Testimonial 11.

Spring 1987. Living in a Box were living in a box. Madonna had buggered off to La Isla Bonita. Ferryaid were at Number one with the latest in a long line of celebrity guilt trips also known as ‘charity records’. Patsy Kensit was attempting pre-Gallagher superstardom with help from the Pet Shop Boys. Level 42 were crap. I was 15 years old and happy. Or so I thought.

Good Friday of that year was a relatively warm day. That evening, I switched on Channel 4 to catch the (soon to be axed) Tube – A much lauded music show from the 80’s. This was a moment that changed my life.

Within that hour, I had been confronted by a video of what I eventually discovered was Tarred and Feathered. It isn’t easy to describe the exact emotions that you go through when you are faced with something you don’t understand, but watching six manically grinning/moving adults covered in flour and make-up, and playing music that seems to be following a unique path of it’s own and yet sounds like it come from a fairground organ, left me in shocked confusion. Somehow, all of my pre-conceptions of life and society had been brought crashing to the ground in one foul swoop!

At the time, I hadn’t caught who they were. But the images and sound stayed with me for the next few years. It wasn’t until I saw the lead singers manic grin blazing out at me in a branch of Our Price in Portsmouth that I realised they were called the CARDIACS! At least I knew I hadn’t imagined the strange encounter from a few years earlier.

When I came to College in London in 1991, they were continually being played on the radio. Just as well really, because I only had an electricity pylon outside my window for company. They added colour and a smile to a grey city – ‘Joining the Plankton’ became a call to arms for a de-motivated first year to get off his arse and do something!!

Ironically, it wasn’t until quite recently that I started buying their records. But I’m glad I waited – it’s great to explore such a large and diverse body of work. Hearing the old stuff brings back lots of odd memories. And besides that, each song has so much going on. Each listen draws attention to new sounds, new events, new atmospheres etc. – on this level, one almost feels compelled to draw comparison with the discipline and work ethics of one Brian Eno. Add to this a seam of tongue in cheek humour and you’re always guaranteed to have your spirits lifted when listening to Cardiacs.

To sum up, I would say that Cardiacs have changed my life (and my outlook), and they always entertain, be it on record or at a gig.

I thanc ewe.

Bradley Martin
London UK
September 1999

Testimonial 12.

I beleve my introduction to the cardiacs came when I still donned a mullet, had Iron maiden pathches on my denium jacket, and needed a daliy dose of death metal a least once a day. Now whatever your views on death metal, I don’t think the power of the music cab be denied, and it was difficult tracking down non-heavy metal music that really had the oomph that I enjoyed. Until a friend of mine played me ‘Is This the Life’. That one simple gesture did it for me, I was hooked. What an introduction! I then, like so many before and after me, went on the quest of finding Cardiacs vinyl (extremly tricky in rural Dorset) but after months of trawling the record shops in the various local towns find some I did in the shape of ‘On Land and in the Sea’, Oh what joy! All I had ever wanted. 45 minutes of manic musical mayhem. Needless to say I needed to see these crazy people, see if they can really play all that glorious pandemonium live, and lo and behold there was a gig coming up in a church in Salisbury. Off came the mullet, on went a suit (with flower in lapel) and to Salisbury I went. The gig was the best thing I had ever heard and seen. But this was to be the last I heard of them and their music as I was to move to Spain for some years. Obviously I took my tapes with me, but things happen, and slowly I found myself listening to them less and less.

Until…….1999-Glastonbury festival, playing on sunday at midnight on one of the ‘alternative’ stages, yes, the Cardiacs. Lost a few members, gained a few pounds and a few grey hairs………they sounded better than ever, I was awestruck, mesmerized, and as an encore they played Stoneage Dinosaurs. What more can I say. It’s a joy to be back.

With respect,

Simon
(idiotica@hotmail.com)

Testimonial 13.

Its easy to get carried away once in the world of Cardiacs, for me they were instantly appealing… the band that I’d been waiting to hear…

In 1994, when my ears were full of The Cure, Sheep on Drugs and Miranda Sex Garden, I yearned for a little something more. Like a gift from the Gods, a friend of mine was lent ‘On Land and in the Sea’, he knew that it would appeal to me, and played me it at the earliest opportunity. I will never forget that moment – the opener ‘Two bites of Cherry’ was so entirely unlike anything I’d ever heard before, it completely blew me away. What astounded me more, was the incredibly consistent quality throughout the album, completely unique and inspirational. How come I’d never heard of them? Surely these guys are distinguished geniuses. What’s wrong with the world?

It wasn’t long before I needed more.

Only a few weeks later I was privileged enough to borrow a copy of the ‘Seaside Treats’ video and a tape of ‘Rude Bootleg’ which revealed more aspects of the band to me. Everything clicked and I could hear so much in their songs beyond the music itself: their use of humour and surrealism without detachment from reality or seriousness. The volatile schizophrenia of music and performance embodying the fragility of the human mind and the futility of existence..

Well, from that point on I made up for lost time I bought the entire back catalogue over a number of months and the new album Sing to God on the day of release. Then came the live experience. It was staggering, pretty much as I’d expected, a cut down modified version of the fabled extensive line up of years gone by, without the theatricalities or confettit but all the energy, intensity and faultless musical ability.

I’ve always loved the bands that I listen to and I gain an incredible amount of joy from hearing their music, but I genuinely can not believe the pleasure that I derive from listening to Cardiacs. Nor could I believe how lucky I was to have been pointed in the direction of their world in the first place.

Holy holy mother of Mary and the Craig Charles Spaniel

(Martin Kettle)

Testimonial 14.

As a child, my parents choice in music was quite scary! That is until I reached the age of 13/14-when the strange “fairground” style music that I had been used to since I was a little person suddenly meant something wonderful to me. As I became more and more in love with this music I began to take more notice of it and began to cherish my parents Cardiacs albums and videos.

My first Cardiacs gig was at the tender age of 14, at the Venue in New cross, London. My parents came with me and we had a fantastic night to say the least.

I am now 21 and have been amazed by the Cardiacs music for some time now. I have taken so much criticism from friends who can’t quite accept the genius of Tim Smith etc. and who find it too bizarre to get their little heads around- but that is now just the way I like it!

I have given up trying to convert people to listening to the Cardiacs. The way that I now view it is that the Cardiacs are special, they are original, they are truly amazing! They are for those who have a crazy mind and a huge amount of luck!

I feel so lucky that my parents exposed me to the Cardiacs music and I thank them. But most of all I thank the Cardiacs themselves. They are the band of the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s. And I hope all those who have been lucky enough to find the Cardiacs will make them the band of the new millennium.

Forget Prince’s 1999- I’ll most certainly be blasting the Cardiacs on new years eve and Beyond!

Alicia, London.

Testimonial 15.

One day my big brothers friend Paul slipped an extra cd into the pile he was lending me. We shared a common love of all things black and dark and metal in nature, and as he was much older than me he was able to acquire evil sounds way beyond my means.

“Listen to this.”, he said. “It’s really weird. I really like it.” and left it at that.

I studied the strange blue cover, and all I could think at the time was “This isn’t metal. Do I have time for this.”

I decided to give it a token listen and sceptically appraised the ‘Big Ship’ sailing out of the speakers. Little did I realise what that song would mean to me given a few more listens. Then ‘Tarred and Feathered’ came on, picked me up, swung me around the room by my nostril hairs, mangled my brain and left me dazed with a big smile on my face.

Several years later when I was at University I finally got to see Cardiacs live. It was like eating a big box full of the best chocolates ever only better. The rest is history. Even though I listen to loads of metal and opera and very little in between, No One compares, or even comes close to the majesty of Cardiacs.

Thanks very much for listening

Justin Morley