― Phil A., Tuesday, 8 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Josh, Tuesday, 8 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Omar, Wednesday, 9 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― gareth, Wednesday, 9 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Richard Tunnicliffe, Wednesday, 9 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Dr. C, Wednesday, 9 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Josh, Wednesday, 9 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― alex in nyc, Wednesday, 9 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
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.
― Phil A., Wednesday, 9 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Eamonn, Wednesday, 9 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
Eamonn - im having a bad week - but looking forward to saturday's party !
― Geordie Racer, Wednesday, 9 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
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)
― Marina, Sunday, 28 October 2001 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― A.Fish, Wednesday, 13 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
He doesn't care that they sound like a riot in a fairground.
― chris, Wednesday, 13 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Rebecca, Wednesday, 13 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Marina organ, Monday, 25 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Norman Phay, Monday, 25 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
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.
― Phil A, Saturday, 30 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
Anyway, you do know about 'Cardiacs Greatest Hits' just out? - lots of nicely remastered tracks and a soaring new one.
― Marina the organgrinder, Thursday, 11 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Norman Phay, Thursday, 11 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
― marinecreature, Monday, 22 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
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
― del a robbo, Thursday, 2 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
― dagasque, Saturday, 4 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
― The Limey Tank, Saturday, 4 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
Classic, Classic, CLASSIC
― derek welch, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Ned Raggett, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
― david sheridon, Tuesday, 7 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
― angeline campbell, Tuesday, 7 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
― marinecreature, Tuesday, 7 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
― david sheridon, Wednesday, 8 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Labrat, Thursday, 9 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
― DAVID SHERIDON, Tuesday, 14 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
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!
― marinecreature, Friday, 24 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
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.
― Phil A, Monday, 27 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
― AIDA HORSE, Tuesday, 4 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
― marinecreature, Sunday, 16 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
― david sheridon, Tuesday, 18 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
― keith phillips, Friday, 5 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Marina organ, Friday, 5 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
xini
― xini, Saturday, 20 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
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!
― Wilco Boumans, Monday, 22 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
Result!
― Marinaorgan (Marina Organ), Saturday, 28 September 2002 23:14 (twenty-one years ago) link
― dleone (dleone), Sunday, 12 January 2003 16:34 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Allen, Tuesday, 11 February 2003 09:13 (twenty-one years ago) link
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.
― Marinaorgan (Marina Organ), Wednesday, 16 April 2003 21:54 (twenty years ago) link
― dleone (dleone), Wednesday, 24 December 2003 00:06 (twenty years ago) link
― paul ashby, Saturday, 13 March 2004 12:19 (twenty years ago) link
― David Sheridon, Monday, 31 May 2004 08:56 (nineteen years ago) link
― mzui, Monday, 31 May 2004 09:05 (nineteen years ago) link
― MR SHERIDON, Saturday, 17 July 2004 16:14 (nineteen years ago) link
08/12/04: London - Astoria09/12/04: Manchester - MDH (Uni)10/12/04: Glasgow - Garage11/12/04: Sheffield - Leadmill13/12/04: Cambridge - Junction14/12/04: Bristol - Anson Rooms15/12/04: Wolverhampton - Wulfrun Hall
Did anyone see them at the Astoria on 12th Nov? What happened?
― everything, Monday, 22 November 2004 20:12 (nineteen years ago) link
Say WHAT? What a fuckin' double-bill!!!!!
― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 22 November 2004 20:29 (nineteen years ago) link
― udu wudu (udu wudu), Monday, 22 November 2004 20:32 (nineteen years ago) link
I expect indifference followed by swift irritation followed speedily by violence.
― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 22 November 2004 20:35 (nineteen years ago) link
― everything, Monday, 22 November 2004 20:42 (nineteen years ago) link
― Dominique (dleone), Tuesday, 10 May 2005 14:40 (eighteen years ago) link
― zeus, Tuesday, 10 May 2005 15:00 (eighteen years ago) link
― Pashmina (Pashmina), Tuesday, 10 May 2005 15:10 (eighteen years ago) link
― Japanese Giraffe (Japanese Giraffe), Tuesday, 10 May 2005 15:21 (eighteen years ago) link
― Dominique (dleone), Monday, 31 October 2005 18:34 (eighteen years ago) link
― everything, Monday, 31 October 2005 19:07 (eighteen years ago) link
― Dominique (dleone), Monday, 31 October 2005 20:27 (eighteen years ago) link
For you lucky bastards that live in London, Cardiacs will be playing TWO SPECIAL SECRET CONCERTS at The Bull and Gate in Kentish Town, London on the 21st and 22nd of December.
― everything, Wednesday, 7 December 2005 19:36 (eighteen years ago) link
Take some time to appreciate the lyrical genius of the man... A song about an insect landing on a TV screen and falling in love with Lassie (who was a he-dog). A song about when you used to play with your food on the plate because it was too scary. All with random letters inserted into words ("indside") and resurrection of beautiful archaic terms like "phiz" and "foundling". And utterly no respect for the rules of metre. You could write a doctoral thesis on it.
― Mark Harvey, Tuesday, 20 December 2005 03:42 (eighteen years ago) link
It shouldn't be about whether you boo or hurrah Cardiacs, by the way. Just take it as a fact that Cardiacs are a truly independent musical/lyrical universe in itself. For that is undeniable fact.
Let's fly hawks around your house :-)
― Peter Sijbenga, Saturday, 31 December 2005 19:07 (eighteen years ago) link
― Greyhound, Friday, 6 January 2006 12:37 (eighteen years ago) link
The Astoria gig last December was, I think, my 20th and I’m looking forward to the next 20. A new album would be nice though – Guns was SEVEN years ago! And I wonder when these promised DVDs will come out…?
One more thing - my girlfriend’s sister is one of the uninitiated and wants to hear what Cardiacs sound like – is there one song I could play her which will get them across? I was thinking ‘Fiery Gun Hand’.
― Andrew Bates, Friday, 13 January 2006 10:36 (eighteen years ago) link
― mzui (mzui), Friday, 13 January 2006 12:06 (eighteen years ago) link
― Dr Greyhound, Monday, 16 January 2006 12:10 (eighteen years ago) link
― everything, Monday, 16 January 2006 22:06 (eighteen years ago) link
― Andrew Bates, Friday, 20 January 2006 14:13 (eighteen years ago) link
― Dominique (dleone), Sunday, 26 March 2006 01:48 (eighteen years ago) link
Tim Smith is on tour supporting Ginger And The Sonic Circus at the moment. I was dead keen to go to the london date, except tickets are something like £15 plus booking fee and considering I have no interest in seeing the headline act, it would be a bit of a waste of money. Sigh.
Seven years is just silly. I wonder how many times they've recorded/scrapped the new album now? I imagine it's like Lee Mavers and The La's - they just keep redoing it over and over again and are never satisfied with the result.
― Philip Alderman (Phil A), Monday, 27 March 2006 00:56 (eighteen years ago) link
― allyson marie deering, Wednesday, 5 April 2006 09:31 (seventeen years ago) link
― Andy, Wednesday, 5 April 2006 12:09 (seventeen years ago) link
― everything, Wednesday, 5 April 2006 16:11 (seventeen years ago) link
― everything, Wednesday, 5 April 2006 21:03 (seventeen years ago) link
― Andy, Thursday, 6 April 2006 09:21 (seventeen years ago) link
― everything, Thursday, 6 April 2006 17:03 (seventeen years ago) link
― Andy, Friday, 7 April 2006 09:24 (seventeen years ago) link
― sleeve (sleeve), Friday, 2 February 2007 16:36 (seventeen years ago) link
http://download.yousendit.com/DE7C8DC44EE79F97
http://download.yousendit.com/FCD2053C3B705000
If you're not up for that, one of those two songs features in this peerless live recording (aka religious experience): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpEe0ztq2ck
― to scour or to pop? (Haberdager), Friday, 2 February 2007 16:43 (seventeen years ago) link
except for two things:
1) their albums are impossible to find at a reasonable price.
2) they are one of the greatest live bands of all time, but they never play outside of london. that was fine when I lived there, but nowadays it's a fucking disgrace.
but another point in their favour is that they gave the ridiculously talented kavus torabi a home once the monsoon bassoon prematurely ceased to be.
― m the g (mister the guanoman), Friday, 2 February 2007 16:58 (seventeen years ago) link
― everything (everything), Friday, 2 February 2007 17:21 (seventeen years ago) link
― Dominique (dleone), Friday, 2 February 2007 18:46 (seventeen years ago) link
http://www.zatcb.co.uk/Links/Cardiacs.gif
http://www.studioxix.com/archive/SS_Cardiacs_design2.gif
― everything (everything), Friday, 2 February 2007 19:01 (seventeen years ago) link
― everything (everything), Friday, 2 February 2007 19:02 (seventeen years ago) link
No album news but this is something at least:
"Cardiacs will play the songs YOU love live in session on MARC RILEY'S ROCKET SCIENCE RADIO SHOW on BBC 6 MUSIC from 7pm. Thursday 28th June 2007.
YOU will stand by YOUR radio. YOU will press up YOUR vile ear to the tinny-sounding speaker. YOUR heart will erupt and YOUR guts will swirl. Like the angry sea, like all biblical storm. YOUR big eyes might POP OUT OF YOUR HEAD.
THE ALPHABET BUSINESS CONCERN guarantees this."
― everything, Thursday, 7 June 2007 21:28 (sixteen years ago) link
I heard the above session which consisted of three songs from "On Land And In The Sea", so nothing to get too excited about. But there's always this:
CARDIACS ON TOUR NOVEMBER 2007
MON 12 BRIGHTON THE OLD MARKET TUE 13 OXFORD ZODIAC WED 14 BRISTOL THEKLA SOCIAL THU 15 NOTTINGHAM RESCUE ROOMS FRI 16 LONDON ASTORIA MON 19 SHEFFIELD BOARDWALK TUE 20 STOKE ON TRENT THE SUGARMILL WED 21 MANCHESTER ACADEMY 3 THU 22 PORTSMOUTH WEDGEWOOD ROOMS
― everything, Thursday, 2 August 2007 20:50 (sixteen years ago) link
I met Tim Smith at the first Authority gig! I could only blab about how STG and Guns were two of my favouritest albums. Didn't have the courage to ask about new recordings. This news, however, is excellent! I may have to catch them before it's too late.
I'm honestly astounded by the lack of Cardiacs awareness on ILX. People, this. Is. As. Good. As. It. Gets.
― Just got offed, Thursday, 2 August 2007 20:57 (sixteen years ago) link
I could only blab about how STG and Guns were two of my favouritest albums
Ha ha - Gotta wonder how many times he's had THAT conversation. If you've got a choice, try to see them in the biggest venue - they know how to rise to the occasion. The Astoria gig will be a sell-out for sure.
How are Authority?
― everything, Thursday, 2 August 2007 21:11 (sixteen years ago) link
Authority were consistently blinding, with a couple of absolute stormers ('The Catalyst' and 'Southway' (I think that was the title). More straightforwardly 'rock' than TMB, their interplay (with two guitars, bass and drums) was mesmerising and at times near-unfathomable, but their riffs often deceptively simple and their grasp of dynamic build excellent. I await their debut album with great interest!
I also spoke with Kavus Torabi, and that conversation was far more profitable. We bonded over Battles' "Atlas" which happened to be playing over the PA (me: "This is my single of the year, brilliant, isn't it?" him: "Yeah, me too!") and discussed his band (and Cardiacs) for a brief while. (I lie when I say I only blabbed to TS, however; I also mentioned the bands we'd seen and agreed that they were superb.)
Shall I book an Astoria ticket soonish, then?
― scourage, Thursday, 2 August 2007 21:18 (sixteen years ago) link
Whoops, wrong login!
― scourage, Thursday, 2 August 2007 21:21 (sixteen years ago) link
That's better.
― Just got offed, Thursday, 2 August 2007 21:22 (sixteen years ago) link
If two hours of intensity in the company of lots of portly weirdos sounds exciting then yes, get your ticket sooner than later. I haven't seen them in a long time but apparently it's become a tradition to have "friends and relations" popping up on stage to assist in the fabulous spectacle during these London gigs. Unfortunately I think the last time I saw them was in a wretched little pub in Edinburgh with only about 50 people in the audience. Not quite as stately as I would have liked.
― everything, Thursday, 2 August 2007 21:56 (sixteen years ago) link
INDESCRIBABLY MIGHTY NEW SINGLE
― Just got offed, Saturday, 29 September 2007 19:51 (sixteen years ago) link
wondrous...I actually tuned into 6music for the first time ever last week just to hear that song's first play. tis the business.
however, not all in cardiacs land is pleasing me. I've moaned tediously to everybody in earshot about this, so I might as well moan about it here too:
NO SCOTTISH DATE ON CARDIACS TOUR. ARSE.
― m the g, Sunday, 30 September 2007 11:25 (sixteen years ago) link
Oops, that'll teach me to refresh before starting a new thread. Oh well.
― Pheeel, Sunday, 30 September 2007 11:50 (sixteen years ago) link
I hope this doesn't get overlooked amongst the Radiohead hysteria.
― Just got offed, Monday, 1 October 2007 09:41 (sixteen years ago) link
Sorry I'm arriving rather late to this party, intimate affair though it is. Thanks for linking to the song. This arrived just on time - much more waiting and I'd have given up hope on any new material ever materialising.
Dunno what else to say other than.. Welcome Back!
― everything, Tuesday, 2 October 2007 17:56 (sixteen years ago) link
it is a magnificent clarion call, now we await the carnival
― Just got offed, Tuesday, 2 October 2007 17:57 (sixteen years ago) link
Speaking of arriving late... Every time I see this thread I'm reminded, bitterly, of my regrettable forgetfulness -- I never remember wot's that one Cardiacs CD I've got is called, nor wot's the title of that Tim Smith solo thingy on the same shelf. Or when did I listen to them properly.
― t**t, Tuesday, 2 October 2007 18:04 (sixteen years ago) link
It's going to be good, I have no doubt about that. Obviously the album will be a varied affair but judging from Ditzy Scene they are charging pell-mell into the storms of intensity that they've been getting into over the last few years. I mean, that double live CD from a couple of years back is the heaviest thing they've done EVER.
There's a Tim Smith solo album is call "Extra Special Oceanland World". Is that the one? 6/10 at best.
― everything, Tuesday, 2 October 2007 18:05 (sixteen years ago) link
I'm so happy that the real, proper Cardiacs are finally releasing something. All these side projects/production jobs/guest things etc are so unsatisfying in comparison. Other than the Silver Ginger 5 album which was ace, they just leave you wishing there was a proper Cardiacs album coming. Now there is.
― everything, Tuesday, 2 October 2007 18:09 (sixteen years ago) link
Why does ILM not go gaga for this band? Seriously? I blame ignorance. I beg of you, all who stumble upon this thread, at least say you've heard some.
― Just got offed, Tuesday, 2 October 2007 18:10 (sixteen years ago) link
Oh, and to continue the plugging, Cardiacs' #1 fan in the music biz is the main songwriter of this lot.
― Just got offed, Tuesday, 2 October 2007 18:11 (sixteen years ago) link
*goes checks*
Um yeh, that's the solo T-Smith, yes. And my Cardiacs is the 1995 Sampler on Alphabet...
― t**t, Tuesday, 2 October 2007 18:11 (sixteen years ago) link
<i>There's a Tim Smith solo album is call "Extra Special Oceanland World". Is that the one? 6/10 at best.</i>
Ooh, I can't agree there. I think the Smith solo is grate. You've got jump-around power pop like "Rat Mice Lice Time", but also some of Tim's saddest, fragilest ditties like "Savour" and "Bug From Heaven". Plus an excellent homage to Duran Duran. What's not to love? The production is a bit wonky in places, but then it was recorded on an eight-track.
One thing I've never been able to determine when it was actually recorded. Mr Smith has claimed at various times that it was done either in a week in 1989, between 1989-90 or from 1989-95. I'm sure he does this on purpose.
― Pheeel, Tuesday, 2 October 2007 21:39 (sixteen years ago) link
I should really go and listen to it again - it's been a while.
Any thoughts as to all the line-up changes they have had over the years. This current line-up with the choir and so on seems so different from before. Getting into Magma territory. I guess it's principally to boost the live experience - fabulous spectacle and all that.
My random thoughts:
A major change occured when Dominic Luckman was replaced by Bob Leith on the drums. Dominic played in this playful way and was very percussive while Bob is a rock drummer that can sometimes make me think of the likes of Neal Peart.
I really liked Christian Hayes as the extra guitarist. Although I'm not sure which songs on Heaven Born and Ever Bright he played on, the Mares Nest cd/video is friggin' awesome. Seems like he revitalised the band at the time.
I'm still not that comfortable with the pre-recorded keyboards at live gigs. It would be weird to see William D Drake back in the band, but why don't they just hire someone to play them? What's Rick Wakeman doing?
― everything, Tuesday, 2 October 2007 22:29 (sixteen years ago) link
I think the argument was that if they hired another keyboard player they wouldn't be able to afford to keep them on during the band's lengthy periods of inactivity. But in the end that excuse doesn't really wash, as I'm sure there are plenty of people out there who'd be willing to do it just for the love of it. Sometimes I wish they would just bite the bullet and get a new guy in.
― Pheeel, Tuesday, 2 October 2007 23:17 (sixteen years ago) link
Buds And Spawn is rapidly shooting up my Cardiacs top 10. What an astounding piece of music. Still some work to do before 'Dirty Boy' and 'Dog-Like Sparky' are displaced, mind.
PEOPLE, IF THERE IS ONE BAND IN THE WORLD YOU SHOULD LISTEN TO ME ABOUT, IT IS CARDIACS.
― Just got offed, Monday, 22 October 2007 00:05 (sixteen years ago) link
ya, buds and spawn and the safety bowl but then THE EVERSO CLOSELY GUARDED LINE all one after another like that it's just ridiculous everyone should listen to cardiacs. but they're not for everyone. sometimes i wonder what the hell is wrong with me for liking such bizarre music, but then mostly i wonder what the hell is wrong with everyone else for not.
― sleepingbag, Monday, 22 October 2007 01:07 (sixteen years ago) link
Dog Like Sparky is an amazing track, I've never grown tired of it. Why? Amazingly catchy and fun, but still interesting, and how's this for a reason. I like dogs!
― trashthumb, Monday, 22 October 2007 01:11 (sixteen years ago) link
Hey, ILM Cardiacs peeps. Maybe you know this already, but a couple of new fancy-looking vids of the band rehersing for their forthcoming tour have been put onto Youtube for our viewing pleasure. And very wonderful they are too.
As Cold As Can Be In An English Sea Jibber and Twitch
― everything, Tuesday, 30 October 2007 19:44 (sixteen years ago) link
I did know that already, in fact! For all those that can't get down to the Astoria on the 16th, I'll have a drink for you... :D
― Just got offed, Wednesday, 31 October 2007 00:21 (sixteen years ago) link
sometimes, every now and then, I wish I lived in the uk
― Dominique, Wednesday, 31 October 2007 02:55 (sixteen years ago) link
i'm expecting their greatest hits in the mail any day now. anyone want to tell me what it's like?
― kamerad, Wednesday, 31 October 2007 03:52 (sixteen years ago) link
"...they sound like a pit-head brass band attempting to play full-steam punk rock in a gale." - NME
sometimes, every now and then, I wish I lived in the uk Yeah, me too. Still I'm stoked that at least L0uis is going to see them. He'll give us a full report I'm sure.
― everything, Wednesday, 31 October 2007 16:48 (sixteen years ago) link
i'm expecting their greatest hits in the mail any day now. anyone want to tell me what it's like? -- kamerad
anyone called kamerad wanna tell what it's like? any day now? :)
― t**t, Wednesday, 31 October 2007 17:25 (sixteen years ago) link
not nice, t**t
i'm all about the packaging. the back has four of the same mollusks ween used
― kamerad, Friday, 2 November 2007 21:03 (sixteen years ago) link
After last night's astonishing show at Nottingham's Rescue Rooms, they have a new fan. (Well, actually they have three new fans; we were all completely blown away.) I asked the nice lady on the merch stall for a good place to start - and after prolonged rummaging, she selected On Land And In The Sea for me. They definitely played its closing track, the epic "The Everso Closely Guarded Line".
So, the keyboards are pre-recorded? We were wondering about that all night. I kept trying to spot a hidden keyboardist. It would have fitted with the overall mystique.
I have also never seen a more discplined mosh-pit! They knew when to start, they knew when to stop, they knew when to start again, they knew when to stand stock still with their arms raised. I mean, this stuff is TRICKY. I like trying to work out complex time signatures, and I got nowhere...
I am more than a little stunned that it has taken me 30 years to stumble across this lot, but I'm glad I got there in the end. (And how come that the songs which they wrote when they were 16 - of which they played three or four - are the most complicated of the lot?)
For all who are attending tonight's Astoria show, all I can say is: you lucky, LUCKY people.
― mike t-diva, Friday, 16 November 2007 12:01 (sixteen years ago) link
*feels lucky*
I've never been more psyched for a show, and I may not ever be. Glad you enjoyed them. Like I say, they're popular music's best-kept secret, and if everyone on ILM had heard or seen them I think they'd be absolutely canonical here. I see sentences such as "I am more than a little stunned that it has taken me 30 years to stumble across this lot" and I nod, knowingly.
OLAITS is a good starting-off point, but take my word for it: although the actual music may get less 'weird' and digressive the later you go, the songs, the level of beauty, the compositional complexity, all improve IMO. OLAITS has a few stunners; "Buds And Spawn" is still one of the best things they've ever done (with TECGL not far behind), but if you love this band, PLEASE get hold of "Sing To God" and "Guns". They will knock you flat.
Anyone else here going to the Astoria? Thought not. :(
― Just got offed, Friday, 16 November 2007 12:27 (sixteen years ago) link
if everyone on ILM had heard or seen them I think they'd be absolutely canonical here
Drop it Louis, we've heard them, we don't like them, get over it
― Tom D., Friday, 16 November 2007 12:28 (sixteen years ago) link
You're all WRONG then! I like to think I'm tolerant of other people's musical opinions, but NOT THIS! Besides, I think you're winding me up. What Cardiacs have you heard?
― Just got offed, Friday, 16 November 2007 12:35 (sixteen years ago) link
That "As Cold As Can Be In An English Sea" number is pretty great & rocking! W/o wanting to come over all muso, it's a rare pleasure to see a band that can play for shit.
(x-post, I'm sure Tom has heard plenty of cardiacs in his time? He's an oldfart like me!)
― Pashmina, Friday, 16 November 2007 12:37 (sixteen years ago) link
Listen, I used to have a friend who was always trying to get me in to them until I had to say, "Don't you get it, I DON'T LIKE THEM!!!!"
― Tom D., Friday, 16 November 2007 12:37 (sixteen years ago) link
To explain myself, the reason I read this thread is because Dr C's "Repulsively dud. Idiotic prog-wacky for the lower sixth." comment amused me so much
― Tom D., Friday, 16 November 2007 12:41 (sixteen years ago) link
...but it's one of the most flat-out misguided, incorrect, prejudiced comments on all of ILM! I guess you're right in that it's the sort of comment you'll remember. I certainly do.
― Just got offed, Friday, 16 November 2007 12:46 (sixteen years ago) link
i think it's a hilarious comment and i love the cardiacs. although for me they went off the boil from 'heaven born...' onwards
― braveclub, Friday, 16 November 2007 12:49 (sixteen years ago) link
I'm still a bit stunned that they were able to play such trashy, full-tilt, rhythmically complex music while still keeping perfect synch with a backing tape.
If I were being bitchy (but oh-so-affectionately so), I'd say the front row resembled, from right to left: Uncle Fester on an Orange Lodge march, Michael Douglas in Falling Down, and Simon Amstell through a distorted lens. Behind them, the two backing singers stayed motionless and expressionless throughout, in matching floral pinnies, occasionally getting up to bash the raised drums that were positioned on either side of the drum kit.
There was a nice little coup de theatre at the end involving miniature glowsticks.
― mike t-diva, Friday, 16 November 2007 12:57 (sixteen years ago) link
When you say the front row, do you mean the band or the audience?
― Tom D., Friday, 16 November 2007 12:58 (sixteen years ago) link
You can have that one, Tom. :D
― Just got offed, Friday, 16 November 2007 13:01 (sixteen years ago) link
OK, I just realised it's Dr. C's birthday. Sorry Dr.C! I guess we can't all have the same tastes! Just that I'm seeing this band for the first time ever tonight and I'm bouncing around the room in anticipation!
― Just got offed, Friday, 16 November 2007 13:04 (sixteen years ago) link
xpost: Oh, you've never seen such a... mature moshpit.
― mike t-diva, Friday, 16 November 2007 13:07 (sixteen years ago) link
Oh, their Oxford show was ace. Slightly disappointed that the Gasman was not actually live onstage, but had recorded a set in advance to go out over the PA; not disappointed at him personally, as he said it's a painstaking process and his gear is too temperamental, which is fair enough, and I guess it might have been a bit of a bad match for some of the more hairy metal-looking members of the audience, but this exclusive new Gasman wheezed quietly away unannounced between bands when obviously everyone just wanted to talk loudly and buy shirts and go to the bar. And the Whores were... not my thing, at all.
But Cardiacs themselves - awesome. Fiery Gun Hand! To Go Off And Things! Oh my eyes it's an epic Dirty Boy and they really do hold that note (tag-teamed I guess)!
Uh, yeah. Good night out. And nice to see Kavus effortlessly gliding through all these insane high-speed stop-start bits and bugging his eyes at the daft lyrics, seeing as I miss the Monsoon Bassoon something fierce.
PS I think "repulsive idiot prog-wacky for the lower sixth" is pretty much correct and I love them. Though it took me a while - when I was actually a little above lower sixth age a friend enthused about them at length and lent me many of their albums, to which my reaction was mostly "??". Three years later I got one of the tracks in my head and had to hear it again, bought the sampler, and ended up buying as much as I could get my hands on. (Which wasn't that much, as half of it was out of print, but some of those were for sale at the gig so I guess it isn't now? I couldn't buy any or I'd have missed my taxi.)
― a passing spacecadet, Friday, 16 November 2007 13:11 (sixteen years ago) link
Oh my eyes it's an epic Dirty Boy and they really do hold that note (tag-teamed I guess)!
Ah, I was down the front and watching them like a hawk during that one. Yes, tag-teamed - but the pauses for breath were v.short and subtly done.
― mike t-diva, Friday, 16 November 2007 13:54 (sixteen years ago) link
Who are the Cardiacs? They sound good!
― Dr.C, Friday, 16 November 2007 14:07 (sixteen years ago) link
:D
― Just got offed, Friday, 16 November 2007 14:13 (sixteen years ago) link
ffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFUUUUCCCCKKKKK !
unreal
― Just got offed, Saturday, 17 November 2007 01:02 (sixteen years ago) link
THAT'S THE WAY WE AAAAALLLLLLL GO
(what way? multi-gender, multi-age, no-holds-barred mosh violence, that's what. as it was my initiation, i could be found flinging and flung at the centre of it all.)
― Just got offed, Saturday, 17 November 2007 01:41 (sixteen years ago) link
this is making me happy and depressed.
happy because cardiacs love is spreading like a rash.
sad because I missed the whole tour.
bah.
― m the g, Saturday, 17 November 2007 11:15 (sixteen years ago) link
I just ordered a copy of Sing To God pts 1 & 2. It'd better be good.
― Scik Mouthy, Monday, 10 December 2007 13:39 (sixteen years ago) link
took yr time :D
i have a feeling a certain someone might be getting it in the neck if s0uthall disapproves
― Just got offed, Monday, 10 December 2007 14:17 (sixteen years ago) link
I like the Cardiacs, but does anyone else find their fans a bit creepy, in a new age religious cult kinda way?
― Matt #2, Monday, 10 December 2007 14:42 (sixteen years ago) link
This impression is easy to get given the fervour of the more hardcore fans, but when you've talked to them (as I have), they're very nice and knowledgeable, on the whole. "Creepy" not so much, "lethal" is more accurate, at least in the moshpit.
N1ck, if you like StG, then the next one you should get is "Guns", which I regard as possibly even better, certainly more consistent, and a candidate for my all-time favourite album. Early Cardiacs is a different but no lesser beast; "A Little Man And A House And The Whole World Window" is fairly brilliant from start to finish, and I suspect might be your favourite.
― Just got offed, Monday, 10 December 2007 16:59 (sixteen years ago) link
Fuck me this is insane.
― Scik Mouthy, Wednesday, 19 December 2007 20:20 (sixteen years ago) link
― Just got offed, Wednesday, 19 December 2007 20:29 (sixteen years ago) link
The constant snare whack at that (those) tempo(s) is a bit much. I'm not sure what I think yet, but it's definitely insane.
― Scik Mouthy, Wednesday, 19 December 2007 20:33 (sixteen years ago) link
Prefer LFK, innit.
haha
i prefer cardiacs ;-)
― Just got offed, Wednesday, 19 December 2007 20:38 (sixteen years ago) link
Being a Cardiacs fan is like joining a cult, though. Albeit a non-evil one.
I've been through my embarrassing fan-worship period when I used to attempt to convert every soul I met to the cause, usually with little success. These days I try to be a little more circumspect about it, as I've realised this is the kind of music you can't force people to like - they'll either get it on their own or not at all.
STG definitely is mixed a bit too trebly. My ears are normally ringing by the time it gets to "Bellyeye".
― Pheeel, Friday, 21 December 2007 22:02 (sixteen years ago) link
I got Heaven born... for like three dollars yesterday at Roadrunner in MNPLS. This is... nuts. Kinda neat. I like it a lot more than I was expecting to.
― BigLurks, Sunday, 20 April 2008 21:25 (fifteen years ago) link
It's easily their finest, if you ask me. After that, they just upped the "we're completely bonkers" quotient, but not necessarily in a listenable way.
― Alex in NYC, Sunday, 20 April 2008 23:35 (fifteen years ago) link
Sing To God 1+2 is alright. Some songs I really like (Fiery Gun hand!) but a lot of it is just too BLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA for me these days. Probably ever. Relentless. I can see why Louis likes them.
― Scik Mouthy, Monday, 21 April 2008 08:44 (fifteen years ago) link
Lurks buddy, let me hear it some time.
― RabiesAngentleman, Monday, 21 April 2008 12:12 (fifteen years ago) link
I can't tell how much of their wacky shtick is of that condescending "WE'RE SOO CRAZY AND YOU CAN'T TAKE HOW EXTREMELY OUT THERE AND IN YOUR FACE WE ARE" variety yet, and how much of it is just some goofy dudes having a laugh. That's gonna be the deciding factor, I guess. So far so good, though.
― BigLurks, Monday, 21 April 2008 17:23 (fifteen years ago) link
I doubt Cardiacs are putting on much of a 'we're soo crazy' concept, because they've been doing it for about 30 years, and it's not like they've got a huge marketshare to uphold. My bet is they really do have bizarre senses of humor, and dig the shit out of insane chord progressions and song structures. My personal fave is Sing to God pt 2, but judging by their single from last year, they're only getting more dense -- kind of awesome to see a band keep pushing their sound forward, even when it's not really something my ears can take all the time.
