Lead Singer Syndrome

Welcome to another special ‘90s entry! This week, we’re going to discuss what many music fans refer to as “lead singer syndrome” (this is not something I made up, I promise). This is a disease that has affected plenty of frontmen (and women) over the years, and it’s not strictly a ‘90s phenomenon. However, there are a number of ‘90s bands that struggled with a temperamental lead singer, and many of them called it quits because of that one person’s sour attitude.

So let’s take a look at three notoriously asshole-ish lead singers (that I also happen to like a lot) and find out just where they went wrong.

Scott Weiland (Stone Temple Pilots)

Status: Fired

Why Is He an Asshole?

His highly publicized substance abuse problems led to multiple arrests, which constantly derailed STP’s attempts to tour and even release new material. Over the years, he became more and more withdrawn from his bandmates and began showing up to his own shows late or not at all (I know from experience because Scott was late to an STP show I attended a few years ago).

After STP went on hiatus in the early 2000s, Scott joined the supergroup Velvet Revolver. Much to no one’s surprise, his bad habits followed him, and Velvet Revolver eventually dumped him. He reunited with both bands later on, but that didn’t last long. Scott got a little cocky about the Velvet Revolver one-off reunion, claiming he was back with the band for good (a claim Slash immediately shot down).

STP went on another hiatus, during which Scott began a solo tour. The tour was branded the “Purple at the Core Tour,” and basically consisted of Scott performing STP songs with another band. The rest of the original STP lineup accused Scott of and essentially touring under the STP brand without permission. They warned him to cease and desist, but Scott refused, so they fired him and replaced him with Linkin Park singer Chester Bennington.

In Scott’s Defense

I made my opinion on Scott Weiland clear in my Stone Temple Pilots entry, but I’d like to go into more detail here.

Like I stated above, I happen to like the three singers discussed in this entry. Out of all three, I like Scott the most (see my embarrassingly intense crush on him in middle school). He’s an incredible songwriter and his voice is heavenly. Though I honestly believe he was a better frontman in Velvet Revolver, his work with Stone Temple Pilots is still impressive.

Unfortunately, his skills as a musician are overshadowed by his rampant drug use in the ‘90s and his increasingly anti-social behavior. For those who don’t know, Scott was diagnosed with bipolar disorder a while back, which explains a lot. Now, of course that shouldn’t be an excuse for some of the bad moves he’s made career-wise—he’s still done some asshole-ish things to his bandmates, both in STP and Velvet Revolver. And I don’t think his admittance of his mental illness was a move to elicit pity from anyone.

His autobiography, Not Dead & Not For Sale, goes into detail about some of his deeper issues (if you’re curious about his life, please give it a read), but ultimately, drugs did him in. Like Kurt Cobain, Scott found solace in heroin, and it obviously fucked a lot of things up for him. I don’t think he’s completely blameless in terms of relationships with his former bandmates, but he’s still a human being who makes mistakes and maybe doesn’t know exactly how to deal with them.

Verdict: 60% asshole (40% misunderstood)

Courtney Love (Hole)

Status: Solo

Why Is She an Asshole?

Her boisterous attitude and tendency to speak before she thinks have gotten her into many scuffles with other musicians (she once punched Bikini Kill’s Kathleen Hanna in the face for supposedly no particular reason).

But perhaps her most prominent claim to infamy was her tumultuous relationship with Kurt Cobain. Because of Kurt’s absurdly exaggerated legacy, Courtney has continuously been viewed as his ultimate downfall. She’s been called everything from a “Yoko Ono” to a murderer.

In Courtney’s Defense

Courtney Love isn’t exactly the easiest person to like, but she has a lot of qualities I really admire.

She challenges mainstream expectations of how a woman should look and act. It seems to me that people who find Courtney’s obnoxious behavior more off-putting than similar behavior from her male counterparts are perhaps caught off guard by her unwillingness to adapt to traditional feminine roles. Or people just find her annoying, regardless of her gender. I can’t assume everyone who hates Courtney is a misogynist.

