Tim Smith (Cardiacs)
Encyclopedia
Tim Smith is an English
singer-songwriter
, composer
, poet
, multi-instrumentalist
, record producer
and music video director
.
Smith is well-known for his unique singing and songwriting styles, as well as his poetically cryptic, philosophical and abstract lyrics, and for his profound influence on over three decades of musicians (including the pioneers of the Avant-Garde Metal and Math Rock
genres).
and Morrissey
, Smith's speaking voice is very similar to his singing one.
' unique sound, in order to try to place a genre label on their music". The term Pronk was said to have only been used by these music critics when trying to describe Cardiacs
' very early work of the late 1970s, and that "However, Smith 'rejected' the term from the off - stating that Cardiacs
are a Pop
or Psychedelic
act if anything".
Smith and Cardiacs
have also had a notable influence on the avant-garde metal genre and its pioneers - most notably on Mike Patton
's Mr. Bungle
and Faith No More
, as well as Tool
. Smith's work has also influenced the math rock
genre, in part inspiring acts such as The Monsoon Bassoon
, Battles, and Deep Turtle
.
As a result of Smith's ability to produce a unique, and complex sound with all his music projects throughout his long career, his fans and many critics believe him to be a musical genius; often dubbing Smith as the Mozart or Beethoven of rock and pop music.
, and a vast knowledge of history, religion and myth, which are frequently referenced in his lyrics. as metaphor, allegory and oxymoron. However, throughout Smith's career he has always refused to discuss his lyrics and what they mean to him.
, Gong
, Gentle Giant
, early Genesis
, and Frank Zappa
, Smith's lyrical references include the work of George Darley
, Charles Kingsley
, William Blake
, Pedro Carolino, William Shakespeare
, Charles Laughton
and David Lynch
.
(Drums) and David Philpot (Keyboard). Tim was taken aback by the sound of David’s Korg
synthesiser and would later use the sound early on in Cardiac Arrest/Cardiacs
.
In mid-1977, Tim Smith founded The Filth (sometimes erroneously referred to as Philip Pilf & The Filth ) before changing the act’s name to Cardiac Arrest. Also in the band were his brother, Jim (Bass Guitar), former Fleetwood Secondary school friends, Peter Tagg (Drums) and Michael Pugh (Vocals), and Colvin Mayers (Keyboards) and Ralph Cade (Saxophone). They played their first concert at The Kaleidoscope in Kingston upon Thames
, Surrey
. Tim would humiliate his brother, Jim, on stage and this would become a token part of all further concerts.
In 1979, Tim helped record a 7”, A Bus for a Bus on the Bus
, at Elephant Studios in London
. He was later forced to look for a new vocalist and drummer after Mike Pugh, Ralph Cade and Peter Tagg left the band. He decided to take over the vocals himself and invited Mark Cawthra in to play drums. 1980 saw Tim recording the first and only Cardiac Arrest album, The Obvious Identity
. As he had little cash to invest in the project, he recorded the album onto as many old cassette tapes as he could find. Tim says of the venture that "[t]he recordings were so shit it wouldn’t matter if they were copied onto washing up sponges". Eventually, 1000 cassettes were recorded, but only sold at concerts to save on expenditure.
Tim decided to change the name of the band to Cardiacs
in 1981. He helped record the band’s first album, Toy World
, in the same manner as the Cardiac Arrest album – on cassette tape – at a small basement studio known as Crow Studios (owned and run by Peter Kunzler). After another line up change, Tim recruited Tim Quy (Percussion), Sarah Cutts (Saxophone) and Dominic Luckman (Drums) into the fold.
In 1983, Tim saw William D. Drake performing on a piano in a public house and drafted him into the ranks of Cardiacs
as keyboard player. He also married Sarah Cutts this year.
The low budget label Alphabet Business Concern was created in 1984. Tim often refers to the label as a totalitarian organisation, saying that they were in control of the band up until 1989. They would be responsible for distributing most of Tim’s recordings with various outfits. Tim was asked by vocalist Fish
to support his band Marillion
on their forthcoming tour near the end of the year. Tim agreed but was not prepared for the hostile audience that awaited them on all legs of the tour (forcing them off the final three days of the tour).
In 1985, Tim was approached by students Mark Francombe and Nick Elborough with an offer to shoot footage of them at one of their live concerts as part of their coursework project. The Surbiton Assembly Rooms was chosen, but Tim was unhappy with the resultant footage and canned the project. The students then assisted Tim with making a promotional video, produced and directed by Tim himself, called Seaside Treats, which would include a 10-minute feature called "The Consultant’s Flower Garden" and three music videos. This was successful and the video was released.
In March 1987, Tim and his wife, Sarah, were embroiled in a scandal started by The Sunday Sport
newspaper. The headline ran, "In the bizarre world of music… anything goes - even INCEST." The paper tried to say that Tim and Sarah were, in fact, brother and sister and that their relationship was incest
uous. This was shown to be nonsense, although then manager, "Spitty" Mark Walmesley, was thought to have started the whole rumour to gain some publicity for the band. In 1989, unrelated to the Sunday Sport 'scandal', Tim and Sarah separated.
During the 1990s, Tim took a break from Cardiacs
to work on various other projects. During 1989 and 1991, he wrote songs for a solo album, Tim Smith's Extra Special OceanLandWorld
, eventually released in 1995. He, estranged wife Sarah (now said to be practising as a white witch) and William D. Drake were reunited as The Sea Nymphs, a folkier, more ethereal and relaxed version of Cardiacs
. The threesome had already recorded before in 1984 and released a cassette album, Mr and Mrs Smith and Mr Drake
. Tim also performed with ex-Cardiacs guitarist Bic Hayes in Panixsphere in 1993 (although no official recordings exist yet) and with love interest Jo Spratley in Spratleys Japs from 1995. 1999 saw the release of the latest Cardiacs studio album, Guns
, on the Alphabet label.
The 21st Century has seen Tim (with Cardiacs
) release one single, "Ditzy Scene", in 2007. He has used most of the time again touring and working on new recording output for the near future. In March 2006, he toured with Ginger & The Sonic Circus
as their support act, performing acoustic versions of Cardiacs
songs, along with his own material.
On 25 June 2008 Tim Smith suffered a stroke, and is currently in the process of recovering. As such, all plans for the new Cardiacs album and other future work have been postponed indefinitely.
However, a tribute album was released in December 2010 on the website of The Genepool http://www.thegenepool.co.uk/items/597.htm
There is also a companion album available: http://www.thegenepool.co.uk/items/627.htm
, Avant-Garde Metal and Math Rock
genres), such as Mike Vennart of Oceansize
, Mike Patton
of Faith No More
and Mr Bungle, Damon Albarn
of Blur
, Gorillaz
, Thom Yorke
of Radiohead
, and Steven Wilson
of Porcupine Tree
, as well as such acts as Dog Fashion Disco
, System of a Down
, They Might Be Giants
, The Adicts
, Marillion
, Tool
, Estradasphere
, Sikth
, The Wildhearts
, The Blood Brothers, The Darkness, The Scaramanga Six
, Toy Dolls
, Kaiser Chiefs
, Nomeansno
, Ring
, Uz Jsme Doma
, The Monsoon Bassoon
, Battles, Jellyfish
, Melvins, Hella
, This Heat
, Primus
, Kino
, The Mars Volta
, Pixies, The Young Knives
, It Bites
, Korn
, Clor
, Clearlake
, Talking Heads
, Ott, Oingo Boingo
, Flipron
, The Smashing Pumpkins
, Super Furry Animals
, Little Trophy, The Display Team
, Silvery and many others have cited Tim Smith's work as a major influence. The Wildhearts have also recorded a song entitled 'Tim Smith' which can be found on their latest full length album 'Chutzpah!'.