― Dominique, Monday, 21 April 2008 17:34 (fifteen years ago) link
Yeah, I hope that's how I feel eventually, 'cause I really like this so far. This would have probably been one of my all time favorite bands if I'd heard them in high school. There's still time, i guess.
― BigLurks, Monday, 21 April 2008 17:38 (fifteen years ago) link
Time for a bump. And a C. St3phens progress report. (Yeah, I sent him all their albums.)
― Just got offed, Friday, 4 July 2008 20:59 (fifteen years ago) link
Tim Smith apparently suffered a heart-attack a few weeks ago. :(
All autumn gigs cancelled and the release of "LSD" has been delayed once again.
Get well soon.
― Just got offed, Thursday, 17 July 2008 19:15 (fifteen years ago) link
-- Alex in NYC, Sunday, 20 April 2008 23:35 (2 months ago) Link
nooooo it's all about a little man and a house and the whole world window (and earlier stuff). i know this comment makes me sound like indie fuxor but it's true
― braveclub, Thursday, 17 July 2008 22:57 (fifteen years ago) link
but anyway i hope tim gets well soon.
― braveclub, Friday, 18 July 2008 10:55 (fifteen years ago) link
Is it true that he's a lot iller than the ABC are making out?
I hope not.
― MaresNest, Friday, 18 July 2008 13:02 (fifteen years ago) link
most recent update from organ:
And thing you most want to know about is how is Tim Smith doing and what’s happening with CARDIACS. Well there isn’t that much to add to previous statements, Tim is slowly recovering and we’re all just giving him the time space and privacy he and his family still need. They (and we) thank everyone who’s been asking, leaving messages on the various forums, on My Space pages and such, as soon as there’s any fresh news we’ll let you all know here but don’t be expecting anything for a while yet, situation is still a long way from good. The Cardiacs singles that were due out here on ORG are still on hold, I read somewhere that we had sent some promos of a new single out to radio, we haven’t, when and if there is news, we’ll put it up here and on the Organ forum. If we’re honest then the things that have happened to Tim and Cardiacs have kind of knocked the wind out of our sails here in terms of releasing new things by anyone or anything, our minds haven’t really been focused on releasing new bands and records and such. It was a pleasure to play that magical SEA NYMPHS session on our radio show at Resonance FM last weekend though, first time I’ve been able to just sit and listen to a Cardiacs thing and just enjoy the treasure for ages, we really should see about releasing that session....
all digits still crossed here. I keep meaning to send the smith family a note of good vibes. perhaps the video footage of my tiny baby girl getting giddily excited by 'loosefish scrapegrace'...start 'em young, I say.
listening to possibly far too much cardiacs at the moment. coming to the conclusion that 'will bleed amen' may just be their finest, most intensely focused tune.
― m the g, Sunday, 26 October 2008 11:28 (fifteen years ago) link
and "guns" their most intensely focused, arguably finest album altho i'm not gonna decide on that last point coz tbh this is "best album ever" shit imo, too big for me to call
p.s. what is this "far too much"
― 100 tons of hardrofl beyond zings (Just got offed), Sunday, 26 October 2008 11:35 (fifteen years ago) link
i.e. most of my listening for the past few days has been of that stripe, which therefore means I'm developing cardiacs tunnel vision. some may see this as a bad thing.
― m the g, Sunday, 26 October 2008 12:07 (fifteen years ago) link
No, I know what "most of my listening for the past few days has been of that stripe" is, happens to me quite a lot. I was merely passing comment on your moral judgement. :D
― 100 tons of hardrofl beyond zings (Just got offed), Sunday, 26 October 2008 12:20 (fifteen years ago) link
I was pre-empting the judgement of others, really...
― m the g, Sunday, 26 October 2008 12:32 (fifteen years ago) link
dammit look at me now i'm listening to it all, all again. how could you.
― 100 tons of hardrofl beyond zings (Just got offed), Sunday, 26 October 2008 12:44 (fifteen years ago) link
Since the accident Tim Smith’s body has become his enemy. He is in a great deal of pain and is experiencing difficulty with the finer points of control with regard to his extremities so obviously perfected prior to the unhappy event, but Tim Smith, his family and those so called friends, (with whom he keeps counsel), all assert that his mind, however, has been sharpened by the episode. THE ALPHABET BUSINESS CONCERN can confirm that no part of YOUR favourite pop star’s intellect or personality has been found to be absent WHATSOEVER.So where does that leave CARDIACS and where does that leave YOU?At this point Tim Smith can neither sing nor play his guitar. THE ALPHABET BUSINESS CONCERN, in keeping with its enviable reputation as THE REALISTIC CONCERN, can state that it is extremely unlikely that CARDIACS will perform live for the foreseeable future. THIS IS NOT, IT MUST BE NOTED, THE END OF CARDIACS. YOU must once again be patient before events can reveal themselves as foodstuffs for YOUR greedy little mouths.
So where does that leave CARDIACS and where does that leave YOU?
At this point Tim Smith can neither sing nor play his guitar. THE ALPHABET BUSINESS CONCERN, in keeping with its enviable reputation as THE REALISTIC CONCERN, can state that it is extremely unlikely that CARDIACS will perform live for the foreseeable future. THIS IS NOT, IT MUST BE NOTED, THE END OF CARDIACS. YOU must once again be patient before events can reveal themselves as foodstuffs for YOUR greedy little mouths.
― James Mitchell, Thursday, 25 June 2009 14:31 (fourteen years ago) link
Yeah, these were the rumours, now confirmed. Poor guy. Looks like we won't be seeing them live again. And it's 10 years since the last album. They only hope is that they have tons of stuff archived which may come out. I get the impression that they have been fairly comprehensive about recording and filming live shows etc and there really ought to be some studio stuff, radio sessions etc in the can that will maybe see the light of day.
That proposed DVD of them rehearsing the Garage Concerts never appeared, did it?
― everything, Thursday, 25 June 2009 18:22 (fourteen years ago) link
I had heard this was the talk too. Great shame. I shall treasure my one concert experience forever.
Their 6th major studio album is apparently more or less in the can, and when Tim's health is slightly improved, it could see the light of day. To ask for more from a band that has already given us more than enough would be unreasonable, but should it emerge, I would be the first to celebrate.
Bearing in mind that the afflicted soul is my single most revered cultural icon of all time (pretty much), this is something of an effort to type.
If Cardiacs never play live again, others must follow their lead. Whether or not I'm in such a band (I hope to be) is irrelevant; all that matters is that the flame is kept alive.
― Guy de & (country matters), Thursday, 25 June 2009 18:28 (fourteen years ago) link
That they were able to produce the (full) text of that announcement in a style entirely consistent with the previous missives from the Alphabet Business Concern surely gives some hope. But really, fucking hell, what a thing to have to write and it's clear that Tim has had a horrific time. I loved Cardiacs from being a callow youth, it must be 18 years now, and all I can really say is that regardless of their future as a band I hope he can make as full a recovery as possible.
― Bill A, Thursday, 25 June 2009 19:01 (fourteen years ago) link
Always were a band for the resounding sadness cloaked by stiff upper lip and mischievous twinkle
― Guy de & (country matters), Thursday, 25 June 2009 19:03 (fourteen years ago) link
As a lover of Cardiacs and an admirer of Tim's great and sadly unrecognised talents (outside of the so called pond)It makes me sick to my stomach that the guy almost dies and is physically buggered for the forseeable future and yet westill get hit with these stupid ABC/Your Loyalty Demands style bullshit missives, who writes this fucking shit?
― MaresNest, Thursday, 25 June 2009 19:09 (fourteen years ago) link
I dunno, I think maintaining the house style of ABC announcements is more of a KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON thing than trying to be flippant. They make it abundantly clear how serious things are.
― Bill A, Thursday, 25 June 2009 19:20 (fourteen years ago) link
I'm with Bill on this one. But high emotions are understandable, nay, mandatory.
― Guy de & (country matters), Thursday, 25 June 2009 19:22 (fourteen years ago) link
Maybe you are right, I do feel though that they should have dropped the ABC whimsy years ago, I find the bulletins enormously tiresome to read.
― MaresNest, Thursday, 25 June 2009 19:48 (fourteen years ago) link
Absolutely convinced that the cosmos is playing some beastly tricks on us all today. Both Swells' final published copy and now this ABC release have formed some sort of teleological mesh from which the King of Pop could not escape.
I mean, look at it from my perspective. Press-release at long last details and discusses the cardiac arrest of my own personal King of Pop. Great, acerbic arbiter of Pop passes on, leaving a King of Pop quotation as his final legacy, his final judgement. The trinity is completed later on. Weird day.
― the funk soul custos (country matters), Friday, 26 June 2009 00:19 (fourteen years ago) link
I believe it's Jim Smith who usually writes the ABC announcements (just as he did the YOUsletters back in the pre-internet days). I can't imagine it was easy for him either, so it's hardly suprising it's taken a year for this one to emerge.
The band have always maintained the ABC facade no matter what the circumstances, so I think dropping it now would almost be sign of defeat, which is why I'm glad they haven't done it.
Anyway, if you want more sober coverage of the situation, The Organ pretty much have that in hand.
CARDIACS: A STATEMENT FROM US: One year ago this week, Tim Smith of Cardiacs had a very serious heart attack and stroke, it happened at a my Bloody Valentine concert in London. Cardiacs are, were and will always be out musical fuel. We haven't said much about what happened here at ORG Records, in line with the wishes of Tim's family and Cardiacs family. Today, Cardiacs, via The Alphabet Business Concern have made a statement, so today we shall say a little, there isn't a day that goes by without someone asking us for news.The band explain the situation in their statement. At the time of Tim's illness we were heavily in to the final plans for new Cardiacs singles here at ORG ahead of the new album. Tim was more animated and excited than ever about Cardiacs music and the new material, we were making plans on almost a daily basis - but the recordings for the single were never quite fnished and all the plans remain just conversations and e.mails between Tim and us. Now we're proud of every single record we've ever reelased on ORG, but nothing really mattered to us as much as releasing Cardiacs music does, Cardiacs have always been our real reason, our real love, our passion. Since the events of last year we've not really felt that desire to put out records, like we've said before, we never have released mere 'product', music matters to us, people matter to us, bands matter to us. Tim's recovery is still a long way off, who knows what's going to happen and who knows if we'll ever release that Cardiacs material or indeed feel like doing anything more with ORG. Maybe we will release that new Cardiacs single one day, maybe we'll release other things on ORG, for now, all we really want is for our friend Tim to recover...
The band explain the situation in their statement. At the time of Tim's illness we were heavily in to the final plans for new Cardiacs singles here at ORG ahead of the new album. Tim was more animated and excited than ever about Cardiacs music and the new material, we were making plans on almost a daily basis - but the recordings for the single were never quite fnished and all the plans remain just conversations and e.mails between Tim and us. Now we're proud of every single record we've ever reelased on ORG, but nothing really mattered to us as much as releasing Cardiacs music does, Cardiacs have always been our real reason, our real love, our passion. Since the events of last year we've not really felt that desire to put out records, like we've said before, we never have released mere 'product', music matters to us, people matter to us, bands matter to us. Tim's recovery is still a long way off, who knows what's going to happen and who knows if we'll ever release that Cardiacs material or indeed feel like doing anything more with ORG. Maybe we will release that new Cardiacs single one day, maybe we'll release other things on ORG, for now, all we really want is for our friend Tim to recover...
― Pheeel, Friday, 26 June 2009 16:31 (fourteen years ago) link
Yeah I read that one as well, and immediately wanted to punch Kevin Shields ;)
You're bang OTM about the ABC missives.
― the funk soul custos (country matters), Friday, 26 June 2009 16:35 (fourteen years ago) link
pretty much puts things into perspective when ABC release a statement about Tim's condition a just few hours before Michael Jackson died of seemingly a very similar incident.
i thought that too (just a split second after thinking, i bet it happened during 'you made me realise'.
get well soon timmy!
― Jack Battery-Pack, Friday, 26 June 2009 17:04 (fourteen years ago) link
Hadn't spotted this on YT before, the info suggests that a dvd of these rehearsals will be coming out.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxhuQWKwbqY
― Bill A, Monday, 10 August 2009 12:01 (fourteen years ago) link
the video is a couple of years old... and unfortunately, no hint of a DVD release soon....
― Jack Battery-Pack, Monday, 10 August 2009 20:27 (fourteen years ago) link
O: Dirty Boy >>> Two Bites Of Cherry >>> Spell With A Shell >>> A Little Man And A House >>> Eden On The Air >>> The Alphabet Business ConcernC: Will Bleed Amen >>> Wireless >>> The Everso Closely Guarded Line >>> The Whole World Window >>> Snakes A-Sleeping >>> Foundling
Have pledged that I'm not starting the much-considered albums poll until a) LSD comes out or b) it is confirmed that there will be no further albums
― They are known for contracting the ugliest players, like Kuyt (country matters), Thursday, 27 August 2009 03:20 (fourteen years ago) link
STG not the best album shocka
― MaresNest, Thursday, 27 August 2009 12:34 (fourteen years ago) link
Guns =/> STG = On Land And In The Sea > ALMAHATWW >>>> HBAEB where ALMAHATWW = any other album you could care to name, just about
― They are known for contracting the ugliest players, like Kuyt (country matters), Thursday, 27 August 2009 12:49 (fourteen years ago) link
god i miss you, come back Tim Smith & Cardiacs!!!!!!!
― Dominique, Thursday, 17 December 2009 06:33 (fourteen years ago) link
Nasty Tim, holding back Jim with his silly illness. WE WANT JIM WE WANT JIM WE WANT JIM
― like having an eternal kazoo in your underwear (acoleuthic), Thursday, 17 December 2009 06:35 (fourteen years ago) link
In all seriousness, I think there'll be a major announcement concerning future releases within a couple of months. But I'm not impatient; I've spent my Cardiacs time of late realising that once you get over the opening track which smells funny, and 'March' which is a teensy smidgen less than perfect, HBAEB is basically as good as the other albums. It's like discovering one of the greatest albums ever written for the first time! And I'd only heard it the 30 or so times before.
― like having an eternal kazoo in your underwear (acoleuthic), Thursday, 17 December 2009 06:44 (fourteen years ago) link
I know what it is.
As for HBAEB, it was the first Cardiacs album I heard, it's not my favourite but it has my straight-up two favourite songs March and Helen & Heaven.
― MaresNest, Thursday, 17 December 2009 08:44 (fourteen years ago) link
HBAEB was one of the first for me, too. love the opening track and 'she hides behind the shed', but do find the rest a bit straightforward in cardiacs terms.
― m the g, Thursday, 17 December 2009 09:21 (fourteen years ago) link
So we all completely disagree! Ha! IMO 'She Is Hiding Behind The Shed', 'Anything I Can't Eat', 'Bodysbad', 'Core', 'Day Is Gone' and 'Snakes A-Sleeping' are massive, and the rest is pretty damn good, opening track aside ('March' is great but I keep getting the feeling it could be greater, given other Cardiacs songs)...the album's a LITTLE bit simpler and grungier than their other works but that doesn't make it bad. Admittedly I listen to the others more (with maybe the exception of the first album which I consider to be on a level SLIGHTLY below perfection, probably because it has 'Is This The Life' and 'Victory Egg' on it)
MaresNest, you can't say that without popping over a cheeky PM now :P
― like having an eternal kazoo in your underwear (acoleuthic), Thursday, 17 December 2009 16:18 (fourteen years ago) link
Okay. The Alphabet Business Concern (the song).
Let's not analyse the lyrics in order to demonstrate anything. This is my version of the truth. Besides the lyrics are all but inpenetrable anyway.
Here's my take. The Cardiacs in 1991 were apparently in a pretty fractured state. In August 1990 there was the triumphant Maresnest gig - the highpoint of their best line-up to date. But by the time HBAEB came out they had lost half the members, had difficulties distributing their records due to Rough Trade's distro collapsing, they were in debt and were pretty quiet for about 18 months. Newsletters weren't coming out, they didn't play much and nothing was released. We didn't know what the hell was going on.
When they returned they were a four-piece, playing a lot smaller venues (though thankfully travelling to Scotland for a change). Interest in them had dwindled somewhat, compared with the great hopes that resulted from their various triumphs/continual growth in the 80s. Now for the first time things were scaled back. They looked old for the first time. The gimmicks, costumes, effects, confetti and all the slapstick stuff was discarded. The musically civilizing influences of Sarah's sax, WDD's keyboards and Tim Quy's fairly subtle percussion was gone, replaced with a much fiercer sound.
At the start of the show, they would play "The Alphabet Business Concern", standing in a line at the front of the stage. just the four of them motionless, staring at the audience for four minutes while this relentless, thudding dirge oppressed the room.
The Alphabet Business Concern (the song) is not, as is sometimes mentioned "a hymn about their record company". In the context of the song, The Alphabet Business Concern (the organisation) is the Cardiacs Family, which includes band members past and present, roadies, wives, children, whatever, and most importantly (as they say) YOU.
What was this saying? It was saying "look, we are still here". It was saying "you are still here, we can see you", "we're all together again" "listen, we're still making extreme music", "our music is as powerful and overwhelming as ever" and "get ready because in five minutes Cardiacs will fucking blow you away and there's no gimmicks this time, just loud, insane music".
This huge statement made, they put on their instruments and played a 90 minute set that was louder, faster, more muscular and more exhausting than anything they had done before.
It was an impressive piece of theatre. In some ways it plays the same role as an opener to this album - a statement of existence and continuation, a promise of no compromises and more surprises in the face of some radical changes to the band. The legacy of that however is that there is a brutally ugly piece of music that opens this excellent album.
Whatever. It would not be the same album without it. I think we can all agree on that. Besides, some people love it.
― everything, Friday, 18 December 2009 20:21 (fourteen years ago) link
That is an impressive and beautifully-written defence! In that context, it makes perfect sense. The counterblast of affirmation. It's certainly uncompromising. And yeah, they did become even more breakneck as a 4-piece (and then remained just as breakneck even when they expanded again in the latter days). I know some people love it. I'm not one of them, and it irritates me when that song and ITTL are heralded as their most notable tracks by mainstream magazines, because they're by FAR the worst tracks on any of the 5 main albums (IMO). But as a statement 'fuck you, we are Cardiacs', it's utterly singular. Just like Ulver refusing to play any of their more accessible tracks in their first ever UK gig, it's a move which indicates fierce individuality and self-rigour.
I don't know how I'd begin HBAEB otherwise. It's the kind of album where every track feels like a middle-order scorcher. Except Snakes A-Sleeping which is a fucking ENORMOUS closer.
― dyao know what i mean (acoleuthic), Saturday, 19 December 2009 00:01 (fourteen years ago) link
FTR
(there be dragons)
Hail majestic corporate lightHeaven born and ever brightHow our spirit like the wavesAs the breath of thine awakesAnd now the night of weeping shall beThe morn of songAh! We are those whose thunder shakes the skiesThe thin spun life
Home of fadeless splendourOf flowers that bear no thornHere may the blind and hungry comeAnd light and food receiveHere mighty springs of consolation riseTo cheer the fainting mindAnd re-creation find
So overcome thy fearAnd burst into sudden blazeCome blind fury with abhorred shearsAnd slit the thin spun lifeAh! Sobbing with their human sort of wailThy justice fear
Walk in shadow, walk in dreadLoosefish walk as like one deadOne drop in a winter seaNo more to rise foreverAnything down there about your soulsWill smash the sun alightAh! Yield week in, weak out from morn to nightFeelers from across the seaCome crawling over thee
One drop in a winter seaNo more to rise foreverOne drop in a winter seaNo more to rise foreverCome blind fury with abhorred shearsAnd slit the thin spun lifeAh! Sobbing with their human sort of wailThe thin spun lifeWe are those whose thunder shakes the skiesWhose eyes this atom globe surveysThy justice fearHooray!
― MaresNest, Saturday, 19 December 2009 01:18 (fourteen years ago) link
That kinda makes the song 5x better, cheers!
― dyao know what i mean (acoleuthic), Saturday, 19 December 2009 01:25 (fourteen years ago) link
Okay, I am willing to play this game of improving HBAEB. Nothing simpler.
Side One
Joining The PlanktonShe is Hiding Behind the ShedMarch Goodbye Grace Anything I Can't Eat Helen and Heaven
Side two
Ideal CoreBodysbad For Good and AllSnakes-a-Sleeping
Joining the Plankton 12" EP (formely Day is Gone 12")
1a Joining the Plankton1b No Bright Side1c Day is Gone2a Joining the Plankton (Terry Farley remix)2b Core (Danny Saber edit)2c The Alphabet Business Concern (Sea Nymphs version)
Limited edition one sided 7" picture disc in a clear sleeve only available at gigs/mail order:
a: The Alphabet Business Concern (Home of Fadeless Spledour)
― everything, Monday, 21 December 2009 23:09 (fourteen years ago) link
Aw! I like Day Is Gone! Never heard JTP or Ideal though. If there was one Cardiacs album I'd really fine-tune, it's the debut. The rest is more or less OK.
The challenge of a single-album STG might hurt my head though
― Don't bring a gun to a snowball fight! (acoleuthic), Monday, 21 December 2009 23:17 (fourteen years ago) link
(by 'debut' I mean 'major debut, released as a record etc')
― Don't bring a gun to a snowball fight! (acoleuthic), Monday, 21 December 2009 23:18 (fourteen years ago) link
'No Bright Side' is great, not heard that in ages - someone did me a CD-R of b-sides, must dig that out...
― Gavin in Leeds, Monday, 21 December 2009 23:24 (fourteen years ago) link
I think all the songs on the Day Is Gone 12" are great (Joining the Plankton, Ideal, No Bright Side) except for the title track. Day is Gone is okay but I think it's the weakest of the tracks on side 2 and I wanted to make room for Ideal. They seem to have a tendency to make poor choices for singles. Joining The Plankton is a big commercial sounding number somewhere in the same ballpark as Manhoo and would add some appeal to the beginning of the album which, under the regular tracklisting seems to take a long time to get going.
It would be too exhausting to try to condense STG in one album. Did you ever get hold of the Special Garage Concerts?
― everything, Monday, 21 December 2009 23:32 (fourteen years ago) link
"No Bright side" is excellent, I agree. The 1st cardiacs disc I bought was the CD single of "Day is Gone", and NBS is the nest thing on it, easily.
― mu-mu (Pashmina), Monday, 21 December 2009 23:40 (fourteen years ago) link
I didn't, although as they're on iTunes I might indulge in a little Xmas present to myself. The studio albums plus Ditzy Scene are for me THE pinnacle of recorded sound, and I think that's where they fly furthest (unless you're actually AT a gig), but I'll definitely check it out.
I'm gonna give this STG single-album thing a go. Watch me.
― Don't bring a gun to a snowball fight! (acoleuthic), Monday, 21 December 2009 23:41 (fourteen years ago) link
Oh Man. You're going to flip your lid when you hear those live concerts. It's really fast and heavy and doesn't particularly have a "live" sound except when you hear the audience singing along very occasionally. And of course many of these songs were previously just curiosities. These albums turn them all into really essential tracks.
― everything, Monday, 21 December 2009 23:47 (fourteen years ago) link
Ah nice. Well, I'm excited to hear them! Will report back here when I do. Cardiacs always did fast and heavy rather well.
― Don't bring a gun to a snowball fight! (acoleuthic), Monday, 21 December 2009 23:51 (fourteen years ago) link
I assume you've watched the "rehearsal" footage of "As Cold As Can Be.." and "Gibber & Twitch" on youtube. It sounds exactly like that except there's over 30 tracks. It may take you about a year to wrap your brain around it.
― everything, Monday, 21 December 2009 23:54 (fourteen years ago) link
Hahaha, yeah ok. I hope there's LOADS OF SWEARING! And Jim getting abused. I wrapped my brain around STG quicker than you thought I would, mind :P
― Don't bring a gun to a snowball fight! (acoleuthic), Monday, 21 December 2009 23:58 (fourteen years ago) link
Ha-ha. I did say that, didn't I? On some levels SGC is even more monolithic that Sing To God, perhaps because every single track is a very heavy riffathon. There's not a lot of light except for the occasional break between songs. Jim-baiting and swearing is minimal too.
― everything, Tuesday, 22 December 2009 00:31 (fourteen years ago) link
1) Dirty Boy 2) Eat It Up Worms Hero3) Dog-Like Sparky4) Flap Off You Beak5) Quiet As A Mouse6) Fiery Gun Hand7) Insect Hoofs On Lassie8) Wireless9) Fairy Mary Mag10) Odd Even11) Bellyeye12) No Gold13) Nurses Whispering Verses14) Foundling
68 minutes! Perfectly manageable. Manhoo released as EP with the Bell songs, Angleworm Angel and Red Fire. Fine, A Horses Tail can come too. As can Billion. Oh all right, and Eden On The Air. I'm such a pushover.
The great thing about my new sequencing is that a) it highlights the piece of songwriting wonder that is 'Flap Off You Beak' and b) brings Fairy Mary Mag and Odd Even together for extra harpsichord solo deja-vu fun. Oh, and Quiet As A Mouse into Fiery Gun Hand is yoga flame.
― Don't bring a gun to a snowball fight! (acoleuthic), Tuesday, 22 December 2009 00:50 (fourteen years ago) link
I wouldn't change that much but sorry, you can't take Manhoo out of this album. That's not right. Also A Horse's Tail is unremovable. OTOH I can easily do without Wireless. I'm pretty indifferent towards Foundling too, but it works as a closer.
1) Dirty Boy 2) Eat It Up Worms Hero3) Dog-Like Sparky4) Flap Off You Beak5) Odd Even6) Fiery Gun Hand7) Insect Hoofs On Lassie8) Manhoo9) Fairy Mary Mag10) A Horses Tail11) Bellyeye12) No Gold13) Nurses Whispering Verses14) Foundling
― everything, Tuesday, 22 December 2009 01:03 (fourteen years ago) link
I'm pretty indifferent towards Foundling too, but it works as a closer.
I agree wholeheartedly with this statement. It's not the best song, and apart from the celestial synths in the middle-eight there's nothing out-and-out fabulous about it, but there's a homely, closerish vibe to it that none of the other tracks really nail.
Aw, I'm an Odd Even fan, especially as a companion piece to FMM. Used to actually not like AHT but now I do. It versus Odd Even is probably the toughest sticking-point here. (God, so many Cardiacs polls I've somehow resisted starting! I think it might be a bit sacrilegious tho)
As for Wireless vs Manhoo, well, I think a companion EP would require a strong and catchy track that didn't necessarily fit in with the album, being as it is 'their Britpop song'. Manhoo is that song. Plus, it's SLIGHTLY inferior to most of the other songs IMO (albeit with a ridiculously high prevailing standard). Wireless gets me every time (that tacked piano!!). It's one of the great non-cover covers. (Lauft... is sheer magic, and this does it justice while providing a lovely Cardiacsy spin)
― Don't bring a gun to a snowball fight! (acoleuthic), Tuesday, 22 December 2009 01:09 (fourteen years ago) link
wait, is that common knowledge? wireless is a "cover" of faust? every non-cardiacs familiar person I play that song for instantly loves it
― Dominique, Tuesday, 22 December 2009 02:38 (fourteen years ago) link
haha yeah it's quite a blatant lift! common knowledge among cardiacs fans i've spoken to here for sure. iirc phill jupitus played 'wireless' on his show, proclaiming it as 'beautiful'...think it might be quite a good gateway drug choice. i normally hit 'em with 'dog-like sparky' which sorts the sheep from the goats pretty nicely. actually most people really dig D-LS. my mum inclusive.
― Don't bring a gun to a snowball fight! (acoleuthic), Tuesday, 22 December 2009 03:23 (fourteen years ago) link
I have been listening to this band a lot over the last week. I got hold of a copy of On Land and In The Sea which is totally brilliant all the way through.
It's strange hearing full albums by them as I've just had that Sampler compilation for years which is all I thought I needed but now I'm kinda becoming obsessed with trying to find all their albums.
― Kitchen Person, Wednesday, 24 February 2010 16:48 (fourteen years ago) link
don't bother; they're boring
― joagga lousome (acoleuthic), Wednesday, 24 February 2010 16:54 (fourteen years ago) link
I can't imagine any of their albums are boring.
― Kitchen Person, Wednesday, 24 February 2010 17:05 (fourteen years ago) link
they're not. he lies. with his face.
― m the g, Wednesday, 24 February 2010 17:17 (fourteen years ago) link
they're the most boringest band that ever existed and you are wasting your time and God's trying to listen to their albums
― joagga lousome (acoleuthic), Wednesday, 24 February 2010 17:19 (fourteen years ago) link
god has an infinite amount of time at its disposal. it won't mind.
― m the g, Wednesday, 24 February 2010 17:21 (fourteen years ago) link
Pretends it's Jesus
― joagga lousome (acoleuthic), Wednesday, 24 February 2010 17:26 (fourteen years ago) link
anyway Kitchen Person I sincerely hope that whoever you are you never hear another note of Cardiacs, because they are the worst and most boring band of all time, and their albums hold numbers one to three and then like 6 and 8 in my worst albums ever ranking. the album I would definitely not get next is Sing To God, and I wouldn't touch Guns with your brother's. neither A Little Man... nor Heaven Born... have any sort of musical worth. this band is a dead loss. avoid.
― joagga lousome (acoleuthic), Wednesday, 24 February 2010 17:32 (fourteen years ago) link
Please please tell me you have all those albums you mentioned and you will sell/give them to me. They are really hard to get and I just want to hear how bad they are for myself.
Sing to God is the at the very top of my wishlist right now.
― Kitchen Person, Wednesday, 24 February 2010 17:37 (fourteen years ago) link
I strongly dissuade you from using the ILX email function or sending your address to moc.liamg @ reggaj.siuol, because if you subsequently received a consignment of burned CDs, that would be terrible both for you and anybody you chose to inflict your abysmal gleanings upon
― joagga lousome (acoleuthic), Wednesday, 24 February 2010 17:40 (fourteen years ago) link
That's very sweet but actually my brother is a massive fan and has most of their albums, I'm sure he would copy them for me.
I'm actually one of those strange people that still wants real copies of albums so if you or anyone has a spare copy of Sing to God (1 & 2) they want to get rid of then I would be interested for sure!
― Kitchen Person, Wednesday, 24 February 2010 17:48 (fourteen years ago) link
You're a lucky man; the very idea of a spare copy of STG is slightly laughable, given how treasured they are (by imbeciles). As someone who has never possessed proper physical copies of Cardiacs albums either, I am grateful they are so hard to find, and would like absolutely nothing to do with anyone who has spares to sell.
― joagga lousome (acoleuthic), Wednesday, 24 February 2010 17:58 (fourteen years ago) link
there's been talk of rereleases for a while now... hopefully they'll come to pass this year.
otherwise, you're talking maybe 80 quid for a second-hand copy of STG on CD. which is obviously nuts.
