Do you ever overload on a band or artist at a particular point in your life until one day you wake up and you just can't listen to them any more?

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I've done this with many bands - discovered them, fell in love with them, slowly bought all their albums (even the shit ones), read all about them, and then suddenly I can't listen to them any more.

The reason I ask this is becuase I was just overcome by a wave of nostalgia after putting on the Beach Boy's LA (Light Album). It is neither a favourite nor by any stretch of the imagination a very good album, but it does remind me of a time maybe a few years ago where I became a Beach Boys obsessive, bought all the two-fers and box sets I could, read Brian Wilson biographies etc. Nowadays, I still love the Beach Boys but rarely find it possible to connect with the songs as I used to. Even albums I once worshipped like "Love You" I find almost embarassing to listen to today.

I've also done this with Tom Waits. I have almost everything commercially available at the moment and I used to revel in his inventiveness and the whole American gothic drama of the music. I still can listen to his albums but these days they just wash straight over me. I've listened to albums like Rain Dogs probably 70 squillion times and it no longer sounds that interesting any more.

I think I've worked it out though, perhaps why I do this. My last obsession (where I had to buy all the albums and read up about them on the internet) was Belle and Sebastian, who I am a latecomer to. I got all the albums in a very short amount of time, listened to them every day etc. I decided to make a cd with all my favourite B&S songs on it so that I wouldn't need to carry all the albums around if caught by a wave of needing to hear a certain song. Good idea? Well yes, for about a week because the compilation was all I listened to while the albums proper gathered dust. Eventually I got fed up with the compilation needing something else to listen to, and this killed the obsession with the band.

Looking back, I realise that I did this with both Tom Waits and the Beach Boys too - collected everything, burned a "best of" and promptly stopped listening.

There are bands that I've never done this with and still return to their albums all the time - like Pavement for instance. My current favourite band is Animal Collective, and I've decided there is no way I am burning any kind of compilation of them.

― dog latin (dog latin), Friday, 5 August 2005 10:46 (twenty years ago)

I did this with Red House Painters and then most recently rediscovered my love for them after a 4 year hiatus. Mostly because Sun Kil Moon came out.

― Lupton Pitman (Chris V), Friday, 5 August 2005 11:00 (twenty years ago)

The Smashing Pumpkins, I was obsessed with them from around the ages of 13-16, and now years later I have absolutely no interest in listening to them.

I wonder how long it will take for nostalgia to set it? Perhaps when Billy Corgan stops acting like some kind of silly rock n roll Nosferatu.

― Johann (johann), Friday, 5 August 2005 11:08 (twenty years ago)

yes

― dahlin (dahlin), Friday, 5 August 2005 11:39 (twenty years ago)

yes, and in another couple of months i change my mind

― the goulash archipelago (Jody Beth Rosen), Friday, 5 August 2005 11:53 (twenty years ago)

My girlfriend did this with Bjork the result of which is much screaming and nashing of teeth when I attempt to listen to Hyperballad or something. This resulted from a common early nineties over-indulgence by young women in too much Debut.

― Victor Scott, Friday, 5 August 2005 13:01 (twenty years ago)

NIRVANA (mostly)

― Raymond Cummings (Raymond Cummings), Friday, 5 August 2005 14:14 (twenty years ago)

I don't think I've ever stopped listening to someone *completely* from overload, but I just cut back or refocus. Much as I lurv the Pumpkins -- very, very much -- it's been a bit since I've listened to their albums, but on the flipside I've been playing Billy's solo record to death.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 5 August 2005 14:18 (twenty years ago)

Elvis Costello.

Aside from "Pump it Up," I sorta hope I never hear another song of his again.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Friday, 5 August 2005 14:22 (twenty years ago)

Beatles. Still love them, but cannot sit through their songs anymore.

― Hurting (Hurting), Friday, 5 August 2005 14:25 (twenty years ago)

My Replacements-love didn't much survive my stint as a (no surprise) college-radio DJ, especially since the lousy Don't Tell A Soul was released shortly thereafter. (Tho I did see 'em in '91 and they rocked.)

If Twin/Tone ever decided to repackage their four Replacements releases as a nice shiny double CD (ha!), I'd probably buy it (nostalgia) but rarely play it.

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Friday, 5 August 2005 15:27 (twenty years ago)

I'm getting close to doing that with Radiohead.

― joe schmoe (joeschmoe), Friday, 5 August 2005 22:40 (twenty years ago)

I still can listen to his albums but these days they just wash straight over me.

Yes, this phrase especially applies to me with Radiohead. I don't dislike it and admire it technically but not with anywhere near the fanboy euphoria I mustered years ago. Bjork, too, though I never obsessed enough to listen to remixes or read bios. I hope this never happens with my curent (long term) New Order phase!

― richardk (Richard K), Friday, 5 August 2005 22:53 (twenty years ago)

"I still can listen to his albums but these days they just wash straight over me."
--that's my problem too. its like hypsnosis and i don't even notice the song until its over. i'd rather start hating the song.

― Susan Douglas (Susan Douglas), Friday, 5 August 2005 23:48 (twenty years ago)

phish, age 15-17

― billstevejim (billstevejim), Saturday, 6 August 2005 03:20 (twenty years ago)

I wanna say that I still love 'em, still listen to 'em and will still stick up for 'em on ILM everytime, yet I can TOTALLY empathize with anyone who feels this way about the Beatles. Omnipresent overexposure and all. Same goes for Led Zep. (And Nirvana.)(Tho I never loved Nirvana.)(Liked 'em.)

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Saturday, 6 August 2005 05:43 (twenty years ago)

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