ThePumpkins.net

I must've misread the first post, cause i thought this was about the title of the band. But I thought too that he was trying to get media hype over the secret members. On that thought he could just not want people to predict what the album will be like so its a huge surprise, idk. Either way it worked getting coverage, if he didn't keep it a secret I don't think there'd be as much hype about the band from casual fans. And this might actually have turned casual fans into "tru" fans...who knows, some things work funny.

I don't know if I've just missed it, but I haven't seen anyone bring up the fact that the new 'Pumpkins' lineup is closer to Zwan than to The Smashing Pumpkins. I really don't understand why Billy chose to name this 'reunion' The Smashing Pumpkins instead of Zwan (or Zwan2), unless he just wanted an excuse to play old SP songs. It makes me kind of angry that he can even consider calling the group The Smashing Pumpkins considering the fact that he and Jimmy are the only original members. I'm sorry, but it's just not The Smashing Pumpkins without James and at least Melissa if not D'arcy. Now, I understand how Billy might not have been able to get them all back together, or maybe he just didn't want to, but I don't think he has the right to call it a Pumpkins reunion if there are only 2 original members.

[GUEST speeking]

That would be atrue sentiment if there were more surviving members of the original Pumpkins than Billy and Jimmy.

James is a whiner, and doesnt want to be involved, and D'arcy is probably OD'd in a gutter somewhere.

The Pumpkins survives because the only members who keep the spirit alive, are currently making more Pumpkin music.

There's a reason why Billy called it Zwan, and not the Pumpkins. because he was playing Zwan music.

This time around, he's playing Pumpkin music. I thought it was pretty simple and self-explanatory.

Bamboozeled? No, but it is a sad thing that Billy and Jimmy didn't get the whole band back together. We will always love the Pumpkins for the songs, the videos, the live shows, the moments and the first feeling you got from hearing them. We will see what happens on 7/10/07.


Love

My friend says the same thing, when I asked her if she was going to see the Pumpkins she shook her head and said, "No, it's not the real pumpkins, I'm not in if the whole band isn't in." Which kind of disappointed me, because she's the kind who always stays true to her bands. When I asked her what she thought of Tarantula she told me she refused to listen to them.
So much for faith.

This is a copy of a piece I wrote a while back on MySpace.com. It was a reaction to an article that discussed the "reunion" and the name "Smashing Pumpkins".

"Can I be honest? Whether it is a reunion or not, that's just playing with words. Billy Corgan apparently operates better (spiritually, technically, creativily, and most probably also financially) under the Smashing Pumpkins flag, for whatever reason. It's up to the individual fan if he/she likes the music he creates and plays under whatever flag Billy operates. A real music- and Smashing Pumpkins fan can't be bothered how it is called. Let's put it another way: let's presume the Smashing Pumpkins didn't stop in 2000 and played on till now. Would all founding members be in it still? Guess not. Would we then be bothered if they (Billy and Jimmy) still call the band Smashing Pumpkins? Guess not. I rest my case, as people like the writer of this make me kinda sarcastic. What really counts (or at least should count) for the fans is the music, not this superficial blablabla about how we should call it and why we should judge it by that way."

This statement would be ok except for the fact that they DID break up and Billy and Jimmy started a different band and said that that band "Zwan" would be nothing like the pumpkins! So what makes this "new pumpkins" so SP all of a sudden??? IS the whole SP legacy just what Billy says it is??? NO sir, there were other people involved and when you replace those people you change the chemistry and the product. Joy Division lost one member and changed their name because they knew that when you take a piece from the puzzle or an ingredient from the recipe the outcomeis never the same. They were brave enough to change their name and let their new music speak for itself. They didn't use the old name in an attempt to rekindle interest in their present work.

If you believe what your say then we may as well call "Velvet Revolver" "Guns and Roses" because most of the members were in that band. Billy and Jimmy don't make it pumpkins. Not when they've given us that formula before and called it something else.

i agree that its not the real pumpkins, and that the moniker is just for record sales, but i dont really care, burn the damn thing!

but i say billy is having a big four o "mid-life crisis" and wants to have a big band again, hes a total sell out, but who cares?

two wrongs make a right in my book, so burning the album puts my mind at ease on this one, dont buy it people!!!

james and darcy should start a band and call it mellon collie and the infinite sadness, hehehe

Billy would never do that. He used the name Smashing Pumpkins again not because it was most famouse and it would make more money but because being in the Smashing Pumpkins felt right for him.

He even said himself he didnt enjoy being in Zwan, so why make a Zwan 2?

And why make a new band name. That just ruins the fun. It would give the band no background if they renamed it.

Besides, Billy and Jimmy were the two main Pumpkins, I definatly think it was a good idea for them to stay that way.

but stuff that!!! im glad they are bak... if they were called zwan... then we wouldnt hear the pumpkins songs live would we!!! BRING ON RUBY!!! ROARRRRRRRRRRRR!!!

