The Smashing Pumpkins band has had a crazy ride, with lots of ups and downs. Through it all, they have stayed true to their sound and are one of the most legendary and influential alternative rock bands, holding an enduring influence on music to this day.
The Smashing Pumpkins made their mark in the 90s. Although the grunge genre was already an established style of music, The Smashing Pumpkins were able to put an ethereal, whimsical, and dream-like twist that brought a unique edge to the pre-existing alternative scene. With an ultimate surprise in each song, the listeners didn’t know if they should expect a soft melody or a heavy riff next.
Since 1988, the Chicagoan band has consisted of singer and guitarist Billy Corgan, guitarist James Iha, bassist D’arcy Wretzky, and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin. After playing numerous local shows with their debut album, Gish, in 1991, they had a solid start. Although after the release of their second album, Siamese Dream (1993), it got the rock music scene talking, even headlining the famous music festival Lollapalooza in 1994, that was just the tip of the iceberg.
Their biggest moment came in 1995 with the album Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness which remains a staple album to this day. It had almost everything, rock, ballads, and even orchestral-style sounds. “1979”, “Tonight, Tonight”, and “Bullet With Butterfly Wings” became huge hits that still carry so much influence. Although the album itself was doing great, many things were falling apart behind the scenes. Not only were there stress and disagreements between members of the band, but also the influence of harmful drugs had introduced major problems.
Their touring keyboardist Jonathan Melvoin as well as Jimmy Chamberlin had a serious problem with drugs, mostly heroin. During their 1996 tour, while they were headlining at Madison Square Garden, disaster struck.
On July 12th, Melvoin overdosed and died at the age of 34, while partying with Chamberlin and others. This hit the band hard, especially Corgan, as he had trust in Chamberlin and did not realize the seriousness of his drug problem until after the incident. Inevitably, Chamberlin got fired from the group. Afterwards, Corgan stated “We fired him to save his life”.
Jeff Ament on Smashing Pumpkins’ Jonathan Melvoin’s death…
After the incident, the band switched their sound, but fans had began to lose interest. By 2000, the band broke up and Corgan went to try new projects, forming a band called Zwan, releasing solo albums, as well as dabbling in poetry.
In 2007, Corgan brought the band back. Both James Iha and Jimmy Chamberlin revived The Smashing Pumpkins, bringing us CYR (2020) and ATUM (2023) a rock opera-style album. Even though the band did not sound exactly like they had before, they have kept going and still know how to make amazing music that impacts fans.
I am currently attending the University of North Texas with a photojournalism major. I love going to concerts of all genres, whether I am stage diving or headbanging, I never miss an opportunity to appreciate live music. In my free time, I enjoy thrifting for CD's and records, spending time with my cats, going to art exhibits, and traveling (especially to NYC). My biggest inspiration is Danny Clinch, and one day I aspire to open up my own gallery to showcase my work!