― m the g, Wednesday, 24 February 2010 18:09 (fourteen years ago) link
I would very much like some rereleases as I don't have real copies of most of the 80s stuff. They had CDs I thought were well out-of-print for sale when I saw them a couple of years ago, but the merch desk was moving verrrrry slowly and I had to leave if I wanted any way of getting home. Which is probably as well for my bank balance because otherwise I could have spent way too much in one go.
― falling while carrying an owl (a passing spacecadet), Wednesday, 24 February 2010 18:18 (fourteen years ago) link
By sheer chance (ie. I bought it when it was in the shops for about a week in the 90s) I have a nigh-on-pristine CD of the original Rough Trade issue of Heaven Born & Ever Bright. Does this command good loot still?
― Bill A, Wednesday, 24 February 2010 18:21 (fourteen years ago) link
On Amazon.co.uk Sing to God is 70 pounds, Heaven Born is up for around 35.
I'm actually selling my CD copy of On Land & In the Sea on there as I found the vinyl which will do for me. I would directly swap it for a copy of Sing to God if anyone was interested?
I've asked about them in several record shops and the people that have heard of them have pretty much said they never get their records in.
― Kitchen Person, Wednesday, 24 February 2010 19:01 (fourteen years ago) link
I have a CD single from "Sing to God", I wonder what it goes for (can't remember title) also, 35 quid for "Heaven Born", eh? Hmmm... I got that one as well.
― dead flower :( (Pashmina), Wednesday, 24 February 2010 19:02 (fourteen years ago) link
If it's Manhoo thats about 15.
Yes I realise I've got quite obsessed with them now as I can tell you all the exact prices of their records without looking at Amazon.
― Kitchen Person, Wednesday, 24 February 2010 19:08 (fourteen years ago) link
A gig I'm going to has one of the supports listed as 'Bad Black Dots featuring Jon Poole of the Cardiacs' - anyone know anything about this? Any good? Google search didn't come up with much.
― emil.y, Thursday, 11 March 2010 01:22 (fourteen years ago) link
no idea but he defected to wildhearts and has been with them for quite a long time! his cardiacs ties were cut some way back. damn good guitarist tho
― louis do not fuck achewood (acoleuthic), Thursday, 11 March 2010 01:23 (fourteen years ago) link
Ach, oh dear. I loathed the Wildhearts. Never mind, then.
― emil.y, Thursday, 11 March 2010 01:26 (fourteen years ago) link
we just don't know which side of jon poole will turn up! it's so tense!
i rather rate some but not all wildhearts - fishing for luckies is a masterpiece imo, and they DID name a song on their last album 'tim smith' but i can understand how one might dislike extended prog-pop-metal workouts
― louis do not fuck achewood (acoleuthic), Thursday, 11 March 2010 01:28 (fourteen years ago) link
It's nothing against the principle, it's the actuality I dislike.
― emil.y, Thursday, 11 March 2010 01:32 (fourteen years ago) link
fair enough, there's better music from the extended cardiacs family
― louis do not fuck achewood (acoleuthic), Thursday, 11 March 2010 01:34 (fourteen years ago) link
I have nothing to add, except to mention that cardiacs are godlike and I listen to them every single day.
― m the g, Thursday, 11 March 2010 20:46 (fourteen years ago) link
I wonder if there's any Brighton bands Jon Poole hasn't played in at some point? The guy does get around.
Marc Riley mentioned something a little while back about some kind of Cardiacs get-together in the near future, he wasn't very specific though. It'd be nice it was something along the lines of the other bandmembers minus Tim getting together to bang some tunes out, but who knows. Autumn seems a little sadder every year without the traditional London shindig to look forward to. I even miss going to the Astoria, for god's sake.
― Pheeel, Thursday, 11 March 2010 22:31 (fourteen years ago) link
I have heard rumblings about something exciting happening later this year...
― m the g, Thursday, 11 March 2010 22:34 (fourteen years ago) link
It'd be nice it was something along the lines of the other bandmembers minus Tim getting together to bang some tunes out
would not be able to go to this
― louis do not fuck achewood (acoleuthic), Thursday, 11 March 2010 23:01 (fourteen years ago) link
Prob not this year.
― You Weaked It! (MaresNest), Thursday, 11 March 2010 23:08 (fourteen years ago) link
no, i mean i would not be able to go to it emotionally, it would be bad karma and unfun
― louis do not fuck achewood (acoleuthic), Thursday, 11 March 2010 23:09 (fourteen years ago) link
Agreed. Also, what is the nature of these rumblings? New material? I could see a little boxset of live stuff being okay. Although they've had what, four live albums so there's not a lot that hasn't been covered already. Radio sessions, b-sides etc are all out there. Demos I could live without. Unless they have secretly been hoarding completed tracks?
― everything, Thursday, 11 March 2010 23:23 (fourteen years ago) link
well they did pretty much complete a whole new album
― louis do not fuck achewood (acoleuthic), Thursday, 11 March 2010 23:34 (fourteen years ago) link
Unreleased material? God, where to start? There's the "LSD" album, which was apparently finished bar the final mix. Then there's the Garage Rehearsals DVD, the Maresnest DVD, that Astoria show they filmed back in 2005, loads of stuff that was mentioned over the years. Not to mention the second Sea Nymphs album, etc etc.
― Pheeel, Thursday, 11 March 2010 23:39 (fourteen years ago) link
Of that, the only stuff that really gets me excited is the LSD album. I've watched and listened to Maresnest about a million times (and I was at the show). I've seriously burned out on it now. The Garage live album is brilliant but the music itself is where the genius lies - pictures are not much of an enhancement. Not mad for the Sea Nymphs. I like them okay but I know it's not going to blow my mind. I apologise for my lack of ABC-spirit about all that.
Anyway, tell me what you know about LSD? I'm completely in the dark here.
― everything, Thursday, 11 March 2010 23:47 (fourteen years ago) link
LSD is the only one I'm really holding out for, but like I say I'd be happy with this band if they didn't release another note. Happy-ish, at any rate. Decent run.
xpost!!!
― louis do not fuck achewood (acoleuthic), Thursday, 11 March 2010 23:48 (fourteen years ago) link
I befriended a musician (singer lass from a band called Spiritwo) who's mad keen about Cardiacs, and claims to have visited Tim Smith and heard some unmixed tracks off LSD - affirmed that they're mindblowing, awesome etc - then mere weeks later our poor dude stood a bit too near the amps during You Made Me Realise :(
(every legend needs embellishing)
― louis do not fuck achewood (acoleuthic), Thursday, 11 March 2010 23:50 (fourteen years ago) link
Why stop there? Can the rumour at least say that it's a double album too?
― everything, Friday, 12 March 2010 00:08 (fourteen years ago) link
I'd be happy with a cracking good hour-long single, tbh. Or even a 45-minute one like Guns which is still one of their most spectacular achievements
If you've stumbled on this thread for no reason, don't come back until the music stops -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zvCKKw_DQk&feature=PlayList&p=FFE33A2F7A065655&index=0&playnext=1
― louis do not fuck achewood (acoleuthic), Friday, 12 March 2010 00:13 (fourteen years ago) link
Ahh, I still think the rehearsal film would've been amazing, based on the tantalising clips that were released. I liked the fact it was all part of the same elaborate meta-gag as the "diary" that was posted on the band website(shame they didn't bother updating it after 2005).
I could happily put up with a whole disc of this kind of nonsense.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AC8Z9uGe0A
― Pheeel, Friday, 12 March 2010 00:14 (fourteen years ago) link
dammit um erm ok well the entire Sing To God album is on a Youtube playlist - connect the dots - play all -
http://www.you tube.com/watch?v=3zvCKKw_DQk&feature=PlayList&p=FFE33A2F7A065655&index=0&playnext=1
― louis do not fuck achewood (acoleuthic), Friday, 12 March 2010 00:15 (fourteen years ago) link
Acoleutic, are you yet on-board with the fact that Come Back Clammy Lammy is awesome?
― everything, Friday, 12 March 2010 00:16 (fourteen years ago) link
YES TOTALLY
― louis do not fuck achewood (acoleuthic), Friday, 12 March 2010 00:19 (fourteen years ago) link
if I ever dissed that song, it is a 5/4 time romp through all that is joyful about music, horrendous about war and amazing about cardiacs
Ha-ha. Somewhere upthread you said something vaguely non-commital about it and that has always bothered me.
― everything, Friday, 12 March 2010 00:21 (fourteen years ago) link
Guns and OLAITS are their most flawless records, STG their most incredible, HBAEB their rockingest and ALM... their cutest
...but the first three are the desert-island ones for me (given a top 10)
Guns doesn't have a single moment that drops beneath awesome, but CBCL is probably one of the best 5 songs
― louis do not fuck achewood (acoleuthic), Friday, 12 March 2010 00:24 (fourteen years ago) link
argh I'm posting about Cardiacs again! coals to Newcastle
― louis do not fuck achewood (acoleuthic), Friday, 12 March 2010 00:27 (fourteen years ago) link
'will bleed amen' is the killer on guns for me. I love the whole album but that track just floors me every time.
― m the g, Friday, 12 March 2010 00:27 (fourteen years ago) link
Wait, what do you consider to be their first album? I usually think of The Seaside as their first, even though it was really their third. And Big Ship as their second. Toy World and The Obvious Identiy I don't really need, and rarely listen to, especially now all those songs are redone in fine fashion on the Garage Concerts. Big Ship is cool though.
― everything, Friday, 12 March 2010 00:29 (fourteen years ago) link
^^^YES, that's top 2 or 3 along with Jitterbug and Spell With A Shell and Signs
um
maths, eh
xpost
― louis do not fuck achewood (acoleuthic), Friday, 12 March 2010 00:29 (fourteen years ago) link
I consider their first albums to be things I haven't heard, which I ought to change but feel weirdly unmotivated to, mostly because I have this baseless suspicion they're not as good as the albums-proper (which aren't the albums-proper, but seem that way)
Basically there was this long gestation period where they became the greatest band ever, then they released ALM.
Now thinking I should at least hear The Seaside, even if their journey away from still-very-awesome Tarred And Feathered twee-freaky-circus music into serious compositional brilliance is to my taste
― louis do not fuck achewood (acoleuthic), Friday, 12 March 2010 00:33 (fourteen years ago) link
I mean, R.E.S. kinda marks the moment where twee-freaky-circus music JUST GOT REAL
― louis do not fuck achewood (acoleuthic), Friday, 12 March 2010 00:37 (fourteen years ago) link
RES was on the Seaside too. There's some great stuff on The Seaside, (To Go Off And Things! Its A Lovely Day!) and the production is pretty good. I totally caned it back in the day but it pales compared to A Little Man. That material sounds so awesome on the Garage Concerts though. It's totally obvious that it's not so much the compositions that's at fault, so much as the way it's played and the production. Fuck, 2005 version of RES on that album kills all other previous versions. Hard to believe it, but it's true.
― everything, Friday, 12 March 2010 00:39 (fourteen years ago) link
ok what I am sensing here is a need to acquire the Garage concerts - you're not the only one to tell me this
― louis do not fuck achewood (acoleuthic), Friday, 12 March 2010 00:40 (fourteen years ago) link
"Will Bleed Amen" is a great ending track, but always a bit disappointing live I felt. I think I would say "Signs" is my killer. The way it just builds and builds in the final chorus - gets me every time.
The Seaside should definitely be heard, but try and find a download of the cassette version if possible, as the CD reissue was short of four tracks and "Dinner Time" should really be included.
― Pheeel, Friday, 12 March 2010 00:43 (fourteen years ago) link
Cardiacs did songs that built, built and then fucking flew better than anyone - opening tracks of Guns and OLAITS especially start at quite a lick and then just accelerate and soar and jesus christ (that's a verb, I think) until all is ecstatic in the purest sense
Signs does this too, but into an ectasy of torment rather than euphoria - Cardiacs knew light AND dark, the sweeties
― louis do not fuck achewood (acoleuthic), Friday, 12 March 2010 00:47 (fourteen years ago) link
Yes my friend. Yes you do need to acquire the Garage concerts. Everyone needs this album. It's got a horrible title, a bad cover and the concept behind it sounds pretty lame. I grant you all of that. But it's a couple of dozen awesome Cardiacs songs you don't know yet, plus a handful you do know, performed with ferocious intensity.
It's like one of those Zappa albums where it's live with tons of overdubs so you barely register the liveness except here and there or when there's a distant cheers at the end of the song. They should've packaged it like Zappa did- without all the "LIVE IN CONCERT! - US DOING OUR ANCIENT MATERIAL YOU DON'T REALLY CARE FOR". The marketing of the album really sucked. The contents are great.
― everything, Friday, 12 March 2010 00:48 (fourteen years ago) link
My favourite, play-it-three-times-in-a-row-almost-every-time song on Guns is "Sleep All Eyes Open". Especially the last bit. I can never work out how the hell they do what they are doing without fucking up. After that it's Clammy Lammy, then all the rest.
― everything, Friday, 12 March 2010 00:50 (fourteen years ago) link
oh look, the Garage concerts are on iTunes
Sleep All Eyes Open is amazing but for some reason it's the one song that never gets stuck in my head *rechecks* oh wait no it does, sometimes. The bit starting at 1.45 especially. Another slow-builder! Mixes minor and major chords in a quite ridiculously good way
― louis do not fuck achewood (acoleuthic), Friday, 12 March 2010 00:52 (fourteen years ago) link
God, the synths in Clammy Lammy...and when the bass drops as the sax piles in...and the key-changes...
― louis do not fuck achewood (acoleuthic), Friday, 12 March 2010 00:56 (fourteen years ago) link
Arghh, now I want to hear the weird extended dirge bit at the end of "Jitterbug" again. Fuck it, I'm just going to have to put the whole album now, aren't I?
― Pheeel, Friday, 12 March 2010 01:00 (fourteen years ago) link
I'm cueing this up to listen to this on my walk home. Havin' an old fashioned Guns parteee!
― everything, Friday, 12 March 2010 01:03 (fourteen years ago) link
it'd be nice if it wasn't just us folks having the love-in time after time but i'm not gonna complain :D
hang on why is Is This The Life playing, killitkillit - damn with Eating In Bed instead of that song ALM would've been something
(the reason it's playing or rather was playing is that I listened to Wind And Rains Is Cold, marvelled at how ska can be done so goddamn well, and headed for In A City Lining which also takes ska by the short 'uns and shakes it into something transcendent)
― louis do not fuck achewood (acoleuthic), Friday, 12 March 2010 01:09 (fourteen years ago) link
the garage concerts are indeed great.
can I just mention that I have the seaside on cassette? OH YES. much as the production on this album is very thin and ropey (prob. not helped by the format), it features TO GO OFF AND THINGS in its first incarnation and is therefore beyond criticism.
― m the g, Friday, 12 March 2010 01:26 (fourteen years ago) link
have frugged to that song live - can't remember for the life of me what it sounds like, but it is intense
― louis do not fuck achewood (acoleuthic), Friday, 12 March 2010 01:31 (fourteen years ago) link
my favourite *REALLY* early Cardiacs song is the Stonehenge recording of their introduction/farewell fanfare - one keyboard playing the most beautiful hymn, band hold hands and sing -
Holding these things in my hands, and IEnd up singing everything
...it's the only manifesto they or anyone has ever needed
― louis do not fuck achewood (acoleuthic), Friday, 12 March 2010 01:33 (fourteen years ago) link
xp it sounds a bit like this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9N3RZqcYxXY
― m the g, Friday, 12 March 2010 01:36 (fourteen years ago) link
I've got Mares Nest live already! But yeah :D
― louis do not fuck achewood (acoleuthic), Friday, 12 March 2010 01:36 (fourteen years ago) link
Holy fuck those interview snippets! Sarah's description of what happens when you die is one of the scariest things I've ever heard a musician say!
And oh yeah, THAT'S what it sounds like. FRUGGGGGG
lol his hair
― louis do not fuck achewood (acoleuthic), Friday, 12 March 2010 01:39 (fourteen years ago) link
Alternatively, it could sound like this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YtFI6AAZ4U
― everything, Friday, 12 March 2010 02:01 (fourteen years ago) link
FRRRRRUGGGGG
newer version is of course tighter + louder but then this is a band who released the ditzy scene ep a mere 30 years into their existence
― louis do not fuck achewood (acoleuthic), Friday, 12 March 2010 02:12 (fourteen years ago) link
'To Go Off...' was the start of it all for me. Ten years ago, my bandmates at the time were huge Cardiacs fans, and one of handed me a copy of Mare's Nest. Being a huge Monsoon Bassoon fan, I'd heard OF Cardiacs, but never actually heard them, as bizarre as that sounds.
"this is OK," I thought. "not bad. nothing special. don't really see what the fuss is about. oo, hang on. I like this fast one."
AND THUS A SEED WAS PLANTED THAT BECAME A FAIRLY SIZEABLE WILLOW.
― m the g, Friday, 12 March 2010 07:58 (fourteen years ago) link
my face is on fire
― Colonel Poo, Saturday, 13 March 2010 02:56 (fourteen years ago) link
^^^drunk posting to the cardiacs thread = behaviour that should be encouraged imo
― oh shit sorry another useless post (acoleuthic), Saturday, 13 March 2010 03:00 (fourteen years ago) link
if you can cure my hiccups then by all means inform me of the brilliance of this band alternatively I can sit here hiccupping my fucking head off
― Colonel Poo, Saturday, 13 March 2010 03:06 (fourteen years ago) link
if you play this song very loudly, and dance to it, then you will not have hiccups any more
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLoe4DGT3hk
― oh shit sorry another useless post (acoleuthic), Saturday, 13 March 2010 03:08 (fourteen years ago) link
haha it's just struck me, even while sober, how fiery gun hand must sound like literally the greatest thing ever while drunk
― oh shit sorry another useless post (acoleuthic), Saturday, 13 March 2010 03:10 (fourteen years ago) link
at the moment it's all blah blah the clean who cares about them we just saw Broken Bones they're so old
― Colonel Poo, Saturday, 13 March 2010 03:12 (fourteen years ago) link
I have:GunsA Little Man..On Land and in the SeaSing to God pts 1 + 2
One of the best bands I've ever heard, of course. What else do I need to hear, from their whole catalogue, or from side-projects/Cardiacs family? Acoulethic?
― Davek (davek_00), Saturday, 13 March 2010 13:50 (fourteen years ago) link
Haha, I'm not the one to ask (re: Cardiacs, we'll get to the family later)! Because I'd basically name everything you have there + the Ditzy Scene single. As a few posters intimate upthread, the Garage Concerts (available on iTunes) are totally worth getting hold of, and I'll be giving them a proper listen in the immediate future.
As for the family, well
Unknown, vaguely Cardiacsy prog-pop that only MaresNest and I actually like
― oh shit sorry another useless post (acoleuthic), Saturday, 13 March 2010 13:55 (fourteen years ago) link
The Sea NymphsTim Smith's Extra Special OceanLandWorldThe Monsoon BassoonThe Shrubbies Bill Drake SoloStars In Battledress
For starters anyway.
― You Weaked It! (MaresNest), Saturday, 13 March 2010 13:57 (fourteen years ago) link
Excellente! Thanks, if only I wasn't on ratio watch..
― Davek (davek_00), Saturday, 13 March 2010 14:00 (fourteen years ago) link
Katherine In a CupboardRingZag ANd The Coloured BeadsAd NauseumKnifeWorldAblemeshLevitationLake Of PuppiesSleepy PeopleNorth Sea Radio OrchestraMikrokosmosBuntychunksMad Uncle JaneHayestackBrain Of Morbius
― You Weaked It! (MaresNest), Saturday, 13 March 2010 14:02 (fourteen years ago) link
Send me a PM Davek and I'll post you over some bits.
― You Weaked It! (MaresNest), Saturday, 13 March 2010 14:03 (fourteen years ago) link
yeah even I haven't heard most of those - the ones I have heard tend to be the ones that didn't originate as Cardiacs side-projects, mostly because I have a slight suspicion of side-projects
everyone assures me that The Sea Nymphs are great though so yeah I need to get hold
The Monsoon Bassoon and Stars In Battledress are of course awesome, the former more so, although the latter have some stellar moments (as it were)
oh look some more bands - have only heard Zag & TCB (GREAT TRULY GREAT live) and Levitation (groovy psych-prog-shoegaze)
― oh shit sorry another useless post (acoleuthic), Saturday, 13 March 2010 14:03 (fourteen years ago) link
Sea Nymphs albums are truly great, like mind fuckingly great.
― You Weaked It! (MaresNest), Saturday, 13 March 2010 14:04 (fourteen years ago) link
ah, ok
i guess there's not much chance of me disagreeing either, is there
― oh shit sorry another useless post (acoleuthic), Saturday, 13 March 2010 14:04 (fourteen years ago) link
None more up your alley LJ. :)
― You Weaked It! (MaresNest), Saturday, 13 March 2010 14:05 (fourteen years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbxzUhk7R5c
― You Weaked It! (MaresNest), Saturday, 13 March 2010 14:08 (fourteen years ago) link
i dunno to be truly up my alley it needs a bit of mindmelting distortion or grandstanding darkness here and there ;)
ooh ok let's give this a go
― oh shit sorry another useless post (acoleuthic), Saturday, 13 March 2010 14:09 (fourteen years ago) link
(and by 'distortion' i mean 'sonic fuckery', at which point it becomes a serious statement and not a joke)
― oh shit sorry another useless post (acoleuthic), Saturday, 13 March 2010 14:10 (fourteen years ago) link
wow @ the piano in the midsection
this seems to be music of small treasures, falling somehow together in an organic and bizarre way
― oh shit sorry another useless post (acoleuthic), Saturday, 13 March 2010 14:14 (fourteen years ago) link
Ha, that's basically everyone even vaguely connected to the band, isn't it? I think you'd struggle to find material from most of these, particularly Katherine In A Cupboard, who only had one song ever officially released on a compilation.
Add these ones to the list:Stars In Battledress, aka the brothers Larcombe, who produced one incredible album of psychedelic whimsy-pop and have been rather quiet sincePonce - possibly the most obscure of all the Cardiacs family bands - lasted the duration of one fantastic single, "Runny". Arch Garrison - North Sea Radio minus the Orchestra.The Trudy - One of the few bands from the early-eighties Richmond scene to've been around as long as Cardiacs(the band their original drummer left to join, in fact).
Then there's Mr & Mrs Smith and Drake - the prototype Sea Nymphs, basically their psych-folk album recorded on four-track.
― Pheeel, Saturday, 13 March 2010 15:02 (fourteen years ago) link
Oops, now I see Stars In Battledress have already been mentioned. Carry on.
― Pheeel, Saturday, 13 March 2010 15:07 (fourteen years ago) link
Let's not forget the fantastic Silver Ginger Five. The album Black Leather Mojo is two or three Wildheart, Jon Poole on bass PLUS William D Drake on keyboards and is produced by Tim Smith. Doesn't sound anything like Cardiacs though. More like a Cheap Trick/Slade vibe and it rocks.
― everything, Saturday, 13 March 2010 19:49 (fourteen years ago) link
i nearly bought that from an HMV once but chose something else
then it was gone
regrets, i've had a few
― oh shit sorry another useless post (acoleuthic), Saturday, 13 March 2010 19:49 (fourteen years ago) link
It's always been difficult to find. It was one of the most expensive CDs I ever bought. Originally it was a Japanese import which sat in the Virgin Megastore untouched because of it's nearly $100 price tag. Eventually it got reduced to half price and I took the plunge. What a relief when it turned out to be good.
― everything, Saturday, 13 March 2010 19:57 (fourteen years ago) link
wdve been 12 quid, right there
― oh shit sorry another useless post (acoleuthic), Saturday, 13 March 2010 20:01 (fourteen years ago) link
Then there's The Trudy. Formed by early Cardiacs defectors, they are still around and recorded some stuff pretty recently with Tim Smith at the controls. The songs in question are on their myspace page.
― everything, Saturday, 13 March 2010 20:14 (fourteen years ago) link
btw am listening to the Garage RES right now...
― oh shit sorry another useless post (acoleuthic), Saturday, 13 March 2010 20:16 (fourteen years ago) link
...much punkier than the 80's version! Cardiacs are a band who got punkier and yet more epic at the same time
― oh shit sorry another useless post (acoleuthic), Saturday, 13 March 2010 20:17 (fourteen years ago) link
Theres a third version of RES? I much prefer the version on The Seaside to the Little Man one. I think it's because I've watched the video so many times.
The Seaside is the latest one i managed to find at a decent price (is 20 pounds decent?) RES followed by To Go Off and Things, I can't think of many better ways to end an album.
― Kitchen Person, Saturday, 13 March 2010 20:21 (fourteen years ago) link
Would say it doesn't quite have the same miraculous momentum of the ALM version (and hey, I DID vote for it in the ALM poll), but it's a darn good live rendering. Little is lost, and it's a fresh perspective.
RES into Whole World Window is pretty damn spectacular. My favourite end to any Cardiacs album is actually Snakes A-Sleeping, because much as Will Bleed Amen is amazing and Secret Like Swans lovely, they need to be indexed as separate tracks, dammit
― oh shit sorry another useless post (acoleuthic), Saturday, 13 March 2010 20:24 (fourteen years ago) link
Haha, The Obvious Identity is straight-up punk! And really good straight-up punk at that. Nice.
(Obviously The Everso Closely Guarded Line is right up there with S A-S, but I prefer the latter for some reason)
― oh shit sorry another useless post (acoleuthic), Saturday, 13 March 2010 20:28 (fourteen years ago) link
Versions of RES:
The Seaside (both versions)A Little Man and A House And The Whole World WindowNighttracks (Janice Long session that came out on vinyl)Mares Nest Live CDSpecial Garage Concerts
And there's a video for it on the Seaside Treats thing, which if memory serves is slightly different to the version on The Seaside.
― everything, Saturday, 13 March 2010 20:29 (fourteen years ago) link
btw I'm still annoyed 'Is This The Life' won the ALM poll. all 4 people who voted for it, I reckon, have heard VERY little other Cardiacs, let alone the whole album
― oh shit sorry another useless post (acoleuthic), Saturday, 13 March 2010 20:30 (fourteen years ago) link
oh hey a cardiacs thread
a little man and a house and the whole world window is probably one of my favorite albums ever. however!, i can't get any of their other albums to click in that same way for me. i'm still trying though, i'm willing to give them as many chances as it takes...
― ciderpress, Saturday, 13 March 2010 20:38 (fourteen years ago) link
INFINITY TIMES A BILLION CHANCES
― oh shit sorry another useless post (acoleuthic), Saturday, 13 March 2010 20:38 (fourteen years ago) link
"Lost Summer Of Love" is one of the great overlooked singles of the last few years, I reckon. Must get around to buying their CD, actually...
― Pheeel, Saturday, 13 March 2010 20:50 (fourteen years ago) link
my wee girl went nuts to 'tarred and feathered' this morning. this makes me a happy dad.
― m the g, Sunday, 14 March 2010 09:51 (fourteen years ago) link
Some details are coming to light about the forthcoming Cardiacs gathering...Looks like it's going to be a full-on benefit gig for Tim, with special guest vocalists and bands to be announced! And it'll be at the Queen Elizabeth Hall on the 25th of September.
― Pheeel, Wednesday, 17 March 2010 22:24 (fourteen years ago) link
am sooooooo gonna be there
― ilxor lookin' boy (acoleuthic), Wednesday, 17 March 2010 22:25 (fourteen years ago) link
same
― Davek (davek_00), Wednesday, 17 March 2010 22:26 (fourteen years ago) link
toldja!
and yes, I'll be there too. a friend of mine is playing this. should be ace!
― m the g, Wednesday, 17 March 2010 22:27 (fourteen years ago) link
Patton's on board, so I've heard
― You Weaked It! (MaresNest), Wednesday, 17 March 2010 23:30 (fourteen years ago) link
I 'eard that rumour. most exciting.
― m the g, Wednesday, 17 March 2010 23:37 (fourteen years ago) link
So I managed to track down a copy of Sing to God, it's amazingly consistent for a double album. Dirty Boy is just incredible it might just edge out RES as my favourite song of theirs. I remember my brother having the Bellyeye single and playing it to death, I think the B-side No Gold was the first song I really like of theirs.
My collection now consists of...A Little Man & a House Cardiacs LiveOn Land & In the SeaThe SeasideSing to God (Parts 1 & 2)
All great albums, I think Songs For Ships & Irons is next on my list.
― Kitchen Person, Friday, 9 April 2010 10:21 (thirteen years ago) link
good, innit?
funny how virtually everyone latches onto 'dirty boy' as the obvious STG highlight.
don't get me wrong, I like it lots in its monolithic way, but for me it's nowhere near the same level as 'fiery gun hand', 'a horse's tail', 'eat it up worms hero', 'bell clinks', etc. I guess I like cardiacs best when they're as fast and hard and wiggly as possible.
― m the g, Friday, 9 April 2010 11:17 (thirteen years ago) link
It's that last two minutes that really make Dirty Boy amazing, It's really intense and sounds like it could just keep on going.
All the ones you mentioned are great too. I like how it has a big mix of all the different Cardiacs styles like the fast and wiggly (great way of putting it) but then there's some of their biggest pop moments too like Manhoo or Odd Even.
It might be my favourite album I've heard of theirs so far.
― Kitchen Person, Friday, 9 April 2010 12:26 (thirteen years ago) link
I acquired recently all the albums I didn't have, so The Obvious Identity, Toy World, The Seaside, Songs For Ships And Irons and the Sea Nymphs album will be 'chewn' through (as it were)!
Actually, I've already had at the Sea Nymphs several times, because it's amazing. Lilly White's Party especially.
Kitchen Person, you will love Guns, but you shouldn't ignore Heaven Born And Ever Bright.
― forgive me fada (acoleuthic), Friday, 9 April 2010 13:09 (thirteen years ago) link
Yeah get Guns and the Ditzy Scene single.
― Davek (davek_00), Friday, 9 April 2010 13:28 (thirteen years ago) link
Oh yeah, get the Ditzy Scene single if you can! It's quite hard to, but do try! Scarcely has a 30 year-old band sounded so vital...
― forgive me fada (acoleuthic), Friday, 9 April 2010 13:39 (thirteen years ago) link
It's even hard to do online...scarce on the most comprehensive torrent sites.
― Davek (davek_00), Friday, 9 April 2010 13:58 (thirteen years ago) link
I've actually lost my copy with a change of computer so if someone wants to be CHARITABLE
― forgive me fada (acoleuthic), Friday, 9 April 2010 14:00 (thirteen years ago) link
xpost sorry dude I've only heard it from Youtube streams.
Also, I'm back into The Fall. Slates and Hex did the trick.
― Davek (davek_00), Friday, 9 April 2010 14:03 (thirteen years ago) link
BOOM
― forgive me fada (acoleuthic), Friday, 9 April 2010 14:07 (thirteen years ago) link
one of us etc
― Davek (davek_00), Friday, 9 April 2010 14:08 (thirteen years ago) link
Where next in the 'moulding him in my image' quest...VdGG?