, Wiltshire
- and has a long list of production credits to his name.
Since the early nineties Smith has produced recordings for a variety of musicians and musical groups, many of whom belong to the so called "Cardiacs family". These include Levitation
, Sidi Bou Said
, Eat, The Monsoon Bassoon
, Wildhearts
frontman Ginger
(including his Silver Ginger 5
and Howling Willie Cunt projects), Stars In Battledress
, Oceansize
, William D. Drake
, The Shrubbies, The Scaramanga Six
and The Trudy.
Smith has created and/or edited pop videos for various bands including Sepultura
, Dark Star
and The Frank and Walters
, as well as Cardiacs
.
In 2008 Smith created a film called "The Wildhearts Live In The Studio: A Film By Tim Smith", featuring The Wildhearts
playing their self titled album along with surreal interludes.
Smith also runs the record label All My Eye And Betty Martin Music which has released material by Spratleys Japs, William D. Drake
, and Mr and Mrs Smith and Mr Drake
.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
, composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, multi-instrumentalist
Multi-instrumentalist
A multi-instrumentalist is a musician who plays a number of different instruments.The Bachelor of Music degree usually requires a second instrument to be learned , but people who double on another instrument are not usually seen as multi-instrumentalists.-Classical music:Music written for Symphony...
, record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
and music video director
Music video director
A music video director is driven by a given music track. These are called music videos and are then used as promotional tools for popular music singles...
.
Smith is well-known for his unique singing and songwriting styles, as well as his poetically cryptic, philosophical and abstract lyrics, and for his profound influence on over three decades of musicians (including the pioneers of the Avant-Garde Metal and Math Rock
Math rock
Math rock is a rhythmically complex guitar-based style of experimental rock that emerged in the 1980s and that was very influenced by progressive rock like King Crimson, Frank Zappa, Henry Cow - and 20th century composers such as Steve Reich and John Cage...
genres).
Vocal
Vocally Smith has a high-pitched (often falsetto) punk-esque style. His unique singing style has been described by critics as 'skittish'. As with artists such as Tom WaitsTom Waits
Thomas Alan "Tom" Waits is an American singer-songwriter, composer, and actor. Waits has a distinctive voice, described by critic Daniel Durchholz as sounding "like it was soaked in a vat of bourbon, left hanging in the smokehouse for a few months, and then taken outside and run over with a car."...
and Morrissey
Morrissey
Steven Patrick Morrissey , known as Morrissey, is an English singer and lyricist. He rose to prominence in the 1980s as the lyricist and vocalist of the alternative rock band The Smiths. The band was highly successful in the United Kingdom but broke up in 1987, and Morrissey began a solo career,...
, Smith's speaking voice is very similar to his singing one.
Instrumental
In addition to singing, Smith plays electric and acoustic guitars, bass guitar, a variety of keyboards (including piano, synthesizer, mellotron and organ), flute, recorder and percussion. He is also an accomplished manipulator of recorded and sampled sound (providing most of the detailed soundscapes in the backgrounds of tracks by Cardiacs and by the artists he produces).Musical style
Smith is credited as being the inventor of the Pronk (progressive punk) music genre; a name actually coined in the early 90s, but attributed to music critics of the late 70s "who were baffled by CardiacsCardiacs
Cardiacs are an English alternative rock/psychedelic pop band formed in 1977 and led by Tim Smith. Noted for their complex, varied and intense compositional style and for their eccentric, theatrical stage shows, they have been hailed as an influence by bands as diverse as Blur, Faith No More and...
' unique sound, in order to try to place a genre label on their music". The term Pronk was said to have only been used by these music critics when trying to describe Cardiacs
Cardiacs
Cardiacs are an English alternative rock/psychedelic pop band formed in 1977 and led by Tim Smith. Noted for their complex, varied and intense compositional style and for their eccentric, theatrical stage shows, they have been hailed as an influence by bands as diverse as Blur, Faith No More and...
' very early work of the late 1970s, and that "However, Smith 'rejected' the term from the off - stating that Cardiacs
Cardiacs
Cardiacs are an English alternative rock/psychedelic pop band formed in 1977 and led by Tim Smith. Noted for their complex, varied and intense compositional style and for their eccentric, theatrical stage shows, they have been hailed as an influence by bands as diverse as Blur, Faith No More and...
are a Pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
or Psychedelic
Psychedelic
The term psychedelic is derived from the Greek words ψυχή and δηλοῦν , translating to "soul-manifesting". A psychedelic experience is characterized by the striking perception of aspects of one's mind previously unknown, or by the creative exuberance of the mind liberated from its ostensibly...
act if anything".
Smith and Cardiacs
Cardiacs
Cardiacs are an English alternative rock/psychedelic pop band formed in 1977 and led by Tim Smith. Noted for their complex, varied and intense compositional style and for their eccentric, theatrical stage shows, they have been hailed as an influence by bands as diverse as Blur, Faith No More and...
have also had a notable influence on the avant-garde metal genre and its pioneers - most notably on Mike Patton
Mike Patton
Michael Allan "Mike" Patton is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and actor, best known as the lead singer of the metal/experimental rock band Faith No More. He has also sung for Mr...
's Mr. Bungle
Mr. Bungle
Mr. Bungle was an experimental band from Northern California. The band was formed in 1985 while the members were still in high school and was named after a children's educational film. Mr. Bungle released four demo tapes in the mid to late 1980s before being signed to Warner Bros. Records and...
and Faith No More
Faith No More
Faith No More is an American rock band from San Francisco, California, formed originally as Faith No Man in 1981 by bassist Billy Gould, keyboardist Wade Worthington, vocalist Michael Morris and drummer Mike Bordin. A year later when Worthington was replaced by keyboardist Roddy Bottum, and Mike...
, as well as Tool
Tool (band)
Tool is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1990, the group's line-up has included drummer Danny Carey, guitarist Adam Jones, and vocalist Maynard James Keenan. Since 1995, Justin Chancellor has been the band's bassist, replacing their original bassist Paul D'Amour...
. Smith's work has also influenced the math rock
Math rock
Math rock is a rhythmically complex guitar-based style of experimental rock that emerged in the 1980s and that was very influenced by progressive rock like King Crimson, Frank Zappa, Henry Cow - and 20th century composers such as Steve Reich and John Cage...
genre, in part inspiring acts such as The Monsoon Bassoon
The Monsoon Bassoon
The Monsoon Bassoon were a British independent rock band active between 1995 and 2001, notable for their exceptionally complex and energetic music. During their lifespan, the band won the NME's Single Of The Week award three times...
, Battles, and Deep Turtle
Deep Turtle
Deep Turtle was a Finnish band, active 1990–1996 and 2002–2003.-Overview:Formed in 1990, Deep Turtle was a product of the burgeoning underground music culture of the city of Pori, Finland...
