Cardiac Kidz: And Then There Were Two

Bassist David Flemminger, drummer Matt Johnson, and guitarist David Rinck have left the Cardiac Kidz. “Jerry [Flack] and I have decided that we’re the official Glimmer Twins of the punk-rock world,” Jim Ryan tells the Reader. “We will continue to play and record with other local musicians...until we come across like-minded members to be incorporated into the band.

“The group seems to move through members a lot,” says Ryan. “The guys mistake my openness to their input as a full-on tossing the reins of control over to them. When they find out that I have rules of engagement that include a certain sound and attitude that I expect them to uphold, there’s a short falling out and the Kidz are on the prowl again for new members. The bad thing is that we never seem to hold on to anyone long enough to solidify the sound. The good thing is that the DNA of the group is spread deeply into the San Diego music scene, as our members have crossed over into at least ten different local bands.”

The Cardiac Kidz’ EP Playing for Change, originally planned for summer release, will also undergo changes and a delay. “The EP will now hold five songs [instead of six]. We will need to re-record some tracks, as we will not use any of the [takes] from the last recording sessions....

“We still plan to play in New York this summer, and we’re scheduled to perform in Seattle in August. And we have enough connections and friendships in Ireland that the upcoming Belfast Dash tour is still on the agenda.”

The Cardiac Kidz evolved from the group Glass Onion around 1976, becoming one of the city’s earliest and most popular punk bands. Beginning in 2009, the group reunited for several performances and recordings, as well as reissuing their rare early tracks, which were fetching decent money on eBay and elsewhere. The February 2011 issue of the U.K.’s Record Collector magazine included an article about the Kidz’ most recent album, Rarities 1979 to 1981: Get Out, a compilation released by local Blindspot Records.