How did Smashing Pumpkins become so underrated?

[Nick Young]

;lol@calling-people-"sport"

and-i'm-still-shocked-that-you-and-millwad-coincidentally-used-the-term-'kiddo-too...never-seen-anyone-really-use-that-term-EVER...only-probably-some-movie-where-some-8yrold-bully-was-pickin-on-lil-kids-playing-in-the-sandbox....and-ISH-has-2-of-them

thats-the-kiind-of-lingo-that-makes-me-cringe-in-RL...and-you're-not-even-foreign-so-you-got-no-excuse-fgt...just-sorry

lawl, you mad, kiddo? Where's your spacebar, sport? Too poor to afford a new one?

Find any friends yet, sport?

[andgar923]

I don't understand why bands such as Nirvana are still immortalized while even better bands like the Pumpkins are forgotten. Top 5 drummer of all time. Billy Corgan is often considered a top 10 rock guitarist all time, had one of the most unique voices ever and was a brilliant lyricist. KILLER bassists too.

Basically a nearly flawless band. Not only that but Smashing Pumpkins has tons of deep, legit songs. I have the greatest hits and I feel like it doesn't even include 10+ songs that deserve to be on there. It should be a double CD because that's how many good songs Corgan wrote.

Thoughts on Smashing Pumpkins? Why aren't they more popular even now?

I'm a big Pumpkins fan, and I do agree that time has forgotten about them. But I completely disagree with your assessment that Corgan is a top 10 guitarist and that the drummer is top 5.... wayyyyy off base.

I do agree that Corgan has a unique voice, but I think that this is also why some don't generally dislike them or dismiss them, similar to why some people don't like Radiohead.

[rufuspaul]

I know I'm gonna sound like a dick, but that is not my intent, I'm legitimately surprised by this...


People over 16 listen to them? I can't imagine anyone other than a moody teenager listening to them.

What can I say? Despite all my rage I'm still just a rat in a cage.

[Jackass18]

I know I'm gonna sound like a dick, but that is not my intent, I'm legitimately surprised by this...


People over 16 listen to them? I can't imagine anyone other than a moody teenager listening to them.

CSB

[Randy]

I feel like you're missing a word in there..

Goddamnit

[Clippersfan86]

Maybe it's just me but Pumpkins gets massive points over Nirvana for versatility. Nirvana's music was completely depressing, negative or about drugs. I can't find a single upbeat or positive Nirvana song. Here are two examples of great Smashing Pumpkins songs you may not know that aren't like that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrXVoIOSoN8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKYY8DxVZHE&ob=av2e

Then you can't forget "Today".

Then you throw in INCREDIBLY deep songs like "Disarm" and "1979". I'm sorry but lyrically Nirvana isn't even in the same realm IMO. Nirvana wrote a bunch of drug songs and songs about misery and don't deserve the kind of respect they get.

As for Jimmy Chamberlain not being one of the greatest drummers of all time... I strongly disagree. One thing I will concede is Corgan isn't a top 10 guitarist. I personally rank him top 10 but most don't.

[Cowboy Thunder]

Good band

[blablabla]

Maybe it's just me but Pumpkins gets massive points over Nirvana for versatility. Nirvana's music was completely depressing, negative or about drugs. I can't find a single upbeat or positive Nirvana song. Here are two examples of great Smashing Pumpkins songs you may not know that aren't like that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrXVoIOSoN8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKYY8DxVZHE&ob=av2e

Then you can't forget "Today".

Then you throw in INCREDIBLY deep songs like "Disarm" and "1979". I'm sorry but lyrically Nirvana isn't even in the same realm IMO. Nirvana wrote a bunch of drug songs and songs about misery and don't deserve the kind of respect they get.

As for Jimmy Chamberlain not being one of the greatest drummers of all time... I strongly disagree. One thing I will concede is Corgan isn't a top 10 guitarist. I personally rank him top 10 but most don't.

an upbeat popsong and nirvana would really fit

[QuebecBaller]

One of favorite band ever

The problem with Smashing, is they were able to make one over-the-top album (mellon collie and the infinite sadness) and after that the other albums were not as good as expected (they set the bar too high with Mellon Collie)

In 1996, Chamberlin had drugs problems and was fired, D'arcy left in 1999, the band break-up in 2000, and the reunion wasn't a true reunion... just the return of Billy Corgan and the name Smashing Pumpkins

If the band didn't have internal problems they'd probably been able to wrote more great albums... but it didnt happened

P.S: I never liked Nirvana, but you can't compare the two bands... Nirvana created a new sound, destroyed a huge part of heavy metal in the same time and the leader killed himself (accept it or not, but death always help a band legacy). Nirvana is a part of the history of music, Smashing Pumpkins is a huge part of the 90's

[Nick Young]

Maybe it's just me but Pumpkins gets massive points over Nirvana for versatility. Nirvana's music was completely depressing, negative or about drugs. I can't find a single upbeat or positive Nirvana song. Here are two examples of great Smashing Pumpkins songs you may not know that aren't like that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrXVoIOSoN8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKYY8DxVZHE&ob=av2e

Then you can't forget "Today".