― forgive me fada (acoleuthic), Friday, 9 April 2010 14:09 (thirteen years ago) link
gimme time, I gotta write on Eliot + Swift + Toni Morrison this holiday.
― Davek (davek_00), Friday, 9 April 2010 14:11 (thirteen years ago) link
snob + joeks bruv + emancipation
― forgive me fada (acoleuthic), Friday, 9 April 2010 14:13 (thirteen years ago) link
― forgive me fada (acoleuthic), Friday, April 9, 2010 1:09 PM (1 hour ago) Bookmark
How did you manage to track all those down? I'm actually pretty fed up of searching for their stuff, I do at least 3 Ebay searches a day.
Heaven Born & Ever Bright, Guns and Song's For Ships & irons are the ones on my list to get. The Sea Nymphs album is just about impossible to get but I would love to own that one day.
― Kitchen Person, Friday, 9 April 2010 14:44 (thirteen years ago) link
They were acquired through stealth, and having a brother who has a d3m0n01d account
― forgive me fada (acoleuthic), Friday, 9 April 2010 14:47 (thirteen years ago) link
Are there any places that you'd recommend trying to find their albums apart from the usual Amazon, Ebay, Netsounds? I sometimes look at their website in hope they will have their albums back in stock but I know it's a long shot.
I guess I should be grateful I have managed to find as many as I have.
― Kitchen Person, Friday, 9 April 2010 15:28 (thirteen years ago) link
Well, if you're not averse to itunes, the entire back catalogue is on there. Sadly, that's pretty much the only way the band are going to see any revenue at this point.
― Pheeel, Friday, 9 April 2010 19:27 (thirteen years ago) link
The Spratley's Japs album is amazing too!
― You Weaked It! (MaresNest), Saturday, 10 April 2010 12:41 (thirteen years ago) link
Gah, looks like the benefit is off. One or more of the "big names" can't make it, so it's all fallen apart. Should've known it was too good to be true.
― Pheeel, Thursday, 15 April 2010 00:41 (thirteen years ago) link
wait, what? that's no reason to call a Cardiacs benefit off! Who's in charge? I know some "big names" that would be more than happy to benefit Tim Smith and the Cardiacs!
― Dominique, Thursday, 15 April 2010 01:05 (thirteen years ago) link
^^^get this guy and Max Tundra involved IMO
― maybe rabbits feel the need to play up their 'lynchian' qualities (acoleuthic), Thursday, 15 April 2010 01:06 (thirteen years ago) link
noooooooo!
― m the g, Thursday, 15 April 2010 10:25 (thirteen years ago) link
X-Post I'd be interested to know who.
― You Weaked It! (MaresNest), Thursday, 15 April 2010 12:41 (thirteen years ago) link
http://thequietus.com/articles/04192-why-a-heart-attack-must-not-arrest-the-cardiacs
― m the g, Tuesday, 4 May 2010 11:01 (thirteen years ago) link
^^^great article!!
The Sea Nymphs album is rapidly, rapidly attaining godlike status with me. It's possibly as good as HBAEB, maybe even better
― coalition to me (acoleuthic), Monday, 10 May 2010 01:51 (thirteen years ago) link
Have you the Spratleys Japs record?
― double shyamalan (MaresNest), Monday, 10 May 2010 07:08 (thirteen years ago) link
I really need to start exploring these offshoots... all I have is the 'affectionate friends' comp.
― m the g, Monday, 10 May 2010 10:23 (thirteen years ago) link
SJ is practically STG Disc 3, you want it!
― double shyamalan (MaresNest), Monday, 10 May 2010 13:01 (thirteen years ago) link
Sea Nymphs is
I don't know how lovely
but THIS, truly, is the album which if everyone in the world heard, they would love. Of that I am certain. There's absolutely nothing that could put anyone off except his voice and we're all grown-ups who can overlook voices, right?
If I were to re-run that 90s poll, this album would be getting points. From me.
Astounding.
I must hear Spratley's Japs.
― coalition to me (acoleuthic), Friday, 14 May 2010 15:07 (thirteen years ago) link
I love it when a plan etc.....
― double shyamalan (MaresNest), Friday, 14 May 2010 16:30 (thirteen years ago) link
It's so frustrating that there's a whole load of Sea Nymphs material which is the equal(if not better) of that album that has never seen the light of day, except for on live bootlegs and that one Peel Session. Enough for at least two more albums, apparently.
Apart from that, there's only the early cassette album Mr & Mrs Smith & Mr Drake, which is rather more lo-fi, but has a kind of eerie timelessness about it that the later more polished stuff lacks.
― Pheeel, Friday, 14 May 2010 16:32 (thirteen years ago) link
would say the SN album is nothing if not completely timeless tbh
― coalition to me (acoleuthic), Friday, 14 May 2010 16:34 (thirteen years ago) link
This has just reminded me that I have a decent rip of the SN peel session on a DAT tape of all things, I must dig that out.
― double shyamalan (MaresNest), Friday, 14 May 2010 16:37 (thirteen years ago) link
http://mutant-sounds.blogspot.com/2010/03/spratleys-japs-hazel-cd-ep-1999-uk.html
― double shyamalan (MaresNest), Monday, 17 May 2010 12:25 (thirteen years ago) link
So 'Pony' is still in stock? Might get me a copy...
(btw I bumped the Cardiacsy thread for Knifeworld earlier. Some decent bass on that album) ;-)
― coalition to me (acoleuthic), Monday, 17 May 2010 12:34 (thirteen years ago) link
Oh hey, I noticed, to be honest it was so damn long ago (maybe 6 years or more) that I recorded anything for Kavus I can't honestly remember what I did, I know it was only a few tracks, maybe 3 or 4. I didn't think he'd even use any of it because at the time, the tracks were pretty skeletal. So the decent bass is most likely Craig or Kavus :)
― double shyamalan (MaresNest), Monday, 17 May 2010 12:45 (thirteen years ago) link
Oh wait so that album's been in the making for a while? He did all that Authority stuff even after beginning Knifeworld?
― coalition to me (acoleuthic), Monday, 17 May 2010 12:48 (thirteen years ago) link
Yep, it's his magnificent octopus
― double shyamalan (MaresNest), Monday, 17 May 2010 12:53 (thirteen years ago) link
except he says there's another one out soon as well, maybe it's a two-part octopus
'Me To The Future Of You' is his Dirty Boy, though; that's pretty much beyond any doubt
― coalition to me (acoleuthic), Monday, 17 May 2010 12:54 (thirteen years ago) link
Out soon...
― double shyamalan (MaresNest), Monday, 17 May 2010 12:57 (thirteen years ago) link
so glad I didn't use all 25 nominations for the 05-09 poll, just sayin'
― coalition to me (acoleuthic), Monday, 17 May 2010 13:00 (thirteen years ago) link
More on this soon, but
'Fanny' by Spratley's Japs is one of the best songs ever
― always changing, always the same (acoleuthic), Saturday, 5 June 2010 02:24 (thirteen years ago) link
Kavus has confirmed in a podcast interview that Cardiacs won't be playing live again. Not really a surprise given the apparent seriousness of Tim's condition, but still sad to hear it nonetheless. He did also mention the benefit album will probably be out by the end of the year.
― Pheeel, Tuesday, 17 August 2010 11:57 (thirteen years ago) link
ah well. tim's got a better excuse than andy partridge i guess
still hoping tim recovers, and recovers sufficiently to finish mixing LSD - but more that he recovers, really
― acoleuthic, Tuesday, 17 August 2010 12:01 (thirteen years ago) link
― always changing, always the same (acoleuthic), Saturday, 5 June 2010 03:24 (2 months ago)
loverocksunanthem
possibly my favourite song now
it's just too much, too good. it's what my head looks like on the inside.
cannot begin to convey how it makes me feel, and how it aligns with my best feelings
― acoleuthic, Wednesday, 25 August 2010 00:51 (thirteen years ago) link
Info on the tribute album here, available for pre-order : http://www.thegenepool.co.uk/items/597.htm
― Portnoy Leaves Dream Theater (Matt #2), Friday, 22 October 2010 15:34 (thirteen years ago) link
Andy Partridge!
― 17th Century Catholic Spain (Abbbottt), Friday, 22 October 2010 15:35 (thirteen years ago) link
The blurb say Tim is still in hospital over two years since his stroke :-(
― Deluxe Merseybeat Wig (Jack Battery-Pack), Friday, 22 October 2010 17:59 (thirteen years ago) link
WE WILL PRAISE HIM
― acoleuthic, Friday, 22 October 2010 18:00 (thirteen years ago) link
I'm really interested to hear which song Ultrasound cover, I recently got a copy of The Sea Nymphs album which I remember their lead singer Tiny praising in the NME back in the day.
― Kitchen Person, Friday, 22 October 2010 19:28 (thirteen years ago) link
aargh i want to preorder but don't know what my address will be when this ships! what a lame conundrum
― sleepingbag, Friday, 22 October 2010 19:41 (thirteen years ago) link
+ i don't trust my building's office to forward anything to me after i move because i've brought them previous tennant's mail before and the girl at the office there threw it out in front of me!
― sleepingbag, Friday, 22 October 2010 19:46 (thirteen years ago) link
Got it today, psyched!
― philippe is standing on it (MaresNest), Wednesday, 22 December 2010 23:49 (thirteen years ago) link
It's not on Gracenote yet, boo!
Any word on Tim's condition? It's been such a long time...just realized that Guns is going to be 12 years old :()
― frogbs, Thursday, 3 February 2011 20:06 (thirteen years ago) link
Well sadly, he's still in an extremely dependant state. The record they were working on before Tim's attack (LSD) will likely remain unreleased because his vocals had yet to be added.
Did you know about this frogbs?
http://www.thegenepool.co.uk/items/597.htm
It's pretty great in the main and all proceeds go directly to Tim.
― philippe is standing on it (MaresNest), Thursday, 3 February 2011 21:52 (thirteen years ago) link
I'm working w/Moe Staiano (ex Sleepytime Gorilla Museum percussionist) on a Tim Smith benefit in San Francisco for May. Several bands who want to cover Cardiacs will play (and if your band is in the bay and wants to play, let me know)
― Dominique, Thursday, 3 February 2011 21:58 (thirteen years ago) link
sometimes, every now and then, I wish I lived in the uk america
― Dominique, Wednesday, 31 October 2007 02:55 (3 years ago)
also I need to get my mitts on that album - my bank account has been empty since I got my ticket to NZ so as soon as I'm next paid that thing is en route chez moi. refuse point-blank to d/l it without paying.
Although if you could titillate me with some descriptions, MN... :P
― acoleuthic, Thursday, 3 February 2011 22:14 (thirteen years ago) link
Wow MaresNest really is our source on the ground...but it's still very sad to hear of his state of course.
Supposedly Tundra covers Will Bleed Amen. Prepare yr ears :p
― Davek (davek_00), Thursday, 3 February 2011 22:18 (thirteen years ago) link
that is the single thing I am most looking forward to tbh
― acoleuthic, Thursday, 3 February 2011 22:21 (thirteen years ago) link
DUH-DUH-DUH-DUH-DUH-DUH-DUH-DUH-DUH-DUH-DUH-DUH-DUH-BAB-BA-BA-DAH-DUH-DUH
I think those Duhs match up with the Will Bleed Amen riff...maybe..possibly...
Loved a lot of 2010 music, but this makes the '10 ILM poll look just feeble.
― Davek (davek_00), Thursday, 3 February 2011 22:23 (thirteen years ago) link
ah man I am trying to imagine an alternate ILX reality where Guns is released in our messageboard's lifetime, and its subsequent appearance in the year-end poll
― acoleuthic, Thursday, 3 February 2011 22:25 (thirteen years ago) link
hell, Sing To God
Well for one, The North Sea Radio Orchestra do a version of March which is one of my favourites and NSRO are beyond awesome.
And here is a mild derail to prove it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tR6axzyFX-k
― philippe is standing on it (MaresNest), Thursday, 3 February 2011 22:25 (thirteen years ago) link
44 Cardiacs - Sing To God (Parts 1 and 2) 348 points, 7 votes, 6 first-place votes
ooooooh! will listen now :) p.s. on that 'discoveries of 2010' thread I concur w/ you about P-Model
― acoleuthic, Thursday, 3 February 2011 22:27 (thirteen years ago) link
Oh yes, thanks fot that frogbs and for taking the time to answer!
― philippe is standing on it (MaresNest), Thursday, 3 February 2011 22:29 (thirteen years ago) link
Lex (not having any past knowledge): ooh who're this Cardaics band? (Lex would phrase it better than that)
But they're our little secret, and that's better than horrid ubiquity.
― Davek (davek_00), Thursday, 3 February 2011 22:31 (thirteen years ago) link
The comp is pretty excellent throughout, the only clunker is Jullianne Regan's phoned in version of a Sea Nymphs track.
Additionally there was a bonus cd of even more covers that might still be available too, or may be a download only thing, but it's pretty high standard.
― philippe is standing on it (MaresNest), Thursday, 3 February 2011 22:32 (thirteen years ago) link
Lex attempting to listen to Cardiacs would be the best thing ever, especially if we started him on The Sea Nymphs and he declared it awesome, wanting to know more...
...then, BAM, The Duck And Roger The Horse. KO.
I don't think it'd be horrid if Cardiacs were ubiquitous, but they're not going to achieve such a thing (at the moment, I think they have a very bright critical future however). I proselytise them whenever possible! It is nice to have a posse of people as passionate about them as I am. Hence my projected votes-breakdown :P
The bonus CD opens with Silvery <3 and I intend to get hold of it too!
― acoleuthic, Thursday, 3 February 2011 22:34 (thirteen years ago) link
xpI wanna hear Radiohead in triple-guitar mode tear through Signs (and I don't even like Radiohead these days).
Or The-Dream cover 'Eden in the Air', with harmonised auto-tuned backup!
― Davek (davek_00), Thursday, 3 February 2011 22:35 (thirteen years ago) link
ah man, now I really could post all night
― acoleuthic, Thursday, 3 February 2011 22:36 (thirteen years ago) link
Well sadly, he's still in an extremely dependant state. The record they were working on before Tim's attack (LSD) will likely remain unreleased because his vocals had yet to be added.Did you know about this frogbs?http://www.thegenepool.co.uk/items/597.htmIt's pretty great in the main and all proceeds go directly to Tim.
Yeah. I bought it; haven't heard whether its very good or not (I honestly cannot imagine how you cover this band) but I haven't bought any other Cardiacs discs because I haven't found any 'official' release (as they generally fetch > $100 on amazon and ebay), so its the least I could do. I've dealt with the death of some of my musical heroes (Klaus Dinger especially stung) but the thought of Tim Smith being incapacitated is just killing me.
If ilx ever did a year end poll for 1995, Sing to God would have to be #1; it's my pick for best album of all-time
― frogbs, Thursday, 3 February 2011 22:37 (thirteen years ago) link
Eden In The Air given a psych-RnB makeover would be INSANE
frogbs, we do not appear to have met much, and yet we are curiously in agreement on a number of important topics!
― acoleuthic, Thursday, 3 February 2011 22:37 (thirteen years ago) link
A few of the covers from the comp are on YouTube.
Oh and has anyone seen these guys? Gilliam.
An Israeli band playing really great, faintly Klezmerish versions of Cardiacs songs gawd bless 'em.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exVrxNuMeOE
― philippe is standing on it (MaresNest), Thursday, 3 February 2011 22:39 (thirteen years ago) link
p.s. on that 'discoveries of 2010' thread I concur w/ you about P-Model
i really ought to start a thread for them...
― frogbs, Thursday, 3 February 2011 22:39 (thirteen years ago) link
xp hehheh. Saying that, one important element of being into Cardiacs (+parts of the family) for me was being quite measured in my listening; not burning myself out on the frenzied amazingness. They are too intense or concentration-dependent to burn out on - your brain says 'enough' - unlike XTC who I'm on a huge break from. But that's just me..
― Davek (davek_00), Thursday, 3 February 2011 22:40 (thirteen years ago) link
I remember we've had some discussion like this before, with you favouring this continued exposure..for me, they are a treat, like a bottle of champagne.
― Davek (davek_00), Thursday, 3 February 2011 22:42 (thirteen years ago) link
NSRO were lovely, MORE MORE MORE (I'll have a little snuffle around) and now yeah that cover calls...
btw, THE MAGIC OF POLLZ FREEFORM 1990's ALTERNATIVE ALBUM POLL - THE RECKONING (TOP TEN COUNTING DOWN NOW)
Cardiacs are a kinda go-to for me - I rarely go 2 or 3 days without a fix. Recently I've been mad discovering other shit. Hasn't stopped me, of course. Complete listens-through are a rare and delightful treat, of course :)
― acoleuthic, Thursday, 3 February 2011 22:44 (thirteen years ago) link
StG your #1 all time too?? That album was like my destiny. I discovered Cardiacs by accident!! Someone sent me a tune and I completely forgot about it, but listened to "Captain Lou Albano's History of Music" (love this tune) and next up was "Cardiacs - In a City Lining". I think like 3 minutes in I had this feeling of, whoaaaa, this is going to be one of your new favorite bands. After hearing the first two albums and reading all about StG I had a strong feeling that it could become my favorite album of all time. I remember giving it that first listen, getting to "Dirty Boy" and cranking it up so loud it made my ears ring for a good half hour after.
― frogbs, Thursday, 3 February 2011 22:45 (thirteen years ago) link
Big <3in in this thread! Dirty Boy is one of the few pieces of music that makes me actually feel *faint*. It's so overpowering, nothing can follow it. It absorbs (most) rock music.
― Davek (davek_00), Thursday, 3 February 2011 22:48 (thirteen years ago) link
Oh, I knew StG was going to be my favourite album ever before I heard it. This didn't even remotely prepare me for how good it actually is, of course. I discovered them (well, I'd seen their name in some Oceansize liner notes and thought nothing of it) here: Forgotten 90's alternative rock masterpieces WANTED
^^^third post, as if 'everything' had been waiting for me to start the thread
This RES cover is doooope!
Have previously described 'Dirty Boy' as my favourite song ever. Have since downgraded it to 'joint first' alongside 'Moon In June' by Soft Machine and 'Fanny' by Cardiacs-in-all-but-name Spratley's Japs.
― acoleuthic, Thursday, 3 February 2011 22:50 (thirteen years ago) link
Also, this is freaking immense.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pf-bLAppC4
― philippe is standing on it (MaresNest), Thursday, 3 February 2011 22:51 (thirteen years ago) link
If we were to poll StG I'd probably vote Flap Off You Beak, however, for being joy itself
oh my word they do All His Geese Are Swans oh my word
― acoleuthic, Thursday, 3 February 2011 22:51 (thirteen years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Sq0nTW6RpE
― philippe is standing on it (MaresNest), Thursday, 3 February 2011 22:53 (thirteen years ago) link
^^^have already heard that, dude's a Cardiacs forum regular. and yeah it's absolutely incredible, last 3 minutes especially
― acoleuthic, Thursday, 3 February 2011 22:54 (thirteen years ago) link
covering Dirty Boy on an acoustic guitar I mean hell Mahler on a piccolo but it WORKS
― acoleuthic, Thursday, 3 February 2011 22:56 (thirteen years ago) link
Dirty Boy is one of the few pieces of music that makes me actually feel *faint*. It's so overpowering, nothing can follow it. It absorbs (most) rock music.
I totally get this. I almost wish they made it the last song on the album (no disrespect to "Foundling" which is also great); you can't really follow it up with anything.
Oh, I knew StG was going to be my favourite album ever before I heard it. This didn't even remotely prepare me for how good it actually is, of course.
Had to have a glance at the tracklist again - can't believe how many top quality tunes there are on this thing. Stuff like "Bellyeye", "Horse's Tail", "Insect Hoofs on Lassie", "Bell Clinks", "Red Fire", "Foundling"...none of those even make up my top 5 on this album but they would be highlights on practically any other album.
― frogbs, Thursday, 3 February 2011 22:56 (thirteen years ago) link
I almost wish they made it the last song on the album (no disrespect to "Foundling" which is also great); you can't really follow it up with anything
I make it the opening track on every Cardiacs compilation I've ever created. Instead of ending everything (the universe, time, life etc), for me it comes outta the gate saying 'there's other music, then there's this, if you liked that here's some more awesome stuff'. I generally follow it up with Anything I Can't Eat which is so delirious it really doesn't care if it's following up The Almighty itself :D
and yeah, 'Billion' is a perfect, unassuming follow-up. So like Tim Smith to pull that kinda move - and so fitting too :)
As I've said elsewhere on this thread, Foundling is one of the comparatively weakest tracks, but it's also the only one that absolutely, definitively sounds like a closer, so it's a perfect fit for me. Although my favourite Cardiacs closer is still Snakes-A-Sleeping, my fucking god...
― acoleuthic, Thursday, 3 February 2011 23:01 (thirteen years ago) link
I have gone through phases of calling OLAITS and Guns joint #1 album evah, btw. Right now I think it goes StG, Pony, Guns, OLAITS. Then all other music ever made.
― acoleuthic, Thursday, 3 February 2011 23:03 (thirteen years ago) link
Dirty Boy IS however either opening or closing track. It cannot possibly be anything else. The same thing, from two perspectives. :)
― acoleuthic, Thursday, 3 February 2011 23:07 (thirteen years ago) link
The quality of both tribute CDs is really high thankfully, only a couple of duff tracks to my ears. I really love The Gasman's glitch-pop reworking of Gloomy News, and Knifeworld doing The Stench Of Honey is splendid.
Anyway, don't know if I should be sharing this link, but here's a handful of tracks that didn't make either disc, including a splendidly ramshackle version of The Duck & Roger The Horse.http://www.genepoolrecords.com/TIMSMITH/
― Pheeel, Thursday, 3 February 2011 23:21 (thirteen years ago) link
Ooooh! Who by?
― acoleuthic, Thursday, 3 February 2011 23:23 (thirteen years ago) link
Steven Evens & The Gilchrist Family Band - Duck & RogerLocal Girls - Odd EvenHam Legion - Dead Mouse
― Pheeel, Thursday, 3 February 2011 23:26 (thirteen years ago) link
thanks :)
― acoleuthic, Thursday, 3 February 2011 23:37 (thirteen years ago) link
― acoleuthic, Thursday, February 3, 2011 10:50 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark
finally heard the spratleys japs album for the first time today. just beautiful. and 'fanny' was certainly one highlight among many.
I've always believed STG to be my favourite cardiacs album, but I'm obsessively thrashing ALMAAHATHWW on a daily basis here... the latter half of 'breakfast line' has wrapped itself around my brain like a serpent made of glass. or something.
― m the g, Friday, 4 February 2011 00:10 (thirteen years ago) link
This is my current Cardiacs CD-80, btw -
Dirty Boy 8:55 Anything I Can't Eat 3:25 Dog-Like Sparky 4:54 Fiery Gun Hand 5:13 The Duck And Roger The Horse 3:57 Fanny 6:23 Jitterbug (junior is a) 7:31 Two Bites Of Cherry 3:20 Come Back Clammy Lammy 4:07Flap Off You Beak 3:45 Buds And Spawn 6:46 Core 2:32 R.E.S. 5:16 Signs 4:26 Snakes-A-Sleeping 8:25
(78:46)
ALM... is awesome but for me it's just the beginning. There's a STRONG case for replacing Fiery Gun Hand with In A City Lining in my CD-80 but I just...can't do it. You're right that the album is superb, almost from start to finish (I can't really get with Is This The Life - I'm Eating In Bed forever!) and that its sheer heart is something wondrous to behold.
Pony is next-level music. I'm convinced his 'shadow band' were a group of wandering angels. 'Oh' and 'Flash The Sea...' and 'Vine' especially are brainblowers, but yeah 'Fanny' is *perfection*
― acoleuthic, Friday, 4 February 2011 00:21 (thirteen years ago) link
these dudes did 'like a g6' rite
― *kl0p* (deej), Friday, 4 February 2011 00:37 (thirteen years ago) link
Only track I'd definitely find a way to add is "All Spectacular"; its pure magic
This thread is good for reminding me to check out Spratley's Japs...I don't remember what the Cardiacs connection is exactly but I hear them mentioned a lot whenever they pop up...
― frogbs, Friday, 4 February 2011 00:40 (thirteen years ago) link
My list:
1. StG2. On Land/A Little Man (tie...can't figure out which is better)3. Guns4. Songs for Ships & Irons5. Heaven Born & Ever Bright - could be higher but I don't like the mastering; there is just no bass level at all...songs are great though
― frogbs, Friday, 4 February 2011 00:41 (thirteen years ago) link
There was a piece about Tim in yesterday's Guardian, but I should warn you it's quite upsetting to read. Poor, poor guy.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/feb/03/cardiacs-tim-smith-stroke-tribute-album
― Pheeel, Friday, 4 February 2011 00:51 (thirteen years ago) link
Made concurrently with Guns. Comprises Tim and his girlfriend Joanne Spratley and some of their mates and a broken-down mellotron in the New Forest. Is *fucking amazing*, slightly different vibe to Cardiacs (more...rootsy? Nah, that's not it. More mossy) but obviously the same songwriter.
Thanks for that piece, will read now...
― acoleuthic, Friday, 4 February 2011 00:57 (thirteen years ago) link
is it bad that my first reaction is 'haaaa, J Spratley is now dating Bic Hayes'? oh you bedhopping psychpoppers...
― acoleuthic, Friday, 4 February 2011 00:59 (thirteen years ago) link
The thing about Spratleys was, if you believe the rumours, the band was just Jo & Tim, the others didn't really exist! It really was inspired by a malfunctioning mellotron, though.
― Pheeel, Friday, 4 February 2011 01:00 (thirteen years ago) link
Cheers for the Guardian piece...about to read now.
― Davek (davek_00), Friday, 4 February 2011 01:03 (thirteen years ago) link
(but yeah, horrible that this shit can happen to anyone.)
That is my new favourite musical rumour. Makes the album all the sweeter if so. A secret shared by a couple. A whispered murmur of affection in sky-vaulting, earthy space-pop. <3
I like to think they found some fauns in the New Forest and got them playing drums and guitar tho
― acoleuthic, Friday, 4 February 2011 01:03 (thirteen years ago) link
Did any of you guys see the 08 Roundhouse shows? I was there on the Friday (can't quite recall) and it was certainly some kind of London Experimental Rock ground zero.
― Davek (davek_00), Friday, 4 February 2011 01:04 (thirteen years ago) link
am gonna guess that Chrome Hoof did their thang
wasn't there, wish I had been
― acoleuthic, Friday, 4 February 2011 01:05 (thirteen years ago) link
You Made Me Realise - beyond any legend you've heard.
― Davek (davek_00), Friday, 4 February 2011 01:07 (thirteen years ago) link
Support was a pretty shrug set from Sonic Boom.
I like the fact that Tim Smith experienced that in his last minutes of full sentience, horrible as what happened subsequently was
(am not talking about Sonic Boom, haha)
REALLY wish I'd been there now. Kevin Shields in his own quiet (lol) way is a dude who can be spoken of in the same breath as our Tim :P
― acoleuthic, Friday, 4 February 2011 01:10 (thirteen years ago) link
otm, I like to believe that Dirty Boy harnesses some of its dense, elemental power from Loveless.
I can't really respond to the horrible aftermath...it's just one of these unexplainably tragic things. And I remember you met him (do I remember this right?)
― Davek (davek_00), Friday, 4 February 2011 01:13 (thirteen years ago) link
You do! We exchanged a few brief and affectionate words. Yeah, alright, I was completely overcome. He's probably used to it. :)
― acoleuthic, Friday, 4 February 2011 01:27 (thirteen years ago) link
It doesn't look like his condition is good...I don't know anything about strokes, but is it possible he may never recover from this?
― frogbs, Friday, 4 February 2011 14:45 (thirteen years ago) link
Yeah, I was listening to an interview with Kavus Torabi recently(ish) and what K said sounded pretty bleak too :(
I haven't bought any other Cardiacs discs because I haven't found any 'official' release (as they generally fetch > $100 on amazon and ebay),
I am super-glad I got to see Cardiacs now, my one and only Cardiacs gig on their first set of dates outside London for many years and now looking all too likely to be their last, but my one regret of the evening is that the merch desk had many copies of CDs I thought were out of print (also t-shirts) and such a massive, chatty merch queue I had to give up and get my public transport home - I have some of them but owning most of the 80s stuff is a distant, crazy dream
To my shame I preordered the tribute CD and haven't yet made it to the bonus disc despite it having the lovely Gasman on, so this thread is a good reminder to put that on
― cellular nekomata (a passing spacecadet), Friday, 4 February 2011 21:27 (thirteen years ago) link
I remember planning with an online buddy seriously planning to fly out to the UK with the sole purpose of seeing them; I really wanted to do it but ultimately decided it wasn't worth it. I regret that now.
― frogbs, Friday, 4 February 2011 21:56 (thirteen years ago) link
Live recording gone up on D1m3ad0z3n, one I've never heard before, Whitelands College '85 and it's a soundboard too!
― philippe is standing on it (MaresNest), Sunday, 6 February 2011 11:59 (thirteen years ago) link
Gorgeous cover of "Stoneage Dinosaurs" on the tribute CD. And per comments upthread, the standard is generally really high - special love for the Max Tundra track too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPszC-lYHT4
― Bill A, Wednesday, 9 February 2011 13:07 (thirteen years ago) link
A little disappointed in SW doing the Cardiacs song that's most like a Porcupine Tree or No-Man song, considering his wherewithal he could have attempted a more interesting track, it is good tho'
― philippe is standing on it (MaresNest), Wednesday, 9 February 2011 13:32 (thirteen years ago) link
I think quite a lot of the choices are pretty safe tbh. Not many people taking on the really out-there stuff. Can't grouse though, they're still covering great music, plus I need to actually hear it!
― acoleuthic, Wednesday, 9 February 2011 13:38 (thirteen years ago) link
xp this gig upthread is pretty good LJ, want it?
― philippe is standing on it (MaresNest), Wednesday, 9 February 2011 14:05 (thirteen years ago) link
yah totes, send it my way! :)
― acoleuthic, Wednesday, 9 February 2011 14:07 (thirteen years ago) link
Sent you a dropbox link, will stick it in there for you sometime later on.
― philippe is standing on it (MaresNest), Wednesday, 9 February 2011 14:15 (thirteen years ago) link
cooool ty
― acoleuthic, Wednesday, 9 February 2011 14:19 (thirteen years ago) link
Also I chanced across this blog, pretty good related selection.http://hidingbehindtheshed.blogspot.com/2010/07/cardiacs-radio-sessions.html
― philippe is standing on it (MaresNest), Wednesday, 9 February 2011 14:33 (thirteen years ago) link
I'm oddly excited for this though tribute albums are usually awful. The last one I listened to was a tribute to ELP and the band(s) covering them were way over their head, muffing pretty much all the tricky parts and completely losing everything that was ever good about the music. Somehow I can picture a Cardiacs one going the exact same way. On the other hand actually attempting to cover one of their tunes has got to be a labor of love considering it'll only get heard by part of an already small pool of fans. I heard someone try to cover "Fiery Gun Hand" and it was pretty bad though in his defense he really seemed to give it everything; you really have to like, train in order to play like that.
