Cardiacs: Classic or Dud?

That said, what I've heard of "Archive Cardiacs" is painful in the extreme ("A must for all collectors of toneless drivel" according to the bands own sampler CD), so destroy that. Search the two minutes and thirteen seconds of perfection that is "To go off and things". At the very least it scared Radio 1's Simon Mayo, so that should count for something.

Eamonn - im having a bad week - but looking forward to saturday's party !

Its true, Cardiacs are the least pompous band on the planet. They may be the most emotional... try listening to them more than once, you may notice that part of it. They are just plain unique, so don't come with a blueprint for listening - everyone gets something diffent out of them, hence such a wide range of gig goers

There's an album just out of quieter moments called 'Cardiacs And Affectionate Friends', with various solo stuff from Bic (Levitation), William D Drake and the Sea Nymphs... Of course Cardiacs are classic, someone described them recently as 'the finest band to walk the face of the earth' (which was nice)

He doesn't care that they sound like a riot in a fairground.

They supported Blur at their big Mile End Indiefest, as I recall. Damian Allbran always sites them as a major influence, although you never know with Blurboy whether it's just something he says to prove his uniqueness. The only other band to really take Cardiac-worship into the mainstream were Ultrasound, and for all their freaky- outsider posturing they were never quite as interesting (Whatever happened to Tiny?)

Popular rumour has it that one editor banned them from the NME. I'd love that to be true, although I've seen the printed review of "Heaven Born" so it seems unlikely.

Anyway, you do know about 'Cardiacs Greatest Hits' just out? - lots of nicely remastered tracks and a soaring new one.

they change my life constantly. no one today can touch them.

to be muttered in the same breath as the smiths, dexys, detroit techno, etc etc

Classic, Classic, CLASSIC

There's a Rock Sounds mention this week (thanks to Sean Organ), and a couple or articles in The Organ 'zine - www.organart.com

Always check out WWW.CARDIACS.COM for info!

I've had the Greatest Hits on constant play since I got it. What an album! I've only had Guns, Sing to God and the Sampler up till now, so most of the old stuff is new to me. Affectionate Friends ain't bad either.

xini

BTW if you get the chance go see Bill Drake, he has an album forthcoming, and there's a CD-single out produced by Tim Smith (Cardiacs).

A fan!

Result!

DL... If you've just heard 'Guns', wait till you hear 'A Little Man And A House And The Whole World Window'... give us an email if you have difficulty getting stuff.

08/12/04: London - Astoria
09/12/04: Manchester - MDH (Uni)
10/12/04: Glasgow - Garage
11/12/04: Sheffield - Leadmill
13/12/04: Cambridge - Junction
14/12/04: Bristol - Anson Rooms
15/12/04: Wolverhampton - Wulfrun Hall

Did anyone see them at the Astoria on 12th Nov? What happened?

Say WHAT? What a fuckin' double-bill!!!!!

I expect indifference followed by swift irritation followed speedily by violence.

At first I thought it was gonna sound like Salem :)

Q&A about the making of the Maresnest film w/Bill Drake and Cathi Unsworth

https://vimeo.com/554208661

every time this thread gets revived I'm hoping it's news about reissues

Has anyone heard anything recently about the book Sean Kitching was working on?

Dr Tim Smith, 60 today.

;_;

Seeing a lotta pics of him on FB today, goddamn he was a good looking chap

He *was* a handsome feller, Cheshire cat grin and those big chops, he'd squeeze you hard and give you a big kiss on the cheek.

Or the lips if you were Jim

Or Kavus. Or a number of other lucky bastards.

Yes, *stunningly* handsome. All of my favorite pictures are only on FB, though.

Here's a private concert by some of the bands in the Cardiacsphere, done on his 40th birthday at his house. (I keep forgetting about how to embed YT links. I should post more.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaLn17xSZZM

Too jerky for me, but not in the alien supra-human way that Tatsuya Yoshida's ruins is.

dud

dud

― sleeve, Saturday, July 3, 2021 11:46 PM (yesterday) bookmarkflaglink

TBH not in the mood to hear negative opinions of Cardiacs right now, so kindly desist with these kind of sniping shitposts, thanks.

Dr Tim Smith approves of this flag post

I happened on this long podcast inerview with Jon Poole. There's some Tim and Cardiacs talk starting just after the hour mark.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_Ah_9Il9_U

I used to see JP around now and then. I don't know him at all really, I think he recognised me from Cardiacs gigs somehow. But when he started with the mustache and bowl hat look I wouldn't recognise him. I think he came over and said alright in the pub on a couple of occasions and I was like... alright? A strange thing but this character had a good vibe, seemed like a wise friend or something. Didn't work out who it was for absolutely ages after. Sorry, Jon!

Yes, he's a lovely chap, when I moved in similar musical circles in the late 90s, I would bump into him now and again, always very funny. A little later, he got a job in Borders Book shop on Oxford St, which was kinda weird.

I know there is a surfeit of covers/interpretations on YT these days, which is great, but I love this arrangement of Bell Clinks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1hBu1F8ULk

Ooh yeah that's nice.

Saw someone wearing a Cardiacs shirt in the wild for the first time last night, at a black midi show. I feel like a putz for not going up and talking to him, but he didn't compliment me on my Max Tundra shirt either, so fuck him :)

I never had particularly strong feelings about Madness (Suggs being a tv personality who was in adverts didn't help though) but hearing songs like "My Girl" recently, the things Cardiacs got from them really let me enjoy them to an extent I haven't before.

It is not a strong influence outside of the early stuff imo but fun to try and spot. Eg. The claustrophobic camera angles and general decay here are reminiscent of the Rotten Shed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rs5ao3jR7BU

61st anniversary of Tim Smith's birth today. Here's a nice new big article about inspirations and interpretations and stuff.
https://thequietus.com/articles/31719-tim-smith-cardiacs-strange-world

That's a nice read, Sean (and Marina) did a lot of good work helping keep interest in Cardiacs going when the rest of the universe cared not one tiny bit.

I think that's a different Sean (not Sean Organ) btw. I hope this means there's still at least one good book in the works.

Ahh is it? I just made the leap when he started speaking about their frendship

It seems that Tim Quy has actually left our world, very sad. RIP

That's really sad to hear, I'd heard he was in poor health. They were never as good once he left if you ask me.

all one glorious continuum, of which he was a very dear part, rip

This is the official announcement.
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid028zaezbJ9SeiEx3oG5LTr4s1pQZ6JKVUVTjVqLCS4TipTxwRp2fdgrTfEzHPK9AU5l&id=100032042187218&mibextid=Nif5oz

What insanity is this

https://www.the-cep.org.uk/family-tree/

R.I.P. the great Tim Quy, who I had the pleasure of meeting at ABC 2019.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUclU3nUOb4

Listening to Sing to God right now, my best attempt at a description is "What if Nomeansno tried to be early Genesis?"

wild band

i guess they are the UK cheer accident or cheer accident is the US cardiacs?

"what if poster imago's favourite album" haha, NOW YOU KNOW

C-A a decent analogue!

i think this is stressing my dog out

laaaaasssie's

on the tvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv

Interview with Jon Poole
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbFfLpJUQYM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKSap5N2tmw

lol i just knowingly listened to the cardiacs for the first time ever

didn't expect to be reminded of henry cow

Beyond the often quoted 'Salvation Army band playing carousel punk in a force ten gale' type of thing, there are a multitude of influences that suffused Tim's style - prog and ROI, new wave, traditional British and early music composers, twelve-tone music, and so on.

you love to hear it

welcome to the first day of the rest of your music listenerhood, or something