210 West's resident Obsessive Compulsive, James Eldred, has the perfect band for those involuntarily devoted to collecting useless singles and meaningless B-sides: The Godfathers of Grunge themselves.
By James Eldred
210 west Writer [send email]
There seems to be music for all types of people, no matter their mood or disposition ... except the mentally ill.
Sure, there are exceptions: If you are depressed you got Goth, if you are manic you got techno, and if you are mentally retarded you got Rush, but what about the rest of us basket cases, what’s out there for us? Well, since I’m not schizophrenic, bi-polar nor a sufferer of multiple personality syndrome (at least I haven’t been diagnosed with it yet) I don’t know what music to recommend for those that are. Sorry. Please send only one hate mail per voice in your head.
However, I am obsessive compulsive. So, for my fellow OCDers out there, may I recommend not only a band that rocks more than 90% of the bands out there, but one that will also give you enough bizarre habits and completist rituals that that will keep you occupied for years. Who is the mystical band that speaks to the compulsive hand-washers and light-switch flickers of the world?
It’s Pearl Jam.
Not the answer you were expecting I know, but it is true. I didn’t begin to develop moderate OCD symptoms until 2001, about the same time I became a die-hard Pearl Jam fan, and I don’t think that’s a coincidence.
Pearl Jam has eight studio albums, but that only scratches the surface of their catalog. They have over 30 singles and EPs, the content of which can vary from country to country, but there’s more. Since 2000, Pearl Jam has released nearly all of their concerts on CD, so that’s about 150 CDs.
Most people know that OCD sufferers need to repeat the same tasks over and over again, so Pearl Jam is perfect for them. Pearl Jam’s back catalogue is so massive in size that a person with an obsession to buy them could keep busy for months, or even years on end. They’d also be rocking out to some really good tunes in the process.
People with OCD also obsess over minute differences and details that they see in everyday life, another reason that Pearl Jam is ideal. Sure, you may have the US single of Alive, but the Japanese one is different, and so is the European one (and don’t even get me started on their vinyl-only releases.) And while many of the same songs are played on nearly every single one of their live albums, each one has slight differences. Maybe some feature radically different set lists, an obscure cover or b-side, or even just a slightly different solo. It really doesn’t matter, if you’re a true fan (or truly sick) you’ll want to get them all.
You know, like Pokémon.