Tim Smith RIP

[Dirty Boy]

He was the perfect counter-argument to the stupid idea that being a genius and being a cunt go naturally hand in hand. I've never heard of anyone who met the guy that had a bad word to say about him.

Indeed.

As much as i love their music: Mark E Smith, Beefheart, Zappa= cunts with special talent.
Tim=lovely, lovely man.

I'm still desperately upset, watching Maresnest and my eyes are streaming. Love to the Cabbers who got me into this band back in 2002.

Quietus article

[soaking wet, mate]

I'm still desperately upset

Same. Couple of tracks that really set me off in partcular over the last few days were Manhoo and Helen And Heaven.

To be honest I welled up a few times since he was struck down in 2008. He really should have had that triumphant final act, whether completing LSD, performing on stage in some capacity, or something. Supposedly his condition was improving too, so so cruel.

The guy from Pinback hinted he was working on Cardiacs-related stuff the last while, so who knows.

[Bently Sheds]

Listening to Sing To God for a Freak Zone Tim Smith tribute and embarrassed at the landfill indie garbage we lavished praise on at NME while reviling Cardiacs.

Fucking 30 years too late, you chunky twat.

[Brundle-Fly]

Fucking 30 years too late, you chunky twat.

And they were HATED by Melody Maker too. Almost anything with an element of theatrical comedy was rat poison to them.

[His Name Is Death]

Hated by plenty of others, and whoever wrote the reviews on AllMusic obviously hated them too. What was it about Cardiacs that got so many music journos' backs up? I used to hate their music too (love them now), but I never thought they so beyond the pale that they couldn't find a prominent champion in at least one major publication.

[SpiderChrist]

Back in the 80s I worked in a record shop with a bloke who was fanatical about Cardiacs, and he persuaded me to go to see them with him at The Marquee. They were, needless to say, astonishingly good, and I've been a fan ever since. I think the reason they were hated by so many is because they couldn't easily be pigeonholed and lots of stupid cunts people need their music to fall into easy categories.

Been listening to The Seaside pretty much constantly since I heard the news. Genius is an overused word but Smith was definitely one.

[wosl]

And they were HATED by Melody Maker too. Almost anything with an element of theatrical comedy was rat poison to them.

I seem to remember the likes of the Residents and Laibach getting a smoother ride in the MM. Gwar were another one. Must've been The Cardiacs' particular brand of theatrics that did for them with Stubbs and co.

[Stoneage Dinosaurs]

Dream Dress / Vermin Mangle!

https://youtu.be/ppQOA2552LQ

[Egyptian Feast]

An announcement from the Alphabet Business Corporation.

[sutin]

I seem to remember the likes of the Residents and Laibach getting a smoother ride in the MM. Gwar were another one. Must've been The Cardiacs' particular brand of theatrics that did for them with Stubbs and co.

I think it's because Cardiacs were British.

[sevendaughters]

I think for ages there was a whole thing about rock as serious, rock as authentic, and Cardiacs just seemed to be taking the piss out of it all. I do also suspect the (false) narrative of prog vs punk saw many journos see Cardiacs as prog reborn and they had to be seen to take the side of the 'winner'.

[wosl]

I think it's because Cardiacs were British.

I certainly remember David Stubbs in particular being exceedingly taken with the European industrial art pop over British indie at the time - he regularly used to bloviate about the likes of The Young Gods and Die Krupps, and also absolutely fawned over Dieter Meier and his brand of Dada coffee-house japery, while at the same time taking pot-shots at the pretensions of Brit bands via the MM's Talk Talk Talk section.  (Not saying he was wrong to do so, just that his biases were especially obvious.)

[Dirty Boy]

That song is up on bandcamp now for free download, it's a lovely, wispy, croaky thing indeed.

Funeral notice for Tim.

(crying again)