LSD (Cardiacs album)

LSD is the unfinished sixth and final studio album by the English rock band Cardiacs. Recording began following lineup changes, with the lead single "Ditzy Scene" released by Org Records in 2007 to tease the upcoming double album. It was due to be released in October 2008, promoted by singles in August and November, a fall tour, a radio session with Marc Riley and a reissue of the concert film All That Glitters Is a Mares Nest (1992). Production was indefinitely postponed after frontman Tim Smith had a cardiac arrest and stroke on 25 June 2008 leaving him unable to play or provide vocals.

Fundraiser gigs, namely charity concerts entitled "The Alphabet Business Convention", were arranged and tribute albums were recorded to aid Smith in rehabilitation, and to help him to complete work on the album and other musical projects. He died on 21 July 2020 of what was deemed to be another heart attack. The band released "Vermin Mangle", the final track of LSD, on 1 September 2020 to mark his funeral. Originating from Smith's solo performances in 2000 and 2006, it was the first release of new Cardiacs material since "Ditzy Scene", and featured Smith on vocals. Because of its history, the album became the subject of speculation and many apocryphal stories.

In 2024, Tim Smith's brother Jim revealed that work on LSD had continued during Tim's illness and after his death, reaching the mixing phase of recording.

Initial background
In October 2005, Smith told questioner Rob Aird that the band had been working on a follow-up album to Guns (1999) from "about 1999–2000". Smith also said that "things got broken and we couldn't finish the album", explaining: "I won't re-record things once they have been started because too much of the atmosphere and god knows what else is lost." Smith hinted that the band "might put it out one day as it was left" but confirmed they had moved on to new tracks. A track from the unreleased album called "Faster Than Snakes with a Ball and a Chain" appeared on Greatest Hits (2002).

Following the release of Greatest Hits, several changes occurred within the Cardiacs lineup. Guitarist Jon Poole was replaced in 2003 by former guitar technician Kavus Torabi in 2003. In 2004, the band's lineup expanded further to include vocalists Claire Lemmon and Melanie Woods of Sidi Bou Said, Sharron Fortnam of the North Sea Radio Orchestra, and percussionists Cathy Harabaras and Dawn Staple. Smith, Lemmon and Woods had previously worked together when Smith had produced Sidi Bou Said's Bodies album, with Lemmon subsequently providing backing vocals for the song "Dog Like Sparky" on Cardiacs' album Sing to God (1996). Dawn Staple's story "Peril on the Sea" had previously been included on another Sing to God track, "Wireless", purportedly a prize for winning a competition set by Cardiacs' label Alphabet Business Concern.

Recording
"Ditzy Scene" was the first song written and recorded by the band's new lineup at Smith's own recording studio Apollo 8 in Autumn 2007, shortly before the last Cardiacs tour. Because it was recorded quickly, Torabi had less involvement in the arrangements than for other tracks. , although he did write most of the lyrics. "Ditzy Scene" was released as a single on Org Records on 5 November 2007, backed with two other songs from the recent sessions, "Gen" and "Made All Up"

Cardiacs began further work on LSD following the 2007 tour. Torabi had "never known [Smith] to be as productive as the time [Cardiacs] were making [LSD]."

Disaster
All work on LSD abruptly stopped when Tim Smith was hospitalised on 25 June 2008. Having attended the last night of My Bloody Valentine's comeback residency at the Roundhouse in London, Smith had gone for a drink with former Cardiacs guitarist Bic Hayes before heading off in the early hours to meet friends, subsequently suffering a heart attack and an episode of cerebral anoxia in a north London street, which in turn triggered a major stroke. Smith was treated in intensive care at University College Hospital, but was thought to have had had a second stroke in hospital a few days later as he recuperated. He was eventually diagnosed with the rare neurological condition dystonia, which causes muscles to contract uncontrollably, and was left both paralysed down one side of the body and unable to speak. Denied movement and speech, Smith was forced to retire from live performances and - for a long time - from studio work. Cardiacs went on an indefinite hiatus following his hospitalisation, leaving LSD unfinished.

Aftermath
A series of announcements were posted on Cardiacs' website by the band's record label, the Alphabet Business Concern, from 16 July 2008 to 25 June 2009 explaining Smith's current conditions. In a 2009 interview, Torabi said that LSD would eventually release, but it was "the last thing on [their] minds". On 13 December 2010, the tribute album Leader of the Starry Skies: A Tribute to Tim Smith, Songbook 1 was released, compiling covers made by artists close to Smith, members of Cardiacs, and those inspired by the band. Other fundraising initiatives were formed, including gigs—above all the charity concert "The Alphabet Business Convention" held on three occasions between 2013 and 2017. Proceeds from reprints and special editions went towards Smith's rehabilitation, including the 2015 box set The Seaside: Original Edition.

Due to Smith's illness, it was thought that LSD would remain a famous lost album. However, Smith was able to oversee the completion of another of his musical projects, the Sea Nymphs' second album, On the Dry Land (2016), after significant progress with recovery. Torabi stated in an interview that LSD was "nearly done but needs vocals and eyebrows", adding that there were talks of people who Smith would approve of adding vocals under his direction. In January 2018, a fundraising drive was launched to help fund Smith's medical bills, initially set at £40,000. The effort was supported by Faith No More founder and bassist Billy Gould, Shane Embury of Napalm Death, Voivod guitarist Dan Mongrain, and Ginger Wildheart. Quickly exceeding the original goal, the JustGiving campaign updated to raise £100,000—enough to provide Smith a year of home care and a chance of recuperation. Later that year, Smith was awarded an honorary degree as Doctor of Music from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. There was talk of him moving back to his home full-time and being able to oversee the completion of LSD.

On 22 July 2020, Jim Smith announced in a statement on Cardiacs' website that Tim had died the previous night. The news was confirmed by Torabi, Mary Wren from the Alphabet Business Concern, and another band representative. His exact cause of death was initially unconfirmed, but was deemed to be another heart attack. Tim Smith's funeral was held on 1 September 2020. The same day, the song "Vermin Mangle"—planned as the final track on LSD—was released as a free download on the band's Bandcamp page. It was only played live a few times during Smith's solo performances in 2000 and 2006, with the studio version first shared publicly during Steve Davis' tribute show on Phoenix FM on 30 July. It was their first single and release of new material since "Ditzy Scene" in 2007, featuring the circus, prog and psychedelic instrumentation that drove the band's most classic work. Vermin Mangle features Tim Smith on vocals.

Cardiacs resume activity
Billed alternately as "Cardiacs", "The Cardiacs", and "Cardiacs Family & Friends", members of the band "past, present, and future" played sold-out shows as part of a "Sing to Tim" tour in 2024.

Release
In 2024, Jim Smith confirmed that LSD was in mixing phase and on BBC Radio 6 Music mentioned a tentative release date of April 2025. Smith elaborated that the album had been worked on before and during Tim Smith's illness and after his death, with contributions from many Cardiacs members and associates. Jon Poole explained that Jim Smith had been "the key element" in pushing the album toward completion.