Visitant Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 SP used to be my primary jam back in HS. I got to see them on tour with this little up and coming band called Garbage opening up for them. Good times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Hakujin Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 I've seen SP live twice. once back in the day headlining Lollapalooza, and a few years ago at Voodoo Fest sharing a bill w/ the reunited RATM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reverend Jax Posted July 28, 2012 Author Share Posted July 28, 2012 I know Billy Corgan was always the overwhelming creative force of the Pumpkins, but does it bother anyone that with none of the members from their heyday but him, they are still called SP? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Visitant Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 "Guns 'N Roses" says hello. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the division of joy Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 I know Billy Corgan was always the overwhelming creative force of the Pumpkins, but does it bother anyone that with none of the members from their heyday but him, they are still called SP? Eh, bands do this shit semi-regularly enough for it not to bother me. I don't like it, but I don't really care enough about him/them anymore to be irked about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reverend Jax Posted July 28, 2012 Author Share Posted July 28, 2012 "Guns 'N Roses" says hello. See, for SP, I was posing the question because I wasn't sure how I personally felt able it. With GN'R, I thought Slash was always a significant part of GN'R's identity. GN'R without Slash is like be like the Stones without Keith Richards or Led Zeppelin without Jimmy Page, or The Who without Pete Townshend. With SP, I feel like more of what made that band unique was due to Corgan than any of those other bands relied on a single individual. More flexibility can be granted when a significant band member dies, so AC/DC continuing on without Bon Scott is way more palatable than Van Halen continuing on without David Lee Roth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JunkerSeed Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 I'm a pretty huge SP fan and given the loss of Jimmy (who is a great drummer and was definitely integral on every SP album but adore) I was not expecting to enjoy this one but I was pleasantly surprised. I didn't hate Zeitgeist as much as most did; I thought the more rockin tracks like Tarantula, Bring the Light, and United States of America were pretty great, but it was super uneven and the softer moments were kind of intolerable. On Oceania the softer moments might be the highlight, and the guitar theatrics on stuff like Chimera and Quasar don't disappoint. It just seems that for some reason, Corgan's song writing chops were on point for this one. Of course, his lyrics are still pretty cringe-worthy, and you will have to stomach him singing "Krishna, ride on!" just 5 seconds into the album, but that's never been his strongsuit. If you have any interest whatsoever in hearing what SP sounds like now, this is a breath of fresh air. Here's a standout for me. <object width="560" height="315"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Liy517_9II8?version=3&hl=en_US"></param><param'>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Liy517_9II8?version=3&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Liy517_9II8?version=3&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MetalHeart Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 I thought I put this somewhere, but I guess not: I don't dislike the new album, but after two run-throughs of it I can't really get into it. None of the songs pop out at me. They feel and sound, to me, just very generic. Like I said, it's not a bad album, but I prolly won't be sticking it in the CD player again anytime soon... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Hakujin Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 I know Billy Corgan was always the overwhelming creative force of the Pumpkins, but does it bother anyone that with none of the members from their heyday but him, they are still called SP? No. He was always the one driving that band. James Iha thought he was getting short changed on cred and left ages ago, but after hearing Oceania I can't really see where he's missed. D'arcy wanted to be an actress and he tried to keep the drummer but his addictions won out. "Guns 'N Roses" says hello. I pretty much agree w/ Jax. Axl/Slash were not Corgan/Iha. Those bands were way different dynamics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reverend Jax Posted July 30, 2012 Author Share Posted July 30, 2012 So if Billy Corgan wanted to do an album with just his voice and an acoustic guitar, or his voice and a piano, would it still be the Pumpkins? Is Zwan now retroactively the Pumpkins, or is Zwan still Zwan because it have other creative influences and the Pumpkins is Billy Corgan plus 3 studio musicians with zero (haha...like the song) creative input? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the division of joy Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 No. He was always the one driving that band. James Iha thought he was getting short changed on cred and left ages ago, but after hearing Oceania I can't really see where he's missed. D'arcy wanted to be an actress and he tried to keep the drummer but his addictions won out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Hakujin Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 (edited) DOJ is either trollin' or one of the only members left on the James Iha Fanclub mailing list. So if Billy Corgan wanted to do an album with just his voice and an acoustic guitar, or his voice and a piano, would it still be the Pumpkins? Is Zwan now retroactively the Pumpkins, or is Zwan still Zwan because it have other creative influences and the Pumpkins is Billy Corgan plus 3 studio musicians with zero (haha...like the song) creative input? I dunno, that's really a question for Billy Corgan to answer. I think it would be different as far as the mindset and creative process of the artist. I was recently watching an interview w/ Glen Hansard, and he was saying that one wouldn't really think there'd be a difference for him in making a solo album as opposed to one w/ The Frames or Swell Season, but he found them all to be unique and different creative experiences. So maybe there's something about the chemistry of being in the studio w/ four people that's conducive to Corgan feeling justified in calling Oceania a SP album. And I forgot all about Zwan. I vaguely remember liking the album. It had Paz from APC, if I recall correctly. Whatever happened to her? Edited July 30, 2012 by Mr. Hakujin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the division of joy Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 I really just don't dig this album and to say its as good musically or guitar wise as some of the older stuff is shocking, to say the very least. So no, not trolling, just have ears. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thelogan Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 I always percieved Smashing Pumpkins as Corrigan and a handful of trained monkeys that he teaches how to play the songs, which he keeps around for live shows and magazine covers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JunkerSeed Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 I think he has actually kept it relatively sensical in terms of what's called what and why. I say so because his solo album is so fucking different from anything labeled SP including Adore. Like Oceania or not, it definitely sounds like SP, almost to a fault. (Seriously, the fucking octave interval on The first song, Quasar is what every SP song in the world is: Cherub Rock, Silverfuck, Jellybelly. etc etc etc) Zwan didn't count because the guys from Slint and Chavez probably actually had some say in writing some parts, and they probably wouldn't have done it if they were just joining an existing band. I think that album is just fine, again, this is coming from someone who listens to Machina B sides so I don't think my opinions count on the quality front. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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