Smashing Pumpkins-Zeitgeist-07/07/07

Mushy

"This age calls for resolve and certitude, and the fire within to burn ever bright. If that fire should be connected to absolutely deafening guitars, thundering drums and the melodies of snakes, then so be it."-Billy Corgan

Well, there's a nice way to describe the new album. Loving the bit about the thundering drums. Jimmy Chamberlin, one of my favourite drummers, now unleashing the Pumpkins again. Really hope this album lives up to some of the other classics, I'm actually very excited about it now. Its actually one of the reasons I'm skipping ******, thats how more excited I am about it. Lets hope it lives up to some of the aforementioned expectations anyway. Anyone else looking forward to its release?

Doctor J

As long as Jimmy Chamberlin is on board, everything should turn out just fine.

Mushy

Doctor J, exactly my sentiments.

-Lithium-

I could live without Chamberlin in the new line-up. I'd rather Iha to be honest. And maybe D'Arcy. It's not going to happen though but I'm happy to have any sort of reunion.

The question is, will they ever play here again? (And I mean in a big venue, not like in the small venue they played in last time, although that was a great night).

Pacifico

-Lithium- wrote:

I could live without Chamberlin in the new line-up.

Madness!

Royale with Cheese

Pacifico wrote:

Madness!

I concur. If the new album bombs it won't be due to the lack of Iha's presence, and sure as hell won't be to do with the lack of D'arcy.

Chamberlain is King.

-Lithium-

Pacifico wrote:

Madness!

Why is that mad?

Seriously, I never understood why people are so mad about Jimmy.

Mushy

-Lithium- wrote:

Why is that mad?

Seriously, I never understood why people are so mad about Jimmy.

I'm taking it you have actually listened to them alright, and probably a lot longer if you were there the last time they played here! Jimmy behind that kit is a tank. He is genuinly the powerhouse in the group. And he makes it seem easier than actually is. Apart from Billys recognisable voice, Jimmys drumming is the most noticeable part of the band. He is a genuine amazing rock drummer, and we can all count how many of those there are out there at the moment on one hand.

Yeah, fair enough, with James there it'd be cool, but the Pumpkins wouldnt be the Pumpkins again if Jimmy wasnt there. I'm thinking he's gonna keep Billy in line with what'll actually be good sounding. The one album where it isnt proper drumming...eugh, I dont even listen to it. Come to think of it, wsa Jimmy even on it? The album is Adore btw.

EDIT: Just noticed, they've added Pukkelpop in Belgium. They have to play here around then

Royale with Cheese

No he didn't play on Adore, mostly drum machines I think. I kinda like the album myself, well bits of it... but in a very different way than I'd like Siamese Dream or Mellon Collie.

I concur, if you think a Pumpkins reunion without Jimmy Chamberlain would have any point well then that's your problem. The man is a drumming legend and really adds a huge amount to the band. James Iha barely even played on the band's best album, Siamese Dream.

Prezatch

Doctor J wrote:

As long as Jimmy Chamberlin is on board, everything should turn out just fine.

Yikes!! Look how Zwan turned out. Ugh

-Lithium-

Mushy wrote:

I'm taking it you have actually listened to them alright, and probably a lot longer if you were there the last time they played here!

Yes, Mushy, I'm old, I was a very disillusioned 12 year old when Jimmy was kicked out of the band after the whole overdose incident. I know he's an amazing drummer. As for James, his solo work was...dodgy, but I really like his contribution to the Pumpkins.

Royale with Cheese wrote:

I concur, if you think a Pumpkins reunion without Jimmy Chamberlain would have any point well then that's your problem

Well now, I wouldn't call it a "problem"...

JoeyD wrote:

Yikes!! Look how Zwan turned out. Ugh

Nice



On to more important matters - I've been holding out for them to announce a concert here - if they don't, where'd be our best option?
I'm thinking Venice...