She also gets far too much shit for her history of substance abuse. Scott Weiland followed almost the exact same path, yet he gets off easy compared to Courtney. But alas, rock ‘n’ roll is a boys club and girls will almost always get the short end of the stick.

But the one thing I really admire about Courtney is her ability to move past the tragedy of Kurt’s passing. No matter what you think of her, you have to admit that being in her shoes at that point in 1994 must have been incredibly difficult. But she prevailed. That takes a hell of a lot of strength.

Sure, she’s made mistakes, and yes, her public image is one of the worst in rock history, but she’s a strong woman (and she probably doesn’t give a shit what you think of her).

Verdict: 75% asshole (25% badass bitch)

Billy Corgan (Smashing Pumpkins)

Status: Only original member left in the band

Why Is He an Asshole?

A notorious perfectionist, Billy insisted on playing all the guitar and bass parts on both Gish and Siamese Dream, which caused early internal drama with the Pumpkins.

The original Smashing Pumpkins lineup began to disintegrate by the late ‘90s, and the band eventually broke up in 2000. Billy reunited with drummer Jimmy Chamberlin to form the band Zwan, but that didn’t last long due to the rift forming between the two.

In 2004, Billy basically ruined any chance of getting the original Smashing Pumpkins lineup back together by badmouthing everyone. He blamed James Iha for the breakup and called D’arcy Wretzky a “mean-spirited drug addict.” And on top of that, he slammed his Zwan bandmates, calling them “filthy, opportunistic and selfish.” (And he did this on LiveJournal, for Christ's sake. LiveJournal.)

Though Jimmy did reunite with Billy for the album Zeitgeist in 2007, he quit two years later. Billy decided to continue releasing music under the Smashing Pumpkins name.

In Billy’s Defense

Like Scott and Courtney, Billy Corgan has his own personal issues that played some part in his behavior. He is apparently obsessive-compulsive, which explains the need for the first two Smashing Pumpkins albums to be perfect (and they are perfect). But that’s still not an excuse to be an asshole about it.

His tendency to badmouth his former bandmates (along with Courtney Love, whom he was involved with for quite some time) is definitely problematic, and unfortunately, I can’t really defend him on that.

My only defense for Billy is his musical skills. The man is a creative genius. Just listen to the perfection that is Siamese Dream. His more recent stuff is okay at best, but he knows exactly what he wants and he makes damn sure everyone hears it.

Verdict: 85% asshole (but 100% musical genius) 

Sam's Top 24 Favorite Music Videos of the '90s (Part 1)

What’s that? You want another countdown? Well, your wish has been granted, dear readers. If you were a fan of my Top 50 Favorite Albums of the ‘90s countdown, you’ll love my Top 24 Favorite Music Videos of the ‘90s countdown!

I love music videos. I appreciate the artistry of matching music with visuals, and the weirder the visuals, the more I love the video. So get ready for some cinematic adventures, kids. Look for part two next week. (Warning: Some of these videos are not safe to view at work. I’ll label them to spare you the embarrassment.)

24. “This Is Hardcore” by Pulp (1998), dir. Doug Nichol

“This Is Hardcore” is a song about pornography, so you would think the accompanying music video would reference that. Well, you’re wrong. Pulp opted out of the obvious porn parody video and instead produced a collection of dramatic film noir scenes that feel just as seedy as a homemade porno. The characters are dark and empty, much like adult film actors going through the motions.

23. “Tommy the Cat” by Primus (1991), dir. Mark Kohr

I had a hard time deciding which Primus video would make this list. It was between this video and “Mr. Krinkle,” but I ultimately went with “Tommy the Cat.” I think this video captures the true essence of Primus. You’ve got hyper-sexualized cartoon cats, Monty Python references and a special appearance by Tom Waits. And damn, that’s a funky bass line.

22. “Just” by Radiohead (1995), dir. Jamie Thraves

My music video preferences tend to fall on opposite sides of the spectrum. On one hand, I love weird, extravagant videos full of metaphors and symbolism. On the other hand, I really appreciate simple videos with a strong hook. The hook in Radiohead’s “Just” is the mystery of one person’s actions. A man lies on the sidewalk and refuses to explain why he’s doing it until the very end. But we never hear his words.

