bsr8j Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 I don't think anyone would be particularly surprised by this news, but Jimmy Chamberlain has left what is being called these days the "Smashing Pumpkins." That leaves just Billy Corgan in the band. According to the band's website, Corgan plans to continue on as the Smashing Pumpkins. It's all kind of sad. They were a band I really loved when I was in junior high and high school, and I hate to see what has become of them. Jimmy Chamberlain joins James Iha and D'arcy as alums Quote Link to post Share on other sites
uncool2pillow Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 Gish was excellent, Siamese Dream was darned good, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness had some decent songs but was overblown. That was almost 15 years ago. I wonder what would've become of them had they not reached arena-rock god status. My guess is they'd still be putting out some great music. Did anyone else like the Zwan CD? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Calexico Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 It will never be Pumpkins without Jimmy's drumming. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Moss Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 It will never be Pumpkins without Jimmy's drumming. He is one of the best drummers around. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stagerug Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 He is one of the best drummers around. Yeah Billy has a voice for the studio... and without Jimmy, they will never be the Pumpkins. Jimmy Chamberlain is one of the best drummers I have ever heard/seen... ever. That's kind of too bad. Hopefully not because of the drugs again. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dondoboy Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 I have never been able to get into that band. Its something about his voice or the guitar tone or something. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bsr8j Posted March 21, 2009 Author Share Posted March 21, 2009 Did anyone else like the Zwan CD? I'm with you on Zwan. I think it's the best thing Billy Corgan's done in over a decade. Of course as you pointed out their last really great work (my opinion anyway) was Mellon Collie and that was a LONG time ago. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Calexico Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 I dunno, I really liked a lot of the recent album Zeitgeist. Doomsday Clock had some hard drumming. great song. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
brianjeremy Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 Gish was excellent, Siamese Dream was darned good, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness had some decent songs but was overblown. That was almost 15 years ago. I wonder what would've become of them had they not reached arena-rock god status. My guess is they'd still be putting out some great music. Did anyone else like the Zwan CD?I love the Zwan cd. It's really great. I listen to it just about as much as Gish and SD. This is sad because what made the Pumpkins wasn't Billy at all, it was Jimmy. Does anyone remember Adore or for that matter, like it? Didn't think so. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
imsjry Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 While I'm sure I'm in the minority here, I still think Corgan is an amazing songwriter. And the best things I've heard from him are all those acoustic tracks he wrote on tour last year. Jimmy is an amazing drummer no doubt, but trying to redo the old Pumpkins sound on that last tour just didn't work anyway. Me thinks Billy will do just fine without him and maybe be able to rid himself of the expectation of trying to sound like the old Pumpkins. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
imsjry Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 This is sad because what made the Pumpkins wasn't Billy at all, it was Jimmy. Does anyone remember Adore or for that matter, like it? Didn't think so. Jimmy made the Pumpkins, not Billy?? Um....no. And yes, Adore is my favorite Pumpkins disc behind Gish. A great record from start to finish that happened to not sound like the old Pumpkins, so it got dismissed. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
explodo Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 Does anyone remember Adore or for that matter, like it? Didn't think so.I remember and like parts of Adore. And Machina. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
brianjeremy Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 Jimmy made the Pumpkins, not Billy?? Um....no. Dude, the drumming was always the best part to me. Jimmy is killer on the drums. Adore was lifeless without the drumming and was basically a Billy solo record. It's no fluke that his solo disc sounds exactly like Adore pt.2. No doubt that Billy plays a part but it's the combination of Billy + Jimmy that made it the Pumpkins. James and D'arcys contributuions were minimized the moment Billy and Jimmy basically recording Siamese Dream on their own. A lot of people try to validate James and D'arcys contribution, but let's be honest, they were minimal. The biggest factor in the Pumpkins decline in musical prowess is the fact that Billy Corgan is bat-shit crazy and has been consumed by his ego. If you watched any of thise scenes from the last tour where Billy was abusing the audience, then I guess you can see why Jimmy would want to leave... That's pure speculation on my part but who would want to be near such an asshole? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Calexico Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 I remember and like parts of Adore. And Machina. So do I. In fairness, all their album have some great parts to them. As a singles band they were fantastic, I thought. Corgan is a bit of a mentalist though all right. Hell, I even love James Iha's solo album Let It Come Down. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Moss Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 Gish and Siamese dream are classic but I never got beyond those at all. I'm sure there are some gems. The man gets a hell of a guitar sound on those records. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dmait Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 It's all pretty sad. I liked everything through Adore. The Mellon Collie show I saw at MSG and Adore show at Radio City were both terrific. At the end of the RCMH show, each band member pulled up a fan one at a time and handed him or her the instrument. Billy was replaced first, by some 16-year-old if I remember correctly. That kid was pumped. One by one they left until a bunch of nobodies were playing some intense feedback. It was pretty compelling. I liked one or two songs on the Zwan album, but the show I caught at Hammerstein was the end of the line for me. It was entirely uninteresting. I've been off the Corgan ship ever since. That's unfortunate because I thought we were witnessing something special during the peak of his powers. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
explodo Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 I liked one or two songs on the Zwan album, but the show I caught at Hammerstein was the end of the line for me. It was entirely uninteresting. I've been off the Corgan ship ever since. That's unfortunate because I thought we were witnessing something special during the peak of his powers.That is surprising. I saw Zwan two or three times and thought they were pretty incredible. Some pretty epic segues and extended jams and the like. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
brianjeremy Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 From Jimmy's blog for those who are interested... By now you have heard the news of my departure from the Smashing Pumpkins. I will say, without going into any unnecessary details that this represents a positive move forward for me. I can no longer commit all of my energy into something that I don Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bsr8j Posted March 25, 2009 Author Share Posted March 25, 2009 A pretty good blog from David Wild on the current state of the Pumpkins: Leave that Smashing Pumpkin Alone, Bitches: In Defense of Billy Corgan I think the best thing that came out of all of this was that it made me go back and start listening to Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness again tonight while I did dishes and I rediscovered what a great record that is, even after all these years. God I loved that band when I was in high school! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Analogman Posted April 1, 2009 Share Posted April 1, 2009 Source: Reuters UK March 31st, 2009Smashing Pumpkins to hold auditions for new drummer Posted by: Alex DobuzinskisTags: Fan Fare, auditions, drummer, Jimmy Chamberlin, Smashing Pumpkins (Writing and reporting by Dean Goodman) jimmy-chamberlin-billy-corgan1Minor rock Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.