The Smashing Pumpkins are hard rockers at heart. Listening to their first album, you would think they are grungy. They look grungy, sound it, but when you look closer, they have little to do with Seattle sound.
The Pumpkins frontman, Billy Corgan , writes 95% of their material, and considers them to be 'his' band. He formed them, and has even fired musicians for their musical inadequacies and negliegence. His creative talents stem from his childhood problems. His lyrics reflect his pain. For example, "I used to be a little boy, so old in my shoes,' taken from 'Disarm,' would indicate his agony at being forced to raise himself and his brothers, at such a young age. Corgan himself has stated in interviews that he was ostracised by his peers becauese he never seemed to fit in. He was shifted from relativbe to relative, so it is no wonder that such powerful lyrics would be spawned.
Corgan discovered the guitar at age 14, and resolved to learn everything he could. He become quite adept and formed a goth band, 'The Marked,' named due to his large strawberry birthmark with ran up his left hand and arm. The drummer also had a large birthmark as well.
In 1987, Corgan met James Iha, an American-Japanese guitarist who grew up knowing the feeling of not fitting in. Iha wasn't that crash hot, but Corgan taught him to play better. One night, Corgan met a young woman outside a Chicago bar. His first words to her were, 'you're full of shit!' The argument started because Corgan overheard this girl praising the band they had just seen, and he complained that they were too commercial, and it was obvious by the way they moved around on stage. Such an arrogant remark unfuriated this girl, but Corgan asked her what she did. She told him she played bass, and he invited her to join his band. She did. Her name was D'Arcy Wretzky.
The Smashing Pumpkins debuted in front of 50 people at the Avalon Club in Chicago, 1988. They sounded terrible, but someone showed interest. Joe Shanahan, owner of the Metro Club, offered them a gig if they found someone to replace the drum machine. They hired Jimmy Chamberlin, a jazz drummer, who liked what he heard.
Since then they have not looked back. Tragedy struck in 1996, when Jimmy and the band's touring keyboard player, Jonathon Melvoin, overdosed after a heroin binge. Melvoin never regained consciousness, and Chamberlin was charged with heroin possession and ordered to go into rehab...again. Chamberlin had battled with drug and alcohol addiction for a while, but had led his band mates to believe that he had put them behind him. The Pumpkins fired him and Matt Walker of the band Filter, replaced Chamberlin on drums when touring.
In 1999, Chamberlin was invited back into the band, but not long after, D'Arcy left to pursue and acting career. Former 'Hole' bassist, Melissa Auf der Maur was hired to 'replace' D'Arcy.
Unfortunately, on the 23rd of April 2000, Billy announced that the Pumpkins would be splitting up at the end of the year. The Pumpkins will be back in the studios in July to record their final album.
Pumpkins Forever!