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.
I don't care what anyone says, my favorite album is Adore. I think it's certainly underrated... Different from the previous three, but still a good album. It might tie with Gish for me, though. I do love MCIS, but not as much. I think my favorite era for SPs though might have to be pre-Gish. Some of it is really amateur, but some of their early songs (Daughter, Honey Spider) are REALLY good. They also did a nice cover of Cinnamon Girl by Neil Young!
pretty much the best 90s rock band. yeah. I said it.
it's amazing the amount of material Billy Corgan has put out. that's also including the stuff not on the actual albums as well. very impressive.
I'm glad to see the new material as of late has surprisingly been good, seems as though Billy is finally gettin' back into the groove since the reformation.
You may have been really close, but they had a spinny thing when I saw them.
I see that you got a picture of the ONE SONG IN THE WHOLE SHOW where he used the Mellotron. It was just sitting there the whole time and HE USED IT FOR HALF OF ONE SONG.
There was an episode of some crime show once, CSI or The Mentalist or something once, and it had a Smashing Pumpkins song on it, and I'm going crazy looking for the song. Their Wikipedia page is no help at all (probably cuz I'm just looking for the word TV) and Google isn't doing me any good cuz I can't remember the show... Can anyone please help?
I fucking still remember that Ava Adore album where they tried to incorporate electronic influences into their rock format, like just about every sheep rock band of the late 90s.
Utterly stock standard, pretentious dribble. Billy Corgan is a useless cunt.
One of the best bands I've listened too. They really frustrate me though. I feel that they keep on reaching a peak but then just hesitate or mess up. But I love them all the same.
i've heard a ton of people bash on smashing pumpkins in the more recent months, but i really like them! their classics like "bullet with butterfly wings" and "tonight tonight" and others are just such wonderful sounding songs. and mostly, i love the unique voice of Billy Corgan!
from Wiki
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