the world is a vampire...

After hearing American Gothic, I was sorta looking forward to this release. These first five tracks though... wow, I don't even want to listen to them a second time. And only five songs in seven months? How long is this 44-track project going to last?

widow wake my mind made me sick enough, they suck now.

although, to most of you they always have.

I admit I didn't like "Freak" quite as much the second time around...I think the problem is Billy Corgan keeps throwing in all these "la la la" types of vocal parts when he should just...well, shut up and play his guitar. But it's still better than the first four.

Another thing is it's basically just him and a backing band now. He once claimed that James Iha eventually drove him crazy, but I think the truth is that James actually kept Billy from veering off into ridiculousness too much, and that grated on his nerves because he felt like couldn't express himself fully.

As for American Gothic, I haven't heard it fully, but maybe if those songs were on Zeitgeist and United States (ties XYU for worst heavy SP song), Starz, and Pomp and Circumstance weren't, it might've been a better album.

i really like their first two albums.. (i know.. that has been repeated by others already) but they just really bore me after that, theres a few songs on the other albums that i will like but overall it isnt so amazing to me. however, im still a fan of them. actually, most of the bands i listen to get boring eventually. Nirvana for example, is my favourite band of all time, just something about their songs that made me so connected to the band the first time i heard them. but nevermind (especially) gets boring after a while, i can only listen to it every once in a while. i think every song on that album is great, but the song structure repeats for all of the songs except for "drain you" i guess. anyways, i have no idea where i was going with this but i decided to not just post "yeah everything on the new album for SP is horrible and billy corgan is a dick".

wait, what? 1100? link, please.

The thing with the Smashing Pumpkins is, I hate them and think they are massively overrated and Corgan is about the biggest prick in the world, but to each their own. Just because I don't like them at all doesn't mean others can't enjoy their music, so I generally just stay out of these debates since others share my feelings and post them quicker than I do.

My main problem with them now is how they are abusing their fan base. Zeitgeist was released in how many different forms? The Target one, Best Buy one, iTunes one, etc, all with a special bonus b-side. I'm sorry; That's pathetic. But then to release it again with different cover art, a bonus picture booklet, whatever is just further shit on the sundae. They were literally just trying to use their loyal fans to make them more cash from the same shitty album.

And now this 44 song project? Every few songs a new EP will come out in limited physical supply, which means it's going to have a bigger price tag for it's "rarity". Then, once all 44 songs are released, there will be another "limited edition" box set, composed of all the EPs they wanted you to spend a decent chunk of cash on already. That's absurd, even if you're already releasing the songs for free on the internet.

~Jeremy~

I think the inflated price for limited product is something that more and more established old bands are going to do. I don't think SP are alone in trying to recoup revenue in this way. I don't think it's that that makes them crap either - it's the fact that they're just crap, and always have been. Unless you're a mopey 13-year-old, and I'm sure we all listened to some right shite when we were little.

About 10 years ago, I was looking up smashing pumpkins lyrics, and counting covers, unreleased demos, etc. I remember a site listing 826 songs he had written then.

Now, with Zwan, the solo shit, more Pumpkins stuff, etc... I'm just taking a guess here, but I don't think 1100 is too unlikely, and I'm sure it's highly probably he's written more than that.

Casey Chaos from Amen once said he wrote and recorded 70 demos in a month for a band to pick through for his new album, and he's completely scrapped full albums and has appeared in tons of bands and always has had tons of b-sides and so on, and said once he's written and recorded a thousand songs, and those songs aren't simple at all. He wrote B.Y.O.B by System of a Down!

Rivers Cuomo, another extremely prolific songwriter, though his music has gotten simpler and simpler (though THE GREATEST MAN THAT EVER LIVED has to be one of the craziest songs ever). He was once quoted as saying he wrote and recorded like 200 songs over the summer many years ago.

So, yeah, once a person understands the language of their music or whatever, it's not too surprising that these guys can write thousands of songs and whatever. Especially when most of them are pretty simple.

Pumpkins are pretty silly and whatever, but Vieuphoria is a pretty cool little movie.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Mv1g-nETxc

Zeitgeist was released in how many different forms? The Target one, Best Buy one, iTunes one, etc, all with a special bonus b-side. I'm sorry; That's pathetic.

Agreed

Tons of bands do that now. Commerce.

What's funny is, I really like that one new Smashing Pumpkins song. .SUPERCHRIST... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superchrist ... it's not on an album but they made a (really weird) video for it, with Sasha Grey.

Also, is Vieuphoria the dvd with the Frogs in it? The Frogs are the best band.

Sure is. So if I had to thank the Pumpkins for anything, it's for helping me discover The Frogs.

yeah, the frogs rule.

everyone should check out toy porno if they get a chance, one of the best things ever created..

When I saw the title of the thread, I thought it was about Keeping It Simple... but who cares about him anyway ?

yes it has the meet the frogs part, epic video really. I really liked the SP till that way to long album

In response to Billy Corgan's transphobic comments, slander, and threat of violence.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhVpCARW1iI&sns=fb

what's the difference between billy corgan and swa?

the answer - there is none.

the end.

The Secret Diary of Billy Corgan - aged 29 and 1/4
by "leafboy@ihug.co.nz (John Trenwith)"


Sunday.

Woke up. How very alienated I feel. The world in general, and MTV in
particular seems to be incapable of recognizing the full potency of my
creative genius. "1979" had a mere 47 airings today, and I feel my career
slip-sliding downhill. Hit on the idea of writing a quadruple disk free-form
operatic masterpiece, and James suggested I call it "The Singing Toad and
the Fourteen Manic String Balls Veering Happily Towards the Purple Lights of
Morning". Mental Note: Never let James write another song. Or for that
matter sing. I have been meticulously training Bugg Superstar as a backup
vocalist to compliment my whining style.

