Smashing Pumpkins
Biography
Of all the major alternative rock bands of the early '90s, the Smashing Pumpkins were the group least influenced by traditional underground rock. Lead guitarist/songwriter Billy Corgan fashioned an amalgam of progressive rock, heavy metal, goth rock, psychedelia, and dream pop, creating a layered, powerful sound driven by swirling, distorted guitars. Corgan was wise enough to exploit his angst-ridden lyrics, yet he never shied away from rock star posturing, even if he did cloak it in allegedly ironic gestures. In fact, the Smashing Pumpkins became the model for alternative rock success. Nirvana was too destructive and Pearl Jam shunned success. The Pumpkins, on the other hand, knew how to play the game, signing to a major-subsidized indie for underground credibility and moving to the major in time to make the group a multi-platinum act. And when the group did achieve mass success with 1993's Siamese Dream, they went a long way to legitimize heavy metal and orchestrated prog rock, helping move alternative rock even closer to '70s AOR, especially in the eyes of radio programmers and mainstream audiences. Unlike many of their contemporaries, the Pumpkins were able to withstand many internal problems and keep selling records, emerging as the longest-lasting and most successful alternative band of the early '90s.
Selected Discography
i think i was about 10 yrs. old when i first heard melancholy and the infinite sadness. loved this band ever since. 24 now. don't listen to them much now but always appreciate hearing them. they do it right. very influential in todays scene.
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I think their best stuff is off of Siamese Dream. Cherub Rock, Mayonaise, Today, Rocket, Geek USA, Hummer, Soma...Gish, Pisces Iscariot and Mellon Collie were also good but they stopped being SP after that and got into electronica and Billy went through his stupid "I hate God" phase. Zeitgeist had Tarantula but Jimmy left the band and now it's definitely over.
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smashing pumpkins suck i convinced my best friend and i can convince the most die hard fan including jay porks but i will leave you to continue blowing billy corgan like courtney love, peace b**ches.
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And if Billy doesn't want to do that, then play solo shows with house bands at random small clubs across the country. You and you're guitar, a few fuzz boxes. Trust me, playing shows is a profitable enough business. Because think about it-I just spent 7 minutes leaving 3 comments about hating billy corgan-but if he was playing a solo set in a semi small club you bet im there. And everyone else is too. Because we all want to hear they're three good songs.
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I know Mr.Corgan is truly living in poverty and everything , so would reply to me explaining how expensive it is to tour. WELL THEN KICK IT OLD SCHOOL! Put your guitars in a van and hit the road. You have 20 trackter trailers full of stupid stage decor and you want to complain that it cost money? I bet those trucks aren't energy efficiant
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That's where the money they claim is being stolen from them is. It's at the shows-why don't you stop complaining and stat touring. If you tour enough, you can get yourself a cult, Radiohead-ty p e fanbase that will think your rock gods. Until then Billy, until you realize your stupidity and how much time you spent complaining as oppose to touring-the question I'll just ask is Would you like some cheese with that wine?? F**king self-centere d prick
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Remember when they played that staduim and they blew Kiss off the stage...
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no ! not that-hes an egomaniac-
well-so are you-bailiff take this piece of shitt away and lock him up until maynard runs out of cocaine and hookers.!!!! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! |
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all sellouts will be punished.bai l i f f - b r i n g in the next defandant.bi l l y corgan-you have been accussed of selling out ruining fm radio-how do you
not guilty likely story,well i find you guilty and your sentance is to be the roadie next time tool goes on the road |
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Its one thing to sell out but must he bring the rest of us with him-must he kill rock radio along with the other bands mentioned below? Why? Is Billy broke? So go on tour you dumb f**k and play those three songs everyone likes-the venues will be sold out. Don't be playing that new s**t that no one cares about. Play "Zero", "Bullet w/ etc." and "1979" and send us home.