21. “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)” by Backstreet Boys (1997), dir. Joseph Kahn

Most boy bands in the ‘90s tended to make cheesy videos that mostly consisted of either synchronized dance breaks or “come hither” bedroom eyes. I definitely have to give the Backstreet Boys props for this extravagant ode to old horror films. Those pretty boys weren’t afraid to get ugly for this video. Vampires and werewolves and mummies, oh my!

20. “Give It Away” by Red Hot Chili Peppers (1991), dir. Stéphane Sednaoui

This video is a great introduction to the Chili Peppers. It just shows Anthony Kiedis and company as a bunch of funky, shirtless dudes who like to get weird. That is the RHCP philosophy in a nutshell. Also, the camera work in this video is trippy as hell.

19. “Who Was in My Room Last Night?” by Butthole Surfers (1993), dir. William Stobaugh

Butthole Surfers didn’t have a ton of success with this song, but this video just screams ‘90s MTV. The Surfers play in a creepy bar with even creepier characters buying drinks, but the animated sequences are the really rad parts (those scenes were animated by RobZombie, so you know they’re badass). “Who Was in My Room Last Night?” is basically a Saturday morning cartoon on acid with some live action shenanigans thrown in.

18. “Three Little Pigs” by Green Jellÿ (1993), dir. Fred Stuhr

If you’re not familiar with Green Jellÿ (pronounced “green jello”), sit yourself down and watch the video for “Three Little Pigs.” You will probably love it. Green Jellÿ is a comedy rock band that promoted itself as “the world’s first video-only band.” “Three Little Pigs” is part of the band’s video album, Cereal Killer. The video is ultra cheesy claymation, directed by the guy responsible for Tool’s “Sober” video. Unlike “Sober,” “Three Little Pigs” is hilarious.

17. “Just a Girl” by No Doubt (1995), dir. Mark Kohr

Okay, so this is probably because I have a huge girl crush on Gwen Stefani, but I’ve always loved the “Just a Girl” video. It sets up a nice contrast between the “boy’s club” and the “girl’s club.” Gwen is stuck in the girl’s room with the pretty pink walls and mirrors, while the rest of her bandmates are jamming away in the boy’s room. The visuals really complement the song here. And Gwen looks her best.

16. “Jeremy” by Pearl Jam (1992), dir. Mark Pellington

Most of the videos on this countdown are fun videos, but I do appreciate a music video with a serious message. “Jeremy” is powerful in its simplicity. We get a glimpse of the title character’s story through newspaper clippings and brief flashes of his home life and the final controversial scene in the classroom. The subject matter is dark, but it’s handled so well on the screen.

15. “Prison Sex” by Tool (1994), dir. Adam Jones (NSFW)

Tool produces some of the most thought-provoking music videos I’ve ever seen. Though most people tend to like “Sober,” I prefer “Prison Sex.” Both videos use claymation, but the message behind “Prison Sex” is much stronger. Though the visuals are mostly metaphorical, the song itself is about the cycle of child abuse. In the video, we see the larger, more menacing creature play around with the smaller creature like a helpless doll, only to put it back on the shelf.

14. “Freak on a Leash” by Korn (1999), dir. Todd McFarlane

Say what you want about Korn, but this video is badass. Using the same camera techniques as The Matrix, “Freak on a Leash” follows a bullet in slow motion as it travels through various objects (and leaves them shattered). White boy, nu-metal angst aside, the bullet trick in this video is beyond cool.

13. “Violet” by Hole (1994), dir. Mark Selinger & Fred Woodward

I was torn between this and “Doll Parts,” but “Violet” resonates more with me. I love the ballerina/stripper dichotomy presented in the video, and Courtney Love shifts between virgin and whore seamlessly. The old-timey film stock also gives the video a gritty feel to it, making the whole song just that much more aggressive.

Sam's Top 50 Favorite Albums of the '90s (Part 2)

Here’s part 2 of my Favorite Albums of the ‘90s countdown! Check out part 1 here.

