Cardiacs are an English rock band formed in Kingston upon Thames by guitarist and primary songwriter Tim Smith and his brother, bassist Jim Smith, in 1977 under the name Cardiac Arrest. One of Britain's leading cult rock bands, their sound folds in genres including art rock, jazz, psychedelia and metal, which was topped by Tim Smith's anarchic vocals and hard-to-decipher lyrics. He was noted for his complex and innovative compositional style; Cardiacs have been credited with fusing circus, baroque pop and medieval music with progressive rock and post-punk. The band's theatrical performance style has often incorporated off-putting costumes and make-up with on-stage confrontations. Their sound and image has sometimes made them unpopular with the press, but they have amassed a devoted following and inspired many rock groups, including Blur.