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corgan-rhcp- m e t a l l i c - s p e n d more time with lawyers than they do hookers with cocaine-that s why the music has changed.smas h e d pumpkin doesnt hold uplike bono he fell in love with himself and the worst one is maynard selling wine to M.I.L.F'S. at Whole Foods on Sat. afternoons-t h e raw spirit is gone-authent i c versus fake-coogan- c o r g a n - w h a t e v e r SOLD THE FUCCK OUT !!!!!
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For a band with at most-four good songs Corgan seems to be making sure he drives the stake deeper and quicker into the heart of terestrial radio then it already is. Billy will shut Pandora down-trust me
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Corgan doesn't get it-he doesn't remember what it was like to be struggling artist shopping a demo, begging a station to play it at 4AM on a sunday. I'm real clear he wasn't like "hey play my demo and pay me x amount of dollars every time you play it". So where is the line drawn? Where's the line of 'Songs get played for free' and 'may we please play your songs'. Does Billy think it's a priveledge for his works to be broadcasted to a mass audience?
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Lets talk Billy Corgan for a second. He's a friggin douchebag-Te s t i f i e d in front of congress that radio stations should have to pay the artist every time they play a song by them-hence the death of rock radio(statio n s would rather just pay people to talk). I would have never even heard of the Smashing Pumpkins if they hadn't played it on the radio-that's the reason they can sell out venues and sell us $40 tee shirts.The Grateful Dead used to encourage bootleging at their shows-some people get it
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Why is it that every review on Pandora seems to praise bands for playing "the game."
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Woah, they've got enough enough edge for grunge and melodic enough to listen too without being frightened away
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I recently fell back in love with SP. I'd been listening to a lot of lighter stuff like Today and 1979. Then I heard Siva for the first time in a while and I was like "Oh yeah, these guys are unbelievable ! " Older stuff's better. They weren't really SP after Mellon Collie.
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Blondie song that was asked about: only 1 i know of is "dreaming" it can be found on "the aeroplane flies high" singles box set which included the singles from mellon collie with added b-sides. includes cars covers i believ a cure cover and a few others as well as blondie. the 1979 disc has what i believe is an opposite to the track "beautiful" on mellon collie which is called "ugly".
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Never really liked them much before but a lot more of the material has grown on me.
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ya corgan is an ego maniac. but thats why im not his friend. i just listen to the music. must frontman are dicks. given that corgan is a super dick. hey bigun where was that show because i was at one in 94' and he did that same s**t. it was in alabama or somewere south and he kept saying dumb s**t about incest. he was pissed because the venue was half empty i think
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who cares if the frontman is a pretentious a##hole the smashing pumpknins have an amazing body of work.
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Corgan is a f**king idiot and the world would be alot better if he was never born
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Agreed, once again I must state that Billy Corgan is a total a-hole! Now the Pumpkins were good and I'm glad to see James playing with a band where the singer can actually sing. I wish Corgan would just go away, the 90's are long gone and you should be too!
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I think fans need to separate the art from the artist. Most artists,gene r a l l y are jerks, that does not diminish their art though. I do not need to like Billy Corgan, I do not know him, nor do I want to.I like his music. I agree with you though, why rip on someones town? that is SO lame. Like some places in America are somehow "cooler" than others..stup i d elitist attitude.
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Saw these guys back in '94 I think it was and although I loved the music, Corgan continually ripped on how my hometown was beneath him. I thought "Why the hell are you playing here then?" Mixed emotions, love the sound can't stand the dude.
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Did you know that the Pumpkins did a cover of a Blondie song? It's freaking awesome! If anyone knows the name of it, they should seriously sent it to me now. THat would be most appreciated.
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definatley one of the most influential rock bands during the 90s. Definatley my favorite by far, billy is an AMAZING singer
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Hey Vincent if you really think Cobain was in the Pumpkins you're mental. Furthermore, just because someone is famous doesn't mean they can sing, on top of that he's a total prick. That song sucks and you won't change my mind, thanks anyway. Now go study up on your (lack of)musical knowledge V?
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colfaxknieve l you'll never be as famous as Billy so shut your mouth you idiot! Listen to their song Freak on a Leash. That will make you change your mind.
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