Then you throw in INCREDIBLY deep songs like "Disarm" and "1979". I'm sorry but lyrically Nirvana isn't even in the same realm IMO. Nirvana wrote a bunch of drug songs and songs about misery and don't deserve the kind of respect they get.

As for Jimmy Chamberlain not being one of the greatest drummers of all time... I strongly disagree. One thing I will concede is Corgan isn't a top 10 guitarist. I personally rank him top 10 but most don't.

Today isn't a happy song idiot, look at the lyrics

[Nick Young]

One of favorite band ever

The problem with Smashing, is they were able to make one over-the-top album (mellon collie and the infinite sadness) and after that the other albums were not as good as expected (they set the bar too high with Mellon Collie)

In 1996, Chamberlin had drugs problems and was fired, D'arcy left in 1999, the band break-up in 2000, and the reunion wasn't a true reunion... just the return of Billy Corgan and the name Smashing Pumpkins

If the band didn't have internal problems they'd probably been able to wrote more great albums... but it didnt happened

P.S: I never liked Nirvana, but you can't compare the two bands... Nirvana created a new sound, destroyed a huge part of heavy metal in the same time and the leader killed himself (accept it or not, but death always help a band legacy). Nirvana is a part of the history of music, Smashing Pumpkins is a huge part of the 90's

Nirvana didn't create a new sound, they just popularized the Pixies sound. They had a better and more marketable image and a charismatic frontman compared to the Pixies who just wore normal clothes and looked normal.

[Abd El-Krim]

I've never been a Pumpkins fan. They have that 90s meh sound that so many bands during the period had. I just listened to three of the songs linked in this thread and feel like I watched an episode of the real world when that one dude had aids. Just saying, no staying power there.

[Abd El-Krim]

Yes, Cobain's suicide did impact their legacy. Nevermind was a groundbreaking record but even at the time they weren't even the biggest band in the world. Metallica and Pearl Jam were just as big, maybe even bigger. And you can even say Pearl Jam was more popular with record-breaking sales they were doing between 1992-94. Ten actually outsold Nevermind, and Vs. even nearly reached 1 million sales in its first week.

Everybody changed in April, 1994 though when Cobain died and Nirvana's legacy grew bigger, while everybody else almost became an afterthought.


I think they would become more like Guns N Roses if Cobain lived. A couple of albums and a break-up after getting sick of each other.

You honestly think if Vedder or Hetfield had died around that time they'd be immortalized like that? No f'n way. They fronted popular bands but weren't enigmatic in the way that Cobain was. Cobain's death may have cemented his legacy as rock and roll royalty but even had he lived there's just no way he would have gone out like Axl ****ing Rose. I think a Syd Barrett/Peter Green path would have ensued, which is much more respectable than ukulele albums and hair pieces.

[RidonKs]

Bolded is untrue. And Smashing Pumpkins is in my top 3 favorite bands of all time ever list.

Nirvana and Pumpkins are different. Also Nirvana is immortalized today because they put out like 3 perfect albums then the lead singer martyrized himself. So basically they went out at the peak of their game before they could put out a clunker album which is why they are so legendary now.

If pumpkins went out after melon collie and the infinite sadness with Billy Corgan committing Hari Kari they would be just as big today as Nirvana.

Pumpkins are great, I love Machina, Machina II, Ava Adore, even Zeitgeist, but they have alot of bad songs and I get why critics hate those albums.

Gish, Melon colie, Siamese Dream are just as good as any nirvana album, only difference is nirvana died and pumpkins petered out.

If Kurt Cobaine didnt kill himself they'd probably be seen as Pearl Jam is today, dedicated cult following, recognition from the critics but not the massive giant band they were considered in their heyday.

this prrrrrdry much


gish is on my short list of best debut records i've ever heard. top to bottom, terrific album with just the right amount of variation and still an underlying consistency.

[Lebron23]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aeETEoNfOg