The Seaside (Cardiacs album)
Encyclopedia
The Seaside is the third album from English rock group Cardiacs
. The album originally featured the second recording of what would become the band's only hit single, "Is This the Life?
". It is the last of the band's releases to feature keyboard player/drummer/singer Mark Cawthra and the first to feature keyboard player William D. Drake (as well as being the only album to feature two other musicians who were briefly Cardiacs members - Graham Simmonds and Marguerite Johnson).
Initially The Seaside was only produced on cassette (as with earlier Cardiacs album releases), and was only made available through the band's fan club and at concerts. It is notable for having been the first formal release on the band's own label, the Alphabet Business Concern. Three editions of the cassette album were produced, each with a different cover - the first featuring rubber-stamped artwork, the second a black-and-white picture and the third a colour picture of bass player Jim Smith. All versions are rare, with the 'stamped' cover being the rarest.
Several tracks on the cassette album were re-recorded for subsequent releases. "Is This the Life?", "A Little Man and a House" and "R.E.S." were all re-recorded and released four years later on Cardiacs' 1988 album A Little Man and a House and the Whole World Window
. "Nurses Whispering Verses" was eventually re-recorded a decade later for the band's 1995 album Sing to God
.
The album captures the band in a transitional phase, with two distinct lineups of the band featured. Both featured Mark Cawthra (who moved between drums and keyboards during different recording sessions) and his voice is featured prominently on the album, occasionally sharing lead vocals with Tim Smith. Cawthra would leave the band amicably during the sessions for The Seaside in order to pursue his own projects.
", "A Little Man and a House" and "Dinner Time" all removed from the tracklisting. The reason provided for these omissions was that the master tape containing those four songs had been damaged and the recordings lost.
Jim Smith - Bass and Vocals
Graham Simmonds - Guitar
Sarah Smith - Saxophone
Marguerite Johnston - Alto Saxophone
Mark Cawthra - Keyboards and Vocals on all tracks except "A Wooden Fish on Wheels", "Ice a Spot and a Dot on the Dog", and "To Go Off and Things"; drums on "A Wooden Fish on Wheels", "Ice a Spot and a Dot on the Dog", and "To Go Off and Things"
William.D.Drake - Keyboards on "A Wooden Fish on Wheels", "Ice a Spot and a Dot on the Dog", and "To Go Off and Things"
Tim Quy - Marimba and Percussion
Dominic Luckman - Drums on all tracks except "A Wooden Fish on Wheels", "Ice a Spot and a Dot on the Dog", and "To Go Off and Things"
Tim Hills - Trombone
Wendy Collins and Lanze Lorrens - Backing Vocals
Cardiacs
Cardiacs are an English alternative rock/psychedelic pop band formed in 1977 and led by Tim Smith. Noted for their complex, varied and intense compositional style and for their eccentric, theatrical stage shows, they have been hailed as an influence by bands as diverse as Blur, Faith No More and...
. The album originally featured the second recording of what would become the band's only hit single, "Is This the Life?
Is This the Life?
"Is This the Life" is the third single from Cardiacs and their best known. It is from the album, A Little Man and a House and the Whole World Window....
". It is the last of the band's releases to feature keyboard player/drummer/singer Mark Cawthra and the first to feature keyboard player William D. Drake (as well as being the only album to feature two other musicians who were briefly Cardiacs members - Graham Simmonds and Marguerite Johnson).
Initially The Seaside was only produced on cassette (as with earlier Cardiacs album releases), and was only made available through the band's fan club and at concerts. It is notable for having been the first formal release on the band's own label, the Alphabet Business Concern. Three editions of the cassette album were produced, each with a different cover - the first featuring rubber-stamped artwork, the second a black-and-white picture and the third a colour picture of bass player Jim Smith. All versions are rare, with the 'stamped' cover being the rarest.
Several tracks on the cassette album were re-recorded for subsequent releases. "Is This the Life?", "A Little Man and a House" and "R.E.S." were all re-recorded and released four years later on Cardiacs' 1988 album A Little Man and a House and the Whole World Window
A Little Man and a House and the Whole World Window
A Little Man and a House and the Whole World Window is the fourth studio album by the English rock band Cardiacs, released in 1988. Arguably the band's best known album, it contains their only hit single, "Is This the Life?"...
. "Nurses Whispering Verses" was eventually re-recorded a decade later for the band's 1995 album Sing to God
Sing to God
Sing to God is the seventh album by Cardiacs and their first with drummer Bob Leith.Sing to God was also the band's first double album, due to the sheer amount of material that group leader Tim Smith had written over a number of years with little or no Cardiacs live performances...
.
The album captures the band in a transitional phase, with two distinct lineups of the band featured. Both featured Mark Cawthra (who moved between drums and keyboards during different recording sessions) and his voice is featured prominently on the album, occasionally sharing lead vocals with Tim Smith. Cawthra would leave the band amicably during the sessions for The Seaside in order to pursue his own projects.
Reissue
The Seaside was reissued on CD in 1995, with "Nurses Whispering Verses", "Is This the Life?Is This the Life?
"Is This the Life" is the third single from Cardiacs and their best known. It is from the album, A Little Man and a House and the Whole World Window....
", "A Little Man and a House" and "Dinner Time" all removed from the tracklisting. The reason provided for these omissions was that the master tape containing those four songs had been damaged and the recordings lost.
Track listing
Lineup
Tim Smith - Guitar and VocalsJim Smith - Bass and Vocals
Graham Simmonds - Guitar
Sarah Smith - Saxophone
Marguerite Johnston - Alto Saxophone
Mark Cawthra - Keyboards and Vocals on all tracks except "A Wooden Fish on Wheels", "Ice a Spot and a Dot on the Dog", and "To Go Off and Things"; drums on "A Wooden Fish on Wheels", "Ice a Spot and a Dot on the Dog", and "To Go Off and Things"
William.D.Drake - Keyboards on "A Wooden Fish on Wheels", "Ice a Spot and a Dot on the Dog", and "To Go Off and Things"
Tim Quy - Marimba and Percussion
Dominic Luckman - Drums on all tracks except "A Wooden Fish on Wheels", "Ice a Spot and a Dot on the Dog", and "To Go Off and Things"
Additional musicians
Lanze Lorrens, Mike Peters and Nick Pell - TrumpetsTim Hills - Trombone
Wendy Collins and Lanze Lorrens - Backing Vocals