― frogbs, Wednesday, 9 February 2011 14:36 (thirteen years ago) link
I think quite a lot of the choices are pretty safe tbh.
true, but there is a very good reason for this. many cardiacs tunes are beyond the capability of mere mortals. the compilation is still fantastic though.
probably not news to anyone, but I found this blog last night with some great radio sessions for download:
http://hidingbehindtheshed.blogspot.com/search/label/Cardiacs
and, apropos of nothing, I'm obsessed with this clip at the moment:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-g1R3hOUeY
― m the g, Wednesday, 9 February 2011 18:22 (thirteen years ago) link
hey guys guess what I came across on my web traversings the other day? http://hidingbehindtheshed.blogspot.com/2010/07/cardiacs-radio-sessions.html
;-)
I saw that tour. That riff indeed slew it. BTW I can now get the tribute CD so watch this space...
― acoleuthic, Wednesday, 9 February 2011 18:27 (thirteen years ago) link
agh, how'd I miss that? never mind.
― m the g, Wednesday, 9 February 2011 18:33 (thirteen years ago) link
you know the original, right?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjJ1B-Bii_c
not until now!
― acoleuthic, Wednesday, 9 February 2011 18:36 (thirteen years ago) link
man alive!
seek also the boredoms remix of this tune.
― m the g, Wednesday, 9 February 2011 18:41 (thirteen years ago) link
that was pretty cosmic
ok got loads of work to do :/ but will follow this up :) boredoms remix sounds juicy
― acoleuthic, Wednesday, 9 February 2011 18:44 (thirteen years ago) link
where do you find the boredoms remix??? i mean this is practically a boredoms tune as it is
― frogbs, Thursday, 10 February 2011 01:52 (thirteen years ago) link
didn't know that about tim smith. my grandad had a stroke, and the correct physiotherapy and treatment makes all the difference. hope he can get the help he needs :(
― http://i56.tinypic.com/xnsu1g.gif (max arrrrrgh), Thursday, 10 February 2011 01:54 (thirteen years ago) link
LJ, concert uploading for ya
― philippe is standing on it (MaresNest), Thursday, 10 February 2011 02:00 (thirteen years ago) link
Thanks!
BTW, have heard both NSRO albums now. They're *lovely*. 'Mimnermus In Church' is especially wondrous
― acoleuthic, Thursday, 10 February 2011 02:08 (thirteen years ago) link
The Arch Garrison record is on Spotify I found out today.
― philippe is standing on it (MaresNest), Thursday, 10 February 2011 02:11 (thirteen years ago) link
Finally got the tribute album; in general I agree that it's probably one of the best tribute albums I've ever heard (which is a hell of a backhanded compliment) and I'm actually pretty thankful that the artists generally focused on the simpler stuff. The Max Tundra remix/cover was really good. Actually the tribute basically just made me want to listen to the originals more. I actually got a little emotional when the line "I don't really want to go into work tomorrow/the boss will tell me off for leaving early yesterday" came on I got a little emotional (no idea why it was on THAT line, but whatever). Get well soon Timmy!!
― frogbs, Monday, 14 February 2011 14:56 (thirteen years ago) link
I noticed last night that the tribute CD has lines of tiny text encircling the inner and outer rims of the CD label which seem to be personal messages from the bands involved. I felt quite choked up reading these in particular:
Beauty + Bravery + Integrity x Soul = Bewitching, Enchanting Genius
*we are so lucky*
*so dear is our lad, so much joy does he bring*
― Bill A, Tuesday, 15 February 2011 12:16 (thirteen years ago) link
browsing a second-hand shop today, discovered, licked and acquired 'On Land and in the Sea' on vinyl.
JOY.
― m the g, Thursday, 17 February 2011 17:48 (thirteen years ago) link
:-)
― Christine Green Leafy Dragon Indigo, Saturday, 19 February 2011 01:33 (thirteen years ago) link
http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/217362_10150172247381827_603271826_6657703_4919196_n.jpg
― Dominique, Friday, 29 April 2011 15:19 (twelve years ago) link
Seeing that and then seeing your post from eight years when you first hear them = the sense of time and discovery!
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 29 April 2011 15:23 (twelve years ago) link
whoa, ilm as scrapbook of my life!
― Dominique, Friday, 29 April 2011 15:27 (twelve years ago) link
Wish I could be there...
I've had a picture of Tim as my FB profile pic for a while now and can't bring myself to change it. I always believed that the internet era would finally allow the Cardiacs to break through. People like me would have never heard of them otherwise.
― frogbs, Friday, 29 April 2011 15:30 (twelve years ago) link
btw, I started a running "cardiacs" countdown on facebook, and if anyone here is interested in penning a blurb of your fave tim smith/cardiacs tune, I'd love to run it as we lead up to the show.
― Dominique, Friday, 29 April 2011 15:33 (twelve years ago) link
Ned reads Cardiacs threads, whodathunkit?
Wish I could be there too and wish something like this would happen in London.
― the crap gig in the sky (MaresNest), Friday, 29 April 2011 17:07 (twelve years ago) link
Dominique, might you record the evening?
― the crap gig in the sky (MaresNest), Friday, 29 April 2011 17:08 (twelve years ago) link
possibly! was talking to my mobile studio friend about it, so hopefully we can make happen
― Dominique, Friday, 29 April 2011 17:13 (twelve years ago) link
Would like to hear it if you do, definitely.
― the crap gig in the sky (MaresNest), Friday, 29 April 2011 17:57 (twelve years ago) link
yopost the link to the fb page
― frogbs, Friday, 29 April 2011 18:00 (twelve years ago) link
righto!
― Dominique, Friday, 29 April 2011 18:08 (twelve years ago) link
There's also this Tim Smith benefit happening on May 7th in Portsmouth, UK :
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=192378400798658
― Gully Foyle is my name (Matt #2), Friday, 29 April 2011 18:13 (twelve years ago) link
Anyone got "The Rising Of The Lights" then? My copy turned up today. It's good! I wish I hadn't downloaded a load of live bootlegs back in '09 though, as it means I've lost some of the novelty of hearing these songs "fresh". Given that some of these tracks date back to when Bill was still in Cardiacs/Sea Nymphs, it's probably the closest we're going to get to new Cardiacs material for a while.
There's new North Sea Radio Orchestra imminent also.
― Pheeel, Thursday, 26 May 2011 00:32 (twelve years ago) link
New NSRO is the best yet!
― total ass retain (MaresNest), Thursday, 26 May 2011 22:10 (twelve years ago) link
gettin into Tim Smith's solo album, it's pretty damn great!! especially the last track.
― frogbs, Monday, 13 June 2011 20:42 (twelve years ago) link
^^^^I need to get this in its entirety, the songs on Youtube are fucking amazing
Speaking of which, I have a gift for you all, if you haven't heard it before. I would give this song 100 out of 100 and a big kiss. I wish there were entire schools of music based around exploring the mysteries of its method, rather than just William D Drake and Craig Fortnam and a few others
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBdJDG0abUY
now if that don't stop yr day where it stands...
― torn between Carl Jenkinson, Scott Walker and Malcolm X (once a week is ample), Thursday, 6 December 2012 14:13 (eleven years ago) link
Kavus responded to a thread on a different board in which someone asked if Timmy's condition had improved:
Same as it has been for a few years, sadly. No signs of improvement but, heroically, he is very content and at peace with himself. I cannot re-state enough that his mind is very much his own and as it has always been. He just no longer has the use of a body that will do any of the things you and I take for granted.He is regularly around music and friends which is where he has always been the most happy.As remarkable and inspiring a man as Tim was before the tragic events of 2008 so he is proving to be afterwards too.His optimism, light and beautiful energy are still dazzling.
I cannot re-state enough that his mind is very much his own and as it has always been. He just no longer has the use of a body that will do any of the things you and I take for granted.
He is regularly around music and friends which is where he has always been the most happy.
As remarkable and inspiring a man as Tim was before the tragic events of 2008 so he is proving to be afterwards too.
His optimism, light and beautiful energy are still dazzling.
Tim receives many letters and testimonials from fans and admirers. I always pass on well wishes and love from everyone when we see each other.Ironically, or perhaps as a result of his tragic accident (everyone loves a story, I suppose) interest in Cardiacs' music is at an all time high.Cardiacs get played fairly regularly on BBC 6Music, many very well written pieces have been published and there has been a swathe of incredible cover versions appearing.After years of being ignored, treated with derision and mocked it seems like the wider world is finally starting to realise what a musical visionary Tim really is.To be fair, the last couple of years the band was active we did notice a massive sea change in concert attendances, interest and critical reception (even after the damning and cruel treatment they meted out in the 90's, the NME were referring to us as 'indie legends' which made Tim laugh), so who knows what would have happened had things carried on.It's not worth thinking about though, it is what it is. Dwelling on stuff like that is the road to madness....
Ironically, or perhaps as a result of his tragic accident (everyone loves a story, I suppose) interest in Cardiacs' music is at an all time high.
Cardiacs get played fairly regularly on BBC 6Music, many very well written pieces have been published and there has been a swathe of incredible cover versions appearing.
After years of being ignored, treated with derision and mocked it seems like the wider world is finally starting to realise what a musical visionary Tim really is.
To be fair, the last couple of years the band was active we did notice a massive sea change in concert attendances, interest and critical reception (even after the damning and cruel treatment they meted out in the 90's, the NME were referring to us as 'indie legends' which made Tim laugh), so who knows what would have happened had things carried on.
It's not worth thinking about though, it is what it is. Dwelling on stuff like that is the road to madness....
(someone asked if he ever considered doing a Cardiacs tribute tour)
Actually this and similar-ish plans have been suggested by a few people over the last four years or so. One idea that we actually seriously looked into was a big gig with all of the last version of the band plus Jon Poole on second guitar, bringing on special guest singers from friends/fans for one or two songs including Mike Patton, Damon Albarn plus a load of the usual suspects closer to home (Claire Lemon, Sharron Fortnam, Ginger, Mike Vennart etc) Realistically this just proved to be a MASSIVE headache. We hashed over details for weeks, even reserved a night at the Royal Festival Hall, planned on showing films/ videos and having bands in the foyer etc. etc.The logistics were just too much for folks like us. It would have been a massive undertaking that we just did not have the funding or resources to properly undertake. Given that the thing was meant as a fundraiser we realised that the whole event would cost far more than it could really raise. Let's remember: Tim and Cardiacs, actual visionary and the blazing music aside, are still very much a cult thing.That's how we happened upon the idea of the tribute album. Again, that almost broke the core 'team' of Bic, Jo Spratley, me and Mark Cawthra. It was far, far more work and temper-fraying stress than we had expected. And thank God it was because the results turned out wonderfully and we managed to raise a fairly substantial sum for Tim from the proceeds.So in terms of touring a 'version' of Cardiacs I don't think it would be right for a number of reasons. Mainly that Cardiacs really is all about Tim. The band has always consisted of his closest friends, people who 'get' and share his vision and obviously musically capable but, nonetheless, when you're onstage performing that stuff, whether he'd admit it or not, HE is the star of the show. It's his vision. His music. It's not only the 'I'm not worthy' thing. I'm not going to be falsely modest, I felt very worthy being guitarist in the band and felt it was completely right to join. I also feel completely at home fronting Knifeworld, which is my music, but to take on that role, that persona...I couldn't do it. Nor could I try to shoehorn my own vibe into it. I know something like that can work with, say, The Magic Band, but as much as I love the music of Captain Beefheart/ Don Van Vliet, and I mean this most sincerely, he ain't no Tim Smith!I think, no matter how good it was, it would always be a second rate version. There's something that would be too difficult for me, and I suspect many of the band, emotionally about doing it too. Cardiacs was so much more than a band. For most of my adult life it, and the people in the wider circle around it, had been a family and a way of life..Hell, a way of BEING. It's been really hard just trying to move on and try to piece together a 'career' with Tim being inactive. Revisiting that without him may well break my heart.Realistically, I just don't think the funding is available to expect a potential touring band to put aside six months of their lives to get this stuff up to snuff and tour it. And believe me, having done that for a few years this is as long as it takes, and that was with the advantage of having Alphabet HQ to live/record/rehearse and work in, which we no longer have. Funnily enough, we all have day jobs/ other groups/ families/ rent/ mortgages etc. There never was any money around Cardiacs. It really all was done for love.Regarding the reissue of the albums:Believe me, EVERYONE in and around the band would dearly love this to happen. I'm sure it will eventually but having spent a great deal of time going through the Dickensian legal labyrinth in which Alphabet is tied up I have walked away, as many others have, a weakened man. It will happen, it HAS to but please let me state that it's not us sitting on our hands, doing nothing that is preventing it.In the meantime I can say that there will be a Songbook 2 of the tribute album. I have my hands completely tied up with recording the new Knifeworld album, rehearsing with Guapo, and a special exciting secret release for the label (Believers Roast) but once I have a shred of spare time the cogs will start to turn on this. We can promise some very interesting contributors!
One idea that we actually seriously looked into was a big gig with all of the last version of the band plus Jon Poole on second guitar, bringing on special guest singers from friends/fans for one or two songs including Mike Patton, Damon Albarn plus a load of the usual suspects closer to home (Claire Lemon, Sharron Fortnam, Ginger, Mike Vennart etc) Realistically this just proved to be a MASSIVE headache. We hashed over details for weeks, even reserved a night at the Royal Festival Hall, planned on showing films/ videos and having bands in the foyer etc. etc.
The logistics were just too much for folks like us. It would have been a massive undertaking that we just did not have the funding or resources to properly undertake. Given that the thing was meant as a fundraiser we realised that the whole event would cost far more than it could really raise. Let's remember: Tim and Cardiacs, actual visionary and the blazing music aside, are still very much a cult thing.
That's how we happened upon the idea of the tribute album. Again, that almost broke the core 'team' of Bic, Jo Spratley, me and Mark Cawthra. It was far, far more work and temper-fraying stress than we had expected. And thank God it was because the results turned out wonderfully and we managed to raise a fairly substantial sum for Tim from the proceeds.
So in terms of touring a 'version' of Cardiacs I don't think it would be right for a number of reasons. Mainly that Cardiacs really is all about Tim. The band has always consisted of his closest friends, people who 'get' and share his vision and obviously musically capable but, nonetheless, when you're onstage performing that stuff, whether he'd admit it or not, HE is the star of the show. It's his vision. His music.
It's not only the 'I'm not worthy' thing. I'm not going to be falsely modest, I felt very worthy being guitarist in the band and felt it was completely right to join. I also feel completely at home fronting Knifeworld, which is my music, but to take on that role, that persona...I couldn't do it. Nor could I try to shoehorn my own vibe into it. I know something like that can work with, say, The Magic Band, but as much as I love the music of Captain Beefheart/ Don Van Vliet, and I mean this most sincerely, he ain't no Tim Smith!
I think, no matter how good it was, it would always be a second rate version. There's something that would be too difficult for me, and I suspect many of the band, emotionally about doing it too. Cardiacs was so much more than a band. For most of my adult life it, and the people in the wider circle around it, had been a family and a way of life..Hell, a way of BEING. It's been really hard just trying to move on and try to piece together a 'career' with Tim being inactive. Revisiting that without him may well break my heart.
Realistically, I just don't think the funding is available to expect a potential touring band to put aside six months of their lives to get this stuff up to snuff and tour it. And believe me, having done that for a few years this is as long as it takes, and that was with the advantage of having Alphabet HQ to live/record/rehearse and work in, which we no longer have. Funnily enough, we all have day jobs/ other groups/ families/ rent/ mortgages etc. There never was any money around Cardiacs. It really all was done for love.
Regarding the reissue of the albums:
Believe me, EVERYONE in and around the band would dearly love this to happen. I'm sure it will eventually but having spent a great deal of time going through the Dickensian legal labyrinth in which Alphabet is tied up I have walked away, as many others have, a weakened man. It will happen, it HAS to but please let me state that it's not us sitting on our hands, doing nothing that is preventing it.
In the meantime I can say that there will be a Songbook 2 of the tribute album. I have my hands completely tied up with recording the new Knifeworld album, rehearsing with Guapo, and a special exciting secret release for the label (Believers Roast) but once I have a shred of spare time the cogs will start to turn on this. We can promise some very interesting contributors!
just thought I'd pass it along!
― frogbs, Tuesday, 12 March 2013 15:18 (eleven years ago) link
Dominique hinted at a special secret something in this ballpark too, on top of his own brilliant 365 songs project.
It'd be sad if LSD was never released. But yeah, if OceanLandWorld, Mr And Mrs Smith etc all get a proper rerelease alongside the existing albums, that'd be just as good. I'd buy them all on vinyl and purchase a record player, for fuck's sake.
Would also like to contribute to the next songbook. I could do a poetic contribution to the liner notes! Ah, who knows.
― c'est magnifique, mais ce n'est pas le beurre (imago), Tuesday, 12 March 2013 19:19 (eleven years ago) link
I asked about LSD but he hasn't responded. My gut feeling is, Tim's parts were unfinished and he may never be well enough to do them. Either way I think everyone was surprised by how well the tribute album sold so I'd think that LSD would do quite well/raise a lot of cash should it ever see the light of day. If nothing else it's good to know he's taken care of !
― frogbs, Tuesday, 12 March 2013 19:27 (eleven years ago) link
Yikes! That all-star gig sounds totally wrong-headed. Patton and Albarn have no business being onstage with Cardiacs for starters. The others mean well but yeah, what's the point? All those bands that are supposed to sound like Cardiacs never do. Okay, like one Mr Bungle song and some bits of the Silver Ginger 5 album, which is the best Cardiacs related ephemera out there in my opinion. The rest eg. a lot of the ones on the tribute album sound a lot more like the Sea Nymphs than Cardiacs. Cardiacs are a fast, heavy, precise prog band with everything being hit as hard as possible, barked lead vocals and backing vocals shouted out in unison. Trippy keyboards, wispy atonal female backing vocals, echoey plucked strings etc. Yeah it's there in about 5% of their stuff but it's not what made them great.
― everything, Thursday, 14 March 2013 02:52 (eleven years ago) link
I think it would be neat as a one-off show. I agree that Albarn isn't really in the same league (Patton I could kinda buy) but it could raise some cash for Tim and I think it would be a neat thing for the fans regardless. I do keep looking for Cardiacs-inspired stuff (there's even a thread for it) but as you say there's nothing really like them. Maybe albums like VDGG's Godbluff or say Magma's Wurdah Itah have the same heavy/complex vibes but nothing recent that I've found matches up to what Tim does.
― frogbs, Thursday, 14 March 2013 04:58 (eleven years ago) link
Oh yeah, anything that Kavus is involved in (like Knifeworld or Monsoon Bassoon) is really a must have for the average Cardiac fan
― frogbs, Thursday, 14 March 2013 17:38 (eleven years ago) link
Pawn Hearts is the most Cardiacsy VDGG album
Once turned down the opportunity to buy Black Leather Mojo in an HMV. Fucking idiot.
― c'est magnifique, mais ce n'est pas le beurre (imago), Thursday, 14 March 2013 19:26 (eleven years ago) link
I think it's the most expensive single CD I ever bought. It was $35 as a Japanese import and that was HALF PRICE! From HMV too actually.
― everything, Thursday, 14 March 2013 19:43 (eleven years ago) link
I would love a deluxe re-issue of HEAVEN BORN AND EVER BRIGHT, appended with lots of needless filigree, please.
― Alex in NYC, Thursday, 14 March 2013 20:43 (eleven years ago) link
that's the one Cardiacs album I would love to see remastered. it's a really trebly album and desperately needs some low end!
― frogbs, Thursday, 14 March 2013 20:48 (eleven years ago) link
Wot, no revive for the Sing To God vinyl reissue? For shame!
Been pleasantly surprised by the number decent reviews this has been getting on the music blogs, although part of me does wonder where all this positive coverage was when the band were still functioning.
One thing the reviews haven't mentioned is what the mastering is like. The CD version suffered from serious mid-nineties brickwalling (although not as bad as HB&EB), so I'll be curious to hear if this new release "fixes" any of it.
― Pheeel, Friday, 11 July 2014 21:06 (nine years ago) link
have already given the DiS reviewer a bit of shit (in a nice way) for only giving it 9/10 - but his and I'd imagine many reviewers' perspectives are going to be unversed - a veritable pondsworth of neophytes, innocently unaware of what is to be unleashed, and then word-strung, agog and running dangerously low on plausible 'x on speed!' canards amidst and after the immersion
― i'm elf-ein lusophonic (imago), Friday, 11 July 2014 21:22 (nine years ago) link
his review conveyed the giddy jerk of Cardiacs introduction quite well, I thought
anyway, my postman is being SLOW, either that or ABC is
― i'm elf-ein lusophonic (imago), Friday, 11 July 2014 21:23 (nine years ago) link
Has anyone actually managed to pre-order this?
― Kitchen Person, Friday, 11 July 2014 21:30 (nine years ago) link
yeah, by ordering on the morning it was released, m8
― i'm elf-ein lusophonic (imago), Friday, 11 July 2014 21:33 (nine years ago) link
It looks like I could have pre-ordered it on the 7th but it's actually going on sale on the 14th. As it's limited to 200 copies I'll just give up hope of getting a copy right now.
― Kitchen Person, Friday, 11 July 2014 21:37 (nine years ago) link
aw
my CD copy is currently out on loan, in fact - need to make sure I get that back at some point
spent more on this album than on all other recorded music combined over the last maybe 2 or 3 years? but then it is the greatest album ever so
― i'm elf-ein lusophonic (imago), Friday, 11 July 2014 21:43 (nine years ago) link
Rehearsal version of An Ant has randomly popped up. Maybe my least liked early Cardiacs tune, I never really found Jim cute, before this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0yTGM4D1io
― MaresNest, Sunday, 21 September 2014 07:38 (nine years ago) link
^i liked this
ANYWAY, is this a good idea?
fuck it, at some point I'll do a Cardiacs & Affiliated ballot poll and I don't care how many of you vote― Ƹ༑Ʒ (imago), Friday, October 17, 2014 1:24 AM (0 seconds ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
― Ƹ༑Ʒ (imago), Friday, October 17, 2014 1:24 AM (0 seconds ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
coz, like, XTC are the second greatest English pop band of all time and their poll has me itching for the grand show
― Ƹ༑Ʒ (imago), Friday, 17 October 2014 01:27 (nine years ago) link
How about a boring normal poll of the live albums? Mostly proposing this cos I have a couple of opinions on it.
― everything, Friday, 17 October 2014 01:33 (nine years ago) link
we can do that as well :)
special garage vs mares nest vs rude bootleg vs um some other bootleg? or am i missing one
― Ƹ༑Ʒ (imago), Friday, 17 October 2014 01:33 (nine years ago) link
Cardiacs Live. Plus discussion of bootlegs, radio bits etc
― everything, Friday, 17 October 2014 01:35 (nine years ago) link
this is where I get all weepy about the single bootlegged live recording of Dream Dress that's on Youtube, right
― Ƹ༑Ʒ (imago), Friday, 17 October 2014 01:36 (nine years ago) link
Certainly you are welcome to do so. I guess we could just have that discussion here but it would lack the drama & focus of a poll thread.
― everything, Friday, 17 October 2014 01:41 (nine years ago) link
But yeah, I'd vote in a big poll thing to make up numbers. Never actually done that before - couple of times I started to then after 15 mins I was giving it "fuck lists".
― everything, Friday, 17 October 2014 01:44 (nine years ago) link
the trouble with a live albums poll is that I wouldn't know whether to vote for the Garage Concerts or Mares Nest - there are overwhelming ideological reasons to vote for either - and would collapse in a mess of glorious indecision
HOWEVER
a ballot poll could have the following sections:
a) Studio albums of Cardiacs & anything Tim Smith has been a principal songwriter in (Sea Nymphs, Mr & Mrs..., Spratleys Japs)b) Studio tracks of Cardiacs & anything ditto c) Live albums (name your favourite only)d) Studio albums of the Cardiacs extended family (define as you like)e) Studio tracks of the Cardiacs extended family
to be unveiled in the order a-c-d-e-b
― Ƹ༑Ʒ (imago), Friday, 17 October 2014 01:45 (nine years ago) link
and yeah I mostly subscribe to 'fuck lists' but the opportunity to really engage with Autechre and XTC in the last few weeks has been gladly taken tbh - who knows whom this exercise might inspire!
― Ƹ༑Ʒ (imago), Friday, 17 October 2014 01:46 (nine years ago) link
No "favourite Cardiac" then?
― everything, Friday, 17 October 2014 01:48 (nine years ago) link
we can't let Jim even in with a chance of winning so no
― Ƹ༑Ʒ (imago), Friday, 17 October 2014 01:52 (nine years ago) link
I think (a) should be anything with the Cardiacs name on it and Spratleys etc go under (e) or (d). Not sure you'd need both (d) and (e) actually. Just (e) would be good.
― everything, Friday, 17 October 2014 01:57 (nine years ago) link
Maybe. But then Spratleys, Sea Nymphs would have the unfair advantage of Tim Smith's songwriting! There's a grey area between Cardiacs-except-in-name and stuff that's completely different. Spratleys is definitely the one I'd most keenly try to argue under the Cardiacs banner, Oceanlandworld as well come to think of it. Some of the songs on those two albums are as brilliant as anything he's done, and (almost) as Cardiacsy
― Ƹ༑Ʒ (imago), Friday, 17 October 2014 02:00 (nine years ago) link
You're probably right that d) is unnecessary though, much as I'd like to proselytise the NSRO at enormous length
― Ƹ༑Ʒ (imago), Friday, 17 October 2014 02:01 (nine years ago) link
You can still do that though.
Also feels like there needs to be space for the radio sessions and bootlegs...they are in the canon. Maybe just add that to the live albums portion?
― everything, Friday, 17 October 2014 02:05 (nine years ago) link
Yeah, that seems fair.
Oceanlandworld....ah man. It's such an astonishing record. Nobody's bloody heard it. It's completely amazing. It both anticipates and betters all of Britpop, too - This Grounds Town contains all of Blur and then some
― Ƹ༑Ʒ (imago), Friday, 17 October 2014 02:10 (nine years ago) link
(and it's, like, one of the album's comparatively weaker tracks)
― Ƹ༑Ʒ (imago), Friday, 17 October 2014 02:11 (nine years ago) link
See if anyone else weighs in on this after dawn breaks.
― everything, Friday, 17 October 2014 02:50 (nine years ago) link
that sea nymphs peel session is pretty essential
― rushomancy, Friday, 17 October 2014 11:13 (nine years ago) link
Juts piping up to say bring it on! :)
― Noel Emits, Friday, 17 October 2014 11:26 (nine years ago) link
Must fix those juts, come to think of it.
― Noel Emits, Friday, 17 October 2014 11:27 (nine years ago) link
I've been listening to The Sea Nymphs as I have been commuting this week and it never ceases to delight and amaze, I'd love for some learned person to recommend me some related Classical music (other than the obv).
― MaresNest, Friday, 17 October 2014 12:05 (nine years ago) link
don't think anyone has pushed the Satie paradigm in such interesting directions other than Smith and Drake tbh, but I too would be delighted to hear of a counterexample
― Ƹ༑Ʒ (imago), Friday, 17 October 2014 12:30 (nine years ago) link
I mean, Chilly Gonzalez kinda starts from the same musical base but heads in an altogether far more mundane direction, and sometimes does rubbish raps over it too lol
― Ƹ༑Ʒ (imago), Friday, 17 October 2014 12:39 (nine years ago) link
Stars in Battledress, maybe?
― Maggie killed Quagmire (collest baby ever) (frogbs), Friday, 17 October 2014 12:52 (nine years ago) link
Yeah but they're 'the obvious', lol
hence why an Affiliated poll on top of the Cardiacs one would be awesome - there's a whole family of this music, quite unlike anything else
― Ƹ༑Ʒ (imago), Friday, 17 October 2014 13:03 (nine years ago) link
I should just ask James Larcombe, there's merely a whip between Bill's Solo material and some Sea Nymphs
― MaresNest, Friday, 17 October 2014 13:07 (nine years ago) link
If only he still posted here eh?
― Ƹ༑Ʒ (imago), Friday, 17 October 2014 13:10 (nine years ago) link
Just sent him a msg, will report back.
― MaresNest, Friday, 17 October 2014 13:16 (nine years ago) link
maybe to you! it seems like outside of Cardiacs circles nobody has a clue about them! (sees thread title)
― Maggie killed Quagmire (collest baby ever) (frogbs), Friday, 17 October 2014 13:37 (nine years ago) link
Hey Frogbs do you like (the band) Levitation?
― MaresNest, Friday, 17 October 2014 13:42 (nine years ago) link
Okay, James is gonna ask Tim & Bill next time he see's them, so I'll keep you posted.
― MaresNest, Friday, 17 October 2014 13:44 (nine years ago) link
don't know em
― Maggie killed Quagmire (collest baby ever) (frogbs), Friday, 17 October 2014 13:58 (nine years ago) link
O sweet, nice work :)
― Ƹ༑Ʒ (imago), Friday, 17 October 2014 14:06 (nine years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46PBmilni0w
― MaresNest, Friday, 17 October 2014 15:39 (nine years ago) link
sounds good but I'm interested in that piano in the background and this YouTube is too lo-fi to make it out. very cool tune though!
― Maggie killed Quagmire (collest baby ever) (frogbs), Friday, 17 October 2014 15:57 (nine years ago) link
I've reached the point of Cardiacsness whereby I can listen to The Obvious Identity or Toy World and feel exactly the same joy as I do listening to any of the properly-recorded stuff. Some of those songs are as good as anything.
― Ƹ༑Ʒ (imago), Friday, 17 October 2014 21:29 (nine years ago) link
A Balloon For Bertie's Party is...I'll come to weeping if I try to describe it. The outro, just Tim and a guitar, is one of the most staggering, spine-chillingly beautiful things I'll ever hear. It's a collective dream of England, too lovely for death. 7:20 is where I can't handle it any more.
― Ƹ༑Ʒ (imago), Saturday, 18 October 2014 02:27 (nine years ago) link
Hooray! I ordered 13 Cardiacs albums from their site and got them in the mail today.
On the receipt letter was "Wow! You're a hungry boy!", but maybe that's on all the receipt letters?
I got Sing To God a couple of years ago (I paid around 100 pounds for both parts and don't regret it) and I was very happy to discover recently that their own site has their albums for non-crazy prices.
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Saturday, 29 November 2014 15:25 (nine years ago) link
Congratulations!
Sing to God is probably one of the only albums made worth paying £100 for, but still, ouch. I managed to find StG in a second-hand record shop a few years ago and paid a couple of quid, I think. The owner obviously didn't know what he was sitting on and barely hid his sneer when he looked at the cover.
