Alternate Versions

Deep Cuts: The Smashing Pumpkins- Bleeding the Orchid

The deep cut is something that I feel has become a lost element of music today. Everything is so focused on singles and the “hit” that so much of the time, there are songs that get left out and bypassed. As you’ve noticed the past couple years that my level of postings about The Smashing Pumpkins has gone up over that time and that’s because I’ve really delved deep in their catalog. One of the albums that I’ve truly come to love is 2007’s, Zeitgeist. Not only does this album foreshadow a lot of what our society has become but, it’s also one hell of a great album start to finish. There is a particular song on Zeitgeist that I keep going back to and that is track 3, “Bleeding The Orchid.” This song is quite interesting and profound. The song is indirectly inspired by the death of Alice In Chains singer Layne Staley and it also features a bit of an homage to the band with the harmonies you hear in the song. Also the guitar solo on this track by Billy Corgan further proves my point that he is truly an underrated guitarist. This song is one that I really wish would make it’s way into upcoming set lists as it’s an absolutely great and touching song.


The Smashing Pumpkins- Bleeding The Orchid (Live at The Viper Room, 2010):

Track One: Killswitch Engage- Numbered Days

Killswitch Engage’s album Alive Or Just Breathing is more than a game changing album, it’s a metal masterpiece. I had heard the songs “Fixation On The Darkness” and “My Last Serenade” before I heard the whole album but, when I started with track one, I knew a shift was coming in heavy music. “Numbered Days” is one hell of an opening track. Musically it’s heavy and melodic in all the right spots. Lyrically and vocally it’s powerful and gritty along with a generous helping of positivity. It’s one of those perfect album starters. The sing alongs over the years when they play this song live is so much fun to watch and listen to. It’s also interesting to hear Jesse Leach sing this song as well as Howard Jones. Both have such a commanding presence and voice that the message echoes quite loudly!


Killswitch Engage- Numbered Days (with Jesse):

Killswitch Engage- Numbered Days (with Howard):

Memorable TV Performances: The Smashing Pumpkins- Disarm on 1994 MTV VMA’s

Very recently The Smashing Pumpkins song “Disarm” celebrated 28 years since its release as a single. To this day, that song still gives me goosebumps. It’s such a poignant song and one of those that will absolutely stand the test of time. This performance of “Disarm” is quite different than the one you find on the masterpiece that is Siamese Dream. Just watch and listen!!


The Smashing Pumpkins- Disarm (Live at the 1994 MTV VMA’s):

Alternate Versions: The Smashing Pumpkins- Being Beige (Acoustic)

Today is the incomparable William Patrick Corgan’s birthday. I thought that I’d share an alternate version of one of my favorite SP songs from a very underrated album. The song is “Being Beige” from the wonderful album, Monuments To An Elegy. If you haven’t listened to this record, I highly suggest you do. It’s truly one of those albums in a catalog that gets looked over but shouldn’t. It’s got some very classic sounding Pumpkins songs on it and then some. Tommy Lee also played the drums on the whole album and absolutely knocked it out of the park! This song just resonates with me so well. If you know me and know what the past couple years have been like, you know this song fits!


The Smashing Pumpkins- Being Beige (Acoustic):

Alternate Versions: Brand New- Devil & God Demos

Brand New’s album The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me is one of the best albums of the 21st century. If you haven’t heard it, you really should make a point to do so. It’s one of those albums that the moment it starts, it captivates you and compels you to start it over as soon as it’s over. The album has some interesting history to it. Not only was it the bands major label debut but, before the album was even released there were 9 songs that were leaked out in demo form. The band was disappointed to hear of the leak; however, they had already been performing new tracks at live shows. Initially leaked without song titles, two of the songs would be re-recorded for the album (“Sowing Season” and “Luca”), with two others being re-recorded and released on singles from the album. These versions are quite different than the what is found on the album. These leaked demos are referred to by fans as Fight Off Your Demons, the batch of leaked demos were remastered and officially released to the public on December 2, 2015. It’s quite a good complimentary release to The Devil and God. It gives you a different perspective on the writing of the album and the mindset. As much as it sucked to have these songs leaked, I do believe it did do the band good in that it pushed them a bit more to keep going and the end result is an absolute masterpiece.