.
As a result of Smith's ability to produce a unique, and complex sound with all his music projects throughout his long career, his fans and many critics believe him to be a musical genius; often dubbing Smith as the Mozart or Beethoven of rock and pop music.
Lyrical style and themes
Smith's poetic work often deals with the exploration of childhood or adolescent fears and anxieties, the terror of war, paranoia, loneliness, pain, love, obsession, isolation, sexuality, satire on ways of living, the sins of religion and the ideal of a better world. His lyrical style is very abstract, personal and is believed by fans and critics (as well as fellow musicians) to be 'deep and poetic', as well as 'philosophical'. Smith is revered by fans for his high intelligence; and attributed with an extensive vocabularyVocabulary
A person's vocabulary is the set of words within a language that are familiar to that person. A vocabulary usually develops with age, and serves as a useful and fundamental tool for communication and acquiring knowledge...
, and a vast knowledge of history, religion and myth, which are frequently referenced in his lyrics. as metaphor, allegory and oxymoron. However, throughout Smith's career he has always refused to discuss his lyrics and what they mean to him.
Inspirations
While expressing appreciation for such artists as XTCXTC
XTC were a New Wave band from Swindon, England, active between 1976 and 2005. The band enjoyed some chart success, including the UK and Canadian hits "Making Plans for Nigel" and "Senses Working Overtime" , but are perhaps even better known for their long-standing critical success.- Early years:...
, Gong
Gong (band)
Gong is a Franco-British progressive/psychedelic rock band formed by Australian musician Daevid Allen. Their music has also been described as space rock. Other notable band members include Allan Holdsworth, Tim Blake, Didier Malherbe, Pip Pyle, Gilli Smyth, Steve Hillage, Francis Moze, Mike Howlett...
, Gentle Giant
Gentle Giant
Gentle Giant were a British progressive rock band active between 1970 and 1980. The band was known for the complexity and sophistication of its music and for the varied musical skills of its members. All of the band members, except the first two drummers, were multi-instrumentalists...
, early Genesis
Genesis (band)
Genesis are an English rock band that formed in 1967. The band currently comprises the longest-tenured members Tony Banks , Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins . Past members Peter Gabriel , Steve Hackett and Anthony Phillips , also played major roles in the band in its early years...
, and Frank Zappa
Frank Zappa
Frank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
, Smith's lyrical references include the work of George Darley
George Darley
George Darley was an Irish poet, novelist, and critic.He was born in Dublin, and educated at Trinity College. Having decided to follow a literary career, in 1820 he went to London, where he published his first poem, Errors of Ecstasie . He also wrote for the London Magazine, under the pseudonym of...
, Charles Kingsley
Charles Kingsley
Charles Kingsley was an English priest of the Church of England, university professor, historian and novelist, particularly associated with the West Country and northeast Hampshire.-Life and character:...
, William Blake
William Blake
William Blake was an English poet, painter, and printmaker. Largely unrecognised during his lifetime, Blake is now considered a seminal figure in the history of both the poetry and visual arts of the Romantic Age...
, Pedro Carolino, William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
, Charles Laughton
Charles Laughton
Charles Laughton was an English-American stage and film actor, screenwriter, producer and director.-Early life and career:...
and David Lynch
David Lynch
David Keith Lynch is an American filmmaker, television director, visual artist, musician and occasional actor. Known for his surrealist films, he has developed his own unique cinematic style, which has been dubbed "Lynchian", and which is characterized by its dream imagery and meticulous sound...
.
History
In 1975, Tim Smith played guitar in a nameless punky, psychedelic instrumental band with school friends Mark CawthraMark Cawthra
Mark Cawthra is a musician and music producer working in the UK. He was born in Bishop Stortford, Hertfordshire.-Biography:...
(Drums) and David Philpot (Keyboard). Tim was taken aback by the sound of David’s Korg
Korg
is a Japanese multinational corporation that manufactures electronic musical instruments, audio processors and guitar pedals, recording equipment, and electronic tuners...
synthesiser and would later use the sound early on in Cardiac Arrest/Cardiacs
Cardiacs
Cardiacs are an English alternative rock/psychedelic pop band formed in 1977 and led by Tim Smith. Noted for their complex, varied and intense compositional style and for their eccentric, theatrical stage shows, they have been hailed as an influence by bands as diverse as Blur, Faith No More and...
.
In mid-1977, Tim Smith founded The Filth (sometimes erroneously referred to as Philip Pilf & The Filth ) before changing the act’s name to Cardiac Arrest. Also in the band were his brother, Jim (Bass Guitar), former Fleetwood Secondary school friends, Peter Tagg (Drums) and Michael Pugh (Vocals), and Colvin Mayers (Keyboards) and Ralph Cade (Saxophone). They played their first concert at The Kaleidoscope in Kingston upon Thames
Kingston upon Thames
Kingston upon Thames is the principal settlement of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames in southwest London. It was the ancient market town where Saxon kings were crowned and is now a suburb situated south west of Charing Cross. It is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
. Tim would humiliate his brother, Jim, on stage and this would become a token part of all further concerts.
In 1979, Tim helped record a 7”, A Bus for a Bus on the Bus
A Bus for a Bus on the Bus
"A Bus for a Bus on the Bus" is the only 7" single by Cardiac Arrest, who later became Cardiacs.Until the release of The Special Garage Concerts Vol II, none of the tracks on the 7" had been reproduced anywhere else. The single was supposed to contain four tracks and not three, but the limited...
, at Elephant Studios in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. He was later forced to look for a new vocalist and drummer after Mike Pugh, Ralph Cade and Peter Tagg left the band. He decided to take over the vocals himself and invited Mark Cawthra in to play drums. 1980 saw Tim recording the first and only Cardiac Arrest album, The Obvious Identity
The Obvious Identity
The Obvious Identity is the debut album by English rock group Cardiacs . It was released solely on cassette and was only sold at concerts. The album title came from a name which the band used for a short time prior to taking on the "Cardiac Arrest" name...
. As he had little cash to invest in the project, he recorded the album onto as many old cassette tapes as he could find. Tim says of the venture that "[t]he recordings were so shit it wouldn’t matter if they were copied onto washing up sponges". Eventually, 1000 cassettes were recorded, but only sold at concerts to save on expenditure.
Tim decided to change the name of the band to Cardiacs
Cardiacs
Cardiacs are an English alternative rock/psychedelic pop band formed in 1977 and led by Tim Smith. Noted for their complex, varied and intense compositional style and for their eccentric, theatrical stage shows, they have been hailed as an influence by bands as diverse as Blur, Faith No More and...
in 1981. He helped record the band’s first album, Toy World
Toy World
Toy World is the second album released by Cardiacs . The cassette is a mixture of older songs by the earlier Cardiac Arrest lineup and newer songs by the then-current Cardiacs lineup...
, in the same manner as the Cardiac Arrest album – on cassette tape – at a small basement studio known as Crow Studios (owned and run by Peter Kunzler). After another line up change, Tim recruited Tim Quy (Percussion), Sarah Cutts (Saxophone) and Dominic Luckman (Drums) into the fold.
