Smashing Pumpkins together again?

[Samsara]

Pumpkins' Smashing Return

06/21/2005 5:20 PM, E! Online
Josh Grossberg

Today is the greatest day for fans of the Smashing Pumpkins.

Taking out full page ads in Tuesday's Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times, Billy Corgan announced plans to reform his seminal alt-rock out five years after disbanded the group.

"For a year now, I have walked around with a secret, a secret I chose to keep," the bald-pated singer-songwriter writes in an open letter to fans. "But now I want you to be among the first to know that I have made plans to renew and revive the Smashing Pumpkins. I want my band back, and my songs, and my dreams.

"Rock on and may God bless you! Billy Corgan."

Corgan makes no mention of whether the other three original Pumpkins--guitarist James Iha (currently with A Perfect Circle), bassist D'Arcy Wretzky or drummer Jimmy Chamberlin--share his enthusiasm, especially considering their acrimonious split. Nor did Corgan indicate exactly when the reunion would take place.

Known for his nasal whine and '70s-echoing guitar licks, Corgan was the principal songwriter and driving force (some would say taskmaster) behind the Windy City-based quartet. He broke the news of the reunion on the same day his first solo album, The Future Embrace, arrived in stores.

Over an 11-year career, the Smashing Pumpkins released five studio albums and won two Grammy Awards. The band first made noise with the 1991 college-rock fave Gish, followed by the breakout major-label debut, 1993's Siamese Dream, which rode the grunge wave and catapulted them into alt-rock superstars with radio-friendly songs like "Today" and "Disarm."

The Pumpkins followed up with 1994's Pisces Iscariot, before scoring their biggest success with 1995's double album Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. The band's magnum opus sold 4.7 million copies on the strength of such hits as "Bullet with Butterfly Wings," "Tonight, Tonight" and "1979."

The band nearly imploded in 1996 following the death of touring keyboardist Jonathan Melvoin from a heroin overdose. Corgan fired Chamberlin for shooting up with Melvoin, using a rotating series of drummers for the next Pumpkins release, 1998's electronic-infused Adore, and subsequent tour.

In 1999, Chamberlain rejoined the lineup right before Wretzky, who would later battle her own drug problems, called it quits to try her hand at an acting career. She was replaced briefly by former Hole bassist Melissa Auf der Maur for the band's final tour and album, 2000's hard-charging Machina: The Machines of God.

The band gave its final performance at a Dec. 2, 2000, 36-song marathon show at Chitown's legendary Metro.

Corgan immediately threw himself into various projects. He and Chamberlin formed a new band, Zwan, and released an album, Mary Star of the Sea, in 2003 but disbanded shortly thereafter. He also put out a bestselling book of poetry before getting to work on The Future Embrace, again with Chamberlain backing him up.

In his Tuesday dispatch, Corgan says the new album "represents a new beginning, not an ending" and "picks up the thread of the as-yet-unfinished work and charter of the Smashing Pumpkins."

He embarks on a solo tour Wednesday in Atlanta.

Your thoughts on this.

[Zerglite]

wahoo! thats great, lets just hope they dont get together and make shitty albums!!

<-- cant wait till daryn writes some uber huge thing about this

[Pains Requiem]

Well, right now Corgan is going solo, and a damn good album is out from him right now, and i have heard somewhere that forming a band was not cast out of billy's mind. Click the My Space Blog in my signature. There are people helping him with his solo album.

The Fellowship of Broken Toys is: Matt Walker, Brian Liesegang, Linda Strawberry, Billy Corgan

I think these will be the ones to help him in his new band, but im not sure about the name Smashing Pumpkins. James Iha is also going solo, and Billy on many occasions has been called a tyrant, so i doubt if D'Arcy, James, and Jimmy really want to be back together.

I really would like the Pumpkins back, but the band would not be the same without any of the original members.

[Roach Of Discord]

I loved the pumpkins. I hope it's true.

I have yet to hear his solo material, but was definitely turned down by Zwan. Ahg...happy poppy music just not fit Billy Corgan.

-edit

Where did you find this article? I can't find it anywhere...

[Hitsua]

I am not a fan of his solo work either, but I wouldn't mind a reunion.

[Pains Requiem]

Im loving his solo work. A reunion would be nice, if at least Jimmy Chamberlain and James Iha returned. Never really liked D'Arcy that much, but Chamberlain was a awesom drummer, and Iha is just.. Iha. And with his experience with APC he would have a lot to offer the Pumpkins if they joined back together.

Originally Posted by RoaCh Of DisCord

I loved the pumpkins. I hope it's true.

I have yet to hear his solo material, but was definitely turned down by Zwan. Ahg...happy poppy music just not fit Billy Corgan.

-edit

Where did you find this article? I can't find it anywhere...

http://music.yahoo.com/read/news/20838901

[Forged]

Seeing as Maynard is going on tour with tool soon I don't think iha will have anything better to do. If he would join is a totally diffrent story though.

[Samsara]

Yeah Iha being in PC and Corgan being....well Corgan. I doubt that they will come back together, if so, it will be very shortlived.

