Anyone else excited by the prospect of the Smashing Pumpkins reuniting? (1 Viewer)

[Ron Reda]

I've been reading a bunch about Billy Corgan reforming the Smashing Pumpkins (sans D'arcy) over at VH1.com. It all started with Corgan taking out a full page ad in the Chicago newspaper a while back saying that he wants his band back. Well recently, he enlisted drummer Jimmy Chamberlain (no stretch as they worked together in the post-Pumpkins band "Zwan" and Corgan provided guest vocals on "Lokicat" on the recent Jimmy Chamberlain Complex CD) and they have hired a management company enlisting as the Smashing Pumpkins. There are some bumps in the road as guitarist James Iha and Corgan apparently had a pretty good falling out, but I read that Chamberlain is working to get Iha back in the fold. It seems that D'arcy is a foregone conclusion as Corgan and her had a huge falling out with Corgan going so far as to label her a "mean spirited drug addict" on his blog.

I have been a big fan of the Pumpkins for some time and personally hope that they return to their hard rocking roots a la "Gish" "Mellon Collie" and "Siamese Dream" which I feel is one of the best rock albums of all time.

Check out more here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smashin...ns#The_Reunion

http://www.vh1.com/news/articles/152...21/story.jhtml

 

[Carl Miller]

I was a big Pumpkins fan thru Siamese Dream (I agree it's a classic) but was a bit turned off by Mellon Collie. I thought it was good, but pretentious at times. Having said that, I'd like to see them get back together.

...But not as much as I'd like to see a Soundgarden reunion.

 

[Matt Fisher]

They're already starting to work on new songs for a new album.

 

[John Garcia]

I loved Mellon Collie and Pisces, and really not much after that, though I think they did peak at Siamese. It is a tough call for me - I like Gish and Siamese about equally.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

I don't know if I'm excited about it, but I'm interested. That Corgan solo album was a real snoozer! Actually, it's not bad as a background listen, but live it was terrible - that was a really dull show...

 

[Ron Reda]

While I do like it, I really think that Mellon Collie would have worked a lot better if they scaled it back to a one-disc set. It would have been so much more impressive instead of sprinkling in mediocre or average songs amongst the gems.

Hmm, Gish vs. Siamese? I'll take Siamese every time for the quality of the songs and the MONSTROUS guitar tones! To me, Gish's guitars sound a bit thin and dated. From what I've read, Corgan feels the same way.

 

[John Garcia]

It IS dated, as was his hair at the time...but I still like the raw simplicity of it. It is what first got me to like them, and I still enjoy it (though I listen to Siamese more often) Rhinoceros seemed almost like it belonged on Siamese. Suffer is a great track too.

 

[Ron Reda]

Too funny! For some reason, I think that Siamese just holds up better. perhaps I should have said due to the variety of monstrous guitar tones.

 

[kamyiu]

it was Zwan...and they sucked.
/pedant

I'll pass if the new stuff is anything like FutureEmbrace, Zwan, Machina, or Adore. Blech.

 

[AricB]

absolutely agreed. i dont own anything past melon collie, and everything i've heard since then, i didnt like.

 

[Ron Reda]

My bad...typo.

I agree...after Mellon Collie, they went right down the crapper. I mean, it's so funny for someone that was raised on AOR like Boston and the such would just completely abandon that styling and go the complete opposite way into that electronic crap (IMO) that had no soul whatsoever.

 

[Kevin C Brown]

Interested, but not excited.

 

[Rommel_L]

Can Billy and James' creative differences coexist? Stay tuned...

 

[Nigel McN]

Oh very very very Interested.

 

[Ron Reda]

Sounds like Billy finally realized that his solo stuff really blows and he NEEDS the Pumpkins.

 

[Josh Simpson]

I HOPE this is the case. I want fat, chunky guitar playing, not synthesizers and keyboards. I remember right after Corgan's solo album came out he said if Pumpkins came back, it wouldnt be the Pumpkins we knew before. From a nostalgia standpoint, this might disappoint me a bit. Sometimes I think Corgan's a bit too pretentous for his own good. However, I'll check out whatever they try.

 

[John Garcia]

With Iha working with A Perfect Circle now as well as solo, who knows what will happen. I love the work he's done with APC and would kind of prefer that he stays there...

 

[Ron Reda]

Me too, Josh, me too!

 

[Brent Bridgeman]

Personally, I just want to hear Jimmy absolutely ATTACK the drums! I went to see Zwan here in Atlanta just to hear Jimmy, and I was not disappointed. Best rock drummer alive.

 

[JediFonger]

yeah... whatever happened to *REAL* ROCK & ROLL w/guitars, attitude and the whole bit?