In 1983, Tim saw William D. Drake performing on a piano in a public house and drafted him into the ranks of Cardiacs
Cardiacs
Cardiacs are an English alternative rock/psychedelic pop band formed in 1977 and led by Tim Smith. Noted for their complex, varied and intense compositional style and for their eccentric, theatrical stage shows, they have been hailed as an influence by bands as diverse as Blur, Faith No More and...
as keyboard player. He also married Sarah Cutts this year.
The low budget label Alphabet Business Concern was created in 1984. Tim often refers to the label as a totalitarian organisation, saying that they were in control of the band up until 1989. They would be responsible for distributing most of Tim’s recordings with various outfits. Tim was asked by vocalist Fish
Fish (singer)
Derek William Dick, better known as Fish, is a Scottish progressive rock singer, lyricist and occasional actor, best known as the former lead singer of Marillion.-Biography:...
to support his band Marillion
Marillion
Marillion are a British rock band, formed in Aylesbury, England in 1979. Their recorded studio output comprises sixteen albums generally regarded in two distinct eras, delineated by the departure of original vocalist & frontman Fish in late 1988, and the subsequent arrival of replacement Steve...
on their forthcoming tour near the end of the year. Tim agreed but was not prepared for the hostile audience that awaited them on all legs of the tour (forcing them off the final three days of the tour).
In 1985, Tim was approached by students Mark Francombe and Nick Elborough with an offer to shoot footage of them at one of their live concerts as part of their coursework project. The Surbiton Assembly Rooms was chosen, but Tim was unhappy with the resultant footage and canned the project. The students then assisted Tim with making a promotional video, produced and directed by Tim himself, called Seaside Treats, which would include a 10-minute feature called "The Consultant’s Flower Garden" and three music videos. This was successful and the video was released.
In March 1987, Tim and his wife, Sarah, were embroiled in a scandal started by The Sunday Sport
Sunday Sport
Sunday Sport is a British tabloid newspaper, published by Sport Newspapers, which was established in 1986. It prints plainly ludicrous stories, such as a double-decker London bus being found frozen in the Antarctic ice, or a World War II bomber found on the moon. Defenders of the paper pointed out...
newspaper. The headline ran, "In the bizarre world of music… anything goes - even INCEST." The paper tried to say that Tim and Sarah were, in fact, brother and sister and that their relationship was incest
Incest
Incest is sexual intercourse between close relatives that is usually illegal in the jurisdiction where it takes place and/or is conventionally considered a taboo. The term may apply to sexual activities between: individuals of close "blood relationship"; members of the same household; step...
uous. This was shown to be nonsense, although then manager, "Spitty" Mark Walmesley, was thought to have started the whole rumour to gain some publicity for the band. In 1989, unrelated to the Sunday Sport 'scandal', Tim and Sarah separated.
During the 1990s, Tim took a break from Cardiacs
Cardiacs
Cardiacs are an English alternative rock/psychedelic pop band formed in 1977 and led by Tim Smith. Noted for their complex, varied and intense compositional style and for their eccentric, theatrical stage shows, they have been hailed as an influence by bands as diverse as Blur, Faith No More and...
to work on various other projects. During 1989 and 1991, he wrote songs for a solo album, Tim Smith's Extra Special OceanLandWorld
Tim Smith's Extra Special OceanLandWorld
This is a solo album by the lead singer and co-founder of Cardiacs, Tim Smith.From the official :Here we have a titillating collection of songs, released exclusively on to CD, from the prolific pen of Cardiacs' main composer and lead singer Tim Smith...
, eventually released in 1995. He, estranged wife Sarah (now said to be practising as a white witch) and William D. Drake were reunited as The Sea Nymphs, a folkier, more ethereal and relaxed version of Cardiacs
Cardiacs
Cardiacs are an English alternative rock/psychedelic pop band formed in 1977 and led by Tim Smith. Noted for their complex, varied and intense compositional style and for their eccentric, theatrical stage shows, they have been hailed as an influence by bands as diverse as Blur, Faith No More and...
. The threesome had already recorded before in 1984 and released a cassette album, Mr and Mrs Smith and Mr Drake
Mr and Mrs Smith and Mr Drake
Mr and Mrs Smith and Mr Drake is an album performed by a side project of Cardiacs, created by Tim Smith, Sarah Smith and William D. Drake. At the time, the project itself was also known as "Mr and Mrs Smith and Mr Drake" but would later be renamed The Sea Nymphs.The album was initially only...
. Tim also performed with ex-Cardiacs guitarist Bic Hayes in Panixsphere in 1993 (although no official recordings exist yet) and with love interest Jo Spratley in Spratleys Japs from 1995. 1999 saw the release of the latest Cardiacs studio album, Guns
Güns
Güns or Guens may refer to:* Kőszeg, Hungary * Kőszeg Mountains, Hungary * Akiva Güns , birth name of Akiva Eger, a Hungarian-Polish rabbi- See also :* Guns * Gün, a surname...
, on the Alphabet label.
The 21st Century has seen Tim (with Cardiacs
Cardiacs
Cardiacs are an English alternative rock/psychedelic pop band formed in 1977 and led by Tim Smith. Noted for their complex, varied and intense compositional style and for their eccentric, theatrical stage shows, they have been hailed as an influence by bands as diverse as Blur, Faith No More and...
) release one single, "Ditzy Scene", in 2007. He has used most of the time again touring and working on new recording output for the near future. In March 2006, he toured with Ginger & The Sonic Circus
Ginger & The Sonic Circus
Ginger & The Sonic Circus is a collective of friends and musicians led by The Wildhearts frontman Ginger .Ginger formed the band following the 2005 split of The Wildhearts with guitarist/ producer Jason Edwards and Jon Poole , they were soon joined by Conny Bloom and Vickie Perks Ginger & The...
as their support act, performing acoustic versions of Cardiacs
Cardiacs
Cardiacs are an English alternative rock/psychedelic pop band formed in 1977 and led by Tim Smith. Noted for their complex, varied and intense compositional style and for their eccentric, theatrical stage shows, they have been hailed as an influence by bands as diverse as Blur, Faith No More and...
songs, along with his own material.
On 25 June 2008 Tim Smith suffered a stroke, and is currently in the process of recovering. As such, all plans for the new Cardiacs album and other future work have been postponed indefinitely.
However, a tribute album was released in December 2010 on the website of The Genepool http://www.thegenepool.co.uk/items/597.htm
There is also a companion album available: http://www.thegenepool.co.uk/items/627.htm
Influence
Tim Smith has influenced over three decades of musicians (including the pioneers of the Nu MetalNu metal
Nu metal is a subgenre of heavy metal. It is a fusion genre which combines elements of heavy metal with other genres, including grunge and hip hop...
, Avant-Garde Metal and Math Rock
Math rock
Math rock is a rhythmically complex guitar-based style of experimental rock that emerged in the 1980s and that was very influenced by progressive rock like King Crimson, Frank Zappa, Henry Cow - and 20th century composers such as Steve Reich and John Cage...
genres), such as Mike Vennart of Oceansize
Oceansize
Oceansize were a British rock band, formed in Manchester, England on 19th October 1998. The band consisted of Mike Vennart , Steve Durose , Richard "Gambler" Ingram , Mark Heron and Jon Ellis for the majority of its career, with Steve Hodson replacing Ellis on bass in 2006...