It's been good to get er, physical copies of their discography over the last 18 months or so, including Tim Smith's solo album which I sometimes thought I'd never hear.
― ultros ultros-ghali, Saturday, 29 November 2014 15:49 (nine years ago) link
Finished listening to On Land And In The Sea. It's wonderful, especially the Last track. It never seems like there's as many as 13 tracks when I'm listening. I wish there was a bit more of Sarah's vocals, does she sing more on the other albums?
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Thursday, 19 March 2015 00:33 (nine years ago) link
Not really. Think that album was the most vocals she ever did. But there's Sea Nymphs/Mr & Ms Smith and Mr Drake material where she does a lot more.
― everything, Thursday, 19 March 2015 00:36 (nine years ago) link
Sorry, just recalled that she sings a fair bit on Guns including lead on Wind and Rain is Cold.
― everything, Thursday, 19 March 2015 01:36 (nine years ago) link
Would love to find out what she's up to now, hear her perspectives on the days on the road or whatever. More and more i appreciate her role in the band. Apart from being awesome on stage, her sax playing grounded them in the semi-classical/prog tradition - there's nothing jazzy or rock about what she's doing. It's all accents, harmonies and a bit of dissonant noise now and again. Her leaving, along with the switch of drummers was the most defining change in the band's direction and sound. More than even William D Drake I think.
― everything, Thursday, 19 March 2015 01:53 (nine years ago) link
http://www.salisburyartscentre.co.uk/whats-on/Event.aspx?EventID=1343
― chihuahuau, Wednesday, 8 April 2015 12:20 (eight years ago) link
guns vinyl reissue out. seems to part of a ongoing plan to reissue all of their albums.
― linee, Saturday, 18 July 2015 00:45 (eight years ago) link
https://prog.teamrock.com/features/2015-07-18/the-10-best-cardiacs-songs-as-chosen-by-mike-vennart
― MaresNest, Sunday, 19 July 2015 18:48 (eight years ago) link
decent choices, really like that there's two off The Obvious Identity!
― gawker's psychotic monkeys (imago), Sunday, 19 July 2015 19:50 (eight years ago) link
Just catching on to Cardiacs, what a singular band. Consistently very entertaining as well, but can imagine finding them grating in the wrong mood.
― the joke should be over once the kid is eaten. (chap), Sunday, 19 July 2015 22:54 (eight years ago) link
give it a few months, there'll be moods where anything that isn't them is grating
― gawker's psychotic monkeys (imago), Sunday, 19 July 2015 22:56 (eight years ago) link
I've listened to A Little Man and a House... Sing to God next?
― the joke should be over once the kid is eaten. (chap), Sunday, 19 July 2015 23:03 (eight years ago) link
you've listened to their weakest album (obviously it's still great)
uhhhh I'd recommend proceeding chronologically from there, On Land And In The Sea then Heaven Born And Ever Bright, toughen yourself up THEN unleash the God
― gawker's psychotic monkeys (imago), Sunday, 19 July 2015 23:08 (eight years ago) link
Or fuck it, listen to Sing To God, it's what I did first and it ensured that I'd love them forever almost immediately
― gawker's psychotic monkeys (imago), Sunday, 19 July 2015 23:09 (eight years ago) link
Sing To God was my first, then On Land And In The Sea, and right now A Little Man And A House And The Whole World Window.
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Sunday, 19 July 2015 23:38 (eight years ago) link
I love Sing to God, but I confess that I frequently find Tim Smith obnoxious in a way to Frank Zappa. Not that he seems sarcastic, but he always seems particularly in your face and obnoxious about it. Listening to Cardiacs sometimes strikes me as being very similar to having a conversation with Lyndon Johnson when he wants something from you, the way he would tower over other people and grab them by the lapels, the way he would pee with the door open and talk loudly about "Jumbo". Lyndon Johnson was a great man but he wasn't very likable.
― rushomancy, Monday, 20 July 2015 12:22 (eight years ago) link
I don't know about that. Smith's music is incredibly full-on but strikes me (and pretty much every other paid-up member of the Cardiacs foaming-at-the-mouth evangelist club maybe) as being very genuine - the music *has* to be that way as it's Tim Smith's pure musical expression, and not aggressively weird or obnoxious. Imago posted a better way of putting all that in Cardiacsy prog-pop etc thread. Zappa was smug and condescending in a way Time Smith's never been and as much as I recognise his talent I don't like him or his music, but that's by the by.
I suppose I just love how overwhelming and busy Cardiacs were but I realise not everyone enjoys that. It's not as if they didn't have their more mellow or dynamic songs though - have you heard anything from the Guns album Rushomancy?
― meaty, desperate, and honest about the world we live in (ultros ultros-ghali), Monday, 20 July 2015 12:42 (eight years ago) link
I don't get that vibe from him either.
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Monday, 20 July 2015 17:15 (eight years ago) link
Just realised that I never posted James' answer to the question of Bill's classical influences from upthread...
"asked Bill about composers and so on, there was no one particular that he could identify as an influence on the Nymphs stuff - he said Tim's stuff was obviously an influence through the years with Cardiacs, but several of his songs on the Mr & Mrs album were written before he joined the band, so they came from somewhere else...
As I thought he listened to (and played) a lot of classical repertoire at school - their music lessons sounded quite civilised, they used to sit round discussing records in the teacher's study with a dry sherry.
He's always been a big Bach fan. Liszt, Poulenc and Debussy were mentioned.
He did say that a lot of people he knew were heavily into the English composers like Britten when he was growing up, but that he never really "got on board" with that movementand he hadn't heard Satie until much later.
So there you go!"
― MaresNest, Monday, 20 July 2015 17:27 (eight years ago) link
but i never bought the line that zappa's music was inauthentic. the problem with the "illinois enema bandit", to name the most heinous of zappa's musical sins, isn't that it's pandering. it's that it's not. "authenticity" isn't the question, it's more about whether you present yourself in an overbearing manner. some people (and i include myself in this category) are simply naturally overbearing.
― rushomancy, Monday, 20 July 2015 21:18 (eight years ago) link
Always surprised me that Zappa said he didn't really want to sing or have lyrics, that he did it to please fans.
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Monday, 20 July 2015 23:16 (eight years ago) link
Really enjoyed A Little Man And A House And The Whole World Window. "Is This The Life" reminds me of Pixies - Bossanova, which is a great thing.
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Thursday, 13 August 2015 00:23 (eight years ago) link
― the joke should be over once the kid is eaten. (chap), Sunday, July 19, 2015 10:54 PM (1 month ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
― gawker's psychotic monkeys (imago)
Yeah this hasn't happened yet, I think I might be one of the rare people who is a little bit on the fence over Cardiacs. I can certainly appreciate their ability and imagination, but can also see why people are massively put off by their shrill relentlessness. FOr every jaw-dropping musical passage there's another section where I want them all to seriously chill out and stop yelling.
― the joke should be over once the kid is eaten. (chap), Thursday, 17 September 2015 13:36 (eight years ago) link
Reading some of their contemporary reviews is quite odd and funny, a lot of afaict baseless accusations leveled at them. Definitely some kind of strange music press vendetta against them at the time.
― the joke should be over once the kid is eaten. (chap), Thursday, 17 September 2015 13:37 (eight years ago) link
https://soundcloud.com/mary-abc/cardiacs-dinner-time
― MaresNest, Thursday, 15 October 2015 18:53 (eight years ago) link
idgi- is this different from the version on The Seaside?
― everything, Thursday, 15 October 2015 19:14 (eight years ago) link
Nah, but it was left off the CD reissue as you know so someone stuck it up for anyone who didn't get a recording of the full cassette version and missed it, I guess.
― MaresNest, Thursday, 15 October 2015 19:17 (eight years ago) link
ah. I didn't really realise the CD has less tracks. I have the (reissued) cassette which I used to play a lot but now don't think about that album very much.
― everything, Thursday, 15 October 2015 19:20 (eight years ago) link
Sound quality is good though! Better than the cassette.
― everything, Thursday, 15 October 2015 19:21 (eight years ago) link
someone stuck it up for anyone who didn't get a recording of the full cassette version and missed it, I guess
That someone being the same person(s) responsible for the official online shop, apparently.
Nurses next, please?
― chihuahuau, Thursday, 15 October 2015 20:43 (eight years ago) link
It's been put up because they're reissuing a brand new master of The Seaside with the missing tracks reinstated. CD, vinyl and some kind of box set thing with replica YOUsletters and such-like.
The fact that this is the first Cardiacs stuff to ever be properly remastered is quite a big deal, really. I hope this leads to them eventually redoing all the horrible CD mastering that plagued the 90s reissues.
― Pheeel, Friday, 16 October 2015 20:44 (eight years ago) link
a well-mixed version of Heaven Born & Ever Bright would be amazing
― frogbs, Friday, 16 October 2015 20:53 (eight years ago) link
Even though the Soundcloud version sounded good, there was still dropouts and image shifts, wonder if they're going to sort that out
― MaresNest, Friday, 16 October 2015 21:07 (eight years ago) link
Isn't HBAEB the only CD that was redone when Alphabet reissued it in '95? It's certainly a brash mix but the original CD isn't overly loud at all.
I guessed something was happening with The Seaside, it's been out of the shop for a while. Sounds good, from a cassette source I guess.
― Noel Emits, Friday, 16 October 2015 21:21 (eight years ago) link
neither version sound very good to me - lots and lots of midrange/treble
― frogbs, Friday, 16 October 2015 21:29 (eight years ago) link
cut from the original 1984 1/4″ master reel
http://www.caughtinthecrossfire.com/music/a-visit-to-the-seaside-again-with-cardiacs/
― Noel Emits, Friday, 16 October 2015 21:43 (eight years ago) link
lots and lots of midrange/treble
so Cardiacs then
I love this about their records, especially from the 90s onward. It's like they were specifically going for a hyper compressed sound, as if someone had discovered the world's most intense band but only had a small transistor radio to convey them to the rest of the world. It also reminds of me of the rehearsal videos they uploaded years back, shot through fish-eye lenses, showing the band in very cramped, uncomfortable quarters. Something about that says a lot about Cardiacs to me.
― Dominique, Friday, 16 October 2015 21:48 (eight years ago) link
of course - the implication is of another, deeper layer half-hidden amidst the fury - by packing everything so densely they make it feel like there must be even more to it all - it has the sonic quality of great literature and is consequently of endless replay value
so excited for the Seaside reissue - it's an incredible record, imo better than the 'debut proper' and now no doubt to collect its rightful dues
anyone else coming to see WD Drake tomorrow?
― twunty fifteen (imago), Friday, 16 October 2015 22:26 (eight years ago) link
HBAEB is a fucking astonishing record imo fwiw and the overcompression is not only not a problem for me but it gives the album an amazing coiled feeling that excites me like little else. a remaster could be cool tho
― twunty fifteen (imago), Friday, 16 October 2015 22:28 (eight years ago) link
oh MAN the original the seaside being reissued? might be my favourite of theirs sometimes. it's certainly their poppiest and every track is a classic pretty much, almost feels like a greatest hits.
just spent 10 minutes trying to find more about it and keep getting facebook links that i can't see through without an account. anyone can do a copy and paste of what the alphabet people are saying about it?
― linee, Friday, 16 October 2015 22:40 (eight years ago) link
All the earlier albums were remastered (read: made about 6 dB louder) for the 95 reissues.
So am I the only who hates the hypercompression of StG and Guns with a passion?
― chihuahuau, Friday, 16 October 2015 23:00 (eight years ago) link
I'm not keen on the midrange bias on Tim's mixes from HB&EB onwards. but I guess it's how he heard the band, Sea Nymphs and his solo record certainly aren't as pushed.
I'd like to hear a more evenly mixed version of HB&EB, it has my two favourite tracks on it, March and Helen & Heaven, t'aint gonna happen though.
― MaresNest, Friday, 16 October 2015 23:44 (eight years ago) link
― chihuahuau, Saturday, 17 October 2015 00:00 (9 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
I don't mind over-compression when it's used for effect, but the clipping on certain tracks really bugs me. It's not something I used to notice, but now I can't not hear it. There's really noticeable distortion on the louder parts of STG that makes me question Tim's judgement(or at least his hearing).
― Pheeel, Saturday, 17 October 2015 09:11 (eight years ago) link
get stevey wilson on the case, make it all smooth and biteless ;)
― twunty fifteen (imago), Saturday, 17 October 2015 09:16 (eight years ago) link
Someone involved with the vinyl issues of STG and Guns said that's pretty much how the mixdown sounds, there's little if any additional compression on the masters. They were recorded on analogue 2" apparently, so it won't be digital clipping unless something went wrong somewhere.
― Noel Emits, Saturday, 17 October 2015 10:14 (eight years ago) link
That's not clipping, it's the sound of your brain shorting out
― twunty fifteen (imago), Saturday, 17 October 2015 10:44 (eight years ago) link
which remasters are you referring to here? all the ones I've gotten sound great
I hadn't noticed clipping on StG or Guns - kind of afraid to relisten now. what I'm referring to on HB&EB is the noisier bits where the bass becomes inaudible and the quick double-bass drumming sounds like someone flicking you in the ear
― frogbs, Saturday, 17 October 2015 12:44 (eight years ago) link
― Noel Emits, Saturday, October 17, 2015 11:14 AM (7 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
IOW, the source tapes are already compressed and a better sounding version of those two is impossible? Is there a link for that?
I reckoned the hypercompression was deliberate but done at the mastering stage (like the 1995 reissues which were all louder than the originals, though not excessively so). At least this means there's hope for this Seaside edition to sound like the original CD.
― chihuahuau, Saturday, 17 October 2015 17:42 (eight years ago) link
Seaside reissue available, there's a vinyl special edition with lot's of ephemera but no extra music (unless you count the 4 missing tracks from the orig CD)
http://abc-mary.myshopify.com/products/the-seaside-original-edition-double-lp-pre-order
XP - STG & Guns may have been recorded on analog 2" but there's plenty of potential for digital clipping if they were mastered onto DAT instead of analog tape, plus all sorts of horrible mastering devices were used in the mid/late nineties to get the max impact out of every squeak of level on a recording, at one point it seemed like everybody (ab)used this piece of shit box:
http://www.tcelectronic.com/finalizer-96k/
― MaresNest, Tuesday, 20 October 2015 09:04 (eight years ago) link
there's plenty of potential for digital clipping if they were mastered onto DAT
Yeah, for sure. Maybe the convertors were driven hard on a DAT, but I don't hear actual digital clipping, not over the mix anyway. Tbh my first impression of Sing To God was that it had to have been put together on ProTools or something. There are some excessive frequencies but I wonder if one of those super nice mastering EQs couldn't go some way to taming that; not to mess with how it was intended but just so it could be played louder! Maybe if it was even better it just wouldn't be fair to other music.
― Noel Emits, Tuesday, 20 October 2015 11:04 (eight years ago) link
Seaside reissue available,
Good lord, look at that box-set. I'll be fine with CD but it's 'citing.
What's this about there being different versions of some songs on the '95 Seaside? I had the 1990 CD.
― Noel Emits, Tuesday, 20 October 2015 11:19 (eight years ago) link
got mine
now I need a vinyl player
― twunty fifteen (imago), Tuesday, 20 October 2015 11:42 (eight years ago) link
'vinyl player'
― Hey Bob (Scik Mouthy), Tuesday, 20 October 2015 11:59 (eight years ago) link
o hey you into Cardiacs now then
― twunty fifteen (imago), Tuesday, 20 October 2015 12:07 (eight years ago) link
$60 shipped to the U.S. (2LP), don't suppose they'll have a distributor for this to bring the price down a bit? Beyond my budget (as is most of their catalog).
― by the light of the burning Citroën, Tuesday, 20 October 2015 13:01 (eight years ago) link
Wayside Music seem to carry all the other stuff so I expect they will have these.
http://www.waysidemusic.com/
― Noel Emits, Tuesday, 20 October 2015 13:19 (eight years ago) link
Hmmm...but the vinyl is expensive...$45 for Guns, $90 for Sing To God.
― everything, Tuesday, 20 October 2015 23:22 (eight years ago) link
Class
https://youtu.be/nDYviME6Qi0
― Noel Emits, Sunday, 7 August 2016 21:55 (seven years ago) link
omg
― imago, Sunday, 7 August 2016 22:01 (seven years ago) link
Holy shit, it looks like the second Sea Nymphs album is actually on the way now, after years of vague promises and mutterings of "It'll be out next year...maybe..."
I mean I won't really believe it until I see an official announcement, but the omens are pretty good. Namely that one of the ABC's associates has just dropped a couple of cryptic images of underwater fauna Facebook, and there's also the fact that Wayside Music have it listed as forthcoming in one of their mailouts.
― Pheeel, Monday, 8 August 2016 19:16 (seven years ago) link
http://www.cardiacs.net/news/
aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh
― imago, Saturday, 20 August 2016 11:25 (seven years ago) link
Today is a good day.
― ultros ultros-ghali, Saturday, 20 August 2016 14:03 (seven years ago) link
Does anybody know what it actually is yet?
These kinds of rollouts always make me crabby.
― MaresNest, Sunday, 21 August 2016 20:17 (seven years ago) link
Sea Nymphs 2: The Nymphening
― imago, Sunday, 21 August 2016 21:42 (seven years ago) link
might even have Dream Dress on it :o
officially: The Sea Nymphs - On Dry Land
― Dominique, Monday, 22 August 2016 17:48 (seven years ago) link
obviously I'm anticipating this, but do we know why it's gone unreleased for so long? often albums like this tend to be underwhelming.
― frogbs, Monday, 22 August 2016 17:51 (seven years ago) link
maybe it's been unreleased coz the guy sitting on it had a massive stroke 8 years ago. he's been known to sit on gold before. extra special oceanlandworld was released long after its recording. this is just a bit longer. coz, you know.
anyway, when (if) LSD drops, we'll all throw a year-long internet party, agreed
― imago, Monday, 22 August 2016 18:14 (seven years ago) link
I think it was just that by the time there was interest in a second Sea Nymphs album(98-99, around the time of the Peel Session), Tim was all "not arsed, mate" because he didn't want to go back to material from five/six years ago, even though there were enough songs in the can for another couple of records.
All the unreleased stuff that's done the rounds in the last decade or so has been shockingly good, so I have absolutely no worries about the quality of this new album.
― Pheeel, Monday, 22 August 2016 20:38 (seven years ago) link
and who knows, maybe william's put trap beats on it
― imago, Monday, 22 August 2016 20:47 (seven years ago) link
yeah. it'll probably be great. just trying to temper my expectations a bit.
― frogbs, Tuesday, 23 August 2016 15:22 (seven years ago) link
Listening to new Sea Nymphs now, and guys, this is really beautiful. Sounds *exactly* like a proper follow up to the s/t, and if anything, is more gentle, angelic sounding.
― Dominique, Friday, 4 November 2016 14:30 (seven years ago) link
I didn't order long enough in advance, so the wait will go on ;_;
― imago, Friday, 4 November 2016 14:31 (seven years ago) link
Mine didn't get here today either so I'm listening to the 2nd Stars in Battledress album, which I neglected when it came out for some reason. Scratches a similar itch anyway.
― ultros ultros-ghali, Friday, 4 November 2016 16:18 (seven years ago) link
The Women From The Ministry is their masterpiece imho.
― MaresNest, Friday, 4 November 2016 18:52 (seven years ago) link
Photos of a Sea Nymphs gig on FB yesterday, no Tim, looked like Craig Fortnam sitting in. Mental.
― MaresNest, Sunday, 6 November 2016 10:31 (seven years ago) link
This just gone up on YT too..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbSG1YGTBcA
― MaresNest, Sunday, 6 November 2016 10:33 (seven years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T84I8uzFojM
― MaresNest, Sunday, 6 November 2016 10:37 (seven years ago) link
wow awesome
― imago, Sunday, 6 November 2016 11:08 (seven years ago) link
So Spratley's Japs are playing a live gig this month?
― xiphoid beetlebum (rushomancy), Tuesday, 8 November 2016 22:43 (seven years ago) link
and we're going :)
― imago, Wednesday, 9 November 2016 01:30 (seven years ago) link
Oh the album's very dear
― imago, Friday, 18 November 2016 00:18 (seven years ago) link
Cut Yourself Kidding is the greatest thing ever
― imago, Friday, 18 November 2016 00:24 (seven years ago) link
So how about them Japs, eh?
They did a great job, kind of weird that those songs are things that can actually be played by five people, somehow.
That's at least two near miracles in the pondiverse coming to fruition in the same month.
― Noel Emits, Monday, 21 November 2016 15:19 (seven years ago) link
Uh yeah it was totally incredible
― imago, Monday, 21 November 2016 15:23 (seven years ago) link
Oh -> extended Flap Off You Beak -> singalong Don't You Ail was pretty much the zenith of all live music ever. And they pulled off Vine! And how!
Attempting the call and response in Fanny was fun too
― imago, Monday, 21 November 2016 15:25 (seven years ago) link
Also, tt and I came to Tim at the end and thanked him. It was legit heartbreaking/heartwarming/everything. Gave his carer a massive hug as well, which I think scared him a bit
― imago, Monday, 21 November 2016 15:31 (seven years ago) link
Attempting to sing along to "Don't You Ail" I discovered it's definitely not my register :)
Actually is the lead vocal Tim's voice sped up Camille style on the original?
― Noel Emits, Wednesday, 23 November 2016 15:18 (seven years ago) link
http://dfan.org/blog/2010/11/06/cardiacs-odd-even/
― MaresNest, Saturday, 7 January 2017 16:20 (seven years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDOhvIdinbc
― MaresNest, Sunday, 5 February 2017 20:10 (seven years ago) link
Been a little afraid to start with this band, but with so many comparisons to XTC, I figured I had to eventually. Sing to God is a LOT to take in. I liked a couple of the songs the first go round ("Dog-Like Sparky" and "Flap Off You Beak") and others sounded pretty random or not that enjoyable. To be fair, random and unenjoyable is how XTC sounded to me at age 16 or whatever, and they eventually clicked, but this is a bridge further. I listened again and I'm starting to understand more of it, but I don't know how much it will translate into liking it. Still, I admire the hell out of this album - it doesn't sound like much else I've heard. I'll give it another listen, but maybe in smaller chunks next time. Or I may check out another Cardiacs album since STG is apparently the super amped up one, right?
― Vinnie, Tuesday, 7 February 2017 12:09 (seven years ago) link
StG might be a bit full-on to a newcomer, yes.
I think Heaven Born and Ever Bright, while not being one of their best, is a lot more approachable and relatively straightforward, also On Land and in the Sea is my favourite out of their "classic" lineup and is definitely worth a try.
― ultros ultros-ghali, Tuesday, 7 February 2017 12:48 (seven years ago) link
You'll probably get everyone recommending different places to start.
I'd suggest trying The Seaside. It's surely impossible to not enjoy songs like A Wooden Fish On Wheels, Gena Lolla Brigida (sic) or To Go Off And Things, along with the rest. Also at that point the songs still often had recognisable punk, ska and new wave elements which might help with a way in. The slightly rough recording quality is also very pleasing, especially in its recently restored "Original Edition". Classic all the way through. Then take it from there. It's where I started and it's a wonderful journey.
― Noel Emits, Tuesday, 7 February 2017 13:29 (seven years ago) link
you'll want to hear the crappy cassette rip version of the seaside just for 'dinner time' tbf
― I Am In Atlanta And Thug Is Young (imago), Tuesday, 7 February 2017 13:58 (seven years ago) link
I started with Sing To God and that should do fine.
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Tuesday, 7 February 2017 13:58 (seven years ago) link
Eat it up Worms Hero was the first Cardiacs song I heard and it didn't put me off lol
― ultros ultros-ghali, Tuesday, 7 February 2017 14:05 (seven years ago) link
haha! was it the oceansize cover
― I Am In Atlanta And Thug Is Young (imago), Tuesday, 7 February 2017 14:08 (seven years ago) link
I came to STG as a somewhat lapsed fan - I'd drifted away after they started using backing tapes live as a four piece. I'd only just caught the tail end of the classic line-up so this was a big and sudden change. Anyway STG was also something I didn't recognise as Cardiacs at first. Of course it's amazing, but this is why I can't imagine it as a place to begin in terms of grokking the essence.
Imago - the full tracklist has been restored on The Seaside (Original Edition)!
― Noel Emits, Tuesday, 7 February 2017 14:14 (seven years ago) link
xp No, the real thing!
As far as I recall I read about them somewhere that made them sound interesting, then downloaded the few random mp3s I could find on Kazaa so this was a pretty long time ago now...
― ultros ultros-ghali, Tuesday, 7 February 2017 14:15 (seven years ago) link
oh wait, I actually bought the restored Seaside on vinyl, lol
My Cardiacs origin story is well-versed: ilx user 'everything' sent me, um, everything, from Canada. I started with Sing To God because why not
― I Am In Atlanta And Thug Is Young (imago), Tuesday, 7 February 2017 14:16 (seven years ago) link
...ergo, Eat It Up Worms Hero was the second song I ever heard of theirs
― I Am In Atlanta And Thug Is Young (imago), Tuesday, 7 February 2017 14:19 (seven years ago) link
Sing To God is not a great entry point, I've never been convinced of it's unassailable status [at least compared to the rest of the albums] either.
I bought Heaven Born after reading a review in one of he weeklies iirc and apart from a couple of songs it didn't grab me, but a couple of years later I saw the Maresnest video, then I was hooked in and not long after that the CD reissue program began.
― MaresNest, Tuesday, 7 February 2017 14:23 (seven years ago) link
I will say that Sing To God prevented me from appreciating the early stuff (seaside, toy world etc) for a very long time, but when I came around to them it was like a second awakening
― I Am In Atlanta And Thug Is Young (imago), Tuesday, 7 February 2017 14:45 (seven years ago) link
i heard about the cardiacs long before i heard them. for whatever reason their records were impossible to get in america in the '90s, even as imports. if you could find them they'd run $30 for a cd, which was just insane pricing; i never understood how they managed things on the business end. anyway when mp3s got big the band put up an official mp3 sampler, which is how i first heard them - to be honest it was okay but not terribly impressive to my ears. "sing to god" was the gateway for me when i finally heard it.
― increasingly bonkers (rushomancy), Tuesday, 7 February 2017 14:53 (seven years ago) link
The pre Seaside stuff *is* badly recorded and often played beyond their ability at the time.
In light of which I must say that The Special Garage Concerts might actually be the ultimate Cardiacs artifact for me, if I had to pick only one. Some days anyway. A remarkable feat wherein they buff up the very earliest songs (including much of The Seaside and some dating back to 1976, when they were babies) and present them in joyous nat's chuff guitar heavy arrangements over twenty years later. More than a live album or retrospective it's like endless victory laps and more fun than just about anything. I'm trying to avoid excessive hype speak here!
It's surely an almost unique achievement, though? And to top it off there's the prospect of the 'rehearsal' film!
― Noel Emits, Tuesday, 7 February 2017 15:04 (seven years ago) link
Their stuff was largely out of print for fuck knows how long, which is why they were prohibitively expensive - it was years before I heard a full album of theirs.
I Still need to get The Seaside
― ultros ultros-ghali, Tuesday, 7 February 2017 15:10 (seven years ago) link
The Garage Concerts are wonderful I agree
Thanks y'all, I'll probably try Seaside next. I'm skimmed these threads before and Sing to God was the only album with a poll and detailed Wiki page, so I started there! Plus, I kind of like starting in the deep end. STG has enough cool moments that I'm convinced this is a band worth checking out more of. One awesome one that I didn't mention before: the solo on Fiery Gun Hand - what a scorcher
― Vinnie, Tuesday, 7 February 2017 15:18 (seven years ago) link
Another nice David Minnick acapella track gone up recently, possibly not for the first time, but it's new to me
https://soundcloud.com/david-minnick/fairy-mary-mag-cardiacs-cover-by-the-180-gs
― MaresNest, Saturday, 20 May 2017 22:55 (six years ago) link
his comments suggest it's a first-time post; apparently he takes them down after a while. david's covers i have around from the albums: tracks 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11, 13, 15, 16, 18, 21
― Cyborg Kickboxer (rushomancy), Saturday, 20 May 2017 23:06 (six years ago) link
Wish I could hear the whole thing
― MaresNest, Saturday, 20 May 2017 23:07 (six years ago) link
did he finish it yet? perhaps he'll release it when he's done? i'm reminded of lewis taylor's attempt to remake trout mask replica... he only got about halfway through but those tracks are circulating in certain quarters.
― Cyborg Kickboxer (rushomancy), Saturday, 20 May 2017 23:10 (six years ago) link
It must take an awful lot of work, I mean Fairy Mary Mag alone would be a fucker to arrange, even without the squiggly interstitial at the end.
― Foghat digs holes in space (MaresNest), Saturday, 20 May 2017 23:17 (six years ago) link
wow thank you
david minnick is a prince
― ban violent jinks (imago), Saturday, 20 May 2017 23:35 (six years ago) link
Loving that Sea Nymphs Peel session
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Sunday, 11 June 2017 20:00 (six years ago) link
I expect a few of you have seen already but the shed rehearsals DVD is finally finished and on sale now.
― MaresNest, Thursday, 7 September 2017 20:39 (six years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adx6YVI_Z0g
― MaresNest, Saturday, 30 December 2017 11:22 (six years ago) link
Hahaha awww! He also does I've Seen All Good People ^______^
― imago, Saturday, 30 December 2017 11:57 (six years ago) link
we may have the world's coolest music teacher on our hands here
― imago, Saturday, 30 December 2017 12:47 (six years ago) link
I know, it's lovely, isn't it? There's a couple of other Cardiacs things on his channel, I was equally compelled watching a brace of School of Rock kids chewing through Yes' Awaken too recently, proper seat of the pants stuff.
― MaresNest, Saturday, 30 December 2017 17:52 (six years ago) link
omg that's perfect! and that song virtually invents Cardiacs too
― imago, Saturday, 30 December 2017 17:57 (six years ago) link
From FB today :(
"Hello everyone. This is Sharron here on Tim's Facebook page. Please think positive thoughts for our beautiful leader today. Please don't ask why or raise a panic. He needs you to focus. xxx"
― MaresNest, Sunday, 7 January 2018 15:41 (six years ago) link
oh
― #TeamHailing (imago), Sunday, 7 January 2018 16:08 (six years ago) link
have dreaded this kind of announcement for ten years and am kind of unsure how to respond
― #TeamHailing (imago), Sunday, 7 January 2018 16:10 (six years ago) link
I could tell from the overall tonality of the FB page that he's been 'poorly' recently and there are people I could ask, but I'm not sure if I should.