Doctor J

Actually, I think that Zwan album is ****ing excellent in my opinion and, again it's in no small part due to the energy provided by Chamberlin. Have you actually listened to it or are you just going on what the NME said? The guy is one of the last remaining great rock drummers, a guy who actually plays drums rather than just keeps a beat but what he does really adds to the songs, rather than a lot of schmoes who interfere with the songs when they try to get fruity. Listen to the song Lyric, really listen to it with an open mind. It's a drumming performance. It's also a great song. Listen to The Everlasting Gaze. He's a musician, an artist, his influence cannot be ignored.

Darcy and Iha were coat hangers, they didn't really influence the sound of the band in the studio, they won't be missed. You only need to put on 30 seconds of the wretched Adore to hear the influence of Chamberlin's drumming on the sound of Smashing Pumpkins. He's as vital to the sound of SP as Keith moon was to The Who. Corgan & Chamberlin are the sound of the band, always have been, always will be.

Karl Hungus

Doctor J wrote:

wretched Adore

Odd... I never had the hatred for Adore that everyone else seemed to have. I also liked Machina, which got a bit of flak too.

Prezatch

Doctor J wrote:

Actually, I think that Zwan album is ****ing excellent in my opinion and, again it's in no small part due to the energy provided by Chamberlin. Have you actually listened to it or are you just going on what the NME said? The guy is one of the last remaining great rock drummers, a guy who actually plays drums rather than just keeps a beat

Well i'm not saying Chamberlin isn't great (said quite the opposite here). His Life Begins Again is excellent and a joy to listen to. His drumming on the Zwan album was pretty nice too and a good attempt at cheering things up, but that album was simply devoid of energy and spirit. I'd hate to think of what it would have turned out like if a few normal drum beats were thrown down behind the music. But anyway this thread isn't about Zwan, let's just hope we see a return to this type of music:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hl4sJTlkpQE

Doctor J

Just put the youtube code between the

http://www.youtube.com/

One last bit of Zwan and then back on topic... I thought that album had some of the most intense and uplifting tunes Corgan had written in many years, probably since Melon Collie tbh. I think it's a fantastic album, I really don't get the bad rep at all, it signalled a huge return to form in my eyes.

Mushy

-Lithium- wrote:

On to more important matters - I've been holding out for them to announce a concert here - if they don't, where'd be our best option?
I'm thinking Venice...

Yeah, what gives? Nothing on an Irish date. Its like torture for me here. Unfortunately I've my LC this year, so it rules out every date in June. I'm kinda looking at Reading or Leeds though, so might miss a banned gig that week instead. I'll give it a bit more time though.

It wasn't me!

I'm quite fond of Corgan's playing style, his soloing especially. Wasn't it him who said he learned to play guitar by feeding back over Black Sabbath albums? Respect!

Bring on Primivera! When is the new album out?

garthv

Been a smashing pumpkins fan as long as I can remember, havent got a bad word to say about any of the early stuff(gish, pisces iscariot etc) and mellon collie being the icing on the cake!

Adore was a bit different but mellon collie burned Corgan out, along with his wife leaving him and his mother dying really didn't do any good for his state of mind.

Machina and Machine II were absoloute pants, relly didn't get into them at all

Zwan was good but i prefered Djali Zwan(check the Spun OST for some great tracks) and then we come to Billys solo stuff....

Meh. That's all I can say really, being a pumpkins fan for so long i had such high expectations so it's probably my fault.

Have to admit with JoeyD on Chamberlains solo stuff..its superb!

The new album....well.....I have absoloutely no expectations for it as I really do not want to be dissapointed again. I would give my right nut to see them go back to the good old days but I honestly cannot see that happening

Either way Im seeing them at primavera so its a dream come true for me

dead air

GaRtH_V wrote:

Zwan was good but i prefered Djali Zwan(check the Spun OST for some great tracks)

Exactly, I had to buy the DVD just to hear those tracks. It's a damn shame we never got a Djali Zwan album.

John

Zwan: OK but definitely didn't stand the test of time to my ears, I liked it but it was fairly shallow on all fronts compared to the Smashing Pumpkins. I can't actually remember off the top of my head how most of the songs went...

