Smashing Pumpkins

IamNotNumber

2015

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDKh972zdEU

1990

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JRRA3CCCEI

Gig in Ireland would you go? EP maybe? or better indoors? I would having never seen them but well u cant go back to the nineties when they were truly awesome and now its really just Billy and a few nobodies, he doesn't look all that happy and their last few albums at best questionable .Most important band of a generation not radiohead..not nirvanna or pearl jam but the smashing pumpkins.yea/na.?

threein99

IamNotNumber wrote: »

2015

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDKh972zdEU

1990

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JRRA3CCCEI

Gig in Ireland would you go? EP maybe? or better indoors? I would having never seen them but well u cant go back to the nineties when they were truly awesome and now its really just Billy and a few nobodies, he doesn't look all that happy and their last few albums at best questionable .Most important band of a generation not radiohead..not nirvanna or pearl jam but the smashing pumpkins.yea/na.?

Seen them on the BBC last year playing Glastonbury, and Billy Corgan looked liked he would rather be anywhere but on stage

IamNotNumber

threein99 wrote: »

Seen them on the BBC last year playing Glastonbury, and Billy Corgan looked liked he would rather be anywhere but on stage

Its a shame ..he should pack it in if he ain't enjoying it.

S.M.B.

threein99 wrote: »

Seen them on the BBC last year playing Glastonbury, and Billy Corgan looked liked he would rather be anywhere but on stage

I was going to reply saying it's a real shame that I've never seen them and how I passed on a chance to see them play a small intimate venue not so long ago.

Then I remembered that I was actually at that Glastonbury show.

IamNotNumber

S.M.B. wrote: »

I was going to reply saying it's a real shame that I've never seen them and how I passed on a chance to see them play a small intimate venue not so long ago.

Then I remembered that I was actually at that Glastonbury show.

Flashbacks are a bitch:pac: Where were they playing the other gig?

S.M.B.

IamNotNumber wrote: »

Flashbacks are a bitch:pac: Where were they playing the other gig?

Koko, in London.

Had a quick look and Marilyn Manson joined him on stage for a version of Ava Adore. Would have liked to have seen that. Sounds like it was actually a decent gig.

Rabo Karabekian

IamNotNumber wrote: »

Its a shame ..he should pack it in if he ain't enjoying it.

Might be that he's contemplating it.

http://boingboing.net/2015/04/28/smashing-pumpkins-billy-corg.html

I saw them in the SFX would have been around 95 or so. Amazing gig. Supported by Whipping Boy if I recall correctly.

stateofflux

its not the real smashing pumpkins anymore sadly. just an ego chasing past glory

IamNotNumber

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNC6McdI414

Good interview with Billy about what he is trying to do and why the pumpkins had to evolve ..nice dig at Pavement ..guess he still hasn't forgiven them for Range Life :pac:

r93kaey5p2izun

Saw them in 98 and 2000. They were my favourite band and I still love their stuff up to Machina.

Not sure whether I'd go to see them now because it's not really them anymore and Billy seems bored tbh - maybe for the nostalgia though.

RichFTW

IamNotNumber wrote: »

Gig in Ireland would you go? EP maybe? or better indoors? I would having never seen them but well u cant go back to the nineties when they were truly awesome and now its really just Billy and a few nobodies, he doesn't look all that happy and their last few albums at best questionable .Most important band of a generation not radiohead..not nirvanna or pearl jam but the smashing pumpkins.yea/na.?

I actually quite like the last album, best one since Machina for me anyway. I live in Toronto where they are supporting Marilyn Manson in August so I'm going to go to that. No way is it going to be the same as the glory days but I can't pass up seeing at least some piece of the Pumpkins live before they're gone. A Manson gig should be interesting as well.

I try and avoid any interviews by Billy these days as he seems to piss me off every time he has a go at other bands I like or says some other obnoxious crap. At this point, I both love and hate him at the same time. Hoping seeing him live will bring back the good memories growing up though.

Edit: Looked up the current lineup and saw that Brad Wilk is the touring drummer. He's far from a nobody.

IamNotNumber

Edit: Looked up the current lineup and saw that Brad Wilk is the touring drummer. He's far from a nobody.

I stand corrected,ex-rage against machine drummer and inventor of Olade lemonade!

http://www.amazon.com/Olade-Beverage-16-Ounce-Plastic-Bottles/dp/B002N70NKU

seachto7

The Killers bass player is also on bass, hardly a nobody, though he looks like a guy who is on stage for the first time. He looked really quiet and shy and stood in the corners on the BBC stuff.
I'm not sure of the lead guitar player. It's kind of weird looking at the lead guitar player trying to mimic James Iha , but what can you do.
It always was about Billy Corgan I think, even though Jimmy Chamberlain has a distinct sound.
I saw them in 1997 in France, and Chamberlain had been given the boot.
It was still a great gig.

IamNotNumber

seachto7 wrote: »

The Killers bass player is also on bass, hardly a nobody, though he looks like a guy who is on stage for the first time. He looked really quiet and shy and stood in the corners on the BBC stuff.
I'm not sure of the lead guitar player. It's kind of weird looking at the lead guitar player trying to mimic James Iha , but what can you do.
It always was about Billy Corgan I think, even though Jimmy Chamberlain has a distinct sound.
I saw them in 1997 in France, and Chamberlain had been given the boot.
It was still a great gig.

