Maximum Ames finds The Poison Control Center’s ‘lost’ album

By Vincent Geerts
Ames247 Staff Writer

The Poison Control Center’s “lost” album is more than just a representation of the band’s past; it’s part of the foundation for Ames’ newest record label.

Maximum Ames Records will only ever produce 150 vinyl copies of PCC’s “A Nice Old-Fashioned Romance With Love Lyrics And Everything,” and more than half of the records sold before its official release on Tuesday.

Photos: David Derong and Nick Nelson/Iowa State Daily

“A big part of our record label is instilling pride in the community and the culture we have here with some focus on history,” said Maximum Ames CEO Chris Ford. “PCC was an obvious choice for one of our first records.”

The album was originally recorded between 1999 and 2001, before lead singer Patrick Fleming deleted the working files, and it became a sort of legend among PCC fans.

“We started the album before we were even a band,” Fleming said. “It was our attempt at making a rock opera.”

Though the album was mostly completed before deletion, Maximum Ames spent months gathering burned CD mixes of the songs. In the end, 28 separate tracks were retrieved.

“There were other, smaller recordings we never did find,” Ford explained. “But we have everything intended for the original album.”

Maximum Ames met with PCC several times to sequence the tracks, formatting it into a real album instead of a sparse collection of recordings. When track order and presentation style were decided, the “lost” album was sent to Kentucky for reproduction.

“Some tracks have flutes and cellos and oboes while the next song might just be a rock band banging it out,” said bassist Joe Terry. “Each song is like its own little experiment.”

PCC was a much different “band” at the time of the recording, more like a group of friends with instruments and free time. Many artists on the record play in only one or two of the songs. Terry recalled recording with a dozen or more individuals. Guitarist Devin Frank was not yet involved in PCC, but he said the songs have retained “a significant charm” unique to Patrick’s work.

“What makes it a PCC album is that it’s so catchy,” said Maximum Ames President Nate Logsdon. “The melodies are good and the songwriting is really spot on and funny and touching. … It comes from having something to say.”

To match the album’s significance, Maximum Ames Records and PCC put time into making the purchase a work of art, as well as a piece of the band’s history. Each album cover has been individually letter pressed and numbered by a Des Moines artist. Ford said opening the album is like discovering an “envelope of band stuff that Pat lost.” With the record, buyers get realistic reproductions of vintage photos, a lyric sheet in Fleming’s handwriting, and a touching letter from Terry to Fleming written near the beginning of their musical partnership.

Maximum Ames has also included commentary from guest performers and current band members on each track.

“The whole thing is the community of it,” Terry said. “Ames has always had a strong community of people and artists working hard to make the drive.”

Ford hopes that Maximum Ames can drive the community the same way PCC and its label Bi-Fi Records did a decade ago.

“Bi-Fi put a fire in the Ames community over 10 years ago, and it’s led to everything that we have today,” Ford said.

Where can I find a copy?