Cardiacs

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Cardiacs are an influential British alternative and psychedelic rock band, formed in 1977. They are noted for their complex, varied and intense compositional music and eccentric concert acts. They are best known for their minor hit single "Is This the Life" (1988), but have been a leading cult rock band in the United Kingdom sinces the 1970s.

Lead singer Tim Smith is a Zappa fan.

Guitarist, keyboardist and singer Jon Poole admires Zappa equally much. Poole is also a fan of Captain Beefheart, Tom Waits, Igor Stravinsky and Erik Satie. In 1994 Poole released a solo tribute album with Zappa covers, called "What's The Ugliest Part Of Your Body?".

"When Uncle Frank died in 1993 I lost it big time. I must've been like one of those embarrassing Elvis fanatics that couldn't imagine a world with him not in it… Being only 23 years old when hit with this hammer I decided in a very obsessive manner that I simply must pay tribute to the man the only way I knew how. I set out to stay as faithful as possible to the original arrangements but wanted the mix to sound more inviting to people who don't like Zappa… My only criticism of it in hindsight is the crap attempt at an American accent which at times sounds more West Country than anything else, but that's probably the XTC fan in me… I can't imagine that I'd do anything like that again but it did manage to drag in a few new converts, so maybe re-writing the New Testament wasn't such a crazy idea after all!" (Jon Poole about his Zappa tribute album).

See also