The Cardiacs in Rehearsal
Long before I had began writing and posting here at KUR, one of the many things which had attracted me to this weblog (and frankly, still does, years later) was all the new music I was exposed to on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis (via posts, comments, and various emails from band publicists throughout the world).
How such groups as The Cardiacs managed to slip past my musical radar still leaves me scratching my head at times. Or a band called EELS (fronted by Mark Oliver Everett, otherwise known as E). It’s because of the continuous input of this community that my musical tastes have continued to widen – thanks to Barry who turned me on to EELS and KUR-regular Sterbus who turned me on to The Cardiacs. I’m certain it’s undoubtedly similar for many other KUR regulars, too.
Enjoy these two rehearsal videos from The Cardiacs – “Jibber and Twitch” (above) and “As Cold As Can Be In An English Sea” (below) – and think of the myriad ways everyone kills ugly radio everyday.
March 18th, 2011 at 11:12 am »
I also have Sterbus via KUR to thank for introducing me to Cardiacs, who are now one of my favourite bands.
Love these videos. There was talk on their last BBC 6 Music session (which you can hear at the Cardiacs museum – http://www.cardiacs.org) that a DVD might be released of the whole of these rehearsal sessions. I’d snap that up!
Get well soon Tim.
March 18th, 2011 at 12:29 pm »
Goooooooooooooooooooood!
March 18th, 2011 at 12:31 pm »
Lest your aim is to undergo the fury of Cardiacs-fanatics the world over, Urb, you might want to consider omitting your “The” from “The Cardiacs”…!
March 18th, 2011 at 1:22 pm »
A quote from Barry’s Imaginary Publisher:
Advice well taken, Barry!
I’d certainly love to see and hear the entirety of these rehearsal sessions, myself.
March 18th, 2011 at 1:31 pm »
Hmm. I never heard of Cardiacs and, I’m sorry to say, I don’t think I want to. Is that really attractive to people who also like Zappa?
March 18th, 2011 at 2:28 pm »
Thank you so much! As I’m used to say, Cardiacs is the second best band I’ve never heard in my life
I really love them… about those links, just know that these songs were written in the late seventies, when Tim Smith, singer and main songwriter was 19… those are rehearsals for the garage concerts of 2003, where they played all the stuff written before the first album from 1988…
Yes, I’ve got plenty of fields recordings, I only have to choose one and send it to you…
Meanwhile, let me add that Tim Smith himself suffered a stroke back in 2008 and a tribute album – featuring Andy Partridge, Oceansize, Steven Wilson – is available here…. all funds are going directly to him… http://www.thegenepool.co.uk/items/597.htm
March 18th, 2011 at 2:46 pm »
Actually, to put the record straight, they are rehearsals for the secret Bull & Gate shows. I didn’t have that fancy guitar for the Garage gigs.
Thanks for the interest and kind thoughts.
Kavus.
xxx
March 18th, 2011 at 3:05 pm »
A quote from urbangraffito:
March 18th, 2011 at 4:53 pm »
A quote from Nowski:
I like Zappa. I also like a very large and eclectic list of other groups and musicians, too, Nowski. In many respects, it was FZ and the MOI who began my adventuresome musical exploration. While for many, music is little more than a fashion, and adjunct to their personal identity, Zappa and the Mothers taught me that music had vastly more levels of interest to offer. Perhaps that’s why Zappa fans are hardly ever limited to the music of just the maestro. Like FZ, himself, his fans musical tastes are just as eclectic.
When I listen to Cardiacs music, though, I hear similar complexities and elements comparable to the original Mothers of Invention, Beefheart, Oingo Boingo, The Tubes, and Wall of Voodoo.
March 18th, 2011 at 6:35 pm »
To me Cardiacs seemed a natural fit after years of loving Zappa (and Mr Bungle, Foetus etc) and they quickly became my favourite ‘pop group’. I just wish i’d found them sooner.
While i love them both, i actually think Tim Smith is more of a genius than Zappa as i find his songs much richer in scope and more affecting with less of the reliance on noodly guitar stuff (don’t shoot me. Just an opinion). His songs are also more compact and accessable to my ears even though there’s no shortage of ‘twiddly bits’.
It’s all tunes innit?
March 18th, 2011 at 6:43 pm »
A few favorites while i’m ‘ere.
Fiery Gun Hand
Manhoo
Big Ship
Everso Closely Guarded Line
Zappa fans might enjoy the first and last of these in particular.
March 19th, 2011 at 4:59 pm »
After watching the above video clips my heart rate hasn’t changed but i do have a pounding headache now!
March 19th, 2011 at 6:20 pm »
Stick with it, it may grow on you. A friend of mine really likes them, but still considers their music to be “like getting force fed chocolate cake”. There’s incredible depth there if you let it sink in.
March 20th, 2011 at 7:27 pm »
A quote from Bubby:
True. Try this also
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZF-nadw4ws