Brand New- Fight Off Your Demons (aka Leaked Demos 2006):


Brand New- The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me:

Alternate Versions: Nine Inch Nails- Where Is Everybody? (Renholder/Telefon Tel Aviv Remix)
Things Falling Apart [EP] [PA] by Nine Inch Nails (CD, Nov-2000, Interscope (USA)) for sale online | eBay

Since the news broke today that Nine Inch Nails annouced new tour dates for 2022, of course it would put me in a NIN frame of mind. Instead of something typical to post about why not explore some of the remixes. One of the remix albums that often gets overlooked in their catalog is Things Falling Apart from The Fragile era. The remix version of “Where Is Everybody?” done by Danny Lohner (aka Renholder) and Josh Eustis and Charles Cooper of Telefon Tel Aviv is superb. This version is much more atmospheric and features some really cool glitch beats towards the latter half of the song. Take a moment to dig into this awesome version and the whole remix album!

Nine Inch Nails- Where Is Everybody? (Renholder/Telefon Tel Aviv Remix):

Nine Inch Nails- Things Falling Apart:

Alternate Versions: Radiohead- How To Disappear Completely (Live 2001)
Radiohead: How to Disappear Completely, Live Version (Music Video 2001) - IMDb

Radiohead is one of those bands that are truly awesome. Their evolution as a band has been one of the most interesting to listen to and watch happen. The Bends will always be my favorite album of theirs but, 2000’s Kid A is a very close second. That album is one of the best since the change of the century and ever! Not only is it a fantastic album it also has my all time favorite Radiohead song on it, “How To Disappear Completely.” This song is so beautiful and haunting. I still remember the first time I heard Kid A and when it got to this song, I immediately had to put it on again. It’s one of those songs that just has all the right elements and arrangements, plus where it was placed in the sequence of the album is something else too. “How To Disappear Completely” is one of those songs too that isn’t played live too often (only 188 times since Kid A was released according to Setlist.fm) but, when it is, the crowd truly listens and lets the song take over. Singer Thom Yorke has said that this song is “the most beautiful thing we’ve done.” An interesting tidbit about this song, guitarist Jonny Greenwood is the only one in the band with music theory training and According to longtime producer/collaborator Nigel Godrich, when the band heard Greenwood’s score “they all just sort of burst into giggles, because they couldn’t do what he’d written, because it was impossible – or impossible for them, anyway.” Needless to say they figured it out and it became one of the most epic songs they would play live.

Radiohead- How To Disappear Completely (Live 2001):

End Of Album Songs: Failure- Daylight
Great Music Videos: Failure- Stuck On You | audioeclectica

One of my all time favorite bands is Failure. Ever since I was a kid and heard them (pretty sure it was Magnified that I heard), I was sold. Then comes 1996 and they release one of my all time favorite albums in Fantastic Planet. For over 20 years, this album has yet to leave my rotation. It’s a perfect album and one that has gone on to influence and inspire countless other bands and artists. In a way, Fantastic Planet is the new equivalent to the first album by The Velvet Underground. Anyways, I could go on and on about the awesomeness of this record. Instead let’s focus on how great of a song “Daylight” is to end the album. Clocking in at 6 minutes long, this song is epic and one of those songs that makes you want to start the album all over again. The way the music starts and builds creates this amazing tension that finally explodes at the end. “Daylight” is an absolute essential song to listen to on how to close out an album properly. Everything about this song is stunnging from the way Ken, Greg and Kellii all play off each other, the production, the lyrics and melody and to top it off the tones, oh the tones! Bottle those tones and sell them!

Failure- Daylight:

Failure- Daylight (Live at The El Rey- Reunion Show, 2014):

New Release: Centershift- My Own World (Live)

If you aren’t familiar with Centershift yet, you should really get on that! They’ve already released their first song “9” a couple months ago and now they have sort of leaked another song. This new track “My Own World” is one of my favorite Centershift songs. Having been to the first couple Centershift shows, this song is fast becoming a fan favorite. Every time I hear this song, I feel compelled to want to hear it again. It’s a rocking song with soaring melodies and a chorus that is sure to ignite many sing alongs.

Centershift- My Own World (LIVE):


Centershift- 9:

Alternate Versions: Mrs. Piss- Self Surgery (LIVE)
Sargent House - Mrs. Piss

This is one of my favorite side projects I’ve heard in quite a while. If you aren’t familiar with Mrs. Piss you have been missing out. Comprised of Chelsea Wolfe (vocals/guitar) and Jess Gowrie (drums), Mrs. Piss is a departure from what they do in Chelsea’s solo stuff. The project began while the two were touring around together during Wolfe’s Hiss Spun album in 2017. This music is heavier and channels some of the gnarliest, noisiest grunge-sludge sounds of the Nineties, plus plenty of the era’s riot grrrl attitude. This session was recorded in December of 2020 in Northern California and it offers a different take from the studio recordings.


Mrs. Piss- Self Surgery (LIVE):

Self Surgery (STUDIO):