The Smashing Pumpkins are an American alternative rock band that formed in Chicago, Illinois in 1988. Formed by Billy Corgan (vocals/guitar) and James Iha (guitar/backing vocals), the band has included D'arcy Wretzky (bass guitar/backing vocals), Jimmy Chamberlin (drums/percussion), and Melissa Auf der Maur (bass guitar) among its membership.
Disavowing the punk rock roots shared by many of their alt-rock contemporaries, the Pumpkins have a diverse, densely layered, and guitar-heavy sound, containing elements of gothic rock, heavy metal, dream pop, psychedelic rock, arena rock, shoegazer-style production and, in later recordings, electronica. Frontman Billy Corgan is the group's primary songwriter—his grand musical ambitions and cathartic lyrics have shaped the band's albums and songs, which have been described as "anguished, bruised reports from Billy Corgan's nightmare-land".
The Smashing Pumpkins broke into the musical mainstream with their second album, Siamese Dream (1993). The group built its audience with extensive touring and their follow-up, the double album Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (1995), debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 album chart. With approximately 18.25 million albums sold in the United States alone, The Smashing Pumpkins were one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed bands of the 1990s. However, internal fighting, drug use, and diminishing record sales hampered the band and led to a 2000 break-up. In April 2006, the band officially announced that it was reuniting and recording a new album. Returning members Billy Corgan and Jimmy Chamberlin were joined by musicians Jeff Schroeder (guitar/vocals), Ginger Reyes (bass/vocals), and Lisa Harriton (keyboard/vocals) in 2007 to tour in support of their new release, Zeitgeist. In March 2009, Corgan announced that Chamberlin had left the band, but that he would continue to record and perform without him under the band name.
The main problem is in the lyrics. Musically, it's all pretty good.
I did enjoy the way Astral Planes seemed to be going. At least with it being recorded as it is written we may be in for an angstfest if Jessica ever leaves him.
wasn't a fan of the Zeitgeist album aside from single that hit the radio...totally dig everything before that...haven't heard anything new...i won't condemn it with out hearing it first though
Never liked them much, never saw anything speacial with their compositions and I allways hated B.Corgan`s voice.
But in all fairness, there are far worse bands out there.
from Wiki
music video playlist
, you can download the first four songs of the album on the official website right now. They're certainly not bad, quite... sunny.
At least with it being recorded as it is written we may be in for an angstfest if Jessica ever leaves him.
Fear not the weapon but the hand that wields it 
