William Patrick Corgan

Anticipated Albums: The Smashing Pumpkins- Shiny and Oh So Bright Vol I

 

 

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The Smashing Pumpkins are a few weeks away from releasing their new album, Shiny and Oh So Bright Volume I (out November 16). This first collection of songs is the first in over 19 years with William Patrick Corgan (he has stopped going by Billy), Jimmy Chamberlain and James Iha. The first two songs released so far, “Solara” and “Silvery Sometimes (Ghosts)” are fantastic songs that sound modern but still hark back to the bands heyday. There is a planned Volume II that is supposed to be released later on next year along with a full length tour.
The Smashing Pumpkins- Solara:

 

 

The Smashing Pumpkins- Silvery Sometimes (Ghosts):

 

Classic Soundtracks: Spun

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Way back in 2001 after the break up of The Smashing Pumpkins, Billy Corgan and Jimmy Chamberlain formed a new band called Zwan. There was two sides to the band and the more acoustic based side was called The Djali Zwan.  Then in 2002, Billy was approached by visionary director Jonas Akerlund to create the music for his upcoming film Spun. A slew of original songs were written by Billy, as well as different approaches to a variety of other songs like a very stripped down version of Iron Maiden’s “The Number Of The Beast.” The film would go on to become a sort of cult movie but, the soundtrack is one of those sought after items for many fans of Corgan’s. These songs have taken on a life of their own and really helped to give a vibe to the film.

 

Spun Soundtrack:

 

Soundtrack Only Songs: The Smashing Pumpkins- Drown

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The year is 1992 and the Seattle music scene is exploding. Director Cameron Crowe has made a film that tries to encapsulate that era of Seattle with his film Singles. While the film is a bit hit and miss, there is one thing about the film that stands out, it’s soundtrack.

We all know about the inclusion of Pearl Jam, Alice In Chains, Soundgarden, Mudhoney and Chris Cornell. There is one song in particular on the soundtrack that has always stood out to me. That song is “Drown” by The Smashing Pumpkins. The song debuted during the tour for their debut album and was written not long after that record was released. “Drown” became a moderate radio hit in mid-1992 and gave the band significant exposure just before work commenced on their follow up album Siamese Dream. It’s worth noting that the song was also released on the band’s official greatest hits compilation album Rotten Apples but, only the abridged version was included. “Drown” was considered for the Pisces Iscariot album but William Patrick Corgan decided to not include it. The other night, when I saw the Pumpkins live, I finally got to hear this masterful song in its entirety and it left me in awe.

 

The Smashing Pumpkins- Drown:

Live Review: The Smashing Pumpkins at The Forum

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Over the years I’ve developed an interesting relationship with The Smashing Pumpkins. One one hand I’ve thoroughly enjoyed their albums and on the other, I’ve been less than impressed with their live shows, until now. The previous three times I’ve seen The Smashing Pumpkins, were not that great at all but, on this evening that I saw them, they put all those old thoughts and feelings to rest. The Shiny and Oh So Bright tour is more than a spectacle, it’s a right of passage and a sense of realization of a band that has always been at the forefront of alternative music.

 
As the lights dimmed and the curtain opened just a tad, out walks William Patrick Corgan (he no longer goes by Billy), armed with an acoustic guitar, he starts strumming the chords of “Disarm.” What a way to start the show. Then a quick pause to allow the other members of the band join on stage as they blast off with “Rocket.” Already after two songs, my mind is blown. I’ve been waiting years to hear these songs. As the show went on, more and more favorites of mine were played like “Siva,” “Rhinoceros.” “Drown,” “Thirty-Three,” “Soma,” “Eye,” “Hummer,” “Cherub Rock,” and “Muzzle.” Of course there were the quintessential staples that were played like “Zero,” “Tonight, Tonight,” “Today,” “Bullet With Butterfly Wings,” and “1979.” One thing that made this night even more special was the inclusion of so many deep cuts like “Try, Try, Try,” “Mayonaise,” “Drown,” “For Martha,” and “Blew Away.” Even their new song “Solara” sounded superb. The production for this show was top notch as well. The videos playing behind the band were pretty trippy and drenched with different emotions to accompany the songs played. Even their cover of the Led Zeppelin classic “Stairway To Heaven” was outstanding.

