Cardiacs

...d D.I.Y. spirit of punk rock with knotty arrangements, cryptic lyrics, and ambitious concepts much more common in the realm of progressive rock. Expressing the unmistakably unique vision of founder and chief singer/songwriter Tim Smith, the group became infamous for their theatrical, sometimes confrontational performances, as well as their eclectic style incorporating everything from ska to circus music. Though reactions to the band's music and appearance were wildly divisive from the start, they earned a dedicated fanbase, and were highly respected by several notable musicians, with members of Blur, Faith No More, and Napalm Death all regarding Cardiacs as an influence. The group founded the independent label The Alphabet Business Concern during the 1980s, and issued several demo cassettes and EPs before their first studio full-length, A Little Man and a House and the Whole World Window, arrived in 1988, earning the band mainstream exposure with the single "Is This the Life." Moving away from the band's '80s sound, which prominently featured keyboards and saxophone, the '90s lineups of Cardiacs were significantly harder-edged, as heard on the 1996 double-album opus Sing to God and 1999's Guns. The band continued performing and working on material until health issues forced Smith to retire in 2008. By the time of his death in 2020, Cardiacs' music had reached wider audiences thanks to online streaming, and the band was often regarded as influential and groundbreaking. Cardiacs returned to the stage in honor of Smith, and final album LSD was finished and released in 2025. Tim Smith began playing in bands as a high school student, and he formed Cardiac Arrest (first known as the Filth) with his brother Jim Smith, who apparently couldn't play an instrument at the time, in 1977. The band released a self-titled debut EP (also referred to by the name of the first song, "A Bus for a Bus on the Bus") on Tortch Records in 1979. A tape called The Obvious Identity was self-issued in 1980, with Tim Smith moving to vocals as original singer Michael Pugh departed. The group shortened their name to Cardiacs and issued second tape Toy World, marking the debut of Sarah Cutts on keyboards, saxophone, and vocals. She later married Tim Smith and since became known as Sarah Smith. Following more lineup changes, including the addition of members such as keyboardist William D. Drake, drummer Dominic Luckman, and percussionist Tim Quy, Cardiacs released third demo cassette The Seaside in 1984 on their own Alphabet label, which was soon changed to The Alphabet Business Concern. Cardiacs developed an absurdist mythology as well as a live show involving bizarre uniforms, smeared clown-like makeup, and on-stage confrontations. Marillion vocalist Fish became a fan and had Cardiacs open for his group during a late 1984 tour, but Marillion's fans were less than supportive. Three members of Cardiacs released a folk-influenced cassette as the spinoff group Mr and Mrs Smith and Mr Drake. Seaside Treats, a 12" EP and video containing songs from The Seaside, appeared in 1985. Cardiacs settled into the sextet lineup that would produce most of their work for the remainder of the 1980s. The band performed at the Reading Festival in 1986, and released a rough mixing desk recording of the set as Rude Bootleg. The EP Big Ship appeared in early 1987, and a tabloid ran a story falsely claiming that Tim and Sarah Smith were siblings in an incestuous relationship, predating a similar controversy between Jack and Meg White of the White Stripes by more than a decade. The baffling music video for Cardiacs' song "Tarred and Feathered" premiered on Channel 4's program The Tube, giving the band their first national television exposure. The band released the non-album single "There's Too Many Irons in the Fire," and their first proper studio full-length, A Little Man and a House and the Whole World Window, arrived in 1988. "Is This the Life," by far the most accessible and radio-friendly Cardiacs song, was released as a single, and indeed charted following BBC airplay, though the band had difficulty meeting retail demand for the record, and it only reached number 80. Also during the year, the band released the only cover in their discography, a rendition of the Kinks' "Susannah's Still Alive," as well as the EP Radio 1 Sessions/The Evening Show and the Amsterdam-recorded Cardiacs Live. 1989 saw the release of Archive Cardiacs, a collection of the band's punk-ish early work, and second studio album On Land and in the Sea. Sarah Smith left the band, removing saxophone from their sound, and Christian "Bic" Hayes joined as the band's second guitarist. A recording of a 1990 concert shared with Napalm Death at the Salisbury Arts Centre was released on video