Smashing Pumpkins reunion - what do you think?

[Initech]

I'm kind of indifferent about it. I love the Smashing Pumpkins' music and always have. I've been a fan since Mellon Collie first came out and it's an album that still gets a lot of play in my music rotation. But I've always thought Billy Corgan is a creepy weirdo. I've seen them live a couple of times including recently - and I've always come back from their shows thinking that he's a creepy weirdo. Especially since he's into the "snowflake social justice warrior needs safe spaces" side of conservatism . And if news came out tomorrow that he was involved in a sexual harassment lawsuit, it would not surprise me in the least.

And while they have made some good albums, they have also made a lot of crap (mainly Corgan's doing). If the tour is good I would go mainly because I like the Smashing Pumpkins, not because I like Corgan.

[samir.g]

1. Isn't Corgan winger?

[Initech]

2. Major.

[brucefan]

5. Big Alex Jones fan

[bdtrppr6]

3. Friends of mine knew him from college days

in Normal IL. He was a total big headed ass from most of the tales I heard. Spoiled Chicago brat who thought his shit didn't stink. Gish and Siamese Dream are still listenable kind of, but, like most art, I have to separate the artist from the art.

[Initech]

8. Yeah I was thinking the same thing.

Separate the artist from the art. I would go if the tour is good but if it isn't I would stay far away.

[askyagerz]

4. The pumpkins flew so high

Before smashing into the street...
That flash of brilliance is long over with and Billy boy still can't get over people aren't still gushing over his genius.
I saw them play about 5 years ago and it was one of the worse shows I've seen. Sound was really horrible and they played maybe 2 classics

[rownesheck]

6. I loved the smashing pumpkins!

Corgan always seemed a bit pretentious and kind of a d- bag. James Iha is an amazing musician. I loved D' arcy so much i named one of my cats after her. D'arcy is also an amazing musician who, crazily enough, Corgan would often ask her opinion when writing pieces of music. Jimmy Chamberlain is an absolute lord on the drums, though he was a trainwreck in life. He has absolutely cleaned up and looks 15 years younger now than he did in the 90s! But, i saw a clip of Billy on Alex Jones and thinking of him now makes me want to puke. Same goes for Al Jourgensen of Ministry. Anyone who would give the time of day to someone who thinks Obama used tiny airplanes to push the weather around has lost me forever.

[dawg]

7. Smashing.

[ProfessorGAC]

9. I Knew All Of Them

Jimmy's first band was my band and when i needed a new drummer he auditioned. He was probably only 14 at the time, and we were 3/4ths of the way into the FIRST SONG and i asked him if he wanted in. I was 21, and the other guys in the band were 18 or 19, but boy was that kid good.

He went on to a few other bands after mine, but when he joined the Pumpkins, he happened to be in town visiting his parents, and his brother was in town too. I knew his brother pretty well from other Illinois bands in the 70's. So, i talked to his brother and then Jimmy called told me about his new band.

I went up to see them (either at Cabaret Metro or the Smart Bar, i don't remember for sure) and met everybody.

Visited with them a few times after that, even when they broke big, but i never saw them on any of the big tours. Everybody was pretty ok, but Billy could be kind of a punk. I excused some of it because he's such a big Cub fan.

Haven't talked to him a years. It was shortly after Melvoin died of the overdose. Not since though

[Floyd R. Turbo]

10. Smashing pumpkins is horrible!

It should be against the law. Nothing but vandalism. What? Oh!

Never mind!

[Initech]

11. ...

[Tommy_Carcetti]

12. My all time favorite band. Billy's an asshole, but they put out such great music it doesn't matter.

I'm glad about a 3/4 reunion, but Billy being Billy he had to alienate D'Arcy and stop it from being a true reunion.

The albums they've put out under the Smashing Pumpkins label recently have been hit and miss, I will say that.

Zeitgeist was just so-so. Oceania was actually really good, pretty much on par with their pre-breakup 90s catalog.

The last album however--I want to say it was called Monuments to an Elegy--was the first Pumpkins album I actually did not like. It was just so tedious and boring, something I never associated with Pumpkins music. I listened to it and shrugged.

But if they bring back the old magic, I'll be more than happy.

And yes, Billy Corgan's still an asshole. That's a constant. But he's my asshole--he's kind of like that one family member who is always causing everyone else grief, but because he's family dammit, you have to over look it.

[Initech]

13. I feel the same way about most of their post breakup albums.

I did really enjoy Oceania though and I still play that one a lot. I also thought his solo album was good but a lot of the songs on it are super depressing.