Smashing Pumpkins fans to gather; discuss how crazy Billy Corgan is
For me, there's the Smashing Pumpkins, and then there's other music. They are the band that all too obviously defined my adolescence, got me into guitars and through high school. I've had to buy Siamese Dream three separate times, I played my first two CDs so much that they physically quit working. I amassed a collection of 500+ live recordings, traded via internet and snail mail from places as far away as Russia. Suffice to say, I am seriously into this band. Or was. The Pumpkins haven't exactly been in vogue as of late, and this decade hasn't been kind to Billy Corgan. The massive string of frustrating moments — Zwan, production missteps too numerous to mention, a disturbing decline in Billy Corgan's vocals, both live and recorded — which have lead up to the currently touring Billy Corgan Experience (or SP2, or whatever you want to call it) is made all the more frustrating by the fact that there's ample evidence to suggest that the magic is still there, as if someone's locked it in a cage and forgotten the key.
For instance, the Chicago Songs project was fantastic, the shows I saw in 2007 and 2008 while Jimmy Chamberlin was still in the band were still hugely enjoyable, and even Zwan had some undeniably great material. Add this up, and you get one seriously bitter fanbase. I can't think of any other band (Morrisey?) that's had such a contentious, strained relationship with its fans.
Despite all that, I'm still on the train. Whatever these reissues may say about the Pumpkins' transformation into what is essentially a nostalgia act, Gish and Siamese Dream are still some of the greatest music ever put to tape. And unlike so many extraneous cash ins, the remastering actually adds some worth in this case — the main thing you'll probably notice is that the vocals 
and treble are a bit higher. Having watched Zeitgeist take the loudness wars to an entirely new level, I was terrified that these would come out as blown-out and compressed to hell audio bricks, but that simply isn't the case. The bonus discs of B-sides, demos, and live tracks are stacked enough to satisfy the obsessive completist in me while (hopefully) still being accessible enough to introduce new fans to SP's astonishing catalog of non-album and unreleased tracks. The deluxe editions are worth the extra money for the jaw-dropping live versions of "Quiet" and "Snail" alone. If these can get as angry and jaded of a fan as I am excited, I can only imagine how good they must sound to normal people. So I'd ask that you come join me tonight as I buy Siamese Dream for the fourth time, and scream like you're at a Justin Bieber show when you hear that drum roll:
Smashing Pumpkins Day starts at 5:00 tonight, at Exile on Main St. Performers include Easter, Exiles, the Palace Flophouse, Evil Tents, Withershins, the Chemicals, Mike Ingram and Megan Johns, and the show is free.
13 comments
I will be in attendance at Exile this evening, being in the throws of a full-blown nostalgia for grunge and the ‘90s. And I’ll likely be spending money I shouldn’t on the reissues.
Dammit - That should be “throes,” not “throws.”
Comment #FAIL.
j
is that BC spamming?
Colleen O'Reilly
SO TRUE, all of it. But what a perfect, messed up band to have acompanied us the last 23 years.
Wish I had known about this event sooner. Does Exhile boast a supply of new/limited Pumpkins vinyl?
I think Bill just wants us to buy his new line of Uggs
and Colleen - I’ve found a few things there over the years (and of course they have the reissues) - but it’s my experience that SP vinyl is pretty difficult to come by in this town
i think billy wore uggs on the arise! tour.
i’ll be interested to see if/how they reissue pisces, considering it was all b-sides itself anyways. some of those album cuts are extras as demos/&ct on the gish/siamese reissues already. ...hello kitty kat sounds better dirty, btw.
hey, i understand scraping off the spam, but why did you delete my post
I’m sure they saw that the post was only in service to your fledgling Ugg business.
UUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGGGGGS
Isaac, I am soooo sorry. That was me. I closed about four of them at once, and yours was caught up in all of it. It’s back.
Latanya
Thanks for taking this possibility to talk about this, I’m strongly about this and I reap the benefits of garden greenhouse structures this subject. If at all possible, while you gain data, please update this website with new information. I’ve discovered it extremely useful.
I’m strongly about this too, Latanya.
j
I feel strongly about Isaac wearing uggs. and a north face jacket. ;)
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Yeah, I’d agree that Transporter Room 3 is the worst house venue I’ve ever seen.
*slow. clap.* Still offering no threat of intelligence…. I know I said I thought you should just write this whole column yourself next year, Isaac, but now that you’ve gone and taken a “part deux” run at it, I’d like to modify my request: Best Music 2013,…
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What? Echo! (Echo!) Where’s the dischord and dissent?
That article almost looks like something out of The Onion
Thanks! I’m looking forward to writing even more….
Yay! Love this! Welcome to the family!
that last photo’s a doozie, Chris. good work.
that city center house show was one of those life-affirming things.
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“Smile Politely sports writer announces candidacy for city government.”
I also got to visit Big Grove Tavern during the soft open and definitely enjoyed the pork belly the most of all the dishes I sampled. The cheesy grits and the vinegary pickled vegetables were a perfect compliment to the rich pork belly.
The Alan Partridge lookalike on the right in the first small photo has nothing to condescend to anyone about. AH HA!
Snell and the little Hitlers of the neighborhood association need to chill out. Legitimate businesses should have the freedom to exist without having to endure the slings and arrows of ignorant and misguided opposition.
represent, Matt.
Yeah, I’d agree that Transporter Room 3 is the worst house venue I’ve ever seen.
Food trucks are the start-up, small businesses of the future for those unable to afford real estate. No surprise, that merchants who pay rent, utilities, and maintenance on a property would despise the traveling competition. Or developers who build more empty retail spaces would want to close…
Not so much far-right Tea Party as a balanced, moderate viewpoint between letting businesses succeed and protecting society with reasonable regulations. In spite of what the city reps are saying, the interpretation of policy on this issue certainly has changed. Letting a business start up under one…
I think it’s neat that SP has turned rightward, now espousing a Tea Party-style frustration with government regulations & taxes.
This makes me so sad. (Happy to live in Urbana, though!) Crave Truck has been a GREAT addition to the food choices in C-U, and it’d be a travesty to chase them away. This town should be supporting small businesses. I’m glad to hear that they’ll still…
*slow. clap.* Still offering no threat of intelligence…. I know I said I thought you should just write this whole column yourself next year, Isaac, but now that you’ve gone and taken a “part deux” run at it, I’d like to modify my request: Best Music 2013,…
Actually, it’s kind of nice, the quiet. John Heoffleur’s engaging commentary/dialogue is sorely missed, however. In lieu of someone intelligent saying something, I’ve compiled a list of Honourable Mentions: BEST ROCK BAND: Take Care ::these gentlemen have four completely different sets at their disposal right now (which…
What? Echo! (Echo!) Where’s the dischord and dissent?
This weekend will mark the first appearance of Kayla Brown’s Fire Doll Candle booth at the Market. Check it: http://www.facebook.com/firedollcandles
And without bloodshed. Sounds like the Savoy trustees aren’t as narrow-minded as some of their whiny pants constituents. Do you think quack Snell is already planning an asinine counterattack or is he still laying low after those “threats” against his person?
hey, if hair ain’t gon’ be over your head, my jokes may as well be.
Okay, almost 24 hours later and I finally got Issac’s Summer joke. I’m an idiot.
Excellent. I am glad sometimes American dreams are encouraged, rather than stifled.
Swap the dog for a fire pit and it sounds like you’re writing about my back yard. Very nice.
funny, as your summer begins, another Summer ends.
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represent, Matt.