Monday.

I have decided to fire Flood and hire the Dust Brothers to produce my new
album. Flood sulked even harder than Butch Vig, but I stood firm. I must
uphold my image as an impulsive, artistic type. I have also ordered a
truckload of Macintosh computers, a few dozen drum machines, and some
synths. The fate of the rest of the band has been decided - James will
cavort about the studio amusing me with his hilarious anecdotes, while
D'Arcy makes the sandwiches and tea. Still, I must find a new drummer and
keyboardist to convince the punters that I am not a solo artist...

Tuesday.

My drummer auditions began in earnest. When I woke up this morning there was
a queue of earnest teenybopper beatmeisters winding its way down the street.
At the front was Dave Grohl. His happy-go-lucky nature deeply offended me.
As did his diatribe about me being "the next Kurt Cobain". Kurt Cobain has
nothing on me - I can play more than four chords and know how to use a razor
and shaving foam. I dispatched Grohl with a swift swing of my Epiphone
before he could launch into "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and subsequently
demolish the forty-eight tom and cymbal drum kit I had so gratuitously
commissioned for Jimmy. Speaking of Jimmy, he had the gall to show up around
midday, with a bogus English accent claiming to be Ringo Starr. You don't
fool me Jimmy - Ringo never had a crew-cut that bad...

Wednesday.

Canceled the keyboardist auditions because James rang saying that he heard
from a guy who was going out with this chick whose brother is friends with a
Van Halen roadie that Eddie might want to jam with me today. Naturally,
these things are bound to happen when one reaches the forefront of the rock
community. Gibson in hand, I tried to look as nonchalant as possible as I
strolled over to his house, but when I opened the door, some old bat
answered, and before I could get a word in she said "Don't worry dear, I
know what you're going through - I had a sister who had leukaemia..." Then
she handed me $20! The nerve of some people...! "I don't have leukaemia", I
answered crossly, "If you must know the truth,I'm going bald..." So she
handed me another $20 and closed the door. Is it any wonder my lyrics are
ridden with grief and despair...?

Thursday.

Found I had a spare forty dollars in my coat pocket, so I bought a bottle of
Rogaine. Courtney came over claiming her visiting rights over to Lily the
cat. I still can't believe that thing went to court. Think how many songs I
might have written had I not been wasting my time with lawyers, judges and
other similarly uncreative people. Felt a bit moody, so I picked up my
acoustic and four-track and wrote a few songs for my forthcoming boxed-set
"Superfluous Crap I Didn't Put On Mellon Collie" Of course, Mellon Collie's
been out for nearly a year, but no-one will ever know. I am so prolific even
I can't even keep track of how many songs I have. Courtney came into my room
while I was recording a fourteenth reprise of "Tonight, Tonight" and tried
to impress me with the caterwauling she's going to put on her new album. I
pretended to be interested, but the
truth is so obvious. She's only famous because she hangs out with the likes
of me, and Kurt and that Reznor guy. Perhaps he'd like to be my new
keyboardist. But then, I get enough of face-painting and animal sacrifices
from James.

Friday.

A lowly record exec calls my lush, but humble abode to inform me that Pink
Floyd want me to induct them into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame. Naturally,
these things are bound to happen when one reaches the forefront of the rock
community. I nonchalantly agree, and try to find something suitably tacky to
wear on MTV. I settle on a punch bowl shirt I bought from the discarded
wardrobe of "Hawaii Five-O". James asks if he can come along too, but when I
tell him about a phony Star Trek convention in Madison, Wisconsin, he gets
on his bike before you can say "Take Me Down". Sucker. Fortunately D'arcy is
too busy stirring a metal drum of industrial-strength peroxide to be worried
about anything important. I roll up to the ceremony about sevenish. I shake
hands with the Floyd, but they seem distracted. Dave Gilmour keeps saying
"Where's Billy Crystal...?" over and over
again. I stand up and rant on about how much Pink Floyd have influenced me -
I was tempted to call Mellon Collie "The Fence", but Flood said it might be
a bit too obvious. Me and Dave play "Wish You Were Here", but I get carried
away and launch into a wildcat solo. I finally stop when I realize the
induction ceremony has been over for three hours.


Saturday.

James phones from Madison, Wisconsin to inform me that Jimmy Chamberlin has
started up a Smashing Pumpkins tribute band with the guy from Radiohead on
vocals. My life is a never-ending nightmare. I write a song about it, then
spend hours trying to come up with an irrelevant title. Some woman comes in
while I am contemplating the mysteries of life, death and overdubbing and
interrupts me by noisily vacuuming the carpet. "Who the hell are you ?" I
demand angrily, "and what are you doing in my room...?" "It's me, Billy -
your wife..." she replied. Oh yeah - I forgot about that. Well, you get busy
playing over 200 shows in one year. I decide to go round to Mom and Pop's
and sing "Disarm" to them to make them feel guilty for my intolerable
childhood. But they give me pot roast, so I just shut up and eat.

The Second Week

Sunday.

Woke up. Is there any point anymore...? The world is a vampire, sent to
drain. Speaking of vampires, some hack on the internet seems to think
I am one. I should hang on to this, it could be a good marketing hook
for my next quadruple album. I go to the bathroom and sharpen my fangs.
Stuck for something to do, so I went round to James' apartment and
repossessed all the guitarist awards that I really deserved. The
wretched fool is still stuck in Madison, Wisconsin. I checked his letter box
and found a copy of "Who's Who in Rock 'n' Roll '96" had just arrived.
Imagine my outrage when I saw that I had been given a measly two inches
of text! Michael Jackson got a double page fold-out, and he's not even made
of human tissue! Anyway, apparently I have a wife called Christine. You
learn something new every day...