40. Weight by Rollins Band (1994)

Henry Rollins formed Rollins Band shortly after Black Flag broke up in 1986. Henry and company didn’t have much success in the mainstream until 1994’s Weight, carried by the MTV staple, “Liar.” My favorite thing about Rollins Band is the band’s tendency to go into jazz territory. You can definitely hear it on “Liar,” which is honestly one of the best songs of the ‘90s. Weight is a great album because it doesn’t try to be a Black Flag record. Henry’s biting self-examination and snark come through loud and clear, even with all that wonderful instrumentation. There are so many great songs on this album—“Fool,” “Wrong Man,” “Shine.” Henry, you clever bastard.

39. S.C.I.E.N.C.E. by Incubus (1997)

Most people tend to cite Make Yourself as Incubus’ best album and conveniently forget about S.C.I.E.N.C.E. This is a crime. Incubus used to be a funk metal band before they hit it big with “Drive.” This album (plus the first album, 1995’s Fungus Amongus) is some funky shit. There’s some fantastic bass work (and we all know how much I love bass guitar) and frontman Brandon Boyd lets it all hang loose like a young Anthony Kiedis. The energy never lets up, especially on songs like “Redefine,” “Glass” and “A Certain Shade of Green.” And what exactly does S.C.I.E.N.C.E. stand for? Southern California's Incubus Enters Nevada Carrying Equipment (among other things).

38. Becoming X by Sneaker Pimps (1996)

Have I mentioned how much I love ‘90s electronic music yet? No? Well, this is a good album to start with. I actually grew up listening to this album (and others like it), so I always assumed everyone knew the SneakerPimps. Becoming X was their first (and best) album. It mixes downtempo and trip-hop with a pixie-like female vocalist (the lovely Kelli Dayton). This album has always been one of my favorites because there’s so much going on. On one hand, you have ultra-cool electronic powerhouse tunes (“Low Place Like Home,” “Walking Zero”), and on the other hand, you have super sleek downtempo tunes (“Post Modern Sleaze” “How Do”). It’s equal parts badass and beautiful.

37. Evil Empire by Rage Against the Machine (1996)

Objectively, RATM’s self-titled debut is probably the better album. But I just love Evil Empire more. It’s just balls-to-the-wall, take-no-prisoners awesome. “Bulls on Parade” and “People of the Sun” are really strong singles, but “Tire Me” (which actually won a Grammy for Best Metal Performance) is a real highlight. “Roll Right” and “Year of tha Boomerang” are just as heavy. Evil Empire was the band’s second to last studio album (not including Renegades, which was a covers album), but it’s definitely better than the last album, 1999’s The Battle of Los Angeles (unpopular opinion?). And just try to tell me that you don’t immediately feel like a badass every time “Bulls on Parade” comes on in your car. “They rally round the family / With a pocket full of shells.” Ugh, that delivery. Zack de la Rocha is too cool for this world.

36. Call the Doctor by Sleater-Kinney (1996)

Sleater-Kinney kind of straddles the line between the riot grrrl movement and a more generalized form of punk rock (though this album was compared favorably to Heavens to Betsy’s Calculated, a riot grrrl staple). Either way, Sleater-Kinney definitely delivers on Call the Doctor. Clocking in at just 30 minutes long, the album goes beyond the common riot grrrl themes of gender roles and explores the commoditization of people. Call the Doctor just proves that maturity and raw anger are compatible with each other, especially when they come from girls like Corin Tucker, Carrie Brownstein and Lora Macfarlane.

35. Live Through This by Hole (1994)

Forget whatever qualms you may have with Courtney Love for a second and actually listen to this record. Surrounded by the death of two important people in her life (Kurt Cobain and Hole bassist Kristen Pfaff), Courtney and company churned out one of the most personal and painful albums of the ‘90s. Though not as visceral as Pretty on the Inside, Live Through This is a delicate mess (and I mean that in the best way possible). Courtney floats between deep-seated rage (“Violet,” “Gutless”) and subdued misery (“Doll Parts,” “Miss World”) so easily. She may not be the best singer in the world, but you can still hear every emotion in her voice. Whether you believe Kurt Cobain really wrote all the songs on the album or not, you have to admit that Live Through This is perfectly executed.

