actually it was a band effort, unlike the "pre-goth-era billy" pumpkins. he had surrounded himself w/ a respectable group of musicians who played in APC, tortoise, slint, papa m and others. adore is o.k-it reminds me of the cure, which is good for me. i just cant get over the whole shaved-head, black cape joke that he became.
I remember seeing the Perfect video when it first came out and thinking the same thing. It's over. Does Jimmy play on Adore? I thought it was a drum machine. I like Siamese almost as much as Gish. Silver-phuc is probably my all time favorite SP song. Mellon Collie has some real good tracks and some not so good tracks. Of course it's a double CD so it all evens out IMO. Sure it's a little over the top, but if you just listen to the songs, it holds up pretty well. But yes, Gish is my favorite overall.
I thought I was the only one who recognized this. Personally, I think Billy Corgan should be like Burt Bacarach - get someone with a voice to sing his sappy songs. He should stick to playing guitar (he is a good player, even if all of his songs sound the same).
i "adore" gish, and siamesed dream, some of my favorite cds of all time. and i also like adore. i thought zwan was ok, but there was just some things missing. but anyways for whomever is a pumkins fan i was suggest checking out adore, pretty good stuff.
I wasn't real impressed with the results. I guess he never really gave Zwan time to jell as a group. Some groups never gell, like Soundgarden. To me, they always sounded so, disparate. Guess that's why they are defunct.
i think that was the album that they had kicked out jimmy for doing drugs w/ the keyboard player who o.d.ed. i saw that tour after the guy died and jimmy was out. to this day, the only concert i fell asleep at. i really like picees iscariot too. a bunch of b-sides and stuff from gish/siameese dream. i think some of their best stuff is on that one. meloncollie had its moments, but again i must point out that by this time billy was wearing capes and eyeliner. a cape, for the love of god!
Soundgarden never jelled as a group? I don't understand what you mean by that, Bama, as "Badmotorfinger" and "Superunknown" are 2 great hard rock albums. ima, Yes, Billy used a drum machine as well as various guest star drummers on "Adore". As jo mama mentioned, "Pisces Iscariot" is worth your time to pick up as it has B-Sides from "Siamese Dream" and "Gish" and most of those songs are pretty damn good.
Finally, some other people that agree with me. My wife and I are huge Pumpkins fans, and without a doubt we both agree that ADORE IS ONE OF THE BEST ALBUMS EVER!
Jo and ManRam: I have Pices and I love it, especially Frail and Bedazzled and of course Starla. I can just listen to Starla on repeat all day long. I love that hypnotic feel it has. One of their best tunes IMO. I also love Earphoria. That version of Silverphuk is amazing at the end. I also like the "electric" version of Disarm better than the original. Maybe I'll "sample" Adore this weekend. Jo (or anyone else), how would you describe My Bloody Valentine? I've heard the name, but never heard their stuff. Your post has peeked my interest. If I like Siamese, would I like them?
The Smashing Pumpkins were probably my favorite band back in high school ('94-'98). I never got tired of the Mellon Collie album or the Siamese Dream album. They both totally rocked. Pieces Iscariot was pretty good too, and I don't have any complaints about Adore. That song "Perfect" was pretty mellow. Then they started getting all experimental and sh*t with that "Airplane" boxed set. Billy started getting invovled with drugs, and the drummer killed himself I think. Pretty sad, because the Pumpkins had a very unique sound, and was a nice change of pace from cookie cutter alternative bands like Alice in Chains, Mudhoney, Pearl Jam, and STP.
Jimmy Chamberlain, who was the drummer, didn't kill himself, but it was a touring keyboardist who was a friend of his who did. I think the story was that this keyboardist (I think his last name was Melvin) was buddies with Jimmy and the night he ODed, Jimmy was with him. That is what led to Billy firing Jimmy from the band. ima, You have to get "Loveless" by My Bloody Valentine. They only did 2 albums and this is one of them. Unbelievable textures and sonics on this album and the lyrics are damn near incipherable. That album has been described as one big "drug high" album, but I love it whatever it really is. There is nothing quite like it.
the keyboardist who died was named jonathan melvoin and played in one of the most offensive and greatest groups ever, the frogs. they were the band featured in that smashing pumpkins video. billy actually produced one of their albums and was a huge fan. the frogs are definately not for those who offend easily. they write beautiful folk-pop songs that could be played on the radio, if not for all the racist, druggie, sacriligous homo-erotic subject matter. they did one album called its only right and natural all about homo-pride and deviant gay sex. song titles include "ive got drugs", "hot **** annie", "dykes are we" and "these are the finest queen boys ive ever seen." they did an album called racially yours that no label would put out for 10 years. the cover has a pic of the drummer in blackface makeup. it is a non-too politically correct look at race relations in america. the album billy produced is called starjob and that ones about being a rockstar. after melvoin died the other 2 frogs joined the pumpkins on tour. the drummer played keyboards and the tall, crazy guy in the glitter space frog suit was the singer/guitarist. seeing them live can actually be quite frightining as they are very confrontational. they do rock though.
You mean that you were frightened by a tall, crazy guy in a glitter space frog suit?? Wuss! I don't know if you intentionally meant for that post to be funny, jo, but I couldn't help but chuckle when I read the part I quoted!
i dont have a favorite book or movie, but loveless is my favorite album ever. some tracks have up to 50 guitars and 30 vocal tracks. very dreamy and layered, yet loud. androgynous sounding vocals w/ indeciperable lyrics. this is the apex of the shoegazing movement. full of guitar/vox/drum loops. between most songs on the record are short 1 minute little soundscapes that make each song jell nicely into each other. the whole album must be listened to as one piece to be fully appreciated. i think that this is the most underappreciated album ever. what kevin shields did for guitar sonics is unmatched by anyone this side of hendrix.
Are you familiar with the Last Hard Men? Kelley Deal (Breeders) Jimmy Chamberlin (Smashing Pumpkins) Jimmy Flemion (the Frogs) Sebastian Bach (Skid Row) They put one album out in 2001.
i had heard about this junkie "supergroup" but i didnt know they actually recorded anything. id love to hear it! if you have anything, maybe we could arrange a swap of some kind. ive got some live frogs as well as lots of other stuff. sebastian bach-that girl could really sing!
ManRam and jo - Man, now I've GOT to check MBV out! It sounds like it's right up my alley. I'm always looking for bands with that "hypnotic" kind of sound. That's what got me into the Pumpkins the first time I heard Rhinoceros (and later Starla and the end of Drown) back in the day. Any other suggestions?
