The Smashing Pumpkins is an American alternative rock band from Chicago, Illinois, created in 1988.
Formed by frontman Billy Corgan and James Iha.
The Smashing Pumpkins broke into the musical mainstream with their second album, 1993's Siamese Dream.
With 20 million albums sold in the United States alone, the Smashing Pumpkins were one of the most commercially
successful and critically acclaimed bands of the 1990s.
-Wikipedia
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)
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!"
From: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Genre(s):
Alternative rock,
hard rock,
psychedelic rock,
grunge,
dream pop,
stoner rock,
art rock,
college rock
Active From: 1988-2000, 2006-present
Associated Acts:
Spirits in the Sky,
Starchildren,
Zwan
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."