Always liked the Smashing Pumpkins. Looking forward to hear Billy Corgan has done with his new concept album Oceania.

Corgan: "I still stand by my view that I don't think albums are particularly relevant at this time. That may change. But as far as making music…from a writing point of view, it's really going to focus me to put a group of songs together that are supposed to go together".

Bassist Nicole Fiorentino had this to say about her role in recording Oceania:

“ I think because we are all working together on this record it is naturally going to have a different vibe than any of the other records on which Billy played most of the instruments himself. I think we delved into new territory for sure, but what I love about this record is that it has that familiar old-school Pumpkins feel to it, with a modern twist. The cool thing is he was able to capture the energy of the old material without ripping it off. Billy's definitely found his way back to whatever he was tapping into when writing Gish and [Siamese Dream]

source: Oceania (album) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

To me, SP have been crap since the early 90s so I'll be pleasantly shocked if this bassist's statement is anywhere near correct. "New territory" has never been Corgan's strong suit.

I especially liked their first four albums, Gish (1991), Siamese Dream (1993), Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (1995), and Adore (1998).

I always thought that Billy Corgan was a decent singer/songwriter/musician.

Are you just being another one of those "Mainstream Music Nazi's" Engine? :laughing:

I'll still listen to it, but I can't hold out much hope. His new material has been decent, but nowhere near the old stuff. It used to be that I couldn't wait to listen to SP, but not I'm kind of indifferent.

On the other hand, though, Gish and Siamese remasters! Woot woooot!

Ringo Deathstarr are supporting them on their European tour, dammit I'd nearly go just to see them, can't really afford a trip to the UK at the moment though :(

Yey for Gish and Siamese Dream remasters. Wonder will the extras be anything we haven't heard before, maybe a live gig or something?

All the remasters are coming with a DVD of an era specific concert at the Metro. I'm definitely excited for that...it's the one thing the Pumpkins have been missing. All we've had is Vieuphoria...which is just ok. I guess there is If All Goes Wrong...but that's all new stuff. I don't really want the new stuff. So yeah, for that reason alone I would buy these remasters.

Excellent. Yeah one thing we're missing is a proper Pumpkins live dvd, I'd buy Gish and Siamese Dream again just for that.

Goodness, no. My disgust is sincere. All I know is that Mellon Collie was a serious downgrade in quality and SP/Corgan have never been the same since. I still absolutely love Gish and most of Siamese Dream. Oh, and Pisces Iscariot is really good too. But that's enough for me, thanks.


This is pretty good for old live stuff:

http://www.miomusik.com/the_smashing..._DVD_large.jpg

edit: I see you guys already covered and disregarded Vieuphoria. I think it's pretty good.

^

It's ok...until now it has satisfied my need for early 90's Pumpkins. The thing is, it's not one consistent show and the quality is questionable. It's cool as a behind the scenes look at the band, though.

Bullet with butterfly wings, disarm, Rhinoceros, they were just awsome, tonight was great too

also Jellybelly, Zero, Today, We Only Come Out At Night etc etc

^We Only Come Out At Night is rubbish.

Has anyone gotten the Pisces Iscariot reissue yet? I ordered mine today, anxious to get it! Guess it has a tape that is supposed to be a copy of the first ever Pumpkins demo tapes! Thats pretty sweet!

While this is the reaction I've always heard to admitting to liking that song it's nice to know I'm not the only one who does. :yeah:

Hard to top 'Bodies' for my ears though.

"Love" was always my favorite song off Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, although I'm with mr. dave, "Bodies" is pretty awesome.

Bodies is pretty depressing, gotta be in the right mood to appreciate. A melancholy mood I suppose. ;)

To Forgive kicks alot of ass imo.

still sticking with my conviction that Mellon Collie and Pisces are all that you really need

the rest - can live with 'em, can live without 'em

Really, you're a big Pisces fan? What are your fav songs from it?
I do think Pisces is possibly the pinnacle of what early Pumpkins represented. I would disagree with your overall statement due mainly to Siamese Dream and Adore though.

i can't really remember the names, but i love all the "shoegazer" songs there, the ones that sound like My Bloody Valentine

i should relisten to it sometime soon, haven't heard it in years but i love it

^Can't think of any "Real" shoegazer songs on Pisces but there is Obscured and Spaced which are both super chill and atmospheric. Nothing sounds like MBV to me at least.

Yeah you should listen to it again mate, it's good stuff!

^^more dreampop than shoegaze but yeah

i dunno, they do sound a bit like MBV, i mean the chords he used and the atmosphere, not that they sound exactly the same

Billy was a big fan of My Bloody Valentine at the time so there was an influence, especially with the multi-tracking. Loveless was also the reason he wanted Alan Moulder to mix Siamese Dream.

Siamese Dream sounds a lot more like MBV to me than Pisces. The influence is definitely there though.

That was hysterical. I didn't even make it to Mellon Collie myself.

I loved this one:

The guy's a friggin' rock star, wouldn't you think he could afford to pay for a couple of meals? He'd probably ask you to bring some spare change for his taxi home as well.

I read this earlier today. I can't believe the lunch thing, what the hell is that about?

I know! My best guess is that his needy ego was desperate to know how many random people still liked him enough to actually pay to have lunch with him. The accompanying photo in the post is hilarious:

http://assets.noisey.com/content-ima...illyeating.jpg

I love how nobody else in the room gives a flying fuck who he is.

Poor Billy. He's selling mustard now too.

Its probably as bad as grey poupon. I took a piss next to him at NAMM and he tried to talk with me. I got my dick in my hand billy shut the **** up.

I'm waiting on him to bring out his own line of hair products.

:laughing:

That sideways photo of him doing the show at his tea room is horrible. Billy better hit the gym quick he looks bloated from all those free meals.

His paunchy profile is proof that he is still adored.

Guys, now I'm sad :(

What happened to you, Bill? Why can't it be like it was? In the before times. When you just wrote songs and recorded them and there were no animated characters involved.

Tommy Lee seems like a weird choice for the two new albums, but it could end up being cool

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAfkxHcqWKI

Damn, an hour and a half?

Okay, if I must.

Watching Rick Beato get into Jellybelly, bopping his head, cueing the drums, while Corgan remains completely still and motionless and seemingly totally unamused at his own track is downright hilarious to me.

Edit: And Billy took credit for the guitar sound of Smells Like Teen Spirit ("I taught him that" (referring to Butch Vig, producer of Nevermind)) - is this the first time Billy's taken credit for that? I don't remember him taking credit for that before.

What the f*ck is he talking about? Billy didn't even work with Butch until Siamese Dream.