Talk:Cardiacs

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[edit] Edit of History!

I have edited the history because it was becoming outdated. Cardiacs have released Ditzy Scene since this was created and I've echoed this in my edit.

Drterror666 (talk) 13:59, 5 December 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Edit of enthusiastic praise

I've edited the following:

"It surprises many fans that Cardiacs have not achieved wider fame, but the uncompromising complexity and intensity of much of their music puts off many listeners used to more basic fare."

And merged it into an existing sentence to become:

"Combining the excitement and energy of punk rock with the intricacies and technical cleverness of early British progressive rock, a combination sometimes referred to as pronk, their sound is unique, varied, complex and intense."

Even though I'm unhappy that it loses a great compliment (with which I agree).

My reasoning being:

  • Fans of any music are liable to be surprised that their heroes are not more widely music, so that observation is unhelpful.
  • The "many listeners" is a bit hazy. The truth is most people will never get to hear a Cardiacs track due to the (criminal!) lack of publicity and airplay, so the sentence comes across badly in that light.
  • And saying they're used to more "basic fare"... the broad audience are quite sophisticated - Radiohead and Muse are huge in spite of being complex. --bodnotbod 09:48, 27 October 2005 (UTC)
Ditto. But it is hard to remain NPOV on band pages! NickW 15:03, 27 October 2005 (UTC)

It is hard to remain NPOV, and ashley I think it's better to put a bit of POV in there. Cardiacs are really in a different category from Radiohead or Muse. Cardiacs are like Yes or Rush or Thinking Plague. But they sing great tunes too. No other band does that. But I only discovered them a year ago and I'll leave the entry as it is until I can think of a less obviously POV entry.

  • A good way of getting in some fulsome praise is to quote a notable publication or person calling them Gods. Us folk, hearts in the right place as maybe, have to avoid describing our own emotions about them. A way of getting round POV is to write your own Cardiacs article which you host off of Wikipedia and then put a link to it in the article. Though it will have to be a good piece you've written (and not obviously money-generating) for the link to survive.
I wasn't seeking to make a direct comparison between Radiohead/Muse and The Cardiacs. I was trying to point out that people who like relatively obscure music (as I do) find it quite easy to denigrate the slack-jawed mob who are purchasing the latest tinny bit of Radio 1 fodder †. But you only have to go into a large record store to see that the buying public is looking for more than just the Top 20.
† Footnote: One of the first questions I tend to ask people when I find myself stuck talking to someone at a new job or party is to ask what music they like. I was horrified by how many said "oh anything really" and I'd press them saying "well, what was the last thing you bought?" and it would be "Now That's What I Call Music 504". And I remember going to a colleagues house and rifling through his record collection and it was all Rick Astley this and Janet Jackson that with appalling "Best Ofs" all about the place and I thought "so this is the person that buys them.
So what I'm saying is, I fully agree with the sentiment of feeling special for liking the Cardiacs, but we must restrain ourselves. I commend this bill to the house. --bodnotbod 14:55, 10 November 2005 (UTC)
'Hear-Hear' (waves a bit of paper in the air, dribbles a bit, goes back to sleep..) NickW 15:45, 10 November 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Marillion fans

I have queried the source for the 'pelting of the band by Marillion fans' I can recall seeing the Cardiacs support Marillion at the Hammersmith Odeon in 1984 ('85?) and they certainly weren't pelted, or had objects thrown at them, by the fans. The only thing that was thrown was flowers, brought out and tossed over the band towards the end of their impressive, mind-blowing set, by one of their entourage. I will never forget the experience! "The Seaside" was purchased outside the venue for five pounds and still gets played! Stephenjh 10:22, 10 November 2006 (UTC)

I think it's mentioned in one of the interviews in the Organ anthology - I'll check it out.... can't do that now though as I'm about to go and see Cardiacs at the Astoria :) NickW 16:57, 10 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Cardiacs History and Discography

I have now completed work on overhauling the History and Discography elements on the Cardiacs page. I will continue to add information as I find it, though. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Drterror666 (talk • contribs) 13:21, 13 December 2007 (UTC)

Good job! NickW (talk) 21:38, 31 December 2007 (UTC)