[Pains Requiem]

Maynard really is forming back up with tool? YES! may i finally be able to see them in concert. I had heard talk about it, but never knew if it was true or not. The Fellowship and Corgan made some really nice music together on Corgan's solo album, so if he does bring another band into existence, why not bring back the Starchildren, or just stay with the Fellowship of Broken Toys? I like the name a lot, and it does sorta suit Corgan.

Whats Jimmy Chamberlain been up to lately?

[Forged]

I believe Chamberlain owns a record label or something, and yes maynard never left tool. They have a new album coming out soon.

[Pains Requiem]

Originally Posted by Forged

I believe Chamberlain owns a record label or something, and yes maynard never left tool. They have a new album coming out soon.

Yes! i feel all happy inside :huggles :wasted

Im going to check tool.down.net and see what all is happening there. Has anyone checked out Billy's solo stuff within my signature? tel me what you guys think, if he should stay like this or form a band again.

-edit-
holy ****-

MJK owns a mexican restaraunt..

[Jenny]

Corgan's solo career sucks.

Gwen Stefani's solo career > Corgan's solo career

I don't want S. Pumpkins to get back together.

[RuneyPoo]

So are the backstreet boys, but you don't hear my screaming "WOOHOO"

[TheNamelessYam]

their music was so damned good, i really hope they get together again.

at the same time though, im worried they are going to make dogshit and ruin their appearance.

[Roach Of Discord]

I think they're more than capable of making a big come-back..assuming it happens. I don't think there's any album by The Smashing Pumpkins that I don't like.

[Zmoney]

I just busted out STUNT yesterday.

GReat album.

[Pains Requiem]

I got TheFutureEmbrace just an hour or 2 ago. Great album. Again im going to say that them re-forming with some original members isnt 100% unlikely, as Jimmy Chamberlain does drums for the song DIA, and since Maynard is going back to Tool, Iha will be forced to leave APC and that leaves him open for the reunion.

another thing i noticed- i think Billy found god with this album. Look up the lyrics for Im Ready and Mina Loy (M.O.H) And in the thank you notes, i quote:

"it is my humble beleif that god has many names but just one face.And its with that divine spirit with a capital 'S' that im grateful for this moment. To sing my songs for you." I even underlined where it is in the book that comes with it.

Compare those lyrics with "Bullet with Butterfly Wings".
If they do reform, the Pumpkins spirit and messages are going to be completely different from what they used to do.

i also learned today Billy Corgan was born William Patrick Corgan Jr...

[Forged]

Well it does stand to reason seeing as Billy is short for William, however I don't really like spiritual bands so that might suck.

[Pains Requiem]

Billy still did produce a kick-ass album, IMO, even though it is really really mellow and soft sounding, even though a few songs might make you think of Orgy for a few seconds. Billy has yet to say anything out straight as "i love you, god" but has said:

Song lyrics
I'm ready
oh Lord I'm ready
I'm ready, ready, ready to roll
ready to leave
I'm ready
oh Lord I'm steady now
I'm ready, ready, ready to flee
ready to turn

it's your fascination I could live without
too much information leaves my heart no doubt
oh Lord I'm ready now
I'm ready, ready, ready to know
ready to learn

push the world away from your life
cast away the pearls that bring their swine to us
whatever shatters light has no right

conversations spill your will
conversations I can't feel
I'm ready
I'm ready

I'm ready
oh Lord I'm patient now
whoever I was wanting to be
I already am

tell me alienation hasn't found you out
too few condemnations fill your heart with doubt

oh Lord I'm ready now
oh Lord I'm ready
oh Lord I'm ready now
I'm ready to throw away the world from your life
cast away the pearls that bring their swine to us
whatever shatters light has no right

conversations say you will
conversations I can't feel
I'm ready
I'm ready

conversations spill your will
conversations they can't steal
I'm ready
ready for love
I'm ready
ready for love
I'm ready
ready for love


That gets you thinking.

UnderOATH is a fast-paced metalcore band, and they sing praise to god in their songs, and even Chevelle is a christian band, with songs like "Closure" and "An Evening With el Diablo". Read the lyrics. Both UnderOATH and Chevelle are awesome bands. Maybe Billy can form the Fellowship of Broken Toys into a band, but make them more spiritual and emotional than the Smashing Pumpkins, but still not make them Zwan. Hell no, not Zwan. I mean, still keep their heavy riffs like they did in songs like "Zero", but still produce great soft love songs like "Stand Inside Your Love", or do what the Pumpkins did best-

just sing about what was in their heart, which is was what "Disarm", "1979", and "Today" were about. Just singing about whats going through the band's mind, and their thoughts and feelings about different things.

[jd-inflames]

I've been turned off to Billy Corgan ever since I found out that he slept with Courtney Love. I mean, honestly, that's why Kurt Cobain commited suicide, you would think that Corgan would follow his lead. His penis is now obviously tainted.

Other than that, the music has been kinda awful since the late 70's. Sorry to say.