Smashing Pumpkins Lyrics

Smashing Pumpkins Info:

From:
Chicago, Illinois, United States

Genres:
Alternative rock

Years active:
1988-2000, 2006-present

Associated acts:
Spirits in the Sky, Starchildren, Zwan

Influenced By:
The Cure and New Order

Name Origin:
In an article in the Washington Post in 1993 D'arcy said:
"The name of the band is a stupid name, a dumb bad joke, and a bad idea. Okay? Bill [Corgan] named the band even before there was a band. He was like, 'I'm going to have a band and it's going to be called this.' Smashing is not a verb, it's an adjective. It's not like we like to smash pumpkins or anything. And we are not amused by pumpkin jokes anymore!"

Members:
Billy Corgan -
lead vocals, guitar, keyboards
(1988-2000, 2006-present)

Jeff Schroeder -
guitar, backing vocals
(2007-present)

Mike Byrne -
drums, percussion, backing vocals
(2009-present)

Nicole Fiorentino -
bass guitar, backing vocals
(2010-present)


Past members:
Jimmy Chamberlin - drums, percussion, backing vocals (1988-1996, 1998-2000, 2006-2009)
Melissa Auf der Maur - bass guitar, backing vocals (1999-2000)
James Iha - guitar, backing vocals (1988-2000)
D'arcy Wretzky - bass guitar, backing vocals (1988-1999)
Ginger Pooley - bass guitar, backing vocals (2007-2010)

Smashing Pumpkins Quotes:
"Well, when I was 20 and I met D'arcy, my whole thing was music, music, music, 24-7. And i couldn't understand why D'arcy wasn't music, music, music, 24-7. D'arcy was like, 'I have a @#$%& life. It can't be that way.' "

"Gish was the best representation of where we were at the time."

"I don't want to achieve the distance of a rock band that's too cool for you to deal with or too whacked out for you to relate to -- but the exact opposite... I want our music to come across like someone whispering into your ear and going right inside your brain. Instead of letting the sound go from our mouths and our hands through a thousand rock pretenses and Spinal Tap-isms, I want it to be like we're right in front of you. That's the kind of intimacy and trust I'd like the band to achieve."

"It seems to me that references to bands like Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin meant more to me a year ago and all those old things are totally losing importance."

"You give me a @#$%& kazoo and I'll write you a good song."

"Music is 99% of my life. But I know I need a break. Besides, if you give people too much, they start to not want it. We need to restrain ourselves."

"About six months ago, I listened to Siamese Dream. That was the first time I'd ever really heard my own album, because I had separated from the experience of making the record. And it really moved me. It made me cry, it's so beautiful."

Smashing Pumpkins Awards:

1996
7 MTV Video Music Awards including Video of the Year, Breakthrough Video: Best Direction (Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris), Best Special Effects (Chris Staves), Best Art Direction (K.K. Barrett & Wayne White), and Best Cinematography (Decklan Quinn) for "Tonight, Tonight," and Best Alternative Video for "1979"

1997
American Music Award for Favorite Alternative Artist

Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance ("Bullet With Butterfly Wings")

1998
Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance ("The End Is The Beginning Is The End").

2000
VH1/Vogue Fashion Award for Visionary Video ("Stand Inside Your Love").

2001
Gibson Guitar Award for Best Bassist Female (Given to Melissa Auf Der Maur)