Common Ailments of Maturity formed in Boston in1985 with Lawrence Dersch, Dennis
Plinn, & Timothy (Ratdiet) Robert. They are most noted for their live shows
which featured new member John Breglia who took over as keyboards, bass, &
melody on his Chapman Stick. The Stick was popularized by Tony Levine in King
Crimson.
“Imagine creating music on a stringed
instrument that is simultaneously a guitar,
a
bass, a piano, & percussion. Add unlimited electronic capabilities &
forward-
thinking playing techniques for ultimate
expression. Now, design a tuning to
make navigation of the instrument
amazingly simple, streamline the look &
feel
for optimal accessibility. This instrument already exists as the
Chapman Stick.”
CAM released three LPs
& two singles in their short life-span. The band was active until about
1992 when they released their final work, the single “Machinery Turning b/w
Erosion”. They were praised by the music press, played with the best of the Boston underground, but
reached a relatively small audience. This could be caused by the fact that they
played a noisy, difficult, uncompromising music which was hard to pigeon-holed.
It’s funk-jazz fusion blended with punk, creating a highly personal disharmonic
rock ‘n’ roll.
Smoldering Lunchbox released in 1987 by Common Ailments of
Maturity themselves, on their label Extremely High Quality Records (EHQ 12001).
On this recording, CAM was: Timothy Ratdiet –
guitar & vocals; Dennis Plinn - synthesizer; & Lawrence Dersch - drums.
The following pseudo-biography is from the records insert:
“April 30 1987
Fed up with hearing "Proud Mary" and "We've Only Just Begun" every night for twelve consecutive years, Dennis Plinn abandons his lucrative position as musical director of a Caribbean cruise ship. He moves to Boston, taking a job as piano accompanist for a strip tease act at the Naked I Cabaret in the city's notorious combat zone. Although the money isn't good, Plinn finds his new occupation spiritually uplifting.
October 1 1987
Lawrence Dersch is financially ruined, alcoholic and homeless. Once a well respected radio and television technician, his skill have become obsolete with the advent of the microchip. Desperate, Dersch turns to panhandling in Boston's subway corridors. On this evening, though, his fortune takes a turn for the better...Dersch discovers he can triple his income by beating out rhythms on the foreheads of passing commuters. Dersch becomes a local celebrity overnight.
October 21, 1987 5:45 PM
Timothy Ratdiet, importer of counterfeit Fender Stratocasters, locks up his office on the tenth floor of a dingy warehouse in Boston's Chinatown section. In a dark mood after making a hush money payment to a U.S. Department of Commerce official, Ratdiet drives his '83 Porsche 911 two blocks to the Naked I for a stiff drink and a new attitude.
October 22, 1987 2:35 AM
After a massive barroom brawl at the Naked I, Ratdiet, Plinn and Dersch find themselves sharing a cell in Boston Police District Four Headquarters. Discovering a common interest, the three while away the hours waiting for a bail bondsman by singing Lithuanian folk songs of the 18th century. Common Ailments of Maturity is born.”
Fed up with hearing "Proud Mary" and "We've Only Just Begun" every night for twelve consecutive years, Dennis Plinn abandons his lucrative position as musical director of a Caribbean cruise ship. He moves to Boston, taking a job as piano accompanist for a strip tease act at the Naked I Cabaret in the city's notorious combat zone. Although the money isn't good, Plinn finds his new occupation spiritually uplifting.
October 1 1987
Lawrence Dersch is financially ruined, alcoholic and homeless. Once a well respected radio and television technician, his skill have become obsolete with the advent of the microchip. Desperate, Dersch turns to panhandling in Boston's subway corridors. On this evening, though, his fortune takes a turn for the better...Dersch discovers he can triple his income by beating out rhythms on the foreheads of passing commuters. Dersch becomes a local celebrity overnight.
October 21, 1987 5:45 PM
Timothy Ratdiet, importer of counterfeit Fender Stratocasters, locks up his office on the tenth floor of a dingy warehouse in Boston's Chinatown section. In a dark mood after making a hush money payment to a U.S. Department of Commerce official, Ratdiet drives his '83 Porsche 911 two blocks to the Naked I for a stiff drink and a new attitude.
October 22, 1987 2:35 AM
After a massive barroom brawl at the Naked I, Ratdiet, Plinn and Dersch find themselves sharing a cell in Boston Police District Four Headquarters. Discovering a common interest, the three while away the hours waiting for a bail bondsman by singing Lithuanian folk songs of the 18th century. Common Ailments of Maturity is born.”
Extremely
High Quality Records – EHQ 12001, 1987.
decryption code in comments
Side One –
Smoldering Lunchbox
Carpet Bag
Mental Block
Wetness
Side Two –
Drop Dead
Stake
Trudge
Restless Hunger/ Trench
Acid Mix
Enjoy,
NØ
Chapman Sticks are really cool instruments. The bass player from Kajagoogoo, Nick Beggs, is a Chapman Stick player as was bass player, Jürgen Dehmel, who played with German band Nena.
ReplyDeleteto IHT90s,
ReplyDeleteChapman Sticks rule !_!
Hello,
ReplyDeleteplease can you re-up this one? :-D thanks a lot! I've only found the None Whatsover comp and "Stake" sounds so rad...so curious to listen the whole album..
After several years I have finally retrieved what where thought to be lost files & here, finally, is the upload. If you stumble back by or have some long-term notification, leave me a comment as to whether the wait was worth the music.
DeleteThe new decryption code
ReplyDeleteSmoldering Lunchbox
lAwC0LU2B6PEUcCWwigEsXWEGkXKboBQcEP822u2W4c