34. So Much for the Afterglow by Everclear (1997)

I think I mentioned Everclear’s appeal in my Everclear entry, but I’ll just reiterate it here: this band’s albums are great because they hide dark subject matter in poppy hooks. So Much for the Afterglow is a little more radio-friendly than Sparkle and Fade, but I still think it’s the better album. The singles are perfect because they have dark themes, but sound great on the radio. “Father of Mine” is my go-to example because, well, look: “Father of mine / Tell me, how do you sleep / With the children you abandoned/ And the wife I saw you beat?” Most of the songs on this album have the power to make me head-bang while sobbing—they’re so catchy, but the lyrics get me every time. “Amphetamine” is my personal favorite not just because of the lyrics, but also because of the string arrangement at the end. Gorgeous.

33. Crash by Dave Matthews Band (1996)

Yes, I genuinely like Dave Matthews Band. Why is that a problem? I know very few people who really dig DMB and I still don’t understand why people hate this band. Okay, maybe I have some idea—not everybody likes jam bands. Or bluegrass. Or jazz fusion. Wait, why do I like this band again? Oh right, because of this album. Crash is arguably DMB’s best album (though it may be tied with Under the Table and Dreaming). There’s just something whimsical about Crash, especially on my favorite song, “Crash Into Me.” It kind of sounds like a fairy tale (minus the creepy parts like, “Oh, I watch you there through the window / And I stare at you / You wear nothing, but you wear it so well”). I do realize there’s nothing I can really say about this album (or this band) to sway a non-fan’s opinion, but I will tell you that Crash makes me really happy whenever I hear it. After all, my happiness is really the deciding factor when it comes to choosing music to listen to, right?

32. Rid of Me by PJ Harvey (1993)

I had a really hard time choosing between this album and PJHarvey’s previous album, Dry. But when I really think about it, Rid of Me is stronger. It’s aggressive and distorted and just raw. I think having Steve Albini record the album was a great choice. He captures the primal qualities of each instrument so well, including PJ’s voice. And oh, her voice. Polly Jean has a vocal style all her own. She manages to sound both angelic and bitter at the same time. And there’s a sensual quality underneath that’s so smoky and mysterious. You can hear it on songs like “Rub ‘til it Bleeds,” “Rid of Me” and “Ecstasy.” Rid of Me as a whole is controlled chaos. It’s destructive, yet beautiful.

31. Post by Björk (1995)

Speaking of female artists with amazing voices, here’s Björk’s first (and definitely not last) appearance on this list. Post was the first Björk album I really got into, mostly because of the song “I Miss You” (along with the ultra-cool, ultra-weird music video). Even if you don’t like her music, you have to admit that this woman is incredibly talented. She has an amazing vocal range and a totally unique style. Post has some of the dance elements of Debut, but it leans more toward the experimental style of later Björk albums. There’s a healthy mix of heavier electronic tunes (“Army of Me,” “Enjoy”) and softer ballads (“Possibly Maybe,” “You’ve Been Flirting Again”), which just accentuates Björk’s versatility. This isn’t my favorite Björk album (you’ll see that one later), but it’s pretty close. 

Hole

Sound Familiar?

“Violet,” “Doll Parts,” “Celebrity Skin”

Who Are They?

An often-overlooked grunge band with a tenacious cherry bomb of a frontwoman.

Hole formed in 1989 after guitarist Eric Erlandson responded to an advertisement in the punk rock fanzine Flipside. The ad simply said, “I want to start a band. My influences are Big Black, Sonic Youth, and Fleetwood Mac.” The inquirer? Some chick called Courtney Love.

The band’s first rehearsals basically consisted of Courtney, Eric, and original bassist Lisa Roberts playing something noisy while Courtney and Lisa started screaming their poetry for two or three hours. That is how magic happens, people.

Once they picked up a drummer and a third guitarist, Hole started playing shows in nightclubs and seedy bars in Los Angeles. After a couple lineup changes, the band released their debut album, Pretty On the Inside, in 1991. Courtney wanted desperately for Sonic Youth’s Kim Gordon to produce the album, so she sent Kim a letter, a Hello Kitty barrette, and copies of Hole’s early singles. Kim agreed, probably because of the Hello Kitty barrette. Who wouldn’t say yes to that?

