Cardiacs: Classic or Dud?

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

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'

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!

xp this gig upthread is pretty good LJ, want it?

yah totes, send it my way! :)

Sent you a dropbox link, will stick it in there for you sometime later on.

cooool ty

Also I chanced across this blog, pretty good related selection.http://hidingbehindtheshed.blogspot.com/2010/07/cardiacs-radio-sessions.html

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.

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

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...

agh, how'd I miss that? never mind.

you know the original, right?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjJ1B-Bii_c

not until now!

man alive!

seek also the boredoms remix of this tune.

that was pretty cosmic

ok got loads of work to do :/ but will follow this up :) boredoms remix sounds juicy

where do you find the boredoms remix??? i mean this is practically a boredoms tune as it is

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 :(

LJ, concert uploading for ya

Thanks!

BTW, have heard both NSRO albums now. They're *lovely*. 'Mimnermus In Church' is especially wondrous

The Arch Garrison record is on Spotify I found out today.

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!!

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*

browsing a second-hand shop today, discovered, licked and acquired 'On Land and in the Sea' on vinyl.

JOY.

:-)

http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/217362_10150172247381827_603271826_6657703_4919196_n.jpg

Seeing that and then seeing your post from eight years when you first hear them = the sense of time and discovery!

whoa, ilm as scrapbook of my life!

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.

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.

Ned reads Cardiacs threads, whodathunkit?

Wish I could be there too and wish something like this would happen in London.

Dominique, might you record the evening?

possibly! was talking to my mobile studio friend about it, so hopefully we can make happen

Would like to hear it if you do, definitely.

yo
post the link to the fb page

righto!

There's also this Tim Smith benefit happening on May 7th in Portsmouth, UK :

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=192378400798658

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.

New NSRO is the best yet!

gettin into Tim Smith's solo album, it's pretty damn great!! especially the last track.

^^^^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...

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.

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....

(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!

just thought I'd pass it along!

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.

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 !

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.

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.

Oh yeah, anything that Kavus is involved in (like Knifeworld or Monsoon Bassoon) is really a must have for the average Cardiac fan

Pawn Hearts is the most Cardiacsy VDGG album

Once turned down the opportunity to buy Black Leather Mojo in an HMV. Fucking idiot.

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.

I would love a deluxe re-issue of HEAVEN BORN AND EVER BRIGHT, appended with lots of needless filigree, please.