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This night not only proved that The Smashing Pumpkins are back and better than ever but, it showed that real artistry is still alive. 30 years into their career, the Pumpkins, have shown that their songs stand the test of time and for the most part, their fan base is still intact, just waiting for the next great album from William and company. I will say that having Jimmy Chamberlain and James Iha back in the band really does make a difference. They have a distinct feel for how they play these songs and they really come to life with them on stage. Jeff Schroeder on guitar is a perfect addition to this group. Having been in the band since the Zeitgeist album, he too has a really great take on how to play these songs. Lastly, the addition of Jack Bates on bass was stellar. He brought a subtle yet dark eerie vibe to the low end that really complimented these songs well. Plus he’s the son of the legendary Peter Hook of Joy Division and New Order so, it’s without a doubt that he understands the proper tone.

I came in not knowing what to expect, and left the show completely blown away. The 3 and a half hour set didn’t feel like it was that long. Every aspect of this show was spot on. William sounded great and better than ever. Personally I can’t wait to see them again. What a night and setlist to remember forever. Thank you to The Smashing Pumpkins for delivering one hell of a show and playing so many of my favorite songs.

 

The Smashing Pumpkins Set List:
01) Mellon Collie and The Infinite Sadness
02) Disarm
03) Rocket
04) Siva
05) Rhinocerous
06) Space Oddity (David Bowie Cover)
07) Drown
08) Zero
09) The Everlasting Gaze
10) Stand Inside Your Love
11) Thirty-Three
12) Eye
13) Soma
14) Blew Away
15) For Martha
16) To Shelia
17) Mayonaise
18) Porcelina of the Vast Oceans
19) Landslide (Fleetwood Mac Cover)
20) Tonight, Tonight
21) Stairway To Heaven (Led Zeppelin Cover)
22) Cherub Rock
23) 1979
24) Ava Adore
25) Try, Try, Try
26) The Beginning Is The End Is The Beginning
27) Hummer
28) Today
29) Bullet With Butterfly Wings
30) Muzzle

Encore:

31) Solara
32) Baby Mine (Betty Noyes Cover)

Unsung Masterpieces: Smashing Pumpkins- Adore
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The process of following up a career defining album is a very serious task. The amount of pressure that is put on a band to follow that up with a great deal of success is overwhelming. The Smashing Pumpkins follow up to Mellon Collie and The Infinite Sadness, Adore is one of the most daring and intriguing albums in the bands discography. Recorded following the death of Billy Corgan’s mother and his divorce, this was a significant change of style from the bands guitar driven albums. Adore saw the band venture into more electronic territory. This was in part to drummer Jimmy Chamberlain being fired from the band before the recording process. Instead the drums on the album were cut from drum machines and the assistance of drummer Matt Walker who toured with the band following Chamberlains release. During this time as well, the bands image shifted toward a more darker gothic sensibility.

Adore is the type of album that when you first listen to it, you are taken aback by it. There is a purity and solemnness to it, that delves even deeper than the bands previous works. Songs like “To Sheila,” “Crestfallen,””For Martha,” exhibit this notion. The more electronic driven songs like “Ava Adore” and “Perfect” show some similarities to classic Pumpkins material. Then there are songs like “Tear,” “Appels & Oranjes,””Pug,” “Behold! The Night Mare,” that show an added maturity to Billy Corgan’s writing.

Adore was obviously not the album that fans of the band wanted, but it was necessary to reinvigorate the band to come to terms with their issues. Over time, Adore has been one of those albums that with time and age has truly become a wonderful album. It really has a sense that if you’ve lived life and been through hell to an extent, then this album will really hit the mark. Take it for another listen, and you’ll see what I mean.

Smashing Pumpkins- Adore: