It is not often that going to see a friend's crappy band provides you with a life-changing experience. Late in 1988 a local Kent band called Brainbox were drafted in to replace My Bloody Valentine as a support act at Kent Hall in Maidstone. Vaguely knowing the members of brainbox through our siblings, my friend Dominic and I decided to tag along to see them play. We paid £5 to get in and see our (vaguely) friends play. We dutifully cheered as they played their songs and waited for the main act, not expecting too much. On came 6 people looking decidedly odd. A manic looking singer with a guitar along with equally manic looking drummer, percussionist, synth/keyborad/organ player, saxophonist and bass player. What followed seemed like two hours of pure mayhem. Catchy melodies combined with bouncy riffs, fast drums and a solid bassline. The singer ranted and raved, shouted at the bass-player for being fat and not knowing his place, abused the audience, and then shook hands with some of us at the front, smiling almost violently and snogged the saxophonist. The fire alarm went off (twice) forcing long waits in the cold and the rain, each time we went back in the band went back on. This was our first encounter with...

Cardiacs inspire a predictable response - you either love them or hate them. There is no middle ground, no compromise. Formed in the late 1970s, CARDIACS have been churning out their unique brand of quirky pop-punk for over two decades. When people ask "so, what do they sound like?" there is no easy answer. There are various shades of early genesis, the beatles, ska, punk, pop, all mixed up with a liberal sprinkling of Stravinsky-esque key and tempo changes. In reviewing the 1992 album "Heaven born and Ever Bright", the N.M.E. said "...they sound like a pit-head brass band attempting to play full-steam punk rock in a gale." Charlotte says, "they just sound shit". Further than this I suggest you check them out for yourself and make up your own mind. At the bottom of this page is a link to the official website where you can listen to a good selection of songs old and new.

The current line up (pictured above) is Tim Smith who sings and plays guitar, Jim Smith who plays bass and sings, Jon Poole who plays guitar and sings and Bob Leith who drums. The current line-up has been stable for a few years but Cardiacs have included many former stars who still sometimes play on the records I am told. The photographs I have all feature a previous lineup, of which Tim and Jim Smith are the only remaining members. Please click on a thumbnail for full-sized images.