Pretty On the Inside received high praise from underground critics, especially in the UK where Hole did an extensive tour with Daisy Chainsaw and Mudhoney. Spin loved it, ranking it in their “20 Best Albums of the Year” list.

In later years, Courtney panned the album and referred to it as unlistenable. Whatever you say, Courtney.

During the Pretty On the Inside tour, Courtney became romantically involved with Kurt Cobain. The two would eventually become the notorious grunge power couple we all know today, finally getting married in February 1992.

Once Kurt and Courtney welcomed daughter Frances Bean into the world later that year, Courtney wanted to change up Hole’s sound. She wanted to transition from the gritty punk rock style to a more melodic, pop-influenced rock format. Bassist Jill Emery and drummer Caroline Rue didn’t want any part of a poppy version of Hole, so they split.

Frustrated and desperate for a stable lineup, Courtney ran another ad, this time more specific. It read, “[I want] someone who can play ok, and stand in front of 30,000 people, take off her shirt and have ‘fuck you’ written on her tits. If you’re not afraid of me and you’re not afraid to fucking say it, send a letter. No more pussies, no more fake girls, I want a whore from hell" (taken from Dirty Blonde: The Diaries of Courtney Love).

Drummer Patty Schemel and bassist Kristen Pfaff signed on in late 1992, and work on the new album began in 1993.

Meanwhile, our grunge power couple was riding a downward spiral into heroin addiction. Kurt and Courtney both checked into rehab in 1994, but Kurt checked out shortly after arriving there. He was found dead in his Seattle home in April 1994 of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.

Hole’s second full-length album, Live Through This, was released just four days after Kurt’s death. Amidst the hysteria surrounding Kurt’s passing, Live Through This became a critical success. Singles “Violet,” “Doll Parts,” and “Miss World” exploded on MTV and alternative rock radio. Just goes to show that changing up your sound a bit can work wonders.

The Live Through This tour came to a halt early on when Kristen Pfaff died of an apparent heroin overdose. Hole pulled out of Lollapalooza that year and disappeared from the media spotlight, only to return in September 1994 with new bassist Melissa Auf der Maur.

Following the tour, Courtney scored a lead role in the 1996 film The People vs. Larry Flynt and Hole was put on the backburner.

The band’s third studio album, 1998’s Celebrity Skin, adopted a more pop-oriented sound. It received unanimously positive reviews while Courtney received nothing but hate. Acclaim for both Live Through This and Celebrity Skin was undercut by rumors that Kurt actually wrote both albums. The band collectively denied the allegations.

In 1999, Melissa Auf der Maur quit Hole to become the touring bassist for Smashing Pumpkins. Patty Schemel bowed out before the release of Celebrity Skin, and her replacement, Samantha Maloney, left with Melissa. Eric and Courtney officially disbanded Hole in 2002.

Where Are They Now?

Living on through Courtney Love.

After the split, everyone took on different projects. Courtney released a solo album in 2004 called America’s Sweetheart, Eric worked as a producer and session musician, and Melissa embarked on her own solo career.

In 2009, Courtney announced the reunion of Hole…without informing any of the original members.

Apparently she decided to release her second solo album, 2010’s Nobody’s Daughter, under the name Hole. Eric and Melissa were surprised by Courtney’s announcement, considering the fact that neither one of them had been invited to contribute to the record. Eric revealed that contractually no Hole reunion could take place without his involvement, so Nobody’s Daughter was technically a Courtney Love solo record.

Nobody’s Daughter received mixed reviews, with most critics concluding that Courtney is only as good as her collaborators.

But Why Hole?

Eric, Melissa, and Patty recently announced that they will reunite as Hole for a special show in Hudson, NY on April 8. Unfortunately, Courtney refused to take part. Instead, she’ll be working with the new “Hole” lineup on a new studio album.

What Does Sam Think?

