History Music / Cardiacs

** Half way into [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzUGJdu8EVI&t=1m44s Pip As Uncle Dick But Peter Spoilt It]] there's a pretty big Franchise/SpiderMan ShoutOut.

+Music/TheWho, Music/TheKinks, Music/{{XTC}}, Music/GentleGiant, Music/FrankZappa, Music/TheResidents, Music/{{Genesis|Band}}, Faust, Music/HenryCow, Music/SlappHappy, Music/{{Gong}}, Music/{{Madness}}, Music/{{Wire}}, Music/{{Devo}}, Music/VanDerGraafGenerator

* BlackDudeDiesFirst. Colvin Mayers who died of effects of AIDS on Boxing Day.

* 1981 - ''Toy World'' (released on cassette in extremely limited quantities; never re-released)

* 1988 - ''A Little Man and a House and the Whole World Window'' (their official studio debut)

* 1984 - ''The Seaside''

* 1988 - ''A Little Man and a House and the Whole World Window''

They've had a rather large number of releases, although some were not released in large quantities and have never been re-released. Some discographies leave out all the recordings before ''A Little Man and a House''. You can find most of their stuff at [[https://alphabet-business-concern.bandcamp.com/ their Bandcamp]], along with material from several related projects.

** 2:50 into [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ta7_xmWpSx4 Dive]] a choral section starts. The lyrics? "Oh the grand old duke of York he had ten thousand men, he marched them up to the top of the hill and he marched them down again". Some of you may recognise that nursery rhyme...
** Half way into [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nz8CpYyDPfY Pip As Uncle Dick But Peter Spoilt It]] there's a pretty big Franchise/SpiderMan ShoutOut.

+Music/{{Blur}}, Music/NapalmDeath, Music/{{Radiohead}}, Music/MrBungle, Music/MikePatton, Music/{{Mansun}}, Music/{{Marillion}}, Music/StevenWilson

+Music/TheWho, Music/TheKinks, Music/{{XTC}}, Music/GentleGiant, Music/FrankZappa, Music/TheResidents, Music/{{Genesis|Band}}, Faust, Music/HenryCow, Music/SlappHappy, Music/{{Madness}}, Music/{{Wire}}, Music/{{Devo}}, Music/VanDerGraafGenerator

* NotChristianRock: Tim Smith has stated that the album ''Sing To God'' is in no way a religious work, despite the word Jesus being clearly audible in amongst the lyrics of the song 'Fiery Gun Hand' -- which makes a lot more sense when you realize the song is about [[CrossesTheLineTwice Jesus shooting himself instead of a crucifixion.]]
** See also "Dog-Like Sparky", which has the rather undoubtedly unchristian line 'Put your hands on the Holy Bible and scream wank'.

** "Insect Hoofs On Lassie", alongside the title, is about an... unhealthy obsession with Franchise/Lassie.
** "A Time For Rejoicing"'s final section is directly lifted from Peter Ivers' "In Heaven", which appeared in Film/Eraserhead

+Music/TheWho, Music/TheKinks, Music/{{XTC}}, Music/GentleGiant, Music/FrankZappa, Music/TheResidents, Music/{{Genesis|Band}}, Music/{{Faust}}, Music/HenryCow, Music/SlappHappy, Music/{{Madness}}, Music/{{Wire}}, Music/{{Devo}}, Music/VanDerGraafGenerator

You want a band that complains about [[{{Suburbia}} Suburban Life]]? Come to Cardiacs. You want a band that combines ProgressiveRock and PostPunk? Come to Cardiacs. You want a band that preempted the Emo genre by about 10 years? Come to Cardiacs.

Cardiacs are that perfect band you've been looking for all your life but couldn't find because they're so damn obscure. Frontman Tim Smith is pretty much the only songwriter of the band. However, older brother Jim Smith is as much of a key character as Tim, bassist, batter-head, bully-bait, he's been "there" since Tim was a baby. Then there's Sarah, Tim's wife, saxophonist, pre-Seaside synth player, skirt wearer supreme, she's been "there" too.

In 2021, the Alphabet Business Concern unveiled the entire Cardiacs discography onto streaming services, only to withdraw a year later in light of recent controversies.

* TheSmurfettePrinciple: Sarah was the only woman in some lineups. However, at times this trope has been averted either because there weren't any women in the lineup, or there were more than one. The current lineup on Wiki/ThatOtherWiki lists Cathy Harabaras and Melanie Woods as part of the band.

->''Cardiacs is the one soldier during the first world war who sees death as a mischievous friend to play games with and thinks he can win. Cardiacs is also that death which dances around and slips but never falls down.''

As of 2021, the Alphabet Business Concern unveiled the entire Cardiacs discography onto streaming services.

+Music/TheWho, Music/TheKinks, Music/{{XTC}}, Music/GentleGiant, Music/FrankZappa, Music/TheResidents, Music/{{Genesis}}, Music/{{Faust}}, Music/HenryCow, Music/SlappHappy, Music/{{Madness}}, Music/{{Wire}}, Music/{{Devo}}, Music/VanDerGraafGenerator

* LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters[=/=]RevolvingDoorBand: Dozens of people have been members of the band at various points.

* NeoclassicalPunkZydecoRockabilly: Their music is very nearly indescribable.

* OverlyLongNote: "Dirty Boy", which ends on a high note that lasts a little more than two minutes.

Despite a polarising reaction in the contemporary music press and rather limited commercial sales, Cardiacs have had a fairly significant impact on other musical acts, being cited as an influence by acts as diverse as Music/{{Radiohead}}, Music/FaithNoMore, and Music/{{Blur}}. Cardiacs were noted for remaining ferociously independent throughout their career, releasing their music through their own label, The Alphabet Business Concern.

+Music/{{Blur}}, Music/NapalmDeath, Music/{{Radiohead}}, Music/MrBungle, Music/MikePatton, Music/{{Mansun}}