Much of the pumkins sound was also to do with Iha ..he wrote\co wrote on some of their best tracks (Soma, Mayonnaise and more). He was also involved romantically with Darcy which I didn't know.Anyone know exactly why Billy and James fell out? Must be serious as they haven't spoken in years.

IamNotNumber

http://loudwire.com/smashing-pumpkins-gish-anniversary/

jpm4

IamNotNumber wrote: »

Much of the pumkins sound was also to do with Iha ..he wrote\co wrote on some of their best tracks (Soma, Mayonnaise and more). He was also involved romantically with Darcy which I didn't know.Anyone know exactly why Billy and James fell out? Must be serious as they haven't spoken in years.

Ah in fairness, he co wrote Soma, Mayonnaise (just the intro to that song I think) and a handful of others not so memorable....I don't think you can say he made a massive contribution in that area.

IamNotNumber

jpm4 wrote: »

Ah in fairness, he co wrote Soma, Mayonnaise (just the intro to that song I think) and a handful of others not so memorable....I don't think you can say he made a massive contribution in that area.

I think his influence was more to fore on Gish/Pisces Iascoit.His and other band members influence waned as corgan took increasing control ..possibly a reason that contributed to their breakup and his walking out mid gig .?
On Pisces Iascroit he wrote Blew Away a quick google revels ..great song.
And he wrote cowrote a few more,so put it more accurately he had something minor but important to do with the pumpkins sound esp the softer ballady tracks.Still hear it in his solo music too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9TtyPKEwWA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAT_KX7L_RM

RichFTW

IamNotNumber wrote: »

I think his influence was more to fore on Gish/Pisces Iascoit.His and other band members influence waned as corgan took increasing control ..possibly a reason that contributed to their breakup and his walking out mid gig .?
On Pisces Iascroit he wrote Blew Away a quick google revels ..great song.
And he wrote cowrote a few more,so put it more accurately he had something minor but important to do with the pumpkins sound esp the softer ballady tracks.Still hear it in his solo music too.

He is only credited with co-writing one song from Gish though, I Am One. While Soma and Mayonaise are two excellent songs, I would say he is more of a co-writer than a writer. That solo song is very average IMO.

IamNotNumber

RichFTW wrote: »

He is only credited with co-writing one song from Gish though, I Am One. While Soma and Mayonaise are two excellent songs, I would say he is more of a co-writer than a writer. That solo song is very average IMO.

Vocalist,contributed music and Im sure ideas..more to being in a band that getting song writing credits.Someone mentioned Chamberlain as being influential ..what you guys reckon on that score?

jpm4

IamNotNumber wrote: »

I think his influence was more to fore on Gish/Pisces Iascoit.His and other band members influence waned as corgan took increasing control ..possibly a reason that contributed to their breakup and his walking out mid gig .?
On Pisces Iascroit he wrote Blew Away a quick google revels ..great song.
And he wrote cowrote a few more,so put it more accurately he had something minor but important to do with the pumpkins sound esp the softer ballady tracks.Still hear it in his solo music too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9TtyPKEwWA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAT_KX7L_RM

Not trying to argue for the sake of it, but his influence was very minor at best, Blew Away is a twee love song not bad but nothing special.

I know people might not like Corgan for many reasons, but he deserves full credit for the band's success.

jpm4

IamNotNumber wrote: »

Vocalist,contributed music and Im sure ideas..more to being in a band that getting song writing credits.Someone mentioned Chamberlain as being influential ..what you guys reckon on that score?

Chamberlian without a doubt yes - a big part of the Pumpkin sound.

IamNotNumber

jpm4 wrote: »

Not trying to argue for the sake of it, but his influence was very minor at best, Blew Away is a twee love song not bad but nothing special.

I know people might not like Corgan for many reasons, but he deserves full credit for the band's success.

and their downfall ..

jpm4

IamNotNumber wrote: »

and their downfall ..

Obviously yes.....personally I think they never should have reunited.

S.M.B.

I'm listening to Adore in its entirety for the first time in about 15 years. Have a real soft spot for the album.

Everythin coming up Milhouse

For anyone interested in the history of the band the documentary 'The Graceful Swans of Never' is very good.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptTdzo4KeQE

It follows the band from the beginning up until the first time they broke up in 2000. It has interviews with all the original members including Iha who rarely speaks about the Pumpkins.

It also provides a bit of background information on each of the albums; their influences at the time, what they wanted to achieve e.t.c. I found the stuff about Adore particularly interesting (if you've never heard the story behind the album it'll make you see it in a whole different light).

To weigh in on the James Iha debate while he did contribute to some great songs his solo albums (Let It Come Down in particular) really exposed him as poor songwriter IMO.

Chamberlin's influence can't be underestimated, his jazz drumming style is crucial to the overall sound of the albums he played on especially Gish and Siamese Dream.

