The Smashing Pumpkins

[B.See]

[AZJonnie]

1. It's always annoyed me they just randomly changed from Smashing Pumpkins to The Smashing Pumpkins

before Mellon Collie came out. That said, Siamese Dream would probably get my vote as greatest alternative rock album of the 90's even above Superunknown and 10 and Nevermind. I still call them Smashing Pumpkins.

At least Eagles never changed their name from Eagles (as in that's what's on every album cover), despite what people call them. My old concert ticket stubs also say Eagles, not The Eagles.

[B.See]

3. Lol. Prerogative of the artists, I'd imagine,

but thanks for sharing.

[AZJonnie]

6. I know, first world problems lol

It just really changes the name in my mind ... the original was like a verb/noun, and then it became adjective/noun. It's pretty significant

I did actually see them on Siamese Dream tour, one of my fave shows of all time.

[MasonDreams]

2. By the way, which one's Pink?

[ProfessorGAC]

4. My Pumpkins Connection

In 1978, I'm in a band. I decided I wanted to play guitar in a band, even though I'd only been playing for a couple years.
I insisted I would NOT play piano.
So, I knew some guys 16 or 17 years old (before you get creeped out, I graduated from college at 19, so I wasn't yet 21, and 2 of the guys were family friends).
Their neighbor played keys, another one played bass, and 3 guitars. We were on our 3rd drummer in a year when we get a call from a kid asking if he could audition.
His mom drops him off at the bass player's house, and he sets up.
I put a record on the turntable and played Boz Scaggs' Lowdown. About 30 seconds & this 14 year old kud Saud "I think I've got it."
We start playing the song & the kid is a STUD! Way better than the other 2 drummers who were 17 & 18.
That kid was Jimmy Chamberlin.
He wanted in. When his mom came to get him, I talked to her. She was put at ease that I was a college graduate with a professional job, and not some low-life slacker preying on kids. So, she agreed to let him join.
He left after a year to join a hard rock band.
Later, I became pals with his older brother who is a couple years older than me.
I saw the Pumpkins several times in their formative years.
I'm not a fan of Billy, so I didn't stay connected with them.

[B.See]

5. Wow. What a great story.

Just curious, are you still playing?

[ProfessorGAC]

7. Only For Myself

After 30+ years (20 with the same 4 of us, plus the same soundma& lighting guy) the gig schedule and my work travel became too hard to manage.
After 20 years together, nobody was upset that we had to pull the plug.
I play guitar & piano every day, though. A few times on each instrument 15 or 20 minutes at a time.
I mostly play acoustic guitar now, and I've got a real piano. So no amps, cords, electrical connections.
Just sit down at the piano or get a guitar off the wall and play.
But, I'm done performing aside from 2 or 3 tunes at a local open mic thing.
Here's an example of some stuff I recorded for my own entertainment a few years ago. I'm playing & singing all the parts on these.
https://m.soundcloud.com/user-134084288/tracks

[B.See]

8. DAYUM, Dude!!

You are absolutely GREAT on guitar, drums, and, well, everything. And GREAT singer to boot. Not to mention the expertise it must've taken to mix it all seeing as how you sang and played all the instruments. Loved your take on "All Along the Watchtower" and that guitar riff was SMOKIN. And duets! With yourself! (sounded like three voices on "Going Down" ) including some reverb (or is it called echo) thrown in. Great organ bit in that one too. Also parts of it sounded a bit like horns (I figure that was keyboard work as well). And "Running Down a Dream." Fantastic, imo. More great guitar riffs - your own take without losing the essence of the original.

"Impressive. Most impressive" .

Recommend other DU'ers give it a listen.

[ProfessorGAC]

9. Thank You

If you're interested in some older stuff, here's my YouTube page.
There are several band videos there. They see mostly from 1992 to 2001, I think.

https://youtube.com/@gac-rp7tf?si=wXD7WN8Cx1xwCMWj