Rant: This section will not be about Courtney Love’s relationship with Kurt Cobain. If you want to read about Nirvana, head on over to my entry on Nirvana. Hole is a completely different band and should be treated as such. And Courtney is so much more than Kurt Cobain’s widow. End rant.

So I obviously dig the grunge scene in the ‘90s. Hole was the perfect mix of down and dirty grunginess and pro-feminist riot grrrl edginess. Pretty On the Inside is a perfect example of this mesh. It’s this visceral, in-your-face monster of a record that definitely leaves an impression.

But the band didn’t stick to that sound. Professionally, that would a good option. If they had chosen to churn out another Pretty On the Inside, we wouldn’t have Live Through This, which is honestly one of the best albums of the ‘90s.

Live Through This is made of blood, sweat, and tears. While it’s not as aggressive as its predecessor, it still has that raw intensity of a woman scorned. It also has a softer side, one that puts Courtney into a vulnerable position. Look at “Doll Parts.” The lyrics are so incredibly personal. When you add in Kurt’s death, that song just becomes heart wrenching.

Celebrity Skin took the pop aesthetic a little too far for me, though. Yeah, the title track is great, but without all the snarling and distortion, it just lacks depth. And don’t even get me started on Nobody’s Daughter.

Okay, get me started. Nobody’s Daughter isn’t a terrible album ("Skinny Little Bitch" is a pretty rad track). It’s decent, but it kind of sounds like a different band. Oh, wait. It is a different band. It’s Courtney Love and some other guys. That’s not really Hole, just like whatever Billy Corgan is doing right now isn’t really Smashing Pumpkins.

I think the world would be a better place if Hole’s original lineup got back together to record an album, or at least go on tour. I mean, Courtney really hasn’t ruled that out yet. There’s still hope for angry young women everywhere.

-- Sam Boyer, reporting from the '90s.

Smashing Pumpkins

Sound Familiar?

“Today,” “Bullet With Butterfly Wings,” “1979”

Who Are They?

The pleasant (yet still very angsty) alternative to grunge. (An alternative to an alternative genre? How novel!)

This is a story of romance, success, and general jackassery. Actually, that kind of makes things seem a little too epic. Most of this drama comes from one person, and that person is Billy Corgan.

He’s no Liam Gallagher, but that still doesn’t make him a saint.

But let’s not point fingers here (we’ll get to that later). Let’s start at the beginning, way back in 1988, when Billy Corgan met James Iha and a band of epic proportions was born. D’arcy Wretzky was recruited as the bassist and ended up having a short-lived love affair with James. For the band’s first official show, they decided to use a drum machine instead of an actual drummer, which really wasn’t a surprise considering Billy and James’ obsession with The Cure.

When drummer Jimmy Chamberlin finally joined the group, he felt a little out of place. He knew nothing about alternative rock, and was certainly clueless as to what the hell Billy meant by “sad-rock.” But Jimmy eventually opened everyone’s eyes to a much harder sound, helping to create a sound that got the Smashing Pumpkins compared to Jane’s Addiction.

Their 1991 debut album Gish was only a minor success, although the single “Rhinoceros” got some mainstream airplay. During the recording process, Billy was determined to make the album perfect. So he played most of the instruments himself. Nobody else really appreciated that.

During the tour behind Gish, problems galore began to arise. James and D’arcy went through a messy breakup, Jimmy became addicted to drugs and alcohol, and Billy went into a deep depression. Inter-band tensions continued to mount during the recording of the Pumpkins’ infinitely more successful follow-up Siamese Dream.

Despite being adored by critics, the Pumpkins faced hostility and general distaste from the alternative rock community. Instead of just being called sellouts (as is custom among music elitists and people who are jealous of others’ success…did that sound bitter?), they were dubbed “the grunge Monkees” and labeled as “careerists.” In the 1994 song “Range Life,” Pavement lead singer Stephen Malkmus refers to the band with the lines, “I don’t understand what they mean/And I could really give a fuck.” Stephen maintained that he was just dissing the band’s status and not their music.