and later as an album, both titled All That Glitters Is A Maresnest. Following further lineup changes, including the departures of Quy and Drake, the band's sound changed drastically, moving in a harder rock direction. The EP Day Is Gone and non-album material compilation Songs for Ships and Irons both appeared in 1991. Heaven Born and Ever Bright, recorded before Hayes left the band, was released in 1992, and initially distributed by Rough Trade, who folded shortly after the release of the album, plunging the band into debt as the album was scarcely available until it was reissued in 1995. Soon after the album's release date, Radiohead supported Cardiacs at the London Astoria. The Sea Nymphs, essentially Mr and Mrs Smith and Mr Drake under a different name, released a self-titled promo cassette in 1992, then issued it on CD in 1995. Beginning in late 1993, Cardiacs consisted of Tim and Jim Smith along with guitarist/keyboardist Jon Poole and drummer Bob Leith. During a period when no Cardiacs material surfaced, Tim Smith reportedly wrote over a hundred songs. He issued Tim Smith's Extra Special OceanLandWorld, a solo album recorded several years earlier. "Bellyeye" was released as a single by Org Records (associated with magazine The Organ) in 1995, and Cardiacs reissued most of their back catalogue on CD. The band opened for ardent fans Blur at London's Mile End Stadium, and also toured with Chumbawamba. Double album Sing to God appeared in 1996 to barely any press; it has been retroactively hailed as the band's masterwork. Cardiacs performed sporadically after the album's release, and Guns, one of the band's more accessible albums, surfaced in 1999. Smith formed the psychedelic group Spratleys Japs with Joanne Spratley, who sang and played flugelhorn and Theremin, and they released the album Pony. Songs by Cardiacs and Affectionate Friends, containing tracks by the group as well as related projects and solo material by bandmembers, was released by Org Records in 2001. Cardiacs began an annual tradition of a large-scale concert at the London Astoria, joined by previous bandmembers and groups who have named Cardiacs as a significant influence. Greatest Hits, a misleadingly titled compilation excluding "Is This the Life" and several of the band's other well-known songs, was released in 2002, featuring the previously unreleased "Faster Than Snakes with a Ball and a Chain." Kavus Torabi, who previously served as the band's guitar technician, joined Cardiacs when Poole left in 2003. A live set, The Special Garage Concerts, was released in two volumes in 2005. Cardiacs' lineup expanded with the addition of several singers and percussionists, including members of Sidi Bou Said and North Sea Radio Orchestra. A single titled "Ditzy Scene" was released by Org Records in 2007, intended as a preview of the double-album LSD. However, production on the album was delayed indefinitely when Tim Smith collapsed from a heart attack following a My Bloody Valentine concert, triggering a major stroke and an episode of cerebral anoxia. Smith became paralyzed, and was eventually diagnosed with the rare neurological condition dystonia. He recovered in private, but never performed again. Friends and associates held Alphabet Business Convention events and other fundraising concerts in order to aid with Smith's recovery. Smith supervised production and recording of unfinished projects, as well as reissues of Cardiacs material. Tim Smith died of a second heart attack on July 21, 2020, at the age of 59. Numerous musicians and fans paid tribute to Smith on social media. The previously unreleased "Vermin Mangle," intended for inclusion on LSD, was released on the day of Smith's funeral. A 35th anniverary expanded edition of A Little Man and a House and the Whole World Window, overseen by Smith before his death, was released in 2023, and quickly sold out. Tim Smith's Spratleys, a revival of earlier side project Spratleys Japs, came together with former Cardiacs members as Cardiacs Family and Friends, playing several Sing to Tim tribute shows. In 2025, Cardiacs: A Big Book and a Band and the Whole World Window was published, along with a single including previously unreleased Cardiac Arrest-era track "Aukamakic/Dead Mouse" and a remastered "Faster Than Snakes with a Ball and Chain." Former Oceansize frontman Mike Vennart was officially announced as Cardiacs' lead singer. LSD, which Smith had written and recorded material for prior to and during his illness, was finished by bandmembers and guests such as Rose-Ellen Kemp, Paul Morricone of the Scaramanga Six, and Napalm Death's Shane Embury. The final Cardiacs work was released in September of 2025, in an amusing coincidence, on the same day as the long-planned second album by Cardi B. ~ Paul Simpson