Nel 2008 il fondatore dei Cardiacs era stato colpito da un arresto cardiaco che gli aveva provocato dei seri danni al cervello con conseguente difficoltà nel parlare e spasmi muscolari. Nel 2018 (dopo ben 10 anni di riabilitazione) era stata aperta una raccolta fondi per provvedere alle spese mediche. Due anni dopo la triste notizia. Timothy Charles Smith è morto all’età di 59 anni compiuti a inizio luglio. L’inizio a fine ’70 come Cardiac Arrest, poi la lunga e influente storia dei Cardiacs fondati assieme al fratello James, in mezzo e dopo lavori solisti, progetti come The Sea Nymphs, e un enorme lavoro come produttore e video director. Un musicista, un multi-strumentista eccezionale, un artista seminale che dovrebbe essere celebrato e ricordato alla stregua dei più grandi.
Mike Patton
REST IN PEACE MY MAN TIM SMITH. THE CARDIACS WERE A HUGE INFLUENCE ON ME AS WELL AS MY BAND MR.BUNGLE. THEY DID IT RIGHT, INDEPENDENTLY AND WITH NO APOLOGIES. TONS OF RESPECT AND LOVE.
Steven Wilson
I am deeply saddened to read of the passing of Tim Smith from Cardiacs today. Even though Tim had been ill for many years, it’s still hard for me to think of him as gone, as his music made such a big impression on me, and continues to do so. He had one of the few truly unique sounds and musical personalities you could ever hope to hear, it was almost impossible to understand where his music came from and what his influences might have been. In that respect he was a true original, and like many other true originals he paid the price of being a cult artist, relatively under the radar for most of his career. But for those that ‘got’ Cardiacs they almost without exception went on to become their favourite band. A few years ago when Tim first became ill I contributed a cover version of one of his most beautiful compositions Stoneage Dinosaurs to an album released to raise funds for his medical care, and I would like to share it with you here as my eulogy to Tim.
What a joyful insane stupid racket..and a huge influence..”poor soldier…”- RIP TimX Mix – Cardiacs – In A City Lining (radio session) https://t.co/qnsrDNSgul
— graham coxon (@grahamcoxon) July 22, 2020
Dan Mongrain (Voivod)
Not many people on this earth are world changing beings, parallel universe creators, unifiers, enlighting the minds and hearts of many… Tim Smith is forever one of them, Rest in Peace beautiful soul, your legacy lives on.
Rhodri Marsden (The Keatons/Scritti Politti)
If Tim Smith influenced you, he really influenced you. His legacy following his death aged 59 might be small in the wider realm of pop, but for many of us it feels disproportionately massive. If you ventured far enough into his chaotic world of sound – somewhere between pop, psych, punk and prog – it would inevitably become an all-encompassing love. The music he created, primarily with his band Cardiacs, pushed the standard structures of rock music into bizarre patterns: resolutely British, with any hint of Americana cast aside in favour of hymns, marches and misshapen folk melodies. The idiosyncratic sequences of chords he assembled were, in any traditional sense, completely wrong, but through sheer buoyancy of spirit they became unwaveringly right. At gigs, his music inspired devotion of the like I’ve never seen before or since. Countless friendships blossomed as a direct result of his work; whole families of groups were formed, all radiating from Tim.
So much i wanna say about Tim Smith right now, but afraid to mispeak or jump my lane.
I think i can say that over the last year ive directly & indirectly been working on Cardiacs related stuff, all of it drenched with hope and catharsis.— Rob Crow (@rob5d4) July 22, 2020
Deeply saddened to hear of the death of the brilliant Tim Smith of Cardiacs. He was a highly individual musician and songwriter who created epic and euphoric music. RIP. https://t.co/DwpLopmjpJ
— JG Thirlwell (@jgthirlwell) July 22, 2020
Pitchshifter would like to pay tribute to Cardiacs and Tim Smith on this day of his passing.
Says JS: "A sad day for music. Tim Smith was a very creative and talented individual. Use this day to discover/rediscover his music. RIP, Tim." pic.twitter.com/iGlf7MT83J
— Pitchshifter (@Pitchshifter) July 22, 2020
https://twitter.com/Vennart/status/1285869780961054721?s=20
RIP Tim Smith. Your inventive splendour helped bend my ears to the very limits of what music can do. pic.twitter.com/c8r21Mdlew
— Max Tundra (@MaxTundra) July 22, 2020
Really sad news. A musical visionary and a massive inspiration. RIP Tim Smith x https://t.co/jVSiqJTBBz
— Dutch Uncles (@dutchuncles) July 22, 2020
Goodbye Tim Smith thank you for all the infinite joy you gave and still give. Beyond words really, much love to those close and dear to him pic.twitter.com/h5twuIdLI7
— Alexander Tucker (@oldfog) July 22, 2020
https://twitter.com/dvntownsend/status/1286005811005648896?s=20
https://twitter.com/marcrileydj/status/1285881271105785857?s=20
https://twitter.com/themagicnumbers/status/1285890764795531266?s=20
Extremely sad to hear of the passing of Tim Smith of Cardiacs. An absolute genius and gentleman. Thank you for everything and big love to the Cardiacs family worldwide XXX pic.twitter.com/Y0660osrZV
— SILVERY (@silverytheband) July 22, 2020
Heartbroken. The leader of the starry skies is gone. RIP my hero and my wonderful friend, Tim Smith from Cardiacs. Thank you for a lot of very amazing memories. X pic.twitter.com/dvPLdRryDp
— Chris Catalyst (@ChrisCatalyst) July 22, 2020
Just been told Tim Smith of Cardiacs fame is no longer with us. He’s singing to god in person I guess. My deepest condolences to his loved ones, his many friends and countless fans. A sad day for music
— Matthew Wright (@Matthew_Wright) July 22, 2020
Please listen to Cardiacs today.
— Ginger Wildheart (@GingerWildheart) July 22, 2020