Adore: I don't know how anyone can say a bad word about this album, it is one of the best SP albums, better than Gish or any that followed. Actually I'd put it in joint second with Siamese Dream after Mellon Collie. They could have done Mellon Collie 2: The Sadness Strikes Back but they took a chance and did a stormer of an album. After the pompous and overblown masterpiece of Mellon Collie they did an introspective and brooding masterpiece, Chamberlain or no Chamberlain.

Zeitgeist: I'm looking forward to this but I'm not getting my hopes up. I really want it to be a great album, I know it will be at least a good album but whether it is Smashing Pumpkins good or Zwan good is a different story. I disagree about Iha or D'Arcy having little effect on the Pumpkins sound, I think they did bring something to the table. The music post-D'Arcy was not quite as good and post-Pumpkins Billy's output has been sketchy. I'd be a lot more confident if this was a proper reunion but it's not so I reserve the right to be disappointed.

Den_M

John wrote:

Adore: I don't know how anyone can say a bad word about this album, it is one of the best SP albums, better than Gish or any that followed. Actually I'd put it in joint second with Siamese Dream after Mellon Collie
.

Same here except I'd maybe have SD first (whole other thread, that one!) but Adore grew and grew on me after buying it. One or two songs don't quite hit the mark but the rest is first class.

John wrote:

They could have done Mellon Collie 2: The Sadness Strikes Back .

Royale with Cheese

John wrote:

The music post-D'Arcy was not quite as good and post-Pumpkins Billy's output has been sketchy. I'd be a lot more confident if this was a proper reunion but it's not so I reserve the right to be disappointed.

There was no Smashing Pumpkins music post D'arcy. As far as I'm aware she left after the recording of Machina. Mellisa Auf Der Maur never recorded a note with the band.

Doctor J

Then again, D'Arcy didn't do that much recording prior to her departure either, Corgan played a lot of the bass tracks throughout the years and most of the guitars too.

Royale with Cheese

Exactly. D'Arcy won't be missed. Bring back Mellisa Auf Der Maur, she was alot easier on the eye. Her solo album had a couple of decent tracks on it too.

Moojuice

There was a lot of pretentious crap on Gish, Annie Dog, Pug etc. The electro stuff such as Ava Adore, Daphne Descends (great live) were good but the album as a whole was not very strong. D'Arcy was a dreadful bassist. She will not be missed and anyone with half a brain could play the bass lines. It would be nice to have James back in the line up, though Billy and Jimmy ARE the smashing pumpkins.................

evad_lhorg

Moojuice wrote:

There was a lot of pretentious crap on Gish,

I assume you mean Adore.

Im not mad on it but there are a few I like. Pug is one. especially the live version

selpher

Theres 30 seconds of new single "Tarantula" here if anyones interested.

http://www.fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=16697

Mushy

Its ok, hopefully it'l grow on me more so.

Diemos

John wrote:

Zwan: OK but definitely didn't stand the test of time to my ears, I liked it but it was fairly shallow on all fronts compared to the Smashing Pumpkins. I can't actually remember off the top of my head how most of the songs went...

Adore: I don't know how anyone can say a bad word about this album, it is one of the best SP albums, better than Gish or any that followed. Actually I'd put it in joint second with Siamese Dream after Mellon Collie. They could have done Mellon Collie 2: The Sadness Strikes Back but they took a chance and did a stormer of an album. After the pompous and overblown masterpiece of Mellon Collie they did an introspective and brooding masterpiece, Chamberlain or no Chamberlain.

Zeitgeist: I'm looking forward to this but I'm not getting my hopes up. I really want it to be a great album, I know it will be at least a good album but whether it is Smashing Pumpkins good or Zwan good is a different story. I disagree about Iha or D'Arcy having little effect on the Pumpkins sound, I think they did bring something to the table. The music post-D'Arcy was not quite as good and post-Pumpkins Billy's output has been sketchy. I'd be a lot more confident if this was a proper reunion but it's not so I reserve the right to be disappointed.

I agree completely.

garthv

selpher wrote:

Theres 30 seconds of new single "Tarantula" here if anyones interested.

http://www.fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=16697

:eek:

Sounds savage!