Napalm Death, Amon Tobin and more honour Cardiacs in new book

Stars line up to pay tribute to the ultimate cult band

Musicians from across the genre spectrum pay tribute to cult heroes Cardiacs in a massive new book, the first ever on the experimental rock institution.

‘A Big Book and a Band and Whole World Window’ spans the group’s formative years in the 70s as Cardiac Arrest, to their last single, ‘Ditzy Scene’ in 2007. It features 300 pages of rare and unseen photos, artwork, flyers and other ephemera. It’s been published by US publishers and label Melodic Virtue, who’ve very kindly given us permission to use these images from it.

The book’s introduction is written by Shane Embury of Napalm Death, who describes his first experience of seeing the band in 1988 – “my jaw hit the floor” – and appearing on the cover of the NME proudly sporting one of their t-shirts. But it also features contributions from electronic producers like Amon Tobin, Max Tundra and Jim ‘Foetus’ Thirwell, along with Mike Patton of Mr Bungle/Faith No More, members of bands from Styx to Chumbawamba, all of whom counted themselves as fans.

There are also behind-the-scenes looks from the perspectives of band members past and present, alongside fans and contemporaries. Also included is the band’s shock 1987 ‘expose’ in the Sunday Sport, in which they successfully persuaded the paper the often amorous duo Tim and Sarah Smith – in fact man and wife – were an incestuous brother/sister pairing.

While achieving major cult status and attracting a dedicated following during their lengthy career, Cardiacs’ popularity has continued to grow since the band was forced to split when frontman Tim Smith suffered a full cardiac arrest in the summer of 2008, eventually dying in 2020.

Foo Fighters mainman Dave Grohl, Damon Albarn of Blur and actor Dawn French – who used the band’s music in an episode of French & Saunders and ensured The Vicar of Dibley featured a character in a Cardiacs shirt – are among their other admirers.

Last year saw the reissue of their third studio album Heaven Born & Ever Bright and a collection of early recordings, Archive Cardiacs, was released on vinyl for the first time in October 2024.