, Mike Patton
Mike Patton
Michael Allan "Mike" Patton is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and actor, best known as the lead singer of the metal/experimental rock band Faith No More. He has also sung for Mr...
of Faith No More
Faith No More
Faith No More is an American rock band from San Francisco, California, formed originally as Faith No Man in 1981 by bassist Billy Gould, keyboardist Wade Worthington, vocalist Michael Morris and drummer Mike Bordin. A year later when Worthington was replaced by keyboardist Roddy Bottum, and Mike...
and Mr Bungle, Damon Albarn
Damon Albarn
Damon Albarn is an English singer-songwriter and record producer who has been involved in many high profile projects, coming to prominence as the frontman and primary songwriter of Britpop band Blur...
of Blur
Blur (band)
Blur is an English alternative rock band. Formed in London in 1989 as Seymour, the group consists of singer Damon Albarn, guitarist Graham Coxon, bassist Alex James and drummer Dave Rowntree. Blur's debut album Leisure incorporated the sounds of Madchester and shoegazing...
, Gorillaz
Gorillaz
Gorillaz is an English musical project created in 1998 by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett. This project consists of Gorillaz music itself and an extensive fictional universe depicting a "virtual band" of cartoon characters...
, Thom Yorke
Thom Yorke
Thomas "Thom" Edward Yorke is an English musician who is the lead vocalist and principal songwriter for Radiohead. He mainly plays guitar and piano, but he has also played drums and bass guitar...
of Radiohead
Radiohead
Radiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...
, and Steven Wilson
Steven Wilson
Steven John Wilson is an English musician, best known as the founder, lead guitarist, singer and songwriter of progressive rock band Porcupine Tree...
of Porcupine Tree
Porcupine Tree
Porcupine Tree is a progressive rock band formed by Steven Wilson in 1987 in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England. Their music is difficult to categorise, being associated with both psychedelic rock and progressive rock, yet having been influenced by trance, krautrock and ambient due to Steven...
, as well as such acts as Dog Fashion Disco
Dog Fashion Disco
Dog Fashion Disco was an experimental metal band, from Rockville, Maryland, that was active from 1996 to 2007.- Biography :Combining many different music styles Dog Fashion Disco was primarily considered an avant-garde metal band...
, System of a Down
System of a Down
System of a Down, also known by the acronym SOAD and often shortened to System, is a rock band from Southern California. The band was formed in 1994. It consists of Serj Tankian , Daron Malakian , Shavo Odadjian and John Dolmayan...
, They Might Be Giants
They Might Be Giants
They Might Be Giants is an American alternative rock band formed in 1982 by John Flansburgh and John Linnell. During TMBG's early years Flansburgh and Linnell were frequently accompanied by a drum machine. In the early 1990s, TMBG became a full band. Currently, the members of TMBG are...
, The Adicts
The Adicts
The Adicts are an English punk band from Ipswich, Suffolk, England. One of the more popular punk rock bands in the 1980s, they were often in the indie charts at that time. Their song "Viva La Revolution" was featured in the video game Tony Hawk's Underground. It was also featured in a commercial...
, Marillion
Marillion
Marillion are a British rock band, formed in Aylesbury, England in 1979. Their recorded studio output comprises sixteen albums generally regarded in two distinct eras, delineated by the departure of original vocalist & frontman Fish in late 1988, and the subsequent arrival of replacement Steve...
, Tool
Tool (band)
Tool is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1990, the group's line-up has included drummer Danny Carey, guitarist Adam Jones, and vocalist Maynard James Keenan. Since 1995, Justin Chancellor has been the band's bassist, replacing their original bassist Paul D'Amour...
, Estradasphere
Estradasphere
Estradasphere was an experimental band that originated in Santa Cruz, California during the late 1990s. The band, which in its last incarnation was based in Seattle, consisted of 6 multi-instrumentalists from a variety of musical backgrounds trained in disciplines ranging from classical music and...
, Sikth
SikTh
Sikth were a progressive metal band from Watford, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom.-Early days:SikTh formed in late 1999, but consolidated their line-up in March 2001...
, The Wildhearts
The Wildhearts
The Wildhearts are a British rock group originally formed in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. The band's sound is a mixture of hard rock and melodic pop music, often described in the music press as combining influences as diverse as The Beatles and 1980s-era Metallica...
, The Blood Brothers, The Darkness, The Scaramanga Six
The Scaramanga Six
The Scaramanga Six are an English rock band noted for their aggressive live act, their flamboyant and theatrical songs and their independent business practices...
, Toy Dolls
Toy Dolls
The Toy Dolls are an English punk rock band formed in 1979. Departing from the angry lyrics and music often associated with punk rock, The Toy Dolls worked within the aesthetics of punk to express a sense of fun, with songs such as "Yul Brynner Was a Skinhead", "My Girlfriend's Dad's a Vicar" and...
, Kaiser Chiefs
Kaiser Chiefs
Kaiser Chiefs are an English indie rock band from Leeds who formed in 1996. They were named after the South African football club Kaizer Chiefs....
, Nomeansno
Nomeansno
NoMeansNo is a Canadian progressive punk rock music group originally from Victoria, British Columbia and now located in Vancouver.The band has never had, nor have they seemed to pursue, strong mainstream success, but they do have a devoted underground following in North America and Europe...
, Ring
Ring (band)
Ring were an English psychedelic rock band active during the 1980s.The band is notable for having helped to launch the subsequent musical careers of Robert White , Michael "Mik" Tubb and Christian "Bic" Hayes .-History:Ring evolved out of the south London experimental...
, Uz Jsme Doma
Už Jsme Doma
Už Jsme Doma, , are a progressive rock band from Prague, Czech Republic, who originally formed in the Czech border town Teplice in 1985. The group's complex and genre-bending sound, longevity, relentless touring and diverse involvement in outside artistic media have earned them a large...
, The Monsoon Bassoon
The Monsoon Bassoon
The Monsoon Bassoon were a British independent rock band active between 1995 and 2001, notable for their exceptionally complex and energetic music. During their lifespan, the band won the NME's Single Of The Week award three times...
, Battles, Jellyfish
Jellyfish
Jellyfish are free-swimming members of the phylum Cnidaria. Medusa is another word for jellyfish, and refers to any free-swimming jellyfish stages in the phylum Cnidaria...
, Melvins, Hella
Hella
Hella is a small town in the southern part of Iceland at the shores of the river Ytri-Rangá and has, as of 2011, 781 inhabitants.Hella is situated to the east of Reykjavík on the hringvegur between Selfoss and Hvolsvöllur.-Overview:...
, This Heat
This Heat
This Heat were a British experimental music group formed in early 1976 in Camberwell, London by multi-instrumentalists Charles Bullen , Charles Hayward and Gareth Williams .This Heat were active in the ascendancy of British progressive rock and punk rock, but stood apart...
, Primus
Primus (band)
Primus is an American rock band based in San Francisco, California, currently composed of bassist/vocalist Les Claypool, guitarist Larry "Ler" LaLonde and drummer Jay Lane. Primus originally formed in 1984 with Claypool and guitarist Todd Huth, later joined by Lane, though the latter two departed...
