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The Smashing Pumpkins

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

The Smashing Pumpkins is an American alternative rock band from Chicago, formed in 1988 by the singer and guitarist Billy Corgan, the guitarist James Iha, the bassist D'arcy Wretzky and the drummer Jimmy Chamberlin. After the end of his goth and metal band The Marked, Corgan returned to his home city and worked in a record shop, where he met Iha. Together they first wrote songs with a drum machine, strongly influenced by The Cure and New Order. Only when a club demanded a real drummer did Chamberlin join, a jazz drummer.

Music and breakthrough

The debut album Gish appeared in 1991 and was a success in the underground. Siamese Dream from 1993 brought the group popularity, despite a difficult recording process. Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness from 1995 went to the top of the American album chart. Adore followed in 1998 and Machina and Machina II in 2000. Quarrels, drug use and falling sales then led to a split. In 2006 Corgan and Chamberlin got together again for Zeitgeist, and later came Oceania in 2012 and Cyr in 2020, among others. Corgan is the only constant in the line-up.

Influence

The group's music sounds dense and layered and takes in influences from goth, metal, grunge, psychedelia, progressive rock, shoegaze and electronics. It sold thirty million albums and helped alternative rock break through to a large audience. In Today, from Siamese Dream, they show how far apart music and lyrics can be: a cheerful-sounding motif beneath a dark lyric.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to Today by The Smashing Pumpkins. Notice the cheerful guitar motif at the start and compare it with what the lyrics say.

Discography

Studio albums

In School of Rock

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Mentioned in other articles

See also

Categories: Artists