Cardiacs--where to start?

[Phlakaton]

A few years ago I met Adrian Bell, or Belch as he prefers to be known at Gong Uncon at the Melkweg in Amsterdam in 2006.
He's written a book called "Aylesbury, Bolton, Wolverhampton and Hove". It's about seeing the band Cardiacs 101 times and covers not only his love of Cardiacs but the band Yes and prog rock in general. Plus Sheffield United.
It's a great read.

The book 'sold out' years ago but he is now selling a PDF of the book for £5
It would help him greatly if you considered buying a copy.

This guy has seen Cardiacs 101 times...quite a feat and I'm very envious. To clarify...I did not meet this guy, a friend of mine did.

I know Adrian - super nice guy - had some drinks with him in the pub a couple years ago before Spratleys and Knifeworld. He has a radio show that's usually pretty spiffy. I am getting my hands on his book in July when I go over and see Tim. He recently scanned it yep... cant wait to get my grubby hands on the physical copy. Has some great pics too. Belch loves to hitchhike too - still does it pretty regular to footie matches. I often watch him live on the road avoiding the cops when he does it - hilarious. I think he wrote a book about Tesco too... not sure though

https://books.google.com/books/about...d=JuzoclLVSpQC

Cheers!

[aith01]

^You’re going to see Tim, as in the Tim?

If it weren’t so late, I would probably put on my vinyl copy of HBaEB. Man I love that record. Even more so when they released the oroginal master version, sounds soooooo much better.

[adap2it]

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[Baribrotzer]

Here's a (rewritten) post that I did on YouTube a couple of days ago:

Tim Smith took two things that don't normally go together, kept the best of both, and created something new and wonderful.
- from progressive rock he took the artistic ambition, the expanded musical vocabulary, quite a lot of the content, and the tenet of being true to one's self and one's own vision.
- from punk/New Wave he took the energy level, the sense of humor, the catchiness, quite a lot of the sound, and the tenet that something doesn't have to be technically perfect to be good.
So it's not surprising that quite a few people don't get his music - it doesn't have all the characteristics of punk or of prog, and doesn't fit into either classification well or comfortably. And the idea that prog might be better off without the self-importance and show-off-iness, or that punk could gain by losing the aggressive musical primitivism, yobbishness, and hostility just doesn't compute to many fans. But for people who don't necessarily nail themselves into one box, there's plenty to appreciate and enjoy.

As to the future, I don't know if Cardiacs will come to be widely seen as something important, unique, and influential down the road, as the Velvet Underground or the Last Poets were. They always had the problem of straddling the divide in rock's big culture war, and getting no respect from either side - too complex for the punk fans, too raw and rackety for the prog fans, too herky-jerky for both. But now, that culture war looks pretty small, in contrast with the much bigger gap between rock and the producer pop dominating the charts. And while rock seems to have had its day as mass-market Big Hit music, it will probably retain an enthusiastic niche audience like jazz or folk or classical music. So it very well could continue to evolve within that niche, as jazz has done, and in that case it's a possibility (if a remote one) that Cardiacs will finally receive the respect they mostly didn't get during their working life.

[Phlakaton]

^You’re going to see Tim, as in the Tim?

If it weren’t so late, I would probably put on my vinyl copy of HBaEB. Man I love that record. Even more so when they released the oroginal master version, sounds soooooo much better.

I got to see Dr. Smith last year - amazing visit - emotional - he told me "I used to beat the fuck out of my mum's settee." Lovely story. Shhh... dont tell anyone. HBAEB --- dude - that song order is perfect - and some of my favorite lyrics too. Goodbye Grace is one of my top 5 tunes. Bloody brilliant.

[Phlakaton]

So is anyone going to the Convention in July? I have a massive list of people to hang with but still - always time for more goofin' off. Beer and lunacy.

[NogbadTheBad]

Wish I could, logistic don't work for me this year.

[chalkpie]

Sadly not me either. We'll be in Scotland though

[aith01]

I got to see Dr. Smith last year - amazing visit - emotional - he told me "I used to beat the fuck out of my mum's settee." Lovely story. Shhh... dont tell anyone. HBAEB --- dude - that song order is perfect - and some of my favorite lyrics too. Goodbye Grace is one of my top 5 tunes. Bloody brilliant.

So glad you got to visit with Dr. Smith. That sounds like a surreal experience.

[chalkpie]

I got to see Dr. Smith last year - amazing visit - emotional - he told me "I used to beat the fuck out of my mum's settee." Lovely story. Shhh... dont tell anyone. HBAEB --- dude - that song order is perfect - and some of my favorite lyrics too. Goodbye Grace is one of my top 5 tunes. Bloody brilliant.

I love this particular verse and the way its sung:

And it's because it is there
With all the flies sink my hand
Like floating it stand and it
Stinks the blood out comes his eyes
Out comes his nose and...

