It took me years to get into Smashing Pumpkins—much to the chagrin of my good friend Tom, who had the good sense to push Siamese Dream on me in high school when I was stuck on Bad Religion. With the band’s recently announced August 16 gig at the Charlottesville Pavilion however, it’s time to reevaluate before tickets go on sale this Friday. Without further ado…
The Five Best Things Billy Corgan Ever Did:
1. Wrote and recorded "Cherub Rock" and "Through the Eyes of Ruby."
2. Re-hired Jimmy Chamberlain, the ex-smack addict whose best work ran from Gish through Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness.
3. The video for "Tonight, Tonight."
4. Rhymed "Despite all my rage" with "rat in a cage." That is some killer angst, and better than most of Corgan’s poetry.
5. Formed Zwan.
The Five Dumbest Things Billy Corgan Ever Did:
1. Alienated James Iha, D’Arcy, Melissa auf der Maur of Hole, either progressively over the band’s career or when he took out that ad in the Chicago Tribune.
2. Released the band’s latest record, Zeitgeist, with exclusive tracks on three separate versions, to be sold exclusively through three different stores. Of course, Corgan is a songwriter, not a marketing brain. At least he didn’t criticize other musicians for their marketing ploys.
3. Criticized Radiohead’s marketing of In Rainbows. "…[F]or Radiohead publicity is better than music—no disrespect to them." Really?
4. Licensed the song "The Beginning is the End is the Beginning" for the Batman and Robin soundtrack, then licensed it again for the trailer of upcoming comic flick Watchmen.
5. Formed Zwan.
Intoxicated with the madness? In love with your sadness? Add to the lists and leave your thoughts below.