2004 |
|
|
| 2004 – 2007 |
|
|
| 2007 – 2008 |
|
|
| 3 May 2024 – present (Cardiacs Family) |
|
Notes
- ^ The band was initially called "The Filth" and went by various other names before deciding on Cardiacs, including "The Obvious Identity" and "The Alphabet".[6][7]
- ^ Written "Ralf Cade" on the liner notes of Greatest Hits.[35]
- ^ Drake was not replaced; live keyboard parts after his absence were pre-recorded on tape.[37]
- ^ Written "Margurite Jonston" on the liner notes of Greatest Hits.[35]
- ^ Mark Cawthra also featured on tracks recorded prior to his absence.[40]
- ^ Sarah Smith appeared as a guest musician.[41]
- ^ Christian Hayes also featured on tracks recorded prior to his absence.[42]
- ^ Sharron Fortnam did not feature on "Ditzy Scene".[43]
References
- ^ Bendel, Graham (4 May 2010). "Why A Heart Attack Must Not Arrest The Cardiacs". The Quietus. Archived from the original on 4 February 2013. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
- ^ a b Kaufman, Gil (22 July 2020). "Tim Smith Dead: The Cardiacs Singer Dies". Billboard. Retrieved 29 September 2021.
- ^ a b Ede, Christian (22 July 2020). "Cardiacs' Tim Smith Has Died, Aged 59". The Quietus. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
- ^ a b Malt, Andy (13 July 2020). "Cardiacs frontman Tim Smith dies". Complete Music Update. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
- ^ a b c Kitching, Sean (24 July 2020). "Remembering Tim Smith Of Cardiacs". The Quietus. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
- ^ Sacher, Andrew (22 July 2020). "Cardiacs' Tim Smith, RIP". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g Webmaster (July 1999). "CARDIACS: History". Pete's Cardiacs Site. Archived from the original on 17 August 2009. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
- ^ a b Beaumont-Thomas, Ben (22 July 2020). "Tim Smith, frontman of cult band Cardiacs, dies aged 59". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
- ^ Sacher, Andrew (10 August 2020). "A look back on underrated post-punk legends The Sound; Adrian Borland doc streaming". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (1992). The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music, Volume 1 (Reprinted ed.). Guinness Pub. p. 413. ISBN 9781882267019.
- ^ a b Phillips, Lance (2003). "The Cardiacs". In Buckley, Peter (ed.). The Rough Guide to Rock (3rd ed.). London: Rough Guides. ISBN 978-1-85828-457-6.
- ^ Sacher, Andrew (23 July 2020). "The Essentiality of Cardiacs' 'A Little Man and a House and the Whole World Window'". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
- ^ Ewing, Jerry (22 July 2020). "Cardiacs singer Tim Smith dead at 59". Prog. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
- ^ Lawson, Dom (2 March 2021). "Cardiacs' best albums - a buyers guide". Classic Rock. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
- ^ a b Voorvelt, Martijn (April 2004). "Cardiacs at the Garage: it's history". Perfect Sound Forever. Archived from the original on 15 December 2010. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
- ^ Petrella, Martino (11 June 2021). ""Sing To God": la guida galattica dei Cardiacs". ImpattoSonoro (in Italian). Retrieved 1 July 2022.
- ^ a b Reed, Nick (20 May 2014). "Once In A Lifetime: On Land And In The Sea By Cardiacs Revisited". The Quietus. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
- ^ a b Hobson, Rich (2 September 2021). "Shane Embury: My Life In 10 Songs". Metal Hammer. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
- ^ Rowlands, Marc (10 January 2018). "Members Of Faith No More, Voivod And Napalm Death Join Fundraiser For Cardiacs Vocalist". Kerrang!. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
- ^ Potter, Jordan (10 November 2021). "The Sound, a tragically overlooked 1980s post-punk band". Far Out Magazine. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
- ^ a b c "CARDIACS: THE ULTIMATE CARDIACS GIG LIST". Pete's Cardiacs Site. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
- ^ Shepherd, Sam (11 July 2014). "Spotlight: Cardiacs – Sing To God". MusicOMH. Archived from the original on 13 April 2016. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
- ^ Benjamin, Stuart (12 July 2015). "Echoes of the Past: Cardiacs – Guns". Echoes and Dust. Retrieved 24 March 2020.
- ^ Wilding, Philip; Jeffries, Neil; Lewry, Fraser (18 November 2019). "Ginger Wildheart: a guide to the best albums". Classic Rock. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
- ^ Lawson, Dom (11 August 2014). "Kavus Torabi's Guide To Cardiacs". Prog. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
- ^ Sgrignoli, Marco (20 July 2022). "Cardiacs - biografia, recensioni, streaming, discografia, foto". Ondarock (in Italian). Retrieved 23 July 2022.
- ^ Davis, Steve; Torabi, Kavus (15 April 2021). Medical Grade Music. London: Orion Publishing Group. ISBN 9781474619509. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
- ^ a b Mr. Spencer (20 April 2011). "The Cardiacs - an epic overview by Mr. Spencer with help from Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon and Captain Sensible". Louder Than War. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
- ^ Monroe, Jazz (22 July 2020). "Cardiacs Singer Tim Smith Dead at 59". Pitchfork. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
- ^ a b c Bell, Adrian (2011). Aylesbury Bolton Wolverhampton Hove: A Little Man and 101 Cardiacs Gigs. Sullivan County, New York: Iron Bell Publishing. pp. 5–12. ISBN 978-0-95-687950-9.
- ^ "Tim Smith, the lead singer of Cardiacs, has died aged 59". Far Out Magazine. 22 July 2020. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
- ^ "The Consultant's Memorabilia Collection". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2023-02-02.
- ^ "Cardiacs Tour 2024/2025 - Find Dates and Tickets". Stereoboard. 22 September 2023. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
- ^ Worrall, Sean (4 May 2024). "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…". Organ. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
- ^ a b c Greatest Hits (liner notes). Cardiacs. Alphabet Business Concern. 2002. ALPH CD029.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ "Sarah Jones (Sarah Smith)". Misfit City. 30 May 2016. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
- ^ Taylor, Steve (27 September 2006) [6 July 2004]. The A to X of Alternative Music. A&C Black. p. 55. ISBN 978-0-8264-8217-4. Archived from the original on 5 May 2021. Retrieved 27 August 2015.
- ^ a b Kitching, Sean (3 July 2022). "The Strange (Parallel) World of… Tim Smith Of Cardiacs". The Quietus. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
- ^ Kitching, Sean (3 July 2013). "A Little Man & A House & The Whole World Window By Cardiacs Revisited". The Quietus. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
- ^ The Seaside (1990 reissue) (liner notes). Cardiacs. Alphabet Business Concern. 1990. ALPH 013.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ All That Glitters Is a Mares Nest (liner notes). Cardiacs. Alphabet Business Concern. 1995. ALPH CD018.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Heaven Born and Ever Bright (1995 reissue) (liner notes). Cardiacs. Alphabet Business Concern. 1995. ALPH 017.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ "Ditzy Scene" (CD liner notes). Cardiacs. Org Records. 2007. ORG419.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Members of Cardiacs.
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