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).

Popular success

The Pumpkins signed to major-label Virgin Records to record Siamese Dream. The Pumpkins became known for their elaborate production techniques, layering dozens of different tracks over one another with a wide variety of effects. Siamese Dream's "Soma" uses over 40 guitar tracks alone. The band became known for internal drama during this period, with Corgan frequently characterized in the music press as a control freak who reportedly went so far as to unilaterally erase other band members' studio tracks and rerecord his own performances over them. The reality of the situation was Corgan had developed a deep depression and worked overtime for both Gish and Siamese Dream, recording some of the guitar and bass tracks for the former and almost all for the latter. Guitarist Iha and bassist Wretzky were losing interest in the band during that time period due to a messy break-up. Corgan even went on record saying if Siamese Dream didn't sell well, he would break up the band. The album was well received by critics, and the songs "Today" and "Disarm" became smash hits, with the accompanying music videos receiving heavy airplay on MTV.

Related Topics:
Virgin Records - Siamese Dream - Depression - Today - Disarm - Music videos - MTV

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Their 1995 followup effort, the massive 2 disc set Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, was even more wildly successful, spawning a string of hit singles and eventually a box set (The Aeroplane Flies High, 1996) of songs recorded during the Mellon Collie sessions which were cut from the album. The album was nominated for seven Grammy awards that year and would eventually sell several million copies, making it one of the best selling double albums of all time. With the expanded resources now at their disposal, production values became even more elaborate, and the band branched out beyond their hard rock roots, featuring, for example, dense orchestral accompaniment on "Tonight, Tonight", ethereal pieces leaning towards rock-electronica ("1979"), and a soft piano intro track. The album also included a number of more traditional metal-driven guitar-based tracks, such as the first single, "Bullet with Butterfly Wings", and "Zero". Their appearance on Saturday Night Live on November 11, 1995 to promote this material also was the debut appearance of Corgan's shaved head, which he has maintained consistently ever since (as of 2005). Previously, Corgan had, in typical rockstar fashion, varied his hair styles fairly often.

Related Topics:
1995 - Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness - The Aeroplane Flies High - 1996 - Tonight, Tonight - Electronica - 1979 - Bullet with Butterfly Wings - Zero - Saturday Night Live - November 11

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During the album's tour, the band was plagued by Chamberlin's heroin addiction. On July 12, 1996, Chamberlin and touring keyboardist Jonathan Melvoin overdosed in a hotel room. Chamberlin survived, but Melvoin did not. The Pumpkins were forced to fire their disgraced drummer. They completed the tour with Filter drummer Matt Walker and Frogs keyboardist Dennis Flemion, but the band missed the intense energy that Chamberlin's drumming provided.

Related Topics:
Heroin - July 12 - 1996 - Jonathan Melvoin - Filter - Matt Walker - Frogs - Dennis Flemion

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Said Irish rock and roll icon Bono of the band's later decline; "A lot of people say that they (the Pumpkins) went downhill after that (the release of the album Mellon Collie and the Infinite Saddness), but I think otherwise. They were a great band, and that was their apex. There was nowhere uphill to go after that. They were at their peak, and no band ever got higher."

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