Cardiacs: Classic or Dud?

One day, the original A Balloon For Bertie's Party will emerge in its best-prog-song-by-a-teenager-ever glory

StGs big secret is that it's all drum machine apparently.

Every beat was sequenced, it's a library of sampled Bob.

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

He'll find a way

Guns seems pretty laid back for this band despite some typically energetic tracks. Or did Sing To God have this same balance?

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

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?

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

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"

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)

Would be amazing if those of us who care could keep him afloat with the yearly care costs as long as is required.

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

Oh smart! I'm totally going to do that from now on.

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.

Sweet. Congrats, doc.

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!

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.

except their army of devotee musicians keeping the flame alive :)

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

Dawson, Dog-Faced Hermans or Stretcheads if they needed token Scottish act rather than LOL Biffy Clyro.

Haha yeah, Buntychunks vs Radiohead

Didn't realize Biffy Clyro were still big.

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

Jim deserves an award almost as much for his services to bass guitar tbh

that video's lovely, thank you

I thought so too, made me a little teary

Dr Tim

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MybDbut1lFQ

And now the whole thing -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zr9SZVHjFT0

Just been announced Gong are headlining the Alphabet Business Convention weekender in July. Holy shit.

hardly a holy shit given Kavus' involvement :) but it'll be great, will try to go

Yeah, I guess. It still feels like a big deal for our little fan convention, though. It's growing!

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.

One of the most purely lovely things I've heard in quite some time.

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)

Cosign, all Sea Nymphs is great, including the Mr & Mrs Smith and Mr Drake recordings, love 'em just as much as Cardiacs.

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

Bill definitely skews less avant-garde than that but there's definitely a reminiscence in the flourishes! Good spot

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

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.

here's what i can make out

sarah: bill

bill: yes

sarah: have you just had a wash

bill: yes

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

Isnt it just Sarah making the mocking sound?

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.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkQSzrQxa4Y

Guy is a monster.

Nice

Very good.

Did you all see this (Gong)? Wait for it...

https://youtu.be/9ke0nLLSWFs

Man, they need a singer.

Wow that dude

That (the T&F cover) is amazing yeah