Who are Cardiacs?#

Cardiacs are a progressive rock / punk [dubbed "pronk" by fans] band from Kingston-upon-Thames, England. Started in 1977, their original lineup consisted of Tim Smith on guitar and vocals, Jim Smith on bass, Max Myers on synthesizer, Peter Tagg on drums, and Michael Pugh on vocals.

The lineup would change many times throughout the years, with the Smith brothers being the only constant members. Cardiacs released three demo tapes and five studio albums during this time.

On June 25, 2008, Tim Smith suffered a heart attack and stroke, leaving him with brain damage and a condition called dystonia, leaving him partially paralyzed and unable to speak. Tim passed away on July 21, 2020. Four years later, in May 2024, Cardiacs reunited under the name "Cardiacs Family and Friends" to play three concerts in England, followed by four more shows in October of the same year. The long-awaited album LSD was released in September 2025, and Cardiacs are currently scheduled to play six shows in 2026.

Which album to start with?#

The "most accessible" Cardiacs album is widely regarded to be their 1988 LP "A Little Man and a House and the Whole World Window". 1996's "Sing to God" is also a great choice, and their most popular album.

Where to start with the live bootlegs?#

• 1979-11-13 Liverpool - Their first show with an available recording. A very listenable audience recording featuring a generous amount of tracks from the "The Obvious Identity" and "Toy World" demos, as well as a few unreleased tracks.
• 1983-03-18 London - An excellent soundboard featuring a few tunes from "The Seaside" that are only known to have been played a handful of times, as well as the only known recording of "A Picture of Misery".
• 1987-01-31 Birmingham - A (sadly incomplete) excellent soundboard recording featuring tracks from the "Big Ship" EP and more.
• 1992-03-06 Ipswich - A very good soundboard recording containing several tunes from the "Heaven Born and Ever Bright" album and the "Day is Gone" EP, along with others.
• 1998-10-24 Den Haag - An excellent soundboard recording with a few tracks from "Sing to God" among others.
• 2005-11-07 Portsmouth - An excellent audience recording containing songs from all throughout Cardiacs' career; their longest known show.

Wiki Pages#

[Want List](--To Be Added--)

External Links#

Cardiacs Homepage