Once widely viewed as poor relations to Nirvana's major label alternative rock, Chicago, USA's Smashing Pumpkins, led by Billy Corgan (b. William Patrick Corgan Jnr., 17 March 1967, Chicago, Illinois, USA; vocals/guitar) persevered to gradually increasing commercial acceptance and press veneration. Corgan's inspirations, the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Doors and Black Sabbath, as well as a professional jazz musician father, add up to a powerful musical cocktail over which his lyrics, which frequently cross the threshold of normality and even sanity, float unsettlingly. The rest of the band comprised D'Arcy Wretzky (b. 1 May 1968, South Haven, Michigan, USA; bass), James Iha (b. 26 March 1968, Chicago, Illinois, USA; guitar) and Jimmy Chamberlin (b. James Joseph Chamberlin, 10 June 1964, Joliet, Illinois, USA; drums). Smashing Pumpkins made their official debut with a drum machine at the Avalon club in Chicago. Chamberlain was then drafted in from a 10-piece showband (JP And The Cats) to fill the percussion vacancy (Corgan had previously played in another local band, the Marked).
The band made its recording debut in early 1990 with the release of "I Am One" on local label Limited Potential Records. Previously they had included two tracks on a Chicago compilation, Light Into Dark. This brought the band to the attention of influential Seattle label Sub Pop Records, with whom they released "Tristessa"/"La Dolly Vita" in September 1990, before moving to Caroline Records. Gish, produced by Butch Vig, announced the group to both indie and metal audiences, and went to number 1 on the influential Rockpool College Radio Chart. Ironically, given the Nirvana comparisons, this came before Vig had produced Nevermind.
It was 1993's Siamese Dream that launched the Smashing Pumpkins to centre stage with its twisted metaphors and skewed rhythms. A Top 10 success in the US Billboard charts, it saw them joined by mellotron, cello and violin accompaniment to give the sound extra depth. However, these remained secondary to the pop hooks and rock atmospherics that defined the band's sound. The follow-up Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness was a bold project (the double CD contained 28 songs), yet the band managed to pull it off. With swirling strings, angst-ridden vocals and some beautifully spiteful guitar the album was a major achievement artistically and commercially. The singles "Bullet With Butterfly Wings", "1979", "Zero" and "Tonight, Tonight" were also major hits.
The Smashing Pumpkins' touring keyboard player, Jonathan Melvoin (b. 6 December 1961, Los Angeles, California, USA, d. 12 July 1996, New York City, New York, USA; ex-Dickies) died of a heroin overdose in July 1996. As a result of Melvoin's death the band sacked their drummer Chamberlin after his continuing drug abuse. His replacement was Matt Walker (ex-Filter), but he departed in late 1997 to form his own band. During frenetic preparations for the new Smashing Pumpkins album, Iha found time to release a surprisingly mellow solo set. Adore debuted at number 2 on the US Billboard album chart in June 1998, but the dark electronic overtones ultimately meant the album was less successful than its predecessors.
Wretzky left the band during recording sessions for the follow-up, and was replaced by Melissa Auf Der Maur (b. 17 March 1972, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; bass, ex-Hole). MACHINA/The Machines Of God was a major disappointment and, after the initial sales burst, a commercial failure. It came as no surprise that Corgan announced that the band would split-up after their farewell tour. In one final defiant act, he made the excellent MACHINA II/The Friends & Enemies Of Modern Music available as a very limited vinyl pressing and MP3 download only. The band played a farewell concert at the Metro in Chicago on 2 December 2000.
Corgan debuted with his new band Zwan in late 2002 but the enterprise proved short-lived. He subsequently released a book of poetry and a lacklustre solo album, before reuniting with Chamberlin to relaunch the Smashing Pumpkins with new members Jeff Schroeder (guitar) and Ginger Reyes (b. 22 April 1980, Long Beach, California, USA; bass). The quartet made its live debut on 22 May 2007 in Paris, France. To the delight of the band's fans, the excellent, hard rocking Zeitgeist followed shortly afterwards.
