Fundraising campaign launched for frontman of The Cardiacs, Tim Smith

The 55-year-old musician has been battling with a neurological condition called dystonia.

Tim Smith, whose band has been an influence on bands such as Blur and Radiohead, has received over £60,000 to help fund his medical bills as part of a fundraising campaign. He has been battling with the condition since suffering a heart attack ten years ago and has not made it public until now. However, his rehabilitation is now at risk due to shortfalls in funding and a fundraising drive initially set at £40,000 has just been launched this month. The target has already been raised to just over £100,000 as celebrity fans and friends have helped spread the word to get people to donate. The band, whose fans also include artists as diverse as Napalm Death, Faith No More and Biffy Clyro were in the process of recording an album when Smith was taken ill in June 2008. Comments Smith on the JustGiving page: “The only way I can try and let you know how I feel at the moment is, imagine if you were wearing a skintight bodysuit made of fishnet all around you with electrical pulses going all the… time. This is what my body feels like unless I fall asleep.” Ever since the incident Tim Smith has been receiving care in a special neurological facility with the funding helping to maintain his care there. The page reads thus: “Tim’s condition is complex and poorly understood. “He has responded positively to treatment when his income has afforded it. A tribute record, fundraising gigs, reissues of his music and conventions attended by devoted fans have helped. But he is now entering his tenth year of inadequate care. “He has resisted publicity up until now, but we, his friends and family, now agree with him that the time has come to go public, with a story of a man’s unique creative world and the severe problems of neuro-rehabilitation. “Tim’s friends and family just want him to be allowed to try to get better. Everyone in his condition deserves that opportunity. Being given the right treatment could allow him to complete musical projects of great beauty that still burn brightly within him. “If he could recover enough to use a mouse he could make music again; if he can find his voice he will be able to boss us about in the studio; it feels as though he is finally being given a chance to come back to us.” Originally formed as Cardiac Arrest in 1977 , the band are known for their eccentric sound and although they have never had much chart success, they have been successful throughout their career with album sales and tours. The official campaign JustGiving page to support Tim Smith