RichFTW

Was at the Pumpkins gig last night in Toronto, was amazing. Chamberlain was on drums but only for about 7-8 songs as the rest was mainly acoustic. Would have been nice to see James there but Jeff Schroeder was pretty good so can't complain. Plus Liz Phair joined in half way through the set as well which was awesome!

Mayonaise and Soma were done with just guitars and really stole the show for me.

RichFTW

RichFTW wrote: »

Was at the Pumpkins gig last night in Toronto, was amazing. Chamberlain was on drums but only for about 7-8 songs as the rest was mainly acoustic. Would have been nice to see James there but Jeff Schroeder was pretty good so can't complain. Plus Liz Phair joined in half way through the set as well which was awesome!

Mayonaise and Soma were done with just guitars and really stole the show for me.

Are they doing a tour?
Any chance they coming this side of the Atlantic?
I've seen all shows here, tbh I wasn't mad about the last one. But the earlier stuff! Oh man, if I could just go to one of the gigs again, like the SFX, just once....

RichFTW

bubblypop wrote: »

Are they doing a tour?
Any chance they coming this side of the Atlantic?
I've seen all shows here, tbh I wasn't mad about the last one. But the earlier stuff! Oh man, if I could just go to one of the gigs again, like the SFX, just once....

Think it was just a mini North American tour. Would have loved to have seen them play at their peak but the acoustic gig was still pretty good. Shows how strong his songwriting is when he can own the stage with just a guitar.

No dick moves/comments from him to the crowd either so maybe he has turned a new leaf!

jpm4

jpm4 wrote: »

Ah in fairness, he co wrote Soma, Mayonnaise (just the intro to that song I think) and a handful of others not so memorable....I don't think you can say he made a massive contribution in that area.

Yeah word is Billy played most of the bass parts on SD too.

I loved them "back in the day" saw them 4 times live . 95,96 and 97 and then on the machina tour in 99/00?? I hated adore and only half liked machina, everything after that just wasn't the same band.

It's a shame as I do think Billy is a genius but he failed to ever live up to his earlier work. I remember Adore coming out and seeing them live after that in the olympia and the highlight of that being Darcy's nipples

I know loads love that record and I know bands move on but i still maintain that without the hype they and based on the 1st 3 records adore would have been laughed at.

eviltimeban

Adore is a stunning piece of work. The only tracks that drag it down are Shame and Annie Dog but the rest is golden. I wish Billy would sing like that now. It's his most emotional album.

That's my real issue with BC's work - on everything from Zwan onwards he's used a much straighter voice, with too much vibrato, very little of the softer / sighing vocal style he used on Gish - Siamese - Pisces - some of Mellon. And Adore obviously. I like some of the new songs, I think Oceania is a great album, I just wish the vocals were better.

I saw them in the RDS in 2007 and I left before it was over. The sound was terrible. Also saw them in the SFX in '95 and they played loads of still unreleased tracks from Mellon Collie so it was hard to get into it.

If they played here now it'd probably be more an Olympia gig than a 3 Arena gig, or they'd play a festival. However if James and D'Arcy were involved they'd pull a bigger crowd. I'm sort of scared about D'Arcy coming back, she's had so much plastic surgery she looks like Mickey Rourke.

s8n

eviltimeban wrote: »

Adore is a stunning piece of work. The only tracks that drag it down are Shame and Annie Dog but the rest is golden. I wish Billy would sing like that now. It's his most emotional album.

That's my real issue with BC's work - on everything from Zwan onwards he's used a much straighter voice, with too much vibrato, very little of the softer / sighing vocal style he used on Gish - Siamese - Pisces - some of Mellon. And Adore obviously. I like some of the new songs, I think Oceania is a great album, I just wish the vocals were better.

I saw them in the RDS in 2007 and I left before it was over. The sound was terrible. Also saw them in the SFX in '95 and they played loads of still unreleased tracks from Mellon Collie so it was hard to get into it.

If they played here now it'd probably be more an Olympia gig than a 3 Arena gig, or they'd play a festival. However if James and D'Arcy were involved they'd pull a bigger crowd. I'm sort of scared about D'Arcy coming back, she's had so much plastic surgery she looks like Mickey Rourke.

They have ignored us on the last 3 Euro tours. Very similar to Pearl Jam, not sure why they dont come here anymore

pumpkin4life

Siamese Dream and Mellon Collie are (if yous can get your head around some dodge lyrics) are some of the best back to back albums stretches. Tuneage. Adore is pretty damn good as well if a step down from the big two and a bit samey, but after those three albums, Billy went off the rails a lot like.

UrbanSprawl

http://www.nme.com/news/smashing-pumpkins/95334

The frontman has told fans to expect something "big" in the near future

stateofflux

UrbanSprawl wrote: »

http://www.nme.com/news/smashing-pumpkins/95334

The frontman has told fans to expect something "big" in the near future

I hope they do a European tour. If they dont this is one tour i would actually consider going to the states for as i never saw the original lineup play.

UrbanSprawl

http://www.newrocktimes.com/news/2017/1/17/smashing-pumpkins-reunion-edging-closer

“I just talked to guitarist James Iha the other day, things look good for us getting together to play. We're talking about it, we'll see,” he said.

:cool: