Cardiacs/ Tim Smith / Leader of the Starry Skies

[eFestivals]

The Cardiacs were one of my first adult musical obsessions. I saw them loads of times, and in their earlier days (when they were a bigger band, with around 10 people on stage) was always completely blown away from them. Downstairs I have their self-released first album on cassette "a little man and a house and whole world window" which is brilliantly erratic in style while being consistently excellent.

I've just discovered that two years ago their main man - Tim Smith - suffered a heart attack and paralysing stroke, and is now severely disabled.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/feb/03/cardiacs-tim-smith-stroke-tribute-album

A bunch of musicians have got together to record an album of Cardiac covers, called "Leader of the Starry Skies", to help fund extra physiotherapy and treatment for Smith.

People involved with it include Andy Partridge and Robert White, All About Eve singer Julianne Regan, indie rockers Ultrasound, Romeo Stodart (Magic Numbers), Mike Vennart (Oceansize), and Damon Albarn, Neil Hannon and even Faith No More's Mike Patton have pledged their support and future involvement.

Leader of the Starry Skies – A Tribute to Tim Smith is available for £10 from http://www.thegenepool.co.uk/items/597.htm

I'm now off to buy my copy. Here's to you Tim, and I hope things improve.

Edited February 4, 2011 by eFestivals

[radish]

The Cardiacs were one of my first adult musical obsessions. I saw them loads of times, and in their earlier days (when they were a bigger band, with around 10 people on stage) was always completely blown away from them. Downstairs I have their self-released first album on cassette "a little man and a house and whole world window" which is brilliantly erratic in style while being consistently excellent.

I've just discovered that two years ago their main man - Tim Smith - suffered a heart attack and paralysing stroke, and is now severely disabled.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/feb/03/cardiacs-tim-smith-stroke-tribute-album

A bunch of musicians have got together to record an album of Cardiac covers, called "Leader of the Starry Skies", to help fund extra physiotherapy and treatment for Smith.

People involved with it include Andy Partridge and Robert White, All About Eve singer Julianne Regan, indie rockers Ultrasound, Romeo Stodart (Magic Numbers), Mike Vennart (Oceansize), and Damon Albarn, Neil Hannon and even Faith No More's Mike Patton have pledged their support and future involvement.

Leader of the Starry Skies – A Tribute to Tim Smith is available for £10 from http://www.thegenepool.co.uk/items/597.htm

I'm now off to buy my copy. Here's to you Tim, and I hope things improve.

[eFestivals]

Can't believe I didn't post about this ages back, apologies. Just to say that the 2nd disc, Leader of the Starry Skies - A Loyal Companion, is just as essential a purchase as the 'main' album. Not withstanding that the money goes to the man himself, the music on it is just astonishingly good, my personal highlight being Sidi Bou Said's version of Victory Egg, immense.

And also, if you do buy this and it gets you into the Cardiacs, or if you already like them but don't have enough of their stuff, (almost) the entire Cardiacs back catalogue is available on iTunes (getting hold of cd versions is tricky).

Ahhh, thanks for that. I've found that "Leader of the Starry Skies - A Loyal Companion" can be ordered from here:-

http://www.thegenepool.co.uk/items/627.htm

So I've now bought that too.

[t8yman]

its great, 'size's track is awesome.

[timespeedsup]

One of those acts that was within touching distance of a lot of what I was listening to in the early 90s. Always meant to discover them properly. Life meanwhile had other plans.

[timespeedsup]

Aimlessly meandering tonight, discovered the video for Levitation's last release in the UK was directed by Tim Smith.

[radish]

Aimlessly meandering tonight, discovered the video for Levitation's last release in the UK was directed by Tim Smith.

[eFestivals]

on Monday I had quite a strong inkling that The Sun had cobbled together the story they published about "the stones not playting glastonbury, Coldplay to headline instead" from various posts of mine on this forum.

Today they've run a story about this album to Tim Smith. Now I know it was in the Guardian n(which was what had me start this thread), but since when has The Sun had an interest in a band that had an (comparatively) exceedingly small fanbase, passed most people by entirely, and who haven't existed for over ten years (and who were well over ten years past their best at that point)?

I'm now more convinced than ever that The Scum are taking stuff from here.

[radish]

on Monday I had quite a strong inkling that The Sun had cobbled together the story they published about "the stones not playting glastonbury, Coldplay to headline instead" from various posts of mine on this forum.

Today they've run a story about this album to Tim Smith. Now I know it was in the Guardian n(which was what had me start this thread), but since when has The Sun had an interest in a band that had an (comparatively) exceedingly small fanbase, passed most people by entirely, and who haven't existed for over ten years (and who were well over ten years past their best at that point)?

I'm now more convinced than ever that The Scum are taking stuff from here.

Edited February 11, 2011 by radish

[eFestivals]

Have you heard that Beyonce is planning to have a 3d hologram of Elvis appear live on stage with her at Glastonbury this year? Not much to do with Tim Smith of course, but an interesting story nonetheless...

PMSL

[radish]

An update to this story, and one that makes me very happy.

Proceeds from sales of this album so far have done wonderful things for Tim – regular complimentary treatment and the purchase of a car which will mean he can leave the hospital for trips out more frequently and with ease.

"Leader of the Starry Skies – A Tribute to Tim Smith, Songbook 1" has not only sold out of its first CD pressing (prompting another run), but is now due for release on luxurious heavy 180g double vinyl format. As before, ALL money made from the sales of this album will go direct to the fund to help in Tim Smith’s continued healthcare.

You can order the vinyl version here: http://www.thegenepool.co.uk/items/666.htm