, Kino
Kino (band)
Kino was a Soviet rock band headed by Viktor Tsoi. It was one of the most famous Soviet rock groups of the 1980s.-History:The band was formed in the summer of 1981 in Leningrad, USSR Kino was a Soviet rock band headed by Viktor Tsoi. It was one of the most famous Soviet rock groups of the...
, The Mars Volta
The Mars Volta
The Mars Volta is a Grammy award winning American progressive rock band from El Paso, Texas. Founded in 2001 by guitarist Omar Rodríguez-López and vocalist Cedric Bixler-Zavala, the band incorporates various influences including progressive rock, krautrock, jazz fusion, Latin American music, and...
, Pixies, The Young Knives
The Young Knives
Young Knives are an English indie rock band from Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire. The name is based on a misunderstanding of "young knaves", which was found by the band when rummaging through a book....
, It Bites
It Bites
It Bites are an English progressive rock and pop fusion band, formed in Egremont, Cumbria, England in 1982 and best known for their 1986 single "Calling All The Heroes", which gained them a Top 10 UK Singles Chart hit...
, Korn
Korn
Korn is an American nu metal band from Bakersfield, California, formed in 1993. The current band line up includes four members: Jonathan Davis, James "Munky" Shaffer, Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu, and Ray Luzier. The band was formed as an expansion of L.A.P.D.The band released their first demo album,...
, Clor
Clor
Clor were a short-lived five-piece band from Brixton, England, formed in 2003. In the UK they were signed to Parlophone. Their music is angular in melody and jerky in rhythm, and is often compared to Devo and Gary Numan. Their breakthrough came with the release of their self-titled first album,...
, Clearlake
Clearlake (band)
Clearlake are an indie rock band, based in Brighton, England. The members of the band are:*Jason Pegg *David 'Woody' Woodward *Toby May *Jim Briffett -History:...
, Talking Heads
Talking Heads
Talking Heads were an American New Wave and avant-garde band formed in 1975 in New York City and active until 1991. The band comprised David Byrne, Chris Frantz, Tina Weymouth and Jerry Harrison...
, Ott, Oingo Boingo
Oingo Boingo
Oingo Boingo was an American new wave band. They are best known for their influence on other musicians, their soundtrack contributions and their high energy Halloween concerts. The band was founded in 1972 as The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo, a performance art group...
, Flipron
Flipron
Flipron are a psychedelic pop band from Glastonbury, England, consisting of singer and songwriter Jesse Budd, pianist/organist Joe Atkinson, and drummer Mike Chitty...
, The Smashing Pumpkins
The Smashing Pumpkins
The Smashing Pumpkins are an American alternative rock band that formed in Chicago, Illinois in 1988. Formed by Billy Corgan frontman and James Iha , the band has included Jimmy Chamberlin , D'arcy Wretzky , and currently includes Jeff Schroeder Mike Byrne , and Nicole Fiorentino The Smashing...
, Super Furry Animals
Super Furry Animals
Super Furry Animals are a Welsh rock band that lean towards psychedelic rock and electronic experimentation. Since their formation in Cardiff, Wales in 1993, the band has consisted of Gruff Rhys , Huw Bunford , Guto Pryce , Cian Ciaran and Dafydd Ieuan Super Furry Animals are a Welsh rock band...
, Little Trophy, The Display Team
The Display Team
The Display Team are a six-piece independent pronk band from southeast London, UK. According to Orange unsignedAct the group "has appealed to legions of brave ears, enabling the band to tour the UK and Europe several times, at clubs, pubs and festivals of every size." The Display Team has received...
, Silvery and many others have cited Tim Smith's work as a major influence. The Wildhearts have also recorded a song entitled 'Tim Smith' which can be found on their latest full length album 'Chutzpah!'.
Work as producer, video director and label boss
Smith owns and operates his own recording studio - Apollo 8, currently based near SalisburySalisbury
Salisbury is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England and the only city in the county. It is the second largest settlement in the county...
, Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
- and has a long list of production credits to his name.
Since the early nineties Smith has produced recordings for a variety of musicians and musical groups, many of whom belong to the so called "Cardiacs family". These include Levitation
Levitation
Levitation is the process by which an object is suspended by a physical force against gravity, in a stable position without solid physical contact...
, Sidi Bou Said
Sidi Bou Said
Sidi Bou Said is a town in northern Tunisia located about 20 km from the capital, Tunis.The town got its name for a Muslim religious figure who lived there, Abou Said ibn Khalef ibn Yahia Ettamini el Beji . The town itself is a tourist attraction as it is known for the extensive use of blue and...
, Eat, The Monsoon Bassoon
The Monsoon Bassoon
The Monsoon Bassoon were a British independent rock band active between 1995 and 2001, notable for their exceptionally complex and energetic music. During their lifespan, the band won the NME's Single Of The Week award three times...
, Wildhearts
The Wildhearts
The Wildhearts are a British rock group originally formed in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. The band's sound is a mixture of hard rock and melodic pop music, often described in the music press as combining influences as diverse as The Beatles and 1980s-era Metallica...
frontman Ginger
Ginger (singer)
Ginger is a rock guitarist, singer and songwriter, best known for his band The Wildhearts.-Early career:...
(including his Silver Ginger 5
Silver Ginger 5
Silver Ginger 5 was originally formed in 1999 as a solo project for Ginger, lead singer/songwriter of The Wildhearts.The band was not formed until after the recording of the album Black Leather Mojo, and despite the name only ever had 4 members...
and Howling Willie Cunt projects), Stars In Battledress
Stars In Battledress (band)
Stars In Battledress are an English musical duo featuring brothers Richard and James Larcombe. They are notable for their complex but tuneful compositions, their unorthodox fusion of folk music sources and British/American art rock influences, and for their intricate and allusive lyrics.A related...
, Oceansize
Oceansize
Oceansize were a British rock band, formed in Manchester, England on 19th October 1998. The band consisted of Mike Vennart , Steve Durose , Richard "Gambler" Ingram , Mark Heron and Jon Ellis for the majority of its career, with Steve Hodson replacing Ellis on bass in 2006...
, William D. Drake
William D. Drake
William D. Drake is an English musician, keyboardist, pianist, composer and singer-songwriter. He is best known as a former member of the cult English rock band Cardiacs, whom he played with for nine years between 1983 and 1992...
, The Shrubbies, The Scaramanga Six
The Scaramanga Six
The Scaramanga Six are an English rock band noted for their aggressive live act, their flamboyant and theatrical songs and their independent business practices...
and The Trudy.
Smith has created and/or edited pop videos for various bands including Sepultura
Sepultura
Sepultura is a Brazilian heavy metal band from Belo Horizonte, formed in 1984. The band was a major force in the death metal, thrash metal and ultimately groove metal realms during the late 1980s and early 1990s, with their later experiments melding nu metal, hardcore punk and industrial.Sepultura...
, Dark Star
Dark Star (band)
Dark Star were an English rock band from London, whose music mixed dark psychedelica, with a dub undertow and noisy effects-laden guitar.-History:...
and The Frank and Walters
The Frank and Walters
The Frank and Walters are an alternative rock band from Cork city in Ireland. The band was founded in 1990 by Paul Linehan , his brother Niall Linehan , who was replaced by Kevin Pedreschi in 2004, and Ashley Keating . They took the band name in honour of two eccentric Cork characters...
