The Smashing Pumpkins (to release new album for free)

[Toejam]

The Smashing Pumpkins is one of my favorite 90's bands.
Siamese Dream and Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness are
two of the albums I listened to intensely throughout high school.

The Smashing Pumpkins' album Zeitgeist was released 7/10/07,
and was released in multiple special editions.
Three versions are exclusive to iTunes, Best Buy, and Target.(Each has a unique bonus track.)
I got the Deluxe edition
http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x216/toejam67/SP_Zeitgeist_book.jpg
which unfortunately, doesn't come with any bonus tracks but comes in a flip book
with the CD place inside the last page (and I fear it will be prone to scratching the CD.)

I've enjoyed this album quite a bit in the short time since its release.
Although, I doubt Billy will ever be able to top Siamese Dream, it is fun to see what he will try next.

Anyway, feel free to give your thoughts on all things SP.

[jayTL]

I really hate the fucking bonus track fiasco with buying it at different places. I plan on buying the cd eventually.

Music has a piracy problem. The bonus track thing doesnt help.

[zach82]

I agree about that, and it only makes it worse if you have to buy like 5 copies of a CD to get all of the songs that are available.

[The Dream Master]

I just downloaded the American Gothic EP from iTunes, and I must say that "The Rose March" is absolutely sweet.

[islandmountain]

I hope Smashing Pumpkins release another EP soon. They've played some great songs live that as of now are unreleased, including Superchrist which got an official music video but I don't think it's avaliable to download legally or buy on record, and Gossamer which is about 20-30 minutes long and has some awesome guitar/drum solos. There's a lot of moaning about them making records again without D'Arcy and James but I love that they're back.

[The Dream Master]

Yeah, "Gossamer" owns. I'd like to hear what a polished studio version would sound like. It sounded terrific live, that's for sure.

[Kat]

Reviving this thread out of my love for the Pumpkins, and people's new interest in them with their song in the Watchmen.

[Sean [The Wildcard]]

My favorite album of theirs has to be Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness.

Siamese Dream and Adore are two of my favs as well.

[Kat]

Thirty Three is one of my overall favorite songs and my fav Pumpkin song of all time.

[nottidelterrore]

A band I've liked since early '97 & that's stayed constant. While I've dropped many bands from my "fan of" list & added different ones over the years, the Pumpkins always stayed on my list of favourites.

Siamese Dream is my favourite album that they've released. My second favourite is hard to pick but right now it's MACHINA, an album that I think is very underrated.

I've yet to hear Zeitgeist.

[Killa Pimp]

they are in Charlotte NC (2.5 hours from the house) 8/15

they are in Raleigh NC (30 min from the house) 8/17

Seriously thinking about going

the only thing is that they are playing different music from the bands' different eras at each individual concert.

So I may do both.

[The Dream Master]

It's worth going to both. I saw them a few months apart last year, and the setlist was pretty varied. I'd like to go see them in Charlotte this Friday, but I've got other stuff I have to do.

[nottidelterrore]

As of late, MACHINA is something that has gotten extensive play on my computer. I've been listening to it a lot lately. Currently, it's my favourite SP album.

And the line-up from that time is becoming my favourite as well.

http://www.musicbabylon.com/files/Smashing_Pumpkins.jpg

[The Dream Master]

That's the line-up I saw when I saw them in concert the first time back in 2000. Wicked fucking show as well.

[nottidelterrore]

I picked up a copy of Mellon Collie & the Infinite Sadness last weekend at a yard sale for $1. I already owned it but my old copy was beat up like crazy. I've had it for over 12 years. It's nice to go through & listen to it again. I still love it as much as I did back when I got into the Pumpkins.

Anyway, I still haven't heard Zeitgeist. :X

[The Dream Master]

Not sure if anyone else has heard about this, but Billy Corgan announced last year that the band's next release, Teargarden by Kaleidoscope, will be released in piecemeal fashion (one song at a time) and for free. The first song, "Song for a Son," has just been posted on the official website (http://www.smashingpumpkins.com). It's kind of a trippy, 70s-esque effort. I sort of like it, but I'm not sure if there's much in their catalog that resembles it, which makes me happy. I think Corgan got way too caught up in trying to recapture their old sound to appease the masses for Zeitgeist. This sounds much more fresh and less forced.

[ChildrenoftheDamned]

So I take it Billy's still stuck on the digital single thing?

[The Dream Master]

I guess. He claims that he wants to create a different experience by basically allowing listeners to listen to the album as it's being created. He's going to release them on physical media too, but in the form of 11 EPs that'll feature 4 songs apiece. The first one is supposed to be out next month.

[ChildrenoftheDamned]

I plan to check 'em out but I think I'll go with the 11 EP's. I just prefer the physical.

[SlasherFreak]

I'll check for it...I always liked Smashing Pumpkins...1979 is one of my favorite tracks of all time.

At the haunted house I worked at this past Halloween season, in the dressing room they had pics of celebrity guest that came and Billy Corgan had his pic up on the wall with one of our monsters from last year.

[nottidelterrore]

This is kind of random but I've heard that Billy Corgan is dating Jessica Simpson. She's really attractive & all but really, Billy?

[The Dream Master]

Notti, I'm pretty sure he's lost his mind, so that wouldn't surprise me. I just hope he can churn out some good music. :X

[Evil_Meanie]

I love The Pumpkins, I always have ever since I was a twelve year old Evil meanie.

Billy Corgan might be crazy, but in my opinion, he's still got it musically. I think the man has run out of things to write about lyrically, though. But honestly, I'd rather have lyrics about buttering toast and being ready, ready, ready, ready for love than watch a man in his late 30s bitch about his shitty dad. Besides, Corgan still strikes gold every now and again, while Zeitgeist was mostly a bunch of bullshit, a good deal of the songs to come out of reunion were amazing.

The new album is shaping up to be pretty good, even if the method of release is stupid and makes no sense especially when not every song on an album is up to single quality and therefore when a perfectly passable album track like the second song released comes out, it gets shit on. The same thing would have happened if Mellon Collie had been released one song at a time.

Oh yeah, and the Jessica Simpson thing rocks. Cut the man some slack, he looks like an alien. If Billy Corgan can have an attractive blonde girlfriend, then more power to him.

[The Dream Master]

I think Corgan still shows flashes of brilliance and all, but fuck me, he's just weird as hell lately. I hate that Jimmy left the Pumpkins, but I can't really say it spells doom for the "band" since Adore is still my favorite album and Jimmy obviously wasn't around for that one. I dunno, I'll stick with him until the music starts to suck on a consistent basis. I loved Zwan, enjoyed The Future Embrace, and even thought Zeitgeist had some good tunes. "Song for a Son" from Teargarden is a good tune, but that latest one ("Widow Wake My Mind")...ehhh. Not his best work by a long shot.

[The Dream Master]

Well, I recently read the latest Rolling Stone interview with Corgan, and I'm convinced the guy has lost his fucking mind. Turns out Jimmy didn't just leave the band; instead, Billy basically told him to fuck off and "ride around in a white van for the rest of his life" because Jimmy is a "destructive person." Jesus Christ, you fire one of the best drummers in rock history for no reason, and hire some 19 year old kid to replace him? Fuck off. And this is not to mention that he continues to slander James Iha at every turn. This new album had better blow the fucking doors off, that's all I've got to say.

[nottidelterrore]

Sounds like Billy has a lot of growing up to do. He's such a talent musician but has to be such a prick at the same time. The Pumpkins will never be the same without either. I thought that with D'Arcy too but Melissa Auf der Maur ending up being a damn good replacement.

[The Dream Master]

Well, Auf der Maur was actually an upgrade from D'arcy. Don't get me wrong, D'arcy was cool as shit, but she wasn't the most talented musician on the planet, and it's not like Billy wasn't playing all of her parts on the record anyway most of the time. :X

But yeah, I think the dude has psychological problems dating back to his childhood. Everytime something goes south, it's not his fault, but everyone else's. The guy never takes responsibility for anything, and seems to enjoy burning bridges and surrounding himself with nothing but a bunch of sycophants that'll eventually do nothing but leech off of him.

[Denzil]

I am kinda tempted to go and see them in Glasgow around November time. Has anyone here seen them live/heard about what they are like live nowadays? Would it be worth a trip down (around 2 and half hours) to see them perform.

My favourite Smashing Pumpkins song at the moment is: Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness.

[The Dream Master]

Last I heard them was in 2007, and they were good. But a lot's changed since then, and I know Billy was going nuts on the last tour. I'd still go see them if possible.

Oh yeah, Oceana is the new album (within the album or some shit--Billy's head is firmly crawled up his ass at this point), which should be coming soon.

[nottidelterrore]

So I picked up Siamese Dream on vinyl last Friday. It sounds great. They also released Gish on vinyl.

[The Dream Master]

I want to get the big deluxe CD re-issues, but I ain't paying $30 a pop to fuel Corgan's further insanity. :(