When TFE came out, Billy did an interview on Sound Opinions, and the subject of why he wanted to revive the Pumpkins came up. I will have to find a recording of it to get my quotes exact, but he said that when he and Jimmy were going through the Pumpkins catalog for the iTunes library, he found that as soon as those songs were being played loud over the speakers, he felt "that guy" coming back. "That guy" meaning the person Billy was in the Pumpkins, before all of these other changes he's gone through. When TFE came out, he made comments about how he no longer wanted to celebrate the "shadowy" side of things. I had the impression that he was trying to create a sort of bridge between the person he had been in the Pumpkins, where he was personally and musically at the end, to the person he was now, with TFE.
There is a painter named Hundertwasser (excellent) who maintains that every artist should come up with a new name of his or herself whenever he or she tries something different, as far as technique or themes, etc., to acknowledge this new aspect of their artistic personality.
So for me this applies to Billy and the Pumpkins. Pumpkins music to me IS different than Zwan music and Billy's solo record, despite the fact that in my eyes he's the one responsible for it. Something more than the presence and influence of other people. I think there are aspects of him, personally and artistically, that come into play depending on which "artist" or "group" moniker he's operating under.

Ok so if Billy is the Pumpkins and he and Jimmy are the lifeblood of the pumpkins and Billy can just make a Pumpkins album whenever he feels like it - why havent they acheived the success he had with Darcy and James on board. If they meant so little to SP, why hasnt Billy been successful without them? He hasn't had a successful project since James and Darcy left but noone sees that fact - just follow Jesus - i mean Billy. The point is - the only reason people are excited about "Billy's" new project is because he's calling it SP and people are hoping maybe he will perform some of the old songs they loved (bring on Ruby!!!) I guarantee if Billy had called it anything else besides SP, most of these people who are posting on this board today would have cared less. Why didnt we see so much excitement for TFE? I agree - Billy is a genius - he's definitely smart enough to know a good career move.

Ive refrained from this argument, but i keep reading believe's posts and Ive come to the conclusion that it must be either James or Darcy trying to burst our bubbles!

Im Bamboozled now?

Are Metallica not Metallica then because Clif Burton Died and Dave Mustain kicked Hetfields Dog?
Are The Red Hot Chili Peppers Not the Red Hot Chili Peppers because they lost Hillel Slovak and replaced Cliff Martinez?
Was Faith No More crap when they took on Mike Patton to sing?
Was Nirvana better before they got Dave Grohl on Drums?

My point being
Sometimes a bands line up changes for the better.
Whatever the circumstances, be it Death, Rubbish musician/singer being fired, disagrement, personal/family or other reasons

1. Going back to the old sound and having fun isn't selling out
2. IF it is, I still don't give a flying fuck!
3. Billy Corgan isn't MUSICALLY jeopardized without D'Arcy James and MADM, it's the image.

Billy isn't as successful anymore because of Adore and Machina. And why weren't they successful? THEY WERE DIFFERENT. The average music listener can't handle any change and is a total douche bag who has to have everything just right.
Billy Corgan is seen as an asshole because he voices his opinions of other people openly. That's sad.

Fucken A man!


cant everyone agree the sp name is for record sales, and that it doesnt really matter... thats my vote

I don't agree with that.

I believe I stated "Going back to the old sound and having fun isn't selling out"

whooooops! i totally forgot about performing old songs, and the legal shit involved, maybe thats why they went back to smashing pumpkins! hmmm....

haha, my "seitgeist was just thrown together so they could play live again" theory may have merit

YEs - thats called a line-up change - not a reunion. We are not talking about replacing someone (as they did with MADM) we are talking about Billy ending the band for his own reasons and then trying to do other stuff that didnt work and then going "back to the well" but not bothering to to even do that right - he just hand-picks a couple of puppets and feeds us some half-assed rendition of the pumpkins, and the so-called true SP fans just eating it up like their little birds and Billy brought a bag of worms to the nest.

"Oh, anything you bring us Billy - we'll eat it, without even checking to see if it's food."

I'll reply to your statements sir:

You said:

Billy Corgan isn't MUSICALLY jeopardized without D'Arcy James and MADM...

Billy Corgan isn't musically jeopardized - but the Smashing Pumpkins are. Thats the problem - you all have been brain washed into believing Billy IS the Smashing Pumpkins...but if thats the case TFE would have been an SP album. The fact is TFE was Billy and Billy alone - that was the only solo project he has ever done and if any of you had ever been in a band you would know that one person doesnt do everything in a band. Billy himself has said that people don't know how much the other members influenced the SP albums and obviously you guys don't. My question is - how do u return to a sound without including the people that shaped that sound???

You said:
Billy isnt successful anymore because of Adore and Machina...

ARE U SERIOUS????

Commercially both those albums sold over a million copies which is success in my eyes. Failure would be if your were Platinum your whole career and then relesed several projects that failed to sell even half that amount.

Billy has only had success with the pumpkins which means when he's working with other musicians. Remember when Billy tried to Produced Adore alone and couldn't do it - so he ended up calling in a producer for help??? The man is not god people - he can't do everything himself.


Oh and I never said Billy was an asshole - just a smart buisness man. I mean - he's managed to convince almost every SP fan that he IS the Pumpkins and no matter who he chooses to be in the band as long as he's there its SP or ZWan or whatever name he wants to use.