, as well as Cardiacs
Cardiacs
Cardiacs are an English alternative rock/psychedelic pop band formed in 1977 and led by Tim Smith. Noted for their complex, varied and intense compositional style and for their eccentric, theatrical stage shows, they have been hailed as an influence by bands as diverse as Blur, Faith No More and...
.
In 2008 Smith created a film called "The Wildhearts Live In The Studio: A Film By Tim Smith", featuring The Wildhearts
The Wildhearts
The Wildhearts are a British rock group originally formed in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. The band's sound is a mixture of hard rock and melodic pop music, often described in the music press as combining influences as diverse as The Beatles and 1980s-era Metallica...
playing their self titled album along with surreal interludes.
Smith also runs the record label All My Eye And Betty Martin Music which has released material by Spratleys Japs, William D. Drake
William D. Drake
William D. Drake is an English musician, keyboardist, pianist, composer and singer-songwriter. He is best known as a former member of the cult English rock band Cardiacs, whom he played with for nine years between 1983 and 1992...
, and Mr and Mrs Smith and Mr Drake
Mr and Mrs Smith and Mr Drake
Mr and Mrs Smith and Mr Drake is an album performed by a side project of Cardiacs, created by Tim Smith, Sarah Smith and William D. Drake. At the time, the project itself was also known as "Mr and Mrs Smith and Mr Drake" but would later be renamed The Sea Nymphs.The album was initially only...
.
Cardiac Arrest
- A Bus for a Bus on the BusA Bus for a Bus on the Bus"A Bus for a Bus on the Bus" is the only 7" single by Cardiac Arrest, who later became Cardiacs.Until the release of The Special Garage Concerts Vol II, none of the tracks on the 7" had been reproduced anywhere else. The single was supposed to contain four tracks and not three, but the limited...
7" (1979) TOR 002 - The Obvious IdentityThe Obvious IdentityThe Obvious Identity is the debut album by English rock group Cardiacs . It was released solely on cassette and was only sold at concerts. The album title came from a name which the band used for a short time prior to taking on the "Cardiac Arrest" name...
Cassette (1980)
Cardiacs
- Toy WorldToy WorldToy World is the second album released by Cardiacs . The cassette is a mixture of older songs by the earlier Cardiac Arrest lineup and newer songs by the then-current Cardiacs lineup...
Cassette (1981) - The Seaside (1st Version)The Seaside (Cardiacs album)The Seaside is the third album from English rock group Cardiacs. The album originally featured the second recording of what would become the band's only hit single, "Is This the Life?". It is the last of the band's releases to feature keyboard player/drummer/singer Mark Cawthra and the first to...
Cassette (1984) ALPH 001 - Seaside TreatsSeaside Treats"Seaside Treats" is the first single by Cardiacs and was released only as a 12-inch single. It features four songs from the album, The Seaside.Some copies of the single had a poster of the Cardiacs book as a free gift...
12" EP (1985) ALPH 002 - Big Ship Mini LP (1986) ALPH 004
- Rude BootlegRude BootlegRude Bootleg is a live album by the English rock band Cardiacs. It is the band's first live album, and was originally recorded at the Reading Rock Festival on 24 August 1986....
Cassette/LP/CD (1986) ALPH 005 - There's Too Many Irons In The FireThere's Too Many Irons in the Fire"There's Too Many Irons in the Fire" is the second single by the English rock band Cardiacs, released in September 1987.-Critical reception:In the week of its release, There's Too Many Irons in the Fire was awarded "Single of the Week" in Sounds magazine...
12" (1987) ALPH 006 - A Little Man and a House and the Whole World WindowA Little Man and a House and the Whole World WindowA Little Man and a House and the Whole World Window is the fourth studio album by the English rock band Cardiacs, released in 1988. Arguably the band's best known album, it contains their only hit single, "Is This the Life?"...
LP/CD (1988) ALPH 007/TORSO CD060 - Is This The Life?Is This the Life?"Is This the Life" is the third single from Cardiacs and their best known. It is from the album, A Little Man and a House and the Whole World Window....
7" and 12" (1988) ALPH 008/TORSO 70060 - Susannah's Still Alive 7" and 12" (1988) ALPH 009
- Cardiacs LiveCardiacs LiveCardiacs Live is a live album by Cardiacs, recorded at the Paradiso in Amsterdam on 15 May 1988. The live photo on the back cover, however, appears to have been taken at The Town and Country Club in London....
LP/CD (1988) ALPH 010 - Night TracksNight Tracks (Cardiacs)"Night Tracks" is a 12" single from Cardiacs recorded on Janice Long's Night Tracks show on BBC Radio One on 27 November 1987.The single has not been re-released on any other format since its original release and is one of the rarer Cardiacs records...
(The Janice Long Session) 12" EP (1988) SFNT 013 - Baby Heart Dirt 7" and 12" (1989) ALPH 011
- On Land and in the SeaOn Land and in the SeaOn Land and in the Sea is the fifth studio album by the English rock band Cardiacs. It was recorded and mixed in 1988 at The Slaughterhouse studios in Yorkshire, produced by Cardiacs band leader Tim Smith and engineered by Roger Tebbutt....
LP/CD(1989) ALPH 012 - Archive CardiacsArchive CardiacsArchive Cardiacs is a compilation of tracks from Cardiac Arrest's The Obvious Identity and Cardiacs' Toy World, plus some demo tracks created by Tim Smith and Dominic Luckman, for a side project, that never made it to release until this compilation came out....
Cassette/CD (1989) ALPH 000 - The Seaside (2nd Version) LP/CD (1990) ALPH 013
- Songs for Ships and IronsSongs for Ships and Irons-Source material:Songs for Ships and Irons combines the whole of the Big Ship mini-album, the whole of the "There's Too Many Irons In The Fire" 12-inch single and the B-side of the "Susannah's Still Alive" 12-inch single. It also includes a bonus song called "Everything is Easy," a longstanding...
CD (1991) AlPH 014 - Day Is GoneDay Is Gone"Day Is Gone" is the sixth single from Cardiacs, taken from the album, Heaven Born and Ever Bright. The other three tracks on the single are exclusive to this release.Bic Hayes originally recorded the guitar parts...
12" and CD Single (1991) ALPH 015 - Heaven Born and Ever BrightHeaven Born and Ever BrightHeaven Born and Ever Bright is the sixth album by the band Cardiacs. It was produced by Tim Smith, engineered by David Murder and mixed by both. Due to Rough Trade going bankrupt soon after the album's release, it was scarce until reissued in 1995 by Alphabet Business Concern...
CD (1991) ALPH 017 - All that Glitters is a Mares NestAll That Glitters Is a Mares NestAll That Glitters Is a Mares Nest is a live album by the English rock band Cardiacs. It is their third live album, and was originally recorded in the afternoon in the Salisbury Arts Centre on 30 June 1990. In effect, it is the soundtrack album to the live concert film Maresnest...
CD (1995) ALPH 018 - Sampler CD (1995) ALPH 019
- BellyeyeBellyeye"Bellyeye" is the seventh single from the pronk band, Cardiacs, and features tracks that are on Sing to God. Only 1000 copies of the CD single were produced, and it has long since been out of print....
