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The Smashing Pumpkins
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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.
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The Smashing Pumpkins have been busy making the rounds in the satellite radio circles. Not only did they take over Sirius' Alt Nation, but yesterday they played for a live audience at XM’s D.C. studios.
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Addicted To Noise editor Michael Goldberg reports: The Smashing Pumpkins have a new drummer. After two and a half days of auditions, which took place in Chicago on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, the Pumpkins have chosen drummer Matt Walker to replace Jimmy Chamberlin and hit the road with them for the remainder of their 1996-1997 world tour. Walker, former drummer with Filter, will be the "touring drummer," according to a statement released by the band; there is no word yet on whether he will play on future Pumpkins' recordings. The Pumpkins met Walker during the European leg of their tour earlier this year, when Filter was the opening act. Rehearsals in Chicago which could last several weeks are to begin immediately.
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The Smashing Pumpkins broke into the musical mainstream with their second album, 1993's Siamese Dream. The group built their audience with extensive touring and their follow-up, 1995's double album Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, debuted at number one on the Billboard charts. With approximately 18.3 million albums sold in the United States alone as of 2006,[4] The Smashing Pumpkins were one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed bands of the 1990s.[5] However, internal fighting, drug use, and diminishing sales hampered the band and led to a 2000 break-up. In April 2006, the band officially announced that they were reuniting and recording a new album. Returning members Billy Corgan and Jimmy Chamberlin were joined by new additions Jeff Schroeder (guitar/vocals), Ginger Reyes (bass/vocals), and Lisa Harriton (keyboard/vocals) in 2007 to tour behind their new release, Zeitgeist.
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The Smashing Pumpkins formed when Billy Corgan returned to his home town of Chicago in the late ‘80s and met guitarist James Iha. The two began working together – performing and recording with the help of a drum machine. At one of their performances Corgan met D’Arcy Wretzky who eventually became the groups bassist and later Jimmy Chamberlin joined the group as drummer. The band gained local popularity and a dedicated following. Personal struggles throughout the band and individually led not only to problems within the group, but was ... the force behind many of the acclaimed lyrics and sounds heard on Siamese Dream.
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With the breakthrough of alternative rock into the American mainstream due to the popularity of grunge bands such as Nirvana and Pearl Jam, The Smashing Pumpkins were poised for major commercial success. At this time, and amid their protests, the Pumpkins were routinely lumped in with the grunge movement. In a Halloween night interview on MTV's 120 Minutes in 1993, Corgan remarked, "We've graduated now from [being called] 'the next Jane's Addiction' to 'the next Nirvana,' now we're 'the next Pearl Jam.'"[16] The group ... contributed the song "Drown" to the platinum-selling soundtrack of the 1992 movie Singles, a film set in the Seattle grunge music scene.
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The Smashing Pumpkins