Billy Corgan

William Patrick "Billy" Corgan, Jr. (born March 17, 1967 in Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.) is an American vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter best known for his work in the now-disbanded alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins. The Pumpkins were one of alternative rock's biggest acts, known for their complex layered sound, Corgan's scathing guitar and whiny vocals, and making use of elaborate and evocative fantasy imagery. The Smashing Pumpkins produced five major albums, including the widely-acclaimed and commercially successful albums Siamese Dream (1993) and the follow-up double album Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (1995).

Early years

Corgan moved from Chicago to St. Petersburg, Florida in 1985 with his first major band, The Marked, named for the noticeable birthmarks of Billy and Ron Roesing, the drummer. The band lasted for around nine months and disbanded, with Billy returning to Chicago to live with his father.

Related Topics:
St. Petersburg, Florida - 1985 - The Marked - Ron Roesing

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

While working at a record store there, he met up with guitarist James Iha through a friend. He then met bassist D'Arcy Wretzky at a local show and soon formed The Smashing Pumpkins. The trio began to play together at local clubs with only a drum machine for percussion. The band tried to book a show at the Cabaret Metro, a notable Chicago venue. Metro owner Joe Shanahan refused to let the band play until they found a live drummer. The band was introduced to jazz fusion drummer Jimmy Chamberlin by a mutual friend. Chamberlin did not align with the band at first, but thought they had potential--thus he joined the group. The Metro show on April 10 1988 was the band's first show with the full lineup. The Pumpkins continued to have a close relationship with the venue, playing new tracks there frequently and playing the band's final show at the Metro more than a decade later December 2 2000 . The new band fused diverse threads such as psychedelic rock and hard rock into a distinctive sound on their inaugural album, Gish (1991).

Related Topics:
James Iha - D'Arcy Wretzky - Drum machine - Jazz fusion - Jimmy Chamberlin - April 10 - 1988 - December 2 - 2000 - Psychedelic rock - Hard rock - Gish - 1991

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~