― MaresNest, Sunday, 7 January 2018 16:25 (six years ago) link
Okay, so it's not grave news thank goodness, although shame on whoever for that shittily constructed FB post, it's something to do with an article on a website called INews (which I can't find yet) and a GoFundMe page for Tim's healthcare. https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/timsmith
― MaresNest, Monday, 8 January 2018 10:52 (six years ago) link
ANd here's the article - https://inews.co.uk/news/long-reads/tim-smith-cardiacs-singer-brain-injury/
― MaresNest, Monday, 8 January 2018 12:29 (six years ago) link
That'd be Mrs Fortnam you're badmouthing! Cheers for the link though :)
― #TeamHailing (imago), Monday, 8 January 2018 12:43 (six years ago) link
Sharron Fortnam, Craig’s partner, recently asked him to put his current state into words, and then watched him spell the following out at a painfully slow speed: “Imagine if you were wearing a skintight bodysuit made of fishnet all around you, with electrical pulses going all the time. This is what my body feels like unless I fall asleep.”
I've seen him use his word-board. This message would have taken half an hour to spell out
― #TeamHailing (imago), Monday, 8 January 2018 12:57 (six years ago) link
Funding is going really well, I just hope it can get over the goal amount before it hits a plateau.
― MaresNest, Monday, 8 January 2018 13:30 (six years ago) link
That's a relief, I feared the worst when I saw new posts. I've been thinking about Tim/Cardiacs a lot since yesterday's revive. Will donate when I get home.
― queens of the stonage (ultros ultros-ghali), Monday, 8 January 2018 14:13 (six years ago) link
Funding page isn't loading for me?
― Ned Raggett, Monday, 8 January 2018 14:29 (six years ago) link
loaded for me Ned in Chrome.
I donated -- when you read stuff like this, it's not usually accompanied by "and if he gets the care he needs, he'll be able to make music again." Such an inspiration, and he's already got more than half of the goal!!!!!!
― Dominique, Monday, 8 January 2018 14:47 (six years ago) link
a little heartbreaking to see that a decade was essentially wasted :/
I donated roughly what I probably should've paid for all those albums I pirated, back before any of this stuff was even remotely available
― frogbs, Monday, 8 January 2018 14:51 (six years ago) link
Wonder what the % will be by the time I'm home later. Hopefully about 170
I think more than a decade 'wasted' alas - I doubt much more than LSD will be completed, and even that would feel miraculous and special above all things. Extremely heartening that they're going to try.
― #TeamHailing (imago), Monday, 8 January 2018 14:56 (six years ago) link
not really getting my hopes for that either, but a man can dream
tragic part of all this, as the article touches on, is that the band really did seem to be breaking through on a larger scale in '07 - Cardiacs used to be one of those "music's best kept secret" sort of things, but from say 2006 to 2007 it seemed a lot of very enthusiastic fans were pushing them out to the right people and I started seeing them blow up on sites like RYM or last.fm. had they completed the album I think it would have been massive.
― frogbs, Monday, 8 January 2018 15:02 (six years ago) link
Still could be!
― #TeamHailing (imago), Monday, 8 January 2018 15:09 (six years ago) link
When I clicked on it, about 5 hours ago, to donate it was at £4000 odd, now it's up over £23,000, brilliant!
― MaresNest, Monday, 8 January 2018 15:20 (six years ago) link
Very cool, 40K+ in 10 hours, nice to see some interesting names popping up in the comments section too.
JG ThirlwellJan 8, 2018All the best to Tim and I hope this cause makes a big difference in his life. Thanks for the years of amazing music.
£100.00
― MaresNest, Monday, 8 January 2018 19:18 (six years ago) link
I've spotted a few others too
― #TeamHailing (imago), Monday, 8 January 2018 19:23 (six years ago) link
Weasel Walter just chipped in :)
― MaresNest, Monday, 8 January 2018 19:39 (six years ago) link
They've announced they're going for 100K pounds, which will cover him for a full year, and that they have it set up so that way they'll have the full year to raise that amount. Currently at 48K
― Ned Raggett, Monday, 8 January 2018 22:13 (six years ago) link
alright fine I'll kick in another tenner
― frogbs, Monday, 8 January 2018 22:15 (six years ago) link
It'll get there by Wednesday!
― #TeamHailing (imago), Monday, 8 January 2018 23:37 (six years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXf8HB6uUoc
― MaresNest, Wednesday, 10 January 2018 16:47 (six years ago) link
One of the great toys of rock music, along with The Top
― #TeamHailing (imago), Wednesday, 10 January 2018 17:05 (six years ago) link
Wonder if someone could build a track around a full Screwball Scramble run
― #TeamHailing (imago), Wednesday, 10 January 2018 17:06 (six years ago) link
Hello everyone,
This message is sent as a means of explanation for the non-arrival of stuff you may have ordered from The Consultant's Memorabilia Collection.
Tim Smith has been in the hospital since last Sunday and I have been part of a team of close friends and family supporting NHS staff to provide the best care possible in a severely overstretched system. He is never without someone to advocate for him or hold his hand from early morning until late at night. This means that it has become almost impossible to send out orders. As soon as there is a moment in my schedule, I will start posting - I promise!
In the meantime, the love that is still pouring in is being transmitted directly to him through any channel deemed efficacious at the time. Sometimes, we just tell him with wormbs.
Please know that your purchases are important to me and will be sent as soon as is humanly possible.
Stay focused!
With love and respect,Mary
― linee, Wednesday, 17 January 2018 05:26 (six years ago) link
https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/timsmith
― reggie (qualmsley), Thursday, 18 January 2018 02:30 (six years ago) link
More than 80% of the way there, truly great to see.
― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 18 January 2018 02:40 (six years ago) link
He'll make it fairly soon I'd have thought, if only maybe because of the ppl that will throw in a little more after their next few payday cycles.
― MaresNest, Thursday, 18 January 2018 11:17 (six years ago) link
...and the goodwill messages are getting more and more random too, which bears out my theory lol.
― MaresNest, Thursday, 18 January 2018 11:19 (six years ago) link
Wow even Mike Love got in on the action
― frogbs, Thursday, 18 January 2018 13:43 (six years ago) link
some cardiacs thing here as part of this weekend's freak zone
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09q06f8
"Stuart hears new information about the long-term illness of Cardiacs singer Tim Smith from his bandmate Kavus Torabi. Tim has battled with a rare brain disorder since suffering a cardiac arrest 10 years ago, the full details of his condition and how it has affected him have not been made public until now..."
have just started listening and there's a cardiacs track about an hour in so maybe ffwd to that.
― koogs, Tuesday, 30 January 2018 08:54 (six years ago) link
(starts about 43 minutes in)
― koogs, Tuesday, 30 January 2018 13:11 (six years ago) link
wait, a new track?!
― imago, Tuesday, 30 January 2018 13:13 (six years ago) link
noh, a classic from old - I was listening at the time. I don't know the Cardiacs stuff beyond "is this the life", but I believe someone prompted his favourite ever Cardiacs track so.
― Mark G, Tuesday, 30 January 2018 13:23 (six years ago) link
which one is it?
― imago, Tuesday, 30 January 2018 13:24 (six years ago) link
it's on the link i posted!
CardiacsDirty Boy
tim's situation does sound grim, the stuff of nightmares.
― koogs, Tuesday, 30 January 2018 13:40 (six years ago) link
https://alphabet-business-concern.bandcamp.com/
― chihuahuau, Friday, 30 March 2018 13:36 (five years ago) link
have been enjoying myself there, yes! although the only one I hadn't heard every second of was the MAMSAMD album
― imago, Friday, 30 March 2018 13:57 (five years ago) link
Really enjoyed Heaven Born And Ever Bright. Hard to choose favorites. Its like the little creatures from The Stranglers MenInBlack intro migrated to the last track of this and are being flushed out.The S sounds in "She Is Hiding Behind The Shed" are a bit too high pitched.
Cant believe I bought 13 of these albums in late 2014 and still only listened to less than half of them, shame on me.
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Friday, 4 May 2018 20:32 (five years ago) link
she is hiding behind the shed -> march -> goodbye grace -> anything i can't eat
― imago, Friday, 4 May 2018 20:53 (five years ago) link
T'was the first Cardiacs record I bought, on cassette from Tower in Piccadilly on a visit to London as a youngster
Helen And Heaven and March are two of my favourite Cardiacs tracks, but I find that record can sometimes be a bit of a tough listen, it's quite middle-y sounding.
― MaresNest, Friday, 4 May 2018 22:50 (five years ago) link
Man this new Craolya Lectern record is pretty neat!
― MaresNest, Saturday, 26 May 2018 09:27 (five years ago) link
Cardiacsy thread next time - it even has your name in the title! Bumping this one always gives me a Tim Smith Update tingle, or a New Convert frisson
That said, thanks, I will surely listen the heck out of this :)
― imago, Saturday, 26 May 2018 10:54 (five years ago) link
Oh wait this has actual Cardiacs members on it. Pedantry withdrawn haha
― imago, Saturday, 26 May 2018 10:58 (five years ago) link
Nah, you have a point though, I should have put it elsewhere, even if it is tiny Bob Leith, pretty as a picture...
― MaresNest, Saturday, 26 May 2018 16:35 (five years ago) link
― MaresNest, Friday, May 4, 2018 11:50 PM (three weeks ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
I actually made my own "fixed" version of HBAEB with the bass lifted and the mid-range softened. Obviously not as good as a properly supervised remaster would be, but it does the job when I'm out and about and don't fancy having my eardrums wrecked every time a track crops up on my MP3 player.
― Brainless Addlepated Timid Muddleheaded Awful No-Account (Pheeel), Saturday, 26 May 2018 18:38 (five years ago) link
I did this just the other day with a record by the band Eight Storey Window that has a really terrible cheap, pingy snare that goes straight through me.
― MaresNest, Saturday, 26 May 2018 19:05 (five years ago) link
I've never had any issues with the mix on that album. Is it a CD mastering problem? I usually listen to it on the old vinyl copy or the cassette which I taped from the vinyl (in my ancient car).
― everything, Saturday, 26 May 2018 21:27 (five years ago) link
I had to do that with this obscure punk band the Absentees. Their track on Killed By Death #7 is muddy as hell but the official CD reissue goes completely the opposite and is extremely trebly instead. I had to edit it in Cool Edit to boost the bass to make a listenable version
― Colonel Poo, Saturday, 26 May 2018 23:06 (five years ago) link
I've never thought that Heaven Born or StG were the best sounding records but the production is a small part of what makes them distinct; anyway no mattter how harsh and trebly they are you can still hear the bass so it's OK by me.
― obnoxious pun (ultros ultros-ghali), Sunday, 27 May 2018 09:29 (five years ago) link
I always thought that the sound of StG and HBaEB were a result of the limitations of Tim's home studio plus how his own brain reacts to mid freqs, you can hear it also in some (but not all) of the records he produced and recorded. he def has a way of mixing that can sometimes be a little pushy in that spectrum.
They're not, by any means, full of screeching mids, he balances quite tricky middle frequencies (mostly guitar blare) fairly well, but as my own ears get older they're less well equipped to handle certain mids, so I tend to watch what I'm doing to preserve it.
― MaresNest, Sunday, 27 May 2018 10:06 (five years ago) link
The '95 reish of HBAEB (I always read that as Hey Babe!) is supposedly utterly trashed and distorted for some reason (something to do with a bucket and some nails....)
The recent vinyl and digital versions are I believe from the '92 master which is quite light on bass but not too bad at all, jt's appropriate to the style and what he intended.
― Absolute Unit Delta Plus (Noel Emits), Sunday, 27 May 2018 11:04 (five years ago) link
STG frustrates me a bit on that front. It is just a little harsh in those mids and my ears are also very sensitive to that. My preferred way to listen has become a normal position cassette of a CD-R rip of the vinyl ;-)
― Absolute Unit Delta Plus (Noel Emits), Sunday, 27 May 2018 11:08 (five years ago) link
Whenever this thread is bumped I'm expecting news of an obscurities or live recordings dump on Bandcamp.
Ditzy Scene and Faster Than Snakes should appear at some point. What else is missing (apart from LSD)?
― Absolute Unit Delta Plus (Noel Emits), Sunday, 27 May 2018 11:15 (five years ago) link
One day, the original A Balloon For Bertie's Party will emerge in its best-prog-song-by-a-teenager-ever glory
― imago, Sunday, 27 May 2018 11:18 (five years ago) link
StGs big secret is that it's all drum machine apparently.
― MaresNest, Sunday, 27 May 2018 11:49 (five years ago) link
Every beat was sequenced, it's a library of sampled Bob.
― Brainless Addlepated Timid Muddleheaded Awful No-Account (Pheeel), Sunday, 27 May 2018 12:52 (five years ago) link
Thanked by Cardiacs-hating record store employees for buying one of the band’s LPs because “our boss loves them and now he can’t play this in the shop anymore.”— Andy Zax (@andyzax) June 6, 2018
― mookieproof, Wednesday, 6 June 2018 16:41 (five years ago) link
He'll find a way
― imago, Wednesday, 6 June 2018 19:17 (five years ago) link
Guns seems pretty laid back for this band despite some typically energetic tracks. Or did Sing To God have this same balance?
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Saturday, 15 September 2018 10:33 (five years ago) link
It's definitely quieter but the emotions and the compositions are just as intense. It's a very tragic and mysterious album - very inspired by Night Of The Hunter
― imago, Saturday, 15 September 2018 10:51 (five years ago) link
Had no idea about that. Wikipedia says it's utilized in a cut-up technique way, so perhaps not exactly inspired but just spliced in?
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Saturday, 15 September 2018 11:45 (five years ago) link
Hello.It is now nigh on nine months since the start of the Just Giving campaign, and perhaps high time for an update on how things have been going for Tim since then.Unfortunately, at around the time of the launch, Tim became seriously ill, and it has taken him a while to get his strength back. Thankfully though, in the last couple of months his health has improved enough to start his rehabilitation in earnest.
So he now has:*A Speech and Language Therapist *A neuro-physiotherapist*A masseuse*A Feldenkrais therapist *A Support Assistant to help with the everyday stuff...and his own PA to coordinate things for him.
As well as this, he has a new state-of-the-art touch screen computer, and access to the resources needed to enable him to attend gigs more often.Tim is at the beginning of what we hope will be an exciting journey for him, and it's all down to the financial support given, with love, by you.
With love from Mary x
― MaresNest, Tuesday, 9 October 2018 10:48 (five years ago) link
Wow!
It's one of those things - if a 6Music show begins with "is this the life", I fear the worst thesedays. Thankfully, it's just that it's "time to play that record"
― Mark G, Tuesday, 9 October 2018 11:01 (five years ago) link
The JustGiving is still open so I'll bump it here:https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/timsmith
(hopefully this will also remind to chip in again later)
― a passing spacecadet, Tuesday, 9 October 2018 11:47 (five years ago) link
Would be amazing if those of us who care could keep him afloat with the yearly care costs as long as is required.
― MaresNest, Tuesday, 9 October 2018 13:56 (five years ago) link
was really heartwarming to see a bunch of people donate to that campaign under famous musicians' names with a message about how inspired they were by him
I think I did three of the Monkees
― frogbs, Tuesday, 9 October 2018 14:01 (five years ago) link
Oh smart! I'm totally going to do that from now on.
― MaresNest, Tuesday, 9 October 2018 14:16 (five years ago) link
From the Royal Conservatoire Of Scotland's FB page -
The man who inspired musicians Blur, Radiohead and Biffy Clyro is to be honoured at the RCS winter graduation on October 25. Tim Smith of the Cardiacs is to receive an Honorary Doctor of Music to celebrate his remarkable contribution to the music industry.
― MaresNest, Friday, 19 October 2018 17:57 (five years ago) link
Sweet. Congrats, doc.
― Walter Wegmüller Fruit Corner (Noel Emits), Friday, 19 October 2018 18:31 (five years ago) link
That said, FFS the man's contribution does not mainly consist of inspiring a bunch of more famous bands. Inevitable but ridiculous that Cardiacs (or anyone, really) should be framed like that. The Radiohead thing is highly spurious anyway so there's no need to hold him even partly responsible for that!
― Walter Wegmüller Fruit Corner (Noel Emits), Friday, 19 October 2018 18:42 (five years ago) link
I mean its essentially a press blurb, if it gets people interested mission accomplished. But yeah that really irks me too, I know nothing of "Biffy Clyro" but Cardiacs don't sound a thing like those other two bands. or anyone really.
― frogbs, Friday, 19 October 2018 18:45 (five years ago) link
except their army of devotee musicians keeping the flame alive :)
― imago, Friday, 19 October 2018 18:48 (five years ago) link
blur i can see btw; radiohead gtfo
Tim Smith, whose music inspired international luminaries such as Deep Turtle and Shrubbies...
Seriously though this is some nice news. ty Scotland
― obnoxious pun (ultros ultros-ghali), Friday, 19 October 2018 19:12 (five years ago) link
Dawson, Dog-Faced Hermans or Stretcheads if they needed token Scottish act rather than LOL Biffy Clyro.
― everything, Friday, 19 October 2018 21:24 (five years ago) link
Haha yeah, Buntychunks vs Radiohead
― MaresNest, Saturday, 20 October 2018 11:27 (five years ago) link
Didn't realize Biffy Clyro were still big.
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Saturday, 20 October 2018 14:18 (five years ago) link
Hope this links okay because it's unlisted, but here is the live stream for Tim's nomination at the Royal Conservatoire today, accepted on his behalf by Jim.
https://youtu.be/yQYOqUUsAAc?t=39m49s
― MaresNest, Thursday, 25 October 2018 19:40 (five years ago) link
Jim deserves an award almost as much for his services to bass guitar tbh
― imago, Thursday, 25 October 2018 20:11 (five years ago) link
that video's lovely, thank you
― imago, Thursday, 25 October 2018 23:24 (five years ago) link
I thought so too, made me a little teary
― MaresNest, Thursday, 25 October 2018 23:52 (five years ago) link
Dr Tim
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MybDbut1lFQ
― MaresNest, Wednesday, 28 November 2018 22:57 (five years ago) link
And now the whole thing -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zr9SZVHjFT0
― MaresNest, Sunday, 16 December 2018 17:47 (five years ago) link
Just been announced Gong are headlining the Alphabet Business Convention weekender in July. Holy shit.
― Brainless Addlepated Timid Muddleheaded Awful No-Account (Pheeel), Sunday, 3 February 2019 21:34 (five years ago) link
hardly a holy shit given Kavus' involvement :) but it'll be great, will try to go
― imago, Sunday, 3 February 2019 21:39 (five years ago) link
Yeah, I guess. It still feels like a big deal for our little fan convention, though. It's growing!
― Brainless Addlepated Timid Muddleheaded Awful No-Account (Pheeel), Sunday, 3 February 2019 22:01 (five years ago) link
Finished listened to the selftitled Sea Nymphs album. Absolutely loved it, maybe even more than Sing To God, so it might be my favorite Cariacs album so far.
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Friday, 15 February 2019 16:34 (five years ago) link
One of the most purely lovely things I've heard in quite some time.
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Friday, 15 February 2019 16:35 (five years ago) link
The new Sea Nymphs is pretty much just as good! (It's more conventionally song-y, perhaps - the s/t is all mysterious fragments and snatches)
― imago, Friday, 15 February 2019 16:37 (five years ago) link
Cosign, all Sea Nymphs is great, including the Mr & Mrs Smith and Mr Drake recordings, love 'em just as much as Cardiacs.
― MaresNest, Friday, 15 February 2019 17:29 (five years ago) link
Also, I was listening to some Ligeti Keyboard Works CD the other day and this struck me as very Sea Nymphs/Bill D
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OftWu4HPQI
― MaresNest, Friday, 15 February 2019 17:33 (five years ago) link
Bill definitely skews less avant-garde than that but there's definitely a reminiscence in the flourishes! Good spot
― imago, Friday, 15 February 2019 17:43 (five years ago) link
Bill once mentioned Debussy as an early influence, and you can definitely hear that from Debussy's Tarantelle.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bW01NSqOA7M
― Brainless Addlepated Timid Muddleheaded Awful No-Account (Pheeel), Friday, 15 February 2019 22:18 (five years ago) link
What is Tim saying at the end of track 2 on Songs For Ships And Irons?
"I'm allowed in here, am I?"
"I'm a loudy here, am I?"
Amused me every time but still couldn't quite make it out.
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Friday, 28 June 2019 20:13 (four years ago) link
here's what i can make out
sarah: bill
bill: yes
sarah: have you just had a wash
sarah: you smell lovely
bill: thank...thank you very m-
tim: HELLO, I AM ALLOWED IN HERE AM I
bill/sarah: whoooaaahh
tim: OH DON'T NOB ON YOUR OWN FACE YOU FILTHY DOG
― imago, Friday, 28 June 2019 20:21 (four years ago) link
Isnt it just Sarah making the mocking sound?
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Friday, 28 June 2019 20:27 (four years ago) link
Extra Special OceanLandWorld is really good but probably my least favorite thing so far. Still to listen to Archives, Mr & Mrs, Spratleys and second Sea Nymphs though.
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Friday, 18 October 2019 18:00 (four years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkQSzrQxa4Y
Guy is a monster.
― Maresn3st, Sunday, 5 January 2020 14:14 (four years ago) link
Nice
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Sunday, 5 January 2020 15:35 (four years ago) link
Very good.
Did you all see this (Gong)? Wait for it...
https://youtu.be/9ke0nLLSWFs
― never knowingly otm (Noel Emits), Sunday, 5 January 2020 15:43 (four years ago) link
Man, they need a singer.
― Maresn3st, Sunday, 5 January 2020 16:06 (four years ago) link
Wow that dude
― frogbs, Sunday, 5 January 2020 17:00 (four years ago) link
That (the T&F cover) is amazing yeah
― imago, Wednesday, 8 January 2020 12:59 (four years ago) link
Some Cardiacs family business streaming live on YouTube right now, Admiral's Hard (Sea Shanty band with some Stars In Battledress and Monsoon Bassoon peeps) plus later on some of Lost Crowns playing 'the songs of Tim Smith'.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FL9hcWgcsK8
― Maresn3st, Saturday, 1 February 2020 20:02 (four years ago) link
ah nice ty! have put it on, albeit overlaid by the new Kesha album until something actually happens ;)
― opden gnash (imago), Saturday, 1 February 2020 20:12 (four years ago) link
Maybe this was on the thread years ago but I was searching this site for podcast interviews with fantasy writers and found thishttps://kittysneezes.com/painful-threshold-dark-william-d-drake-tells-us-television-organ/
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Sunday, 5 April 2020 16:29 (three years ago) link
There is, of course, no such thing, It's actually a pretty common analog synth like a Juno or something, wish I could recall the exact name. My band once supported The Sea Nymphs and we asked Bill.
― Maresn3st, Sunday, 5 April 2020 20:12 (three years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4zyJneR_gI
― Maresn3st, Friday, 24 April 2020 11:32 (three years ago) link
This concert, I was at it.
Finished with Spratleys + those three playing Is This The Life / Leader Of The Starry Skies.
― Ummon, you slags (Noel Emits), Friday, 24 April 2020 13:56 (three years ago) link
I also happen to have been at the other one you mention but the time span between the two is vertiginous and also this makes me seem like a mental obsessive.
A balmy day at the Falcon IIRC.
― Ummon, you slags (Noel Emits), Friday, 24 April 2020 14:11 (three years ago) link
I'm hearing that Tim has passed away, I'm crushed, does anyone have any details?
― Maresn3st, Wednesday, 22 July 2020 08:26 (three years ago) link
All over Twitter, but can't find the source.
― Anti-Cop Ponceortium (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Wednesday, 22 July 2020 08:51 (three years ago) link
I'm seeing FoaF messages saying similar but nothing concrete.
― Mud... jam... failure (aldo), Wednesday, 22 July 2020 08:51 (three years ago) link
RIP :(
― L. Prague de Scamp (a passing spacecadet), Wednesday, 22 July 2020 08:55 (three years ago) link
The great one is gone.
― imago, Wednesday, 22 July 2020 09:11 (three years ago) link
It's in The Mirror nowhttps://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/breaking-tim-smith-dead-frontman-22395892.amp
― Anti-Cop Ponceortium (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Wednesday, 22 July 2020 09:12 (three years ago) link
RIP :'(
― Scampidocio (Le Bateau Ivre), Wednesday, 22 July 2020 09:15 (three years ago) link
RIP Tim
― Gavin, Leeds, Wednesday, 22 July 2020 09:23 (three years ago) link
As you've probably noticed from my Facebook feed. Yes, I got (got back into, actually, just never talked about it here) into Cardiacs in a big, big way recently. Yes, I am devastated. My condolences to his family and friends (and you imago, since you actually met him.)
― Christine Green Leafy Dragon Indigo, Wednesday, 22 July 2020 10:03 (three years ago) link
Best thing gone did ever have
― tangenttangent, Wednesday, 22 July 2020 10:07 (three years ago) link
what the actual heck? terrible news
― Boris the Spreader (NickB), Wednesday, 22 July 2020 10:08 (three years ago) link
Oh crap. I have been listening to and thinking about Cardiacs quite a bit this last couple of weeks, from the earliest four-track Canterbury / Zappa infused Piffol instrumentals Tim and Dominic Luckman recorded as teenagers to the prog pop majesty of STG and marvelling yet again (when not simply in a condition of pure joy) at what a thing they were and are, and at why they are not more widely recognised as one of (I mean, THE, really) greatest bands ever, even though of course I know it is the very definition of not for everyone and wouldn't have it any other way.
Kavus Torabi once said or wrote a thing about how with Tim's songs there was never a single part where he wished Tim had done something different. Such audacious, individual but seemingly effortless composition and not once an error of judgment or anything out of balance. That by itself might be worthy of the highest laudation, but there was more even than that to Cardiacs.
― clap for cardiacs (Noel Emits), Wednesday, 22 July 2020 10:36 (three years ago) link
Fucking bummed.
― clap for cardiacs (Noel Emits), Wednesday, 22 July 2020 10:47 (three years ago) link
Every time I saw this thread, or heard "Is this the life?" on the radio, I'd think...
(as opposed to any other Cardiacs track, which I'd assume meant it hadn't happened...)
On the one level, it's great he managed to supervise the last album and even give a spirited interview (via adapted keyboard) about it.
On the other, glad he did have enough time and spirit to live etc....
sorry, babbling now I know. I'm out.
― Mark G, Wednesday, 22 July 2020 11:40 (three years ago) link
you mean the last Sea Nymphs album? doubtful whether his true final message to a world that barely deserves him will ever be heard now
― imago, Wednesday, 22 July 2020 11:42 (three years ago) link
Our consolation is all the other messages he did leave. Play 'em loud
― imago, Wednesday, 22 July 2020 11:58 (three years ago) link
awww rip genius :( I was sooooo obsessed. for years.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbBuvhuZO8c
― lumen (esby), Wednesday, 22 July 2020 12:33 (three years ago) link
Absolutely devastated, that's all I can really say.
― ultros ultros-ghali, Wednesday, 22 July 2020 13:43 (three years ago) link
gutted right now. admittedly I've had some trouble listening to them lately because the whole story with Tim has just been so fucking sad. but I did play StG just last week and had the same reaction I always do, the music is just too good to be true. like "Manhoo", just an unbelievable tune. idk what else to say. this sucks. but its also kind of a relief. I hope he was happy in his final years.
― frogbs, Wednesday, 22 July 2020 13:52 (three years ago) link
RIP man. Lots of Brighton friends affected right now, very sad.
― emil.y, Wednesday, 22 July 2020 14:24 (three years ago) link
from one of the obits:
In 2017, Smith described his condition: “Imagine if you were wearing a skintight bodysuit made of fishnet all around you, with electrical pulses going all the time. This is what my body feels like unless I fall asleep.”
jesus, it's all so sad. what a terrible fate. I guess it's a little relief that he's no longer suffering.
― frogbs, Wednesday, 22 July 2020 16:46 (three years ago) link
Tim was around after a Spratleys Japs reunion gig about three years ago and me and imago blurted out some things about how important his music was, and he managed to give us a thumbs up. I felt guilty in retrospect wondering what kind of effort that might have required, but it still meant a lot, and his being there (and at other such gigs, despite the assumed difficulty) was testament to his unwavering commitment to the Cardiacs universe.
He was truly visionary in the way he stitched songs together (and unstitched them, and sewed them back together again in the wrong order) and in those beautifully lysergic lyrics that dissolve and reform in different interpretations no matter how many hundreds of times you hear them.
― tangenttangent, Wednesday, 22 July 2020 17:33 (three years ago) link
I wrote a bit here
https://critterjams.wordpress.com/2020/07/22/the-leader-of-the-starry-skies/
I agree there is something utterly unique about the way he wrote songs. Like geniuses in other fields the more you study him the more you feel like his brain was just wired a different way. He's influenced so many people but nobody can really write the way he does. The only thing that comes close is Magma, or maybe Zappa at his absolute best. You feel like you're listening to pop music from an advanced civilization or something. And I'm still amused that for all his boundless creativity he still decided end the first disc of StG by ripping off Faust, one of the few tunes in existence with that same tilted sensibility
― frogbs, Wednesday, 22 July 2020 18:36 (three years ago) link
Sad to hear all this. I didn't really know much about the nature of his condition.
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Wednesday, 22 July 2020 18:43 (three years ago) link
It's so fucking weird, after all these years I'm still having conversations about Cardiacs all the time and I'm still foisting various tunes onto friends and colleagues whom I think/hope might be receptive.
Only yesterday I was chatting with a mate about Jon Poole/Bob Leith's pre-Cardiacs band 'Ad Nauseum' who were one of a small tribe that appeared to be beholden to that early Cardiacs sound and how great their record, 4 Little Boys is.
― Maresn3st, Wednesday, 22 July 2020 18:46 (three years ago) link
its weird for me too, as I wrote about up there I really haven't listened to a Cardiacs LP in full for a long time, I'd hear bits and pieces here and there but it made me feel too sad to actually listen to one of their albums. at least until a few days ago, when I put on StG and figured, "okay now's the time to get into all this stuff again"
― frogbs, Wednesday, 22 July 2020 18:51 (three years ago) link
frogbs, I nearly posted something earlier about how I don't usually think of In A City Lining as a favourite Cardiacs tune but it has the unfailing ability to make me forget about any silly fug I may be dallying with, often to the point of actual laughter.
― clap for cardiacs (Noel Emits), Wednesday, 22 July 2020 19:00 (three years ago) link
I've been deep in a Spratley's Japs phase recently and only a few days ago was frantically scribbling out the notes and timings for the solo to 'Don't You Aill...' because I'm making a little lockdown cover versions EP and fancied having a go.
― Maresn3st, Wednesday, 22 July 2020 19:16 (three years ago) link
listening to A Little Man right now, god this is brilliant....DA-DA-DA-DA-DA-DA-DIVE!!!
― frogbs, Thursday, 23 July 2020 02:57 (three years ago) link
16 of us cared enough to post something. That isn't enough, but it's better than zero I suppose
― imago, Thursday, 23 July 2020 09:02 (three years ago) link
I think, for ILM at least, it's about what I would expect, spent the whole day yesterday talking/thinking about Tim and listening to his music.