[Phlakaton]

I love this particular verse and the way its sung:

And it's because it is there
With all the flies sink my hand
Like floating it stand and it
Stinks the blood out comes his eyes
Out comes his nose and...

its like two totally different parts too - the ending bit is so drowningish --- going down - down - down.

[ergalthema]

Has anyone ever tried remastering some Cardiacs studio releases? I know there is only so much that can be done from the CD tracks, but I feel like some EQ could make a significant difference. I plan to give it a shot myself one day, but figured I'd ask around in case anyone has already tried.

[auxfnx]

Has anyone ever tried remastering some Cardiacs studio releases? I know there is only so much that can be done from the CD tracks, but I feel like some EQ could make a significant difference. I plan to give it a shot myself one day, but figured I'd ask around in case anyone has already tried.

I've thought this myself - they are just a bit too harsh sometimes on the mastering front, too much bright high end and not quite enough low. Could definitely help to take a look at these with an eye on reducing ear fatigue! Would be awesome to work from unmastered versions of the albums but there's no way we could - best we could do would be some sort of 'unmaster', maybe gain reduction and de-clipping to rebuild some lost peaks, then a choice EQ.

Might give this a go soon!

[chalkpie]

I've thought this myself - they are just a bit too harsh sometimes on the mastering front, too much bright high end and not quite enough low. Could definitely help to take a look at these with an eye on reducing ear fatigue! Would be awesome to work from unmastered versions of the albums but there's no way we could - best we could do would be some sort of 'unmaster', maybe gain reduction and de-clipping to rebuild some lost peaks, then a choice EQ.

Might give this a go soon!

Keep us posted! Thx

[polmico]

Has anyone ever tried remastering some Cardiacs studio releases? I know there is only so much that can be done from the CD tracks, but I feel like some EQ could make a significant difference. I plan to give it a shot myself one day, but figured I'd ask around in case anyone has already tried.

Sing to God unfortunately suffers from this. Guns sounds near perfect to my ears.

I’ve got some new listening to do. Rude Bootleg, the Sprately Japs album and OceanLandWorld showed up at my door today courtesy Alphabet. All I had to give them was some of that folding money and an address and, like, a promise to be better.

Heck, I feel like a better person already. I hope those Alphabet folks keep helping me become the man I wish I was.

[Phlakaton]

Sing to God unfortunately suffers from this. Guns sounds near perfect to my ears.

I’ve got some new listening to do. Rude Bootleg, the Sprately Japs album and OceanLandWorld showed up at my door today courtesy Alphabet. All I had to give them was some of that folding money and an address and, like, a promise to be better.

Heck, I feel like a better person already. I hope those Alphabet folks keep helping me become the man I wish I was.

OceanlandWorld is astounding stuff for me - England's is my kind of pop tune... the pinnacle of pop. Damn Dr. Smith is the shit.

[chalkpie]

OceanlandWorld is astounding stuff for me - England's is my kind of pop tune... the pinnacle of pop. Damn Dr. Smith is the shit.

Oh yeah - "England's" is a masterpiece tune all by itself. I will never get sick of hearing that gem.

[aith01]

OceanLandWorld is amazing. "Ocean Heaven" may be my favorite thing he has ever done, ever.

Or maybe "This Grounds Town". It's hard to say for sure. It's all just so good. You're in for a treat!

[thedunno]

Oceanlandworld is an absolute stunner. Of the pop tunes I've always had a soft spot for Veronica in Ecstasy. Kind of the best David Bowie tune Bowie did not write.

The absolute winner on the album is Swimming with the Snake .

[Phlakaton]

Oceanlandworld is an absolute stunner. Of the pop tunes I've always had a soft spot for Veronica in Ecstasy. Kind of the best David Bowie tune Bowie did not write.

The absolute winner on the album is Swimming with the Snake .

Swimming With The Snake is otherworldly... I cant put into words what that song does to me. Just... ahhhhhh

[NogbadTheBad]

Its a pretty good album.

[chalkpie]

[Baribrotzer]

WILLIAM D DRAKE & FRIENDS - Tim's Medley

What an amazing composer Tim is/was. Shorn of Cardiacs' clamorous arrangements and Tim's scraggly voice, it's easier to hear just how beautiful and well-written his music is.

[thedunno]

Now take this for a great Faust..er…. Cardiacs cover!

[alanterrill]

Now take this for a great Faust..er…. Cardiacs cover!

That was tremendous both musically and as a performance. Can it be downloaded anywhere? I can only find Whole World Window 1 on bandcamp.

And while I was searching for Whole World Window I came across this piano rendition by the Royal Air Force Squadronaires (its on Spotify) https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B014GAXM...m_ws_tlw_trk11