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Thursday, July 12, 2007

Music Smashing Pumpkins on Letterman

Posted by Christine S. Blystone on Thu, Jul 12 at 11:30 AM

I was pleasantly surprised at the Pumpkins’ performance on David Letterman a few nights ago. After not being too crazy about the new record, and nearly barfing in my mouth when I saw their new music video, I guess I was expecting the worst.

Still, I’m bummed out Billy Corgan went with the Smashing Pumpkins moniker when half the original members aren’t even in the band. What do you Blogtown readers think? Are you sad or glad the Smashing Pumpkins are back? I’m still leaning towards sad.

Sometimes you just gotta remember the glory days, and not try to relive them, Billy.

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Comments

Yawn.

No James Iha = No Smashing Pumpkins

That shit was BORING.

Posted by Mike Williams | July 12, 2007 12:15 PM

Yeah, this isn't the smashing pumpkins I fell dangerously in love with in 1997.

This is more like Billy Corgan's Ego and Friends. I hope this doesn't go down as the last chapter in the pumpkins' musicaly legacy...

Posted by farmisastyle | July 12, 2007 12:25 PM

Give it up Uncle Fester! Has anybody really had any interest in SP since oh, I dunno the 20th century?

Posted by Cheesus | July 12, 2007 5:18 PM

p-fork is right on this one:

There are many reasons-- cynical, sad, or artistic-- for Billy Corgan to pull the Smashing Pumpkins moniker out of the crawlspace. Corgan has hardly been in hiding since the Pumpkins were dissolved in 2000, making music first with short-lived supergroup Zwan and then under his own name for 2005's TheFutureEmbrace. That latter record's commercial fizzle was abetted by Corgan's newspaper-ad announcement-- on the very day of TheFutureEmbrace's release-- that he was getting the band back together. Of course, the only actual reunion taking place was between Corgan and his most famous brand; drummer Jimmy Chamberlin was already involved in both post-Pumpkins projects, and James Iha/D'Arcy preferred to stay in hiding.

Posted by cocknroll | July 13, 2007 12:36 AM

I'm still kinda of two minds on this one.

I was unimpressed with Tarantula on first listen, though it's grown on me. I've noticed the rest of the album following the same dynamic over the last few days.

As far as the other members go, I think it's imperative to remember that even when the original lineup was together, Billy had a tendancy to record everything (save drums) by himself in the studio. So on the album at least, I'm not sure how the different membership is affecting the sound.

That said, I was just looking at YouTube videos of Mellon Collie-era performances, and damn D'arcy was hot in 1995. And out where I live (j-land), the ladies are all disappointed that jeemusu-san won't be coming back...

Posted by Greg Diamond | July 13, 2007 8:27 AM

I'm in agreement with Greg. I don't think D'arcy, James Iha, or Jimmy Chamberlain really put anything into the band that couldn't be replaced. James Iha just played a loud distorted guitar and D'arcy played a loud distorted bass. Jimmy certainly does beat the shit out of the drums though so I guess he does something that not every drummer does. The pumpkins were always Billy Corgan and will always be Billy Corgan. I have no problem resurrecting the name. It was his band the whole time anyway.

Posted by Garrett | July 13, 2007 1:06 PM

Jimmy certainly does beat the shit out of the drums though so I guess he does something that not every drummer does.

Jimmy Chamberlain is my favorite drummer. When I took drum lessons as a teenager, I'd bring in SP songs to my teacher, and he'd translate them into tab for me. Some of those beats are still such a crazy puzzle in my head. He is a fun drummer to watch live, and I've used that beat from 1979 on countless songs.

Posted by Christine S. Blystone | July 13, 2007 4:57 PM

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