― Maresn3st, Thursday, 23 July 2020 09:19 (three years ago) link
Oh of course (and me too!) - nothing against anyone here or really anyone not here. Just the eternal anguish towards a largely unfeeling world
― imago, Thursday, 23 July 2020 09:29 (three years ago) link
Everyone posting here probably knows but the board recordings of three songs from the Panixphere / Japs concert in December might not be available to download indefinitely.
https://theconfinementtapes.bandcamp.com/album/confinement-release6
― Noel Emits, Thursday, 23 July 2020 10:51 (three years ago) link
XXXXXXXXXXP - There's a nice, long interview with Kavus on YT, filmed only two weeks ago in which he talks about LSD with a 'never say never' attitude, ideas of another singer and getting Craig Fortnum in to orchestrate and so on.
Obviously, Tim's estate is now to be curated and considered in the past tense more definitively once Jim or whoever decides what is best.
― Maresn3st, Thursday, 23 July 2020 13:49 (three years ago) link
yeah I always held out hope that we'd eventually hear it
― frogbs, Thursday, 23 July 2020 14:01 (three years ago) link
Aside from that, the fight to ensure his music gets its rightful dues goes on
― imago, Thursday, 23 July 2020 14:03 (three years ago) link
I bounced back and forth between Facebook and the discord server yesterday, since I was working a double and wasn't busy at all.
― Christine Green Leafy Dragon Indigo, Thursday, 23 July 2020 15:17 (three years ago) link
the more you study him the more you feel like his brain was just wired a different way
This is pretty much what I come away thinking whenever I listen to Cardiacs. Sometimes I wonder why more bands haven't tried to copy their style, and I think it's mainly just that no one else can write like that. Always loved those Special Garage Concerts rehearsal videos where it's like seeing actual people playing this stuff in this setting somehow makes it even harder to understand how these songs can exist:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxhuQWKwbqY
― Vaguely Threatening CAPTCHAs, Thursday, 23 July 2020 15:19 (three years ago) link
Do you think that the lack of clear spatial positions in the shed was always the idea? I know Tim didn't finish the editing. But if course it's easy to say it's totally in keeping with the concept.
The first three things mentioned here that Carl Dreyer does 'wrong' in The Passion of Joan of Arc apply to the Rotten Shed I think.
https://www.bfi.org.uk/news-opinion/news-bfi/features/passion-joan-arc-carl-dreyer-style
― Noel Emits, Thursday, 23 July 2020 19:18 (three years ago) link
Kav's interview explains that they wanted it to be uncomfortable, full of junk and sweaty, loud.
― Maresn3st, Thursday, 23 July 2020 22:06 (three years ago) link
Oh weird, I posted that clip without having any idea that was one of the main topics of the Kavus interview! Really have to watch that
― Vaguely Threatening CAPTCHAs, Thursday, 23 July 2020 22:24 (three years ago) link
Yeah, it's a kind of potted history of his time with the band and beyond.
― Maresn3st, Thursday, 23 July 2020 22:26 (three years ago) link
maybe an unpopular opinion but there is one guy whose melodic sensibility reminds me of him - John Linnell
― frogbs, Friday, 24 July 2020 02:34 (three years ago) link
Got up the other day and learned this news and just thought "Huh". Couple of hours later put on a file of radio sessions which is on on my phone in case I'm in the mood on a late night walks home or whatever & the first song it throws up is Duck & Roger the Horse which starts with the ABC ident and I immediately start crying. The closest musical relationship I've ever had is with this man and this band. The music, the lyrics, the performances, all the visuals and the newsletters and the whole conceit of what they were doing, everything about it just made so much sense to me. Spent the past day listening to albums and catching up on live videos etc on youtube. I'd give anything to see them all again, backlit and lined up at the edge of the stage, low keyboard drone, wind machines blasting confetti all around and the audience losing their minds wondering what's going to happen now?
― everything, Friday, 24 July 2020 07:16 (three years ago) link
^^^^
thank you for introducing me to this band back in 2006, everything
― imago, Friday, 24 July 2020 12:17 (three years ago) link
Just want to say i really liked your write-up Frogbs.
― Scampidocio (Le Bateau Ivre), Friday, 24 July 2020 12:47 (three years ago) link
I think Rhodri Marsden's eulogy was really very good and spot-on in a lot of ways.
I was lucky enough that for a few years Tim and I had quite a lot of mutual friends, ne'er-do-well musicians mostly, so I got to meet him a fair bit, usually at gigs and/or in pubs.
The two bands I was in at that time were tight with The Monsoon Bassoon and we played the same bills or would go see each other's gigs and Rhodri is dead right, Tim would stand down the front at your gig with his big, lovely Cheshire cat face. You did get the impression that a lot of his favourite music was indeed made by his mates.
He was charming and would give you huge unexpected bear hugs and kisses whenever you saw him.
A favourite memory, one night, walking from the tube to see The Monsoon at a gig up near Dingwalls and seeing Tim heading the same way I asked him how things were going with the next Cardiacs release - which would have been Guns - and instead he was excitedly jabbering about Spratley's Japs, I remember asking him about the Incredible String Band song Cosmic Boy, mentioning how it had reminded me of Sea Nymphs and we geeked out over how good the album 'Liquid Acrobat...' was.
My proud claim to fame, we got asked to support The Sea Nymphs at The Bull and Gate - iirc, it could have been The Monarch - I remember looking to my right, mid-song and seeing Tim watching us from the side of the stage, he was checking out our fancy pedal-work and I got all nervous incase I muffed up.
I never saw him after he got sick. He had an amazing circle of old friends around him, as you all know and I'm sure a visitor's queue of people from his periphery would have been never-ending.
But, my wife and I sent him a care package once he was settled in the care home, a box of CDs and box-sets that my wife had brought home from her record company job, I remember calling Kavus up and asking if Tim liked Jethro Tull and Bill Nelson's Red Noise. I hope he got them.
― Maresn3st, Friday, 24 July 2020 13:30 (three years ago) link
Some friends I was in a band with in the early 90s were good mates with Sidi Bou Said and I guess other people in those circles. One of them was part of this Lewisham (?) crowd and the other was responsible for me first seeing Cardiacs in 1990. Saw the band often over the next few years but having caught the tail end of the big line-up the gigs innevitably changed when four (?) people had left and the band was playing with backing tracks and a new guitarist and drummer. Well, you know. Not that it was bad, just different.
I only met Tim once AFAIR. I may have mentioned it was in a pub in Islington, I just happened to be wearing a battered yellow daisy Cardiacs t-shirt and he came and sat opposite me and said "alright."
Was the show with The Sea Nymphs at The Falcon? That's my memory, it was the last time I went there before it closed as a venue.
― Stanley Halfbrick (Noel Emits), Friday, 24 July 2020 16:25 (three years ago) link
It *was* the Falcon, my bad. Sean Organ was playing Selling England By The Pound in between bands.
― Maresn3st, Friday, 24 July 2020 16:33 (three years ago) link
I was always a bit torn about them playing with backing tapes. Sacrificing a certain amount of spontaneity and generally complicating things seems unnecessary when it would've been just as good or possibly better just doing it live as a four-piece.
― everything, Friday, 24 July 2020 18:03 (three years ago) link
thank you for introducing me to this band back in 2006, everything― imago, Friday, July 24, 2020 5:17 AM (five hours ago) bookmarkflaglink
― imago, Friday, July 24, 2020 5:17 AM (five hours ago) bookmarkflaglink
You're welcome. Wouldn't have done it for anyone else hahaha.
― everything, Friday, 24 July 2020 18:04 (three years ago) link
:)
― imago, Friday, 24 July 2020 18:06 (three years ago) link
still wondering who the guy was that introduced me to them and if they post here or are in the FB group
― frogbs, Friday, 24 July 2020 18:15 (three years ago) link
My introduction: bought the Nighttracks EP without having heard them, judging from the photo that they must be some kind of relatively mainstream, female-fronted indie band that I hadn't heard of before because that was the kind of stuff Janice Long played on her show. When I put it on I was a bit crushed at first that Sarah Smith wasn't the singer and that they didn't sound like Girls At Our Best. But, like frogbs, I got hooked by "In a City Lining" and played it about a hundred times and then got into Buds and Spawn and played that about two hundred times. Played it to my friend who said she hated them and that we'd both seen them when they were on The Tube so that must've went over my head. I'd also seen the Marillion tour years earlier, which was my first big concert I ever went to but I arrived while Marillion were already onstage and I don't know if they even played at the Glasgow show.
― everything, Friday, 24 July 2020 20:34 (three years ago) link
I was introduced to them by a friend who did their live lights for a short while, he posted a nice thing about Tim on Facebook yesterday.
― Anti-Cop Ponceortium (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Friday, 24 July 2020 20:36 (three years ago) link
Here it is:
So sad to hear of Tim Smith, singer of The Cardiacs' passing... aged 59. He suffered brain damage from a heart attack in 2008 and never fully recovered.
The Cardiacs were 'support' band for The Wildhearts when I was doing Wildhearts' merch/lights in 2004, the early formative days of my career.I'd never heard of the Cardiacs before and I remember when they first kicked in full blast at the first gig. I'd never heard anything like it and it took me about 2 or 3 gigs to get my head fully around it. I ended up doing their lights for the tour including at the Astoria, and they were definitely the first band I lit which didn't follow conventional rhythm rules (or rules in general). It helped shape the way I still work today. Kept me on my toes and ready for anything!
Tim was a kind sweet warm man off stage, clearly a mischievous twisted genius bubbling under which would surface when he was front and centre and screaming to a half bewildered half entranced crowd. I don't generally do eulogies because the internet is inundated with them but meeting and working with Tim (and his band/music) was one of those moments in time that instantly affected me in a positive way and shaped what I am now. Plus the Cardiacs deserved way more exposure than they got.
Give em a listen if you haven't before. Just don't expect to get it right away!
― Anti-Cop Ponceortium (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Friday, 24 July 2020 20:39 (three years ago) link
It's so weird that steve Wright played them loads on his afternoon show for a few weeks after Is This The Life? was released, that was my initial exposure and I guess I must have thought they were a slightly angsty, punky band.
I carried the name around with me until they started popping up in Levitation interviews along with Tim's name, then I bought Heaven Born on a whim when I was visiting London in 1992 and, apart from March and Helen And Heaven which remain two of my favourites to this day, I really wasn't terribly fussed about it.
Then in 1993 after a move from Scotland down to London, I discovered my flatmate had a VHS copy of Maresnest which I watched, equally compelled/repulsed, then watched again and again until the penny dropped and then, of course, the usual Cardiacs mania kicked in, luckily I had not too long to wait before the reissue campaign happened.
― Maresn3st, Friday, 24 July 2020 21:13 (three years ago) link
god what was it like when STG dropped, already being a fan of theirs
― imago, Friday, 24 July 2020 21:20 (three years ago) link
Pretty epic, realising it was going to be a double, Michael(Moke) who taped gigs and sold bootlegs in Camden at the weekends had heard it already and I remember him describing it as the most amazingly epic thing.
I was buying the Organ zine at gigs and they were talking about it long before release and a little later Org put out the Belleye CD single with three tracks, and then there was a bit of an agonizing wait for the album in true Cardiacs fashion.
― Maresn3st, Friday, 24 July 2020 21:27 (three years ago) link
sad lol
― imago, Friday, 24 July 2020 21:28 (three years ago) link
In-fact, Manhoo might have even come out just before the album too, possibly? idk
― Maresn3st, Friday, 24 July 2020 21:29 (three years ago) link
After it's release, I even recall a little bit of half-hearted dissent from some folks, too much Poole, drum machine etc:
― Maresn3st, Friday, 24 July 2020 21:32 (three years ago) link
lol, the ships and irons purists :D
― imago, Friday, 24 July 2020 21:34 (three years ago) link
Alex In NYC was one who weirdly adored HBAEB and loathed STG, when they're clearly a brilliant continuum imo
― imago, Friday, 24 July 2020 21:35 (three years ago) link
Bellyeye had been out for quite a long while before Sing To God showed up. I think Manhoo was played by Mark Radcliffe in advance and I taped it, but it was the less epic single version. I remember playing the CD on a discman on the train to Stirling the day I got it. When the album showed up it took me a while to appreciate it totally, since I got fixated on a handful of tracks like Insect Hoofs on Lassie and Doglike Sparky. I sorta ignored the second disc for a while.
It was tough finding the records in Scotland. There'd be like one copy in one shop. Seriously if there was something being released I'd go round all the record shops every day so no other bastard got it. Other than the Marillion tour I'm not aware of them playing there till about 1992. Thank the stars I went down for the Maresnest filming as that was the only time I saw the full line-up.
― everything, Friday, 24 July 2020 21:36 (three years ago) link
Are you the guy shouting 'show us yer bottom!!' in-between songs? :)
― Maresn3st, Friday, 24 July 2020 21:39 (three years ago) link
No, that guy clearly is English. I'm from Ayrshire.
― everything, Friday, 24 July 2020 21:40 (three years ago) link
Actually, now I think about it, I remember hearing the edits in the Manhoo single and thinking it odd, so StG must have been out beforehand.
Totally agree about fixating on certain songs at first and for a long time, Dog Like Sparky, Manhoo, Flap Off You Beak, Wireless, the second side definitely suffered at first.
― Maresn3st, Friday, 24 July 2020 21:42 (three years ago) link
XP - Just kidding, I know, me too. I think we've maybe talked about this before on an Ayrshire thread. But I do wonder who that guy is from time to time.
― Maresn3st, Friday, 24 July 2020 21:44 (three years ago) link
on a personal note that little twangy bit on Flap Off You Beak ("they're not alive..") was when I realized this was absolutely the best band in the universe
― frogbs, Friday, 24 July 2020 21:47 (three years ago) link
the climax of that song is probably the 30 seconds of music that, if pushed, i'd ask the aliens to preserve
― imago, Friday, 24 July 2020 21:47 (three years ago) link
That Bellyeye CD single was the first thing I ever bought by the band - I found it randomly in the 'C' section of Crash Records one Saturday in January 1996 while looking for the Chemical Brothers' STRICTLY LIMITED EDITION Loops of Fury EP that had come out that week (I also bought lol Spaceman by Babylon Zoo the same day). The previous November some friends and I had seen Cardiacs supporting Chumbawamba - I was 14, it was only the second gig I'd ever been to and we were basically just hoping for something we could pogo to. I have a really vivid memory of them launching into the first song and us all just looking at each other all kind of 'What the hell is this, it's brilliant'. Was genuinely shocked when I went Xmas shopping in London a few weeks later and discovered in HMV that they had loads of albums going back to the late '70s. After buying the single I got that cheap Sampler CD which I played to death, then later Heaven Born and Sing to God when it came out. Didn't get around to the earlier albums until years later!
― Gavin, Leeds, Friday, 24 July 2020 21:48 (three years ago) link
One of my cats from home had passed away that week and I had been listening to 'Flap...' after hearing the news because it always makes me think of her.
― Maresn3st, Friday, 24 July 2020 21:51 (three years ago) link
I just remembered the track "Faster Than Snakes With a Ball and Chain", fucking ace
god its all so frustrating. I knew if they'd ever made another album it would not only be incredible but it might have a shot at breaking them through to more than just the locals. if I remember there was an album in the works post-Guns that was accidentally deleted? (the one with "Silvery" on it)...but I always assumed that story was bullshit
― frogbs, Friday, 24 July 2020 21:52 (three years ago) link
I love plateau endings, it has a similar feeling to the end of 'No 13 Baby' by Pixies.
― Maresn3st, Friday, 24 July 2020 21:52 (three years ago) link
'faster than snakes...' is all we have of LSD iirc (unless 'ditzy scene' makes it on there)
the really great unrecorded track is dream dress/vermin mangle, for now only found on a couple of youtube videos from a short solo tour tim did in 2000
― imago, Friday, 24 July 2020 21:54 (three years ago) link
XXP - I'm guessing not (to that rumour) as Tim was probably still working on tape at the time.
― Maresn3st, Friday, 24 July 2020 21:54 (three years ago) link
There's this too - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBDRAqocYlc
― Maresn3st, Friday, 24 July 2020 21:56 (three years ago) link
that interview is hit after hit of pathos now
― imago, Friday, 24 July 2020 22:12 (three years ago) link
A slightly longer edit of the Surbiton video has surfaced - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ezc3USYXjCg
― Maresn3st, Friday, 24 July 2020 23:59 (three years ago) link
It is a regret of mine that I didn't go to see the Cardiacs play in Reading some time in the late 90s after my friend's boyfriend told me I might like them and he was going to see them - I think it was some punk bullshit about aversion to "prog rock" tbh - I didn't actually get around to listening to them for several years after that and I was instantly converted when I did listen to them. RIP Tim
― CP Radio Gorgeous (Colonel Poo), Saturday, 25 July 2020 00:55 (three years ago) link
What would be the best place to start?
(I must've been around at the time but don't remember seeing the LP's, or maybe just wasn't looking / listening in the right places. I do remember lots of t shirts at gigs...)
((Actually, I do have that one best-of...))
― koogs, Saturday, 25 July 2020 03:53 (three years ago) link
I've had some success in the last couple of days getting Sund4r off the ground with Guns - the songs tend to stay more or less in one (ish) place while containing all the melodic and sonic inventiveness you'd hope for
https://alphabet-business-concern.bandcamp.com/album/guns
― imago, Saturday, 25 July 2020 08:54 (three years ago) link
If it helps, here's a mix I made for a friend that asked me where to begin with Cardiacs last month, tracklisting included.
https://we.tl/t-ztUXWzvg8F
― Maresn3st, Saturday, 25 July 2020 21:48 (three years ago) link
I only know StG, and it took me quite a while to get into that. I still feel like I'm not in it completely, but I know I will and can. It just takes time. I will def listen to your mix Maresn3st, thanks so much! Sometimes all it takes - and that's been proven by nearly all here - is the right person/time to be introduced to music.
― Scampidocio (Le Bateau Ivre), Sunday, 26 July 2020 09:25 (three years ago) link
I can't believe the 1video of Gloomy News, Hope Day and To Go Off And Things from the Garage rehearsals won't turn up. All great songs.
The arrangement of Hope Day that brings out that bass line under the long instrumental section is a highlight among highlights from those versions. You'll know the bit I mean.
― Stanley Halfbrick (Noel Emits), Sunday, 26 July 2020 10:47 (three years ago) link
XP - Hope you like it LBI, let us know how you get along.
― Maresn3st, Sunday, 26 July 2020 12:45 (three years ago) link
I've just noticed that live recordings are beginning to surface on d1m3ad0z3n (which usually happens there when a musician passes on) including the really early ones that were apparently recorded by Ted Chippington.
If anyone is interested in such things, speak up and I can get download links happening at some point.
― Maresn3st, Sunday, 26 July 2020 12:57 (three years ago) link
it was A Little Man And A House And The Whole World Window that won me over
― CP Radio Gorgeous (Colonel Poo), Sunday, 26 July 2020 13:21 (three years ago) link
― Maresn3st, Sunday, July 26, 2020 1:57 PM (five hours ago) bookmarkflaglink
Yes, please do. Happy to share my stash of bootlegs and rarities that's accumulated over the years but I'm sure I've got lots of gaps.
https://mega.nz/folder/paATzQ4R#uKt4MkS0WbTGDX9thnegRg
― Brainless Addlepated Timid Muddleheaded Awful No-Account (Pheeel), Sunday, 26 July 2020 21:40 (three years ago) link
Steven Wilson on the latest ep of the Album Years podcast he's doing with Tim Bowness was talking about Bill Nelson's Red Noise - Sound On Sound album being an influence on Cardiacs.
It's not hard to see.
https://youtu.be/d3mfKe5KX04
― Stanley Halfbrick (Noel Emits), Tuesday, 28 July 2020 16:55 (three years ago) link
Although really apart from a few cool bits that song sounds more like a parody of what people think Cardiacs sound like.
― Stanley Halfbrick (Noel Emits), Tuesday, 28 July 2020 22:23 (three years ago) link
Sing To God was featured album on the freak zone on sunday night (3 tracks played and a few sentences about tim and the band around the first)
Dog Like SparkyDirty BoyNurses Whispering Verses
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000lgrb
― koogs, Wednesday, 5 August 2020 12:41 (three years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLGEP2gl2UI
― Maresn3st, Friday, 7 August 2020 19:18 (three years ago) link
Who are these people??
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROBymAeY4MI
― Maresn3st, Friday, 7 August 2020 19:23 (three years ago) link
following the basslines of Cardiacs songs is a very quick and easy way to redouble your appreciation of Tim AND Jim's genius tbh
― imago, Friday, 7 August 2020 19:40 (three years ago) link
dear cardiacs friends just saw on the rob crow thread that he has a new acoustic covers album. nice track selection. first track is a version of "shaping the river" by the sea nymphs. also includes covers of tunes by rudimentary peni, ruins, and other artists who may be of interest to folks here.
https://robcrow.bandcamp.com/album/everybodys-got-damage
― Kate (rushomancy), Sunday, 16 August 2020 14:41 (three years ago) link
https://thequietus.com/articles/28854-cardiacs-vermin-mangle
― Vaguely Threatening CAPTCHAs, Tuesday, 1 September 2020 15:18 (three years ago) link
I just came here to post this.
― Christine Green Leafy Dragon Indigo, Tuesday, 1 September 2020 17:01 (three years ago) link
This is the track that was played on *blanking on the name*'s Tim Smith memorial show a month ago. It sounds like Tom Waits deconstructing "Morning is Broken."
― Christine Green Leafy Dragon Indigo, Tuesday, 1 September 2020 17:06 (three years ago) link
Blank name is Steve Davis.
https://www.phoenixfm.com/2020/07/30/tribute-tim-smith/
― grebo shot first (Noel Emits), Tuesday, 1 September 2020 17:12 (three years ago) link
I forgot how to embed a link, but here it is: https://alphabet-business-concern.bandcamp.com/track/vermin-mangle
― Christine Green Leafy Dragon Indigo, Wednesday, 2 September 2020 02:12 (three years ago) link
Kavus encouragingly called it the 'first' new release since 2007
― imago, Wednesday, 2 September 2020 09:46 (three years ago) link
Lovely piece by Sean Organ.
https://organthing.com/2020/09/02/organ-thing-a-fragile-beautiful-previously-unreleased-cardiacs-song-a-present-by-way-of-gracious-thanks-has-been-officially-posted-as-a-download/
― Maresn3st, Wednesday, 2 September 2020 21:53 (three years ago) link
https://www.instagram.com/p/CIzJNQvlBDh/?igshid=w5g7cylz2mz3
Shane Embury and Jim are doing something. From the comments, Kavus may be in on it too.
― pedantly admonishment (aldo), Tuesday, 15 December 2020 09:22 (three years ago) link
Good lord!
― imago, Tuesday, 15 December 2020 11:04 (three years ago) link
They're showing the gigs that they did exactly 15 years ago at the Bull and Gate at 8:30p on the 21st and 22rd on their official YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abcglobus), and they're dropping heavy-handed hints that Something Special Will Also Happen. Perhaps this will be part of it.
― Christine Green Leafy Dragon Indigo, Tuesday, 15 December 2020 16:59 (three years ago) link
the fact that "Vermin Mangle" came out does make me somewhat optimistic that something is in the works
would love to see their catalogue repressed. there's definitely a lot of demand for it...
― frogbs, Tuesday, 15 December 2020 17:46 (three years ago) link
Simulate the Bull & Gate experience by fetching yourself a draught Guineas in a can and walking through your bathroom / toilet with it to the lounge. See you down the front.
― for all the good it'll do ya (Noel Emits), Monday, 21 December 2020 17:56 (three years ago) link
Add in an irate Irishman telling you to eff off plus some bloke trying to sell you a recording of the gig for £700, don't really miss that place tbh
― that heat (Matt #2), Monday, 21 December 2020 17:59 (three years ago) link
I always get the Bull & Gate mixed up with the Monarch, despite having played both venues several times
― Maresn3st, Monday, 21 December 2020 20:01 (three years ago) link
Both North London shitholes is the link
― that heat (Matt #2), Monday, 21 December 2020 20:32 (three years ago) link
Can't believe we're getting the vile countdown.
― Maresn3st, Monday, 21 December 2020 20:51 (three years ago) link
Loved the countdown but now it's actually started it might be too sad for me to watch tbh
― imago, Monday, 21 December 2020 21:04 (three years ago) link
I am double screening and enjoying the racket, amazing to me that they had like cameras on the night but nobody bothered to plug a minidisc player into the sound desk, or if they did, check the levels :)
― Maresn3st, Monday, 21 December 2020 21:09 (three years ago) link
I'm sticking with it :)
― imago, Monday, 21 December 2020 21:21 (three years ago) link
they're on spotify etc. now
― orifex, Saturday, 23 January 2021 21:02 (three years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ek39qUkc2Fc
― a mix between Daft Punk and Daft Punk with the swagger of Daft Punk (Maresn3st), Thursday, 25 February 2021 19:17 (three years ago) link
So awesome. Thanks for sharing!
― BlackIronPrison, Thursday, 25 February 2021 19:23 (three years ago) link
JIM SMILED
― imago, Thursday, 25 February 2021 22:55 (three years ago) link
Shawn Knight's vocals are excellent on this.
― Christine Green Leafy Dragon Indigo, Friday, 26 February 2021 02:04 (three years ago) link
Enjoyed this, the intonation on the guitar is a bit youth club, but otherwise kinda interesting -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6uQRMXsAYU
― Maresn3st, Monday, 7 June 2021 18:50 (two years ago) link
that was pretty neat, this style of music generally doesn't have chords like that
― frogbs, Monday, 7 June 2021 19:29 (two years ago) link
At first I thought it was gonna sound like Salem :)
― Maresn3st, Monday, 7 June 2021 19:52 (two years ago) link
Q&A about the making of the Maresnest film w/Bill Drake and Cathi Unsworth
https://vimeo.com/554208661
― Maresn3st, Monday, 21 June 2021 17:25 (two years ago) link
every time this thread gets revived I'm hoping it's news about reissues
― Paul Ponzi, Monday, 21 June 2021 18:20 (two years ago) link
Has anyone heard anything recently about the book Sean Kitching was working on?
― Noel Emits, Tuesday, 22 June 2021 13:44 (two years ago) link
Dr Tim Smith, 60 today.
― Maresn3st, Saturday, 3 July 2021 17:47 (two years ago) link
;_;
― imago, Saturday, 3 July 2021 17:50 (two years ago) link
Seeing a lotta pics of him on FB today, goddamn he was a good looking chap
― frogbs, Saturday, 3 July 2021 17:52 (two years ago) link
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.
― Maresn3st, Saturday, 3 July 2021 17:55 (two years ago) link
Or the lips if you were Jim
― imago, Saturday, 3 July 2021 18:22 (two years ago) link
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
― Christine Green Leafy Dragon Indigo, Saturday, 3 July 2021 18:25 (two years ago) link
Too jerky for me, but not in the alien supra-human way that Tatsuya Yoshida's ruins is.
― RobbiePires, Saturday, 3 July 2021 22:31 (two years ago) link
dud
― sleeve, Saturday, 3 July 2021 22:46 (two years ago) link
― 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.
― "Spaghetti" Thompson (Pheeel), Saturday, 3 July 2021 23:14 (two years ago) link
Dr Tim Smith approves of this flag post
― imago, Sunday, 4 July 2021 07:52 (two years ago) link
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
― Noel Emits, Tuesday, 20 July 2021 09:35 (two years ago) link
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!
― Noel Emits, Tuesday, 20 July 2021 13:48 (two years ago) link
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.
― Maresn3st, Tuesday, 20 July 2021 14:18 (two years ago) link
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
― Maresn3st, Friday, 15 October 2021 15:10 (two years ago) link
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 :)
― Vaguely Threatening CAPTCHAs, Friday, 15 October 2021 16:45 (two years ago) link
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.
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Saturday, 14 May 2022 17:34 (one year ago) link
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
― everything, Saturday, 14 May 2022 19:36 (one year ago) link
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
― Christine Green Leafy Dragon Indigo, Sunday, 3 July 2022 16:54 (one year ago) link
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.
― Maresn3st, Sunday, 3 July 2022 17:17 (one year ago) link
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.
― Noel Emits, Monday, 4 July 2022 07:33 (one year ago) link
Ahh is it? I just made the leap when he started speaking about their frendship
― Maresn3st, Monday, 4 July 2022 07:40 (one year ago) link
It seems that Tim Quy has actually left our world, very sad. RIP
― MaresNest, Thursday, 2 February 2023 16:26 (one year ago) link
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.
― a mix between aphex twin and nirvana with the swagger of count basie (Matt #2), Thursday, 2 February 2023 16:51 (one year ago) link
all one glorious continuum, of which he was a very dear part, rip
― imago, Thursday, 2 February 2023 16:56 (one year ago) link
This is the official announcement.https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid028zaezbJ9SeiEx3oG5LTr4s1pQZ6JKVUVTjVqLCS4TipTxwRp2fdgrTfEzHPK9AU5l&id=100032042187218&mibextid=Nif5oz
― Christine Green Leafy Dragon Indigo, Thursday, 2 February 2023 17:33 (one year ago) link
What insanity is this
https://www.the-cep.org.uk/family-tree/
― a mix between aphex twin and nirvana with the swagger of count basie (Matt #2), Friday, 3 February 2023 17:32 (one year ago) link
R.I.P. the great Tim Quy, who I had the pleasure of meeting at ABC 2019.
― you can see me from westbury white horse, Friday, 3 February 2023 17:56 (one year ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUclU3nUOb4
― MaresNest, Thursday, 23 March 2023 13:34 (one year ago) link
Listening to Sing to God right now, my best attempt at a description is "What if Nomeansno tried to be early Genesis?"
wild band
― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Monday, 17 April 2023 16:33 (eleven months ago) link
i guess they are the UK cheer accident or cheer accident is the US cardiacs?
― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Monday, 17 April 2023 16:39 (eleven months ago) link
"what if poster imago's favourite album" haha, NOW YOU KNOW
― imago, Monday, 17 April 2023 17:08 (eleven months ago) link
C-A a decent analogue!
i think this is stressing my dog out
― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Monday, 17 April 2023 17:29 (eleven months ago) link
laaaaasssie's
on the tvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv
― imago, Monday, 17 April 2023 17:47 (eleven months ago) link
Interview with Jon Poolehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbFfLpJUQYMhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKSap5N2tmw
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Saturday, 2 December 2023 21:48 (three months ago) link
lol i just knowingly listened to the cardiacs for the first time ever
― mark s, Wednesday, 10 January 2024 14:42 (two months ago) link
didn't expect to be reminded of henry cow
― mark s, Wednesday, 10 January 2024 14:43 (two months ago) link
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.
― MaresNest, Wednesday, 10 January 2024 17:20 (two months ago) link
you love to hear it
― mark s, Wednesday, 10 January 2024 17:26 (two months ago) link
welcome to the first day of the rest of your music listenerhood, or something
― imago, Wednesday, 10 January 2024 17:36 (two months ago) link