Tim Smith: Cardiacs, Sea Nymphs, OceanLandWorld, Spratleys Japs – One Of A Kind

How many others will be able to boast at appearing in this many newspaper and TV tributes without having a single hit single or album in their lives?

Have spent most of today breaking my heart about this.

Cardiacs, a one-off musically, a band of such uniqueness, craziness and inventiveness the like of which is unlikely to be repeated.

Even William D Drake’s solo work and the core trio’s side project the Sea Nymphs never dared go as far as Cardiacs did – the only side project which did was Tim Smith’s OceanLandWorld, the ‘solo’ album recorded on and off between 1989-1990 which was ‘forgotten’ about until he ‘decided’ to release it in 1995. Tim was the spark of genius and insanity which made them what they were.

Yes, one of those bands you either were going to like or loathe (the music press were especially horrible to them), and some of their music simply did not work – but when they got it right, there wasn’t a band to touch them.

You were an inspiration I was fortunate to discover via friends in the online games community long after your day had passed and had been forgotten by a fickle music world.

You will be one until the day I die.

Thank you.

‘And now the night of weeping shall be
The morn of song
Ah! We are those whose thunder shakes the skies
The thin spun life’