The Smashing Pumpkins

The word is.........Billy is going to reform Smashing Pumpkins back.......is he? I mean, I'm excited as hell when I read it on Netphoria, but, could he? The thing is, would D'arcy and James rejoin the band? Things will not be the same without all four together, I know that, Billy knows that too. SP needs all four back. Without any one of them, I wouldn't even interested to know. Of course, I'm talking about the era of Gish till Pisces Iscariot where the raw grunge sound was still exploding, bouncing back and forth from my ear drum. If, which I doubt, the band will reform again, I hope the sound would re-emerge again, but definitely not from Adore or Machina, no, not any of those.

The band started to form in 1987 in Chicago when Billy meets James, a Japanese-American (he can’t speak Japanese). Sharing the same interest, they decided to form a band. Using a drum-machine and Billy as the bassist, both of them perform some decent gig at bars. They met D’arcy and Jimmy later and started to call themselves Smashing Pumpkins. During the early days of their live performance, Billy noticed that after every show, there would be pieces of pumpkins being smashed all around the stage area, and he decided to add the The in front to become The Smashing Pumpkins. The band does not, in any kind of form, relate to pumpkins.

They recorded their first album, Gish under an indie label. The follow-up album, Siamese Dream, was their breakthrough album. One of the most successful album in the world, it did a lot to cover the fact that the band has started to crumble. After overcoming the internal problems, they got through to make a double album, which was a risk worth taking. Mellon Collie and The Infinite Sadness was made and the albums sold a lot more than its predecessors. Immediately after that, Jimmy got stuck with drugs, going to rehab while their touring keyboard died after overdosing himself. The band’s music was different after that, more to commercial base, and Adore was produced. A flop after the previous albums, it doesn’t take far. Jimmy was back after rehab and Machina: The Machine of God was produced. The raw sound was back but still doesn’t have the “edge”. D’arcy quits the band followed by James (they both set-up a recording company) and Billy, with Jimmy, started a new band called Zwan, but they didn’t made it far.

I first heard about this band together with Blind Melon, Lemonhead and Radiohead from Remaja. I was 15 at that time. I bought all 3 albums (couldn't find Lemonhead's). The first SP's album (their second, after Gish) that I heard was Siamese Dream. The first thing I noticed was Jimmy's drum. It was a love at first hearing. Damn he's good, unique with his own style of running and rolling.

Billy Corgan was described by his teacher as “relatively quiet” but to his friend, outspoken. Influenced by musicians such as The Beatles and Jimi Hendrix, with his gothic view of life, started to play guitar as early when he is 15. A writer himself, he wrote most of the songs featured in the album. He was with a band before called The Marked. After 20 gigs or so, it was disband. During Siamese Dreams sessions, rumored has it that he played most of the instruments himself. True or not, he is a really fantastic guitarist. During live shows, he played most of the lead, continued by James when he has to sing again. The song that he describes as having the most part of him was Disarm. His voice was one of a kind. One second the pitching was so high and abruptly, it went down, to date, I have never heard of anyone that has a voice like him.

James Iha was the lead guitarist of the band. A Graphic Art student from Loyola University, he quits studying later to join the band. During the early days with Smashing Pumpkins, he was playing with another band called Snake Train. A talented guitarist, he showered the audience with his effect and rather mellow performance, supporting Billy with his powered playing style. He got into relationship with D’arcy during Siamese Dreams sessions, their relationship doesn’t hold on long and causing much headache to Billy in order to keep the band together. His talent showed itself during lives performance.

During a show at bar called Avalon, Billy got into an argument with D’arcy Wretzky. Billy was complaining (out-loud) about the band that always performed there, saying that they were a bunch of crap. D’arcy got irritated and after a while, claimed that she was on a band too, playing bass. The problem is, the only instrument that D’arcy has ever had professional training was the cello. Billy got interested (as he was in need of a bassist) and asked her to call him, which she did, and was invited to Billy’s house. She didn’t even know how to properly hold her instrument, much to Billy’s amazement. But there’s something in her character that interested Billy, and she was a kind person, and she joined the band without an audition. In Quiet, her bassist played was heard and one of the key factor that make Quiet one of the best songs of the band.

Jimmy Chamberlain was introduced by a friend. A jazz drummer who previously played a ten-piece showband called JP and The Cats and the only member of the band who graduated from Northern Illinois University. With most of his family a drummer, it doesn’t took long for him to blend into a rock group. He saw potential in the band, he once said and decided to join the band, taking interest in Billy’s talent as a songwriter. His drumming skills was, for me, best shown in Geek USA.

Other than Disarm, Quiet and Geek USA, other songs that I liked were Cherub Rock, Today, Mayonnaise, Tonight, 1979, Bullet with Butterfly Wings, Blew and Soma. Soma was the best, with the lyrics combined with the most touching lead I ever heard, tells about the frustration of not giving the best to the one we care. Although how hard we try, it would never be enough, and it’s already time to say goodbye. Today was the most popular song, telling however hard the day was, it was still the best.

I was heartbroken when I heard the news about the band breaking up. I followed for news of each of the band members, hoping that one day they will reform. Although the latest was Billy wants to reform the band, it was just Billy’s. No news about and comment from the other three. I still have this golden dream of meeting D’arcy in person, hahaha.