First posted on Mark Is Cranky:
I squinted out through the heavy dawn fog at the mysterious figure standing near the edge of the ocean bluff. Slowly moving closer, it became apparent that she was totally nude, except for a black top hat. With her left arm extended toward the sea, she drew a long, curved knife across her forearm, exposing muscle, tendon and bone to the sky...and dripping blood into the foamy surf.
While that scene played out, my mind's DJ spun up the Smashing Pumpkins' "Tonight, Tonight". My favorite band and the perfect song for this surreal encounter.
Then I woke up in a glistening cold sweat.
What a relief! No woman on the edge. No limbs flayed open. No blood. Best of all, I'm not actually a Smashing Pumpkins fan. Phew!!
As I was listening to Billy Corgan's solo record, The Future Embrace, that loopy scenario popped into my head as the only possible path for me to Pumpkins fandom. Seriously, I never 'got' them. Sure, that "Cherub Rock" (from Siamese Dream) was cool (love that blistering guitar). The rest of it all never made a connection with me. Part of it was Corgan's voice. I can't put my finger on it, but 'forced' is what always came to mind.
The thing is, I like Corgan the man. In interviews he's very sincere, enthusiastic and funny. Plus, he's a big Cheap Trick fan, which always gets a person extra rock karma points. I want to like Corgan's music, but somehow I never do.
The Pumpkins broke up several years back with the usual rock & roll gossip swirling around: drugs and sniping (what they usually refer to as "creative differences"). Corgan went on to form Zwan...and then what? I happened to hear about his Smashing Pumpkins reformation announcement on the same day as my first listen to The Future Embrace. It struck me as odd that Embrace would appear in such close proximity to Corgan's public appeal. But hey, I've got no idea what's going on in his life. It seems that he's got some musical ideas left in the bag that are best expressed in his old band's context.
Article comments
1 - Jones Violet
Great review Mark. Like you, I can't call myself a 'fan' of Smashing Pumpkins, but I do like their songs, most of them, anyway. Actually, now that I think about it a little bit, I'm more of a fan of Zwan, than of Smashing Pumpkins. Have you listened to them? Billy Corgan and the band broke up some time ago, but their cd is definitely one that is going to stay high on my list of top CD's.
But wow, I'm loving that CD cover of Billy!
2 - Randy P/Tube Pinoy
I want to hear this one. Been a fan since "Gish". Is that Uncle Fester on the cover?
3 - Mark Saleski
doesn't Zwan have a guy who used to be in Slint?
that might be worth checking out
4 - Tom Johnson
I think so, Mark - David Pajo, I believe? I like Zwan because it's so positive sounding - and Corgan actually sounds happy for once! The downside is that the album was mixed terribly - it's gratingly loud in that way that a lot of rock records are "loud" now. Everything's been pushed to extremes for maximum punch, but it does make it a little hard on the ears.
5 - Mark Saleski
yessiree, they need to lay off the danged compressor.
the contrast between new recordings and very old is striking.
pull out something like Tom Petty's Damn The Torpedoes....gees, it actually sounds like there's air in the room!
6 - Jones Violet
Tom, I agree with Zwan sounding positive sounding. It's beautifuly poetic.
7 - Mark Saleski
i'm definitely going to check out Zwan..i recently bought a Slint cd and it was great: Spiderland.
8 - Tan The Man
Zwan's okay... they're worth checking out though...
9 - jelly belly
zwan is GREAT.
especially "Jesus I,mary star of the sea" and "lyric"
so purely ROCK
Drummers plays great in mary star of the sea
hope Smashing pumpkins will revive
10 - katherine
Love the albume. i think it's awesome. billys voice sounds more beautiful then ever and it's something different and it's good to have Billy back, i think he's done an amazing job with this album and before this i really wanted the pumpkins back and i love the pumpkins but now i'm just content with Billy and i wouldn't mind if he didn't really try to get the pumpkins back on the rode, somethings you just need to leave to rest. I'm trully loving the new album though!
11 - Bob A. Booey
Good news, Mark.
They are getting back together. Jimmy Chamberlain has already said he'll be a part of it.
Updated: 12:30 PM EDT
Rocker Corgan to Reform Smashing Pumpkins
CHICAGO (June 21) - Singer Billy Corgan said Tuesday he plans to revive The Smashing Pumpkins, his Grammy-winning band which broke up in 2000 after more than a decade of blending alternative rock with the avant-garde.
In full-page advertisements in Chicago newspapers, the bald-headed Corgan said, "I want my band back, and my songs, and my dreams."
He did not say which if any of the band's former members would be involved in the revived group, which broke through with albums such as "Gish" and "Siamese Dream."
The Pumpkins' top selling album was "Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness" which came out in 1995, but as the 1990s progressed their work became increasingly obscure as tensions arose in the group.
They broke up over differences among its four members and Corgan has since jumped from project to project but failed to match his early success.
Corgan, based in Chicago, has just released a solo album, "TheFutureEmbrace" on Reprise Records.
He did not say when he would try to reform the Pumpkins but the new album "represents a new beginning, not an ending. It picks up the thread of the as-yet-unfinished work and charter of The Smashing Pumpkins," he said.
06/21/05 12:08 ET
12 - ClockworkOrange
I love TheFutureEmbrace album. and the pumpkins. zwan wasn't as good as either. The pumpkins lyrics are so amazing... plus billy corgans voice is so key, cuz he can do notes but he's got that nasal death sound that makes everyone realise it's him. it had character. it didn't sound like everyone else @ the time. they also didn't stay to one sound. they kept it interesting. they didn't get boring. now TheFutureEmbrace is really cool because it's really trippy, and it's techno-y and the lyrics are fantastic.