CD Single (1995) ORGAN011 - Sing to GodSing to GodSing to God is the seventh album by Cardiacs and their first with drummer Bob Leith.Sing to God was also the band's first double album, due to the sheer amount of material that group leader Tim Smith had written over a number of years with little or no Cardiacs live performances...
CD (1995) ALPH 022 (limited edition DOUBLE CD), ALPH 023 (CD One), ALPH 024 (CD Two). - ManhooManhoo"Manhoo" is the eighth single from Cardiacs and the first taken from Sing to God. Only 1000 copies of the CD were produced and it has long since been out of print....
CD Single (1995) ALPH 025 - Odd EvenOdd Even"Odd Even" is the ninth single from Cardiacs and the second taken from Sing to God. Only 1000 copies of the CD were produced and it has long since been out of print....
CD Single (1995) ALPH 026 - Cardiacs/Camp BlackfootCardiacs/Camp Blackfoot"Cardiacs"/"Camp Blackfoot" is the tenth single from Cardiacs and features tracks that are on Guns and Sing to God. Only 1000 of the CD was produced and it has long since been deleted....
CD Single (1998) ORG056 - GunsGuns (album)Guns is the eighth studio album by Cardiacs, and their last with Jon Poole. It was recorded and mixed at Apollo 8 in London. After a brief period of unavailability, the album was re-pressed in August 2007 and is once again available on the official .-Themes:...
CD (1999) ALPH 027 - SignsSigns (Cardiacs song)"Signs" is the eleventh single from the progressive punk band, Cardiacs, released in 1999. The song is from the album, Guns, while the other tracks on the single are exclusive to this release...
CD Single(1999) ALPH 028 - Cardiacs and Affectionate FriendsCardiacs and Affectionate FriendsThis is a compilation album released exclusively on CD by Cardiacs in 2001 on ORG Records.The Affectionate Friends of the title refers to the fact that all the featured artists are, or include, at least one person who has at some time been a member of Cardiacs....
CD (2001) ORG228 - Greatest Hits CD (2002) ALPH 029
- The Special Garage Concerts Vol IThe Special Garage Concerts Vol IThis is a live album recorded at the three day Garage concerts in London and released exclusively on CD.Cardiacs only played songs that predated 1984, some of which hadn't been heard for many years...
CD (2005) ALPH CD030 - The Special Garage Concerts Vol IIThe Special Garage Concerts Vol II-Description:This is a live album recorded at the three day Garage concerts in London and released exclusively on to CD.Cardiacs only played songs that predated 1984, some which had never been heard for many years. The tracks, An Ant, Hello Mr...
CD (2005) ALPH CD031 - Ditzy Scene CD Single (2007) ORG419
The Sea Nymphs
- Mr and Mrs Smith and Mr DrakeMr and Mrs Smith and Mr DrakeMr and Mrs Smith and Mr Drake is an album performed by a side project of Cardiacs, created by Tim Smith, Sarah Smith and William D. Drake. At the time, the project itself was also known as "Mr and Mrs Smith and Mr Drake" but would later be renamed The Sea Nymphs.The album was initially only...
Cassette (1984) ALPH 003/CD Reissue (2007) AME CD004 - Appealing To VenusAppealing to VenusAppealing to Venus is a 1992 single by The Sea Nymphs, reissued in 1998 as an album.-Appealing to Venus :This is a 7" single from The Sea Nymphs, which is a side project by Tim and Sarah Smith, and William D. Drake of the band Cardiacs....
7" (1991) ALPH 016 - The Sea NymphsThe Sea Nymphs (Cardiacs album)The Sea Nymphs is an album recorded as a side project by Tim and Sarah Smith, and William D. Drake of the band Cardiacs, originally known as Mr and Mrs Smith and Mr Drake...
Cassette/CD (1992) ALPH 021 - Appealing To Venus CD Reissue (1998) ORGAN044
Albums produced
- Eat - Epicure LP (Fiction, 1993)
- OceansizeOceansizeOceansize were a British rock band, formed in Manchester, England on 19th October 1998. The band consisted of Mike Vennart , Steve Durose , Richard "Gambler" Ingram , Mark Heron and Jon Ellis for the majority of its career, with Steve Hodson replacing Ellis on bass in 2006...
- Relapse EP (Beggar's Banquet 2002) - LevitationLevitation (band)Levitation were an English rock band fronted by ex-House of Love guitarist Terry Bickers. Levitation's music and attitude challenged an early 1990s UK alternative music scene dominated by shoegazing and Madchester....
- Need For Not album (CWWNN ltd. 1992) - Sidi Bou SaidSidi Bou Said (band)Sidi Bou Said were a London based rock band, who existed during the 1990s. Their music combined an indie rock/folk sound with complex arrangements and literate lyrics. They were often compared to Throwing Muses and the Pixies, with whom they shared a taste for sometimes uncomfortable lyrical themes...
- Bodies album (Ultimate, 1995) - SilverGinger 5Silver Ginger 5Silver Ginger 5 was originally formed in 1999 as a solo project for Ginger, lead singer/songwriter of The Wildhearts.The band was not formed until after the recording of the album Black Leather Mojo, and despite the name only ever had 4 members...
- Black Leather Mojo album (Sanctuary, 2000) - Stars In BattledressStars In Battledress (band)Stars In Battledress are an English musical duo featuring brothers Richard and James Larcombe. They are notable for their complex but tuneful compositions, their unorthodox fusion of folk music sources and British/American art rock influences, and for their intricate and allusive lyrics.A related...
- Secrets and Signals album (House of Stairs, 2003) - The Monsoon BassoonThe Monsoon BassoonThe Monsoon Bassoon were a British independent rock band active between 1995 and 2001, notable for their exceptionally complex and energetic music. During their lifespan, the band won the NME's Single Of The Week award three times...
- In Bold Gardens EP (Unreleased, 1996) - The Monsoon BassoonThe Monsoon BassoonThe Monsoon Bassoon were a British independent rock band active between 1995 and 2001, notable for their exceptionally complex and energetic music. During their lifespan, the band won the NME's Single Of The Week award three times...
- I Dig Your Voodoo album (Weird Neighbourhood, 1999) - North Sea Radio OrchestraNorth Sea Radio OrchestraNorth Sea Radio Orchestra is an English contemporary music ensemble and cross-disciplinary chamber orchestra ....
- North Sea Radio Orchestra EP - The Scaramanga SixThe Scaramanga SixThe Scaramanga Six are an English rock band noted for their aggressive live act, their flamboyant and theatrical songs and their independent business practices...
- Cabin Fever album (Wrath Records 2005) - The Scaramanga SixThe Scaramanga SixThe Scaramanga Six are an English rock band noted for their aggressive live act, their flamboyant and theatrical songs and their independent business practices...
- The Dance of Death album (Wrath Records 2007) - Shrubbies - Memphis in Texas album (Merlin Audio 1997)
- William D. DrakeWilliam D. DrakeWilliam D. Drake is an English musician, keyboardist, pianist, composer and singer-songwriter. He is best known as a former member of the cult English rock band Cardiacs, whom he played with for nine years between 1983 and 1992...
– William D. Drake album (All My Eye And Betty Martin Music, 2003)
External links
- Cardiacs homepage
- Cardiacs Museum (tribute page)
- Cardiacs Lyrics Organ (searchable lyrics database)