After a massive amount of touring (including a slot on the 1994 Lollapalooza tour), it was back to the studio to record what would become the adventurous concept album Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. The Pumpkins exploded into the mainstream with singles like “Bullet With Butterfly Wings” and “1979.” Malls all over the country started selling Billy’s iconic “Zero” shirt and MTV played Mellon Collie’s singles to death.

Towards the end of the Mellon Collie era, Jimmy was arrested for heroin possession and was fired from the band as a result. Billy, James, and D’arcy recorded the electronica-influenced Adore without Jimmy and adopted a darker look to match the albums gothic undertones. The Pumpkins ended the decade by simultaneously reuniting with Jimmy and ditching D’arcy for good.

Where Are They Now?

The name remains, but the lineup is not the same (that rhyme was unintentional and I’m actually laughing at myself for it).

The year 2000 marked the beginning of the end of the original Smashing Pumpkins. Former Hole bassist Melissa Auf der Mauer replaced D’arcy on the tour supporting Machina/The Machines of God. The album was a welcome return to the more traditional rock sound of previous albums. After the release of Machina II/The Friends and Enemies of Modern Music, the band called it quits.

Billy and Jimmy reunited to form the short-lived supergroup Zwan in 2001. Zwan only released one album, then Billy presumably got bored with it and released a solo album titled TheFutureEmbrace. Jimmy started an alternative/jazz fusion band called The Jimmy Chamberlin Complex, James enjoyed a brief stint as the guitarist for A Perfect Circle, and D’arcy disappeared off the face of the earth. This is, until she was arrested in February 2011 (check out the lovely mugshot).

On February 17, 2004, Billy basically disowned the entire band on his personal blog. He called D’arcy a “mean-spirited drug addict” and blamed the breakup on James. Now that’s not a way to make friends, kids.

In 2005, Billy announced a Smashing Pumpkins reunion. And everyone lived happily ever after.

Just kidding. James and D’arcy refused to be anywhere near Billy, but Jimmy agreed to the reunion. Billy and Jimmy recruited bassist Ginger Pooley and guitarist Jeff Schroeder and released Zeitgeist in 2007. The album received mixed reviews, but Billy assured fans that the best was yet to come. That was after Jimmy left and Billy became the lone member of the band.

But Why Smashing Pumpkins?

Billy’s massive Teargarden by Kaleidyscope project is being released one song at a time. In the meantime, he’ll release another Smashing Pumpkins album titled Oceania, set to be dropped on September 1. How do I know all this? I happen to stalk him on Twitter.

What Does Sam Think?

Let me just say this: the Smashing Pumpkins are not the same band without James Iha, D’arcy Wretzky, and Jimmy Chamberlin. Of course the original lineup will never reunite because we live in a bleak, unfair world. And because no one can get along with Billy Corgan.

Now, Billy may be kind of a dick, but he’s a great musician. I guess I’m just slightly bitter because when I saw the Pumpkins live, I was just seeing Billy. I’d like to think of any band as a group effort and not just a superstar at the forefront with some nobodies behind him. But I do still respect Billy as an artist. The man is responsible for one of my favorite albums of all time, for God’s sake.

So let’s talk about the music, shall we? In case you weren’t aware, I’m in love with Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. “I’m in love with my sadness” just went through my head as I wrote that. I’m now having a “Zero” moment.

Anyway, the Pumpkins have (or had, at least) this innate ability to mix so-called “gothic” lyrics and imagery with some absolutely beautiful instrumentation. So what’s the difference between the Smashing Pumpkins and The Cure? Aside from the lack of a synthesizer and Robert Smith’s crazy hair, the Pumpkins have a certain hardness related to their style. They kind of got lumped into the whole grunge movement, but they definitely didn’t belong there (really the only connection they had to grunge was Billy’s relationship with Courtney Love, not that it has any merit).

It’s almost impossible to go back to the sounds on Gish and Siamese Dream. The early albums contain the purity of the Pumpkins’ signature sound. Mellon Collie found them at their peak of their creativity, but things unfortunately went downhill as the original lineup disintegrated.

Moral of the story: Being in a band is like being in a marriage; if one person starts taking all the credit, he’ll just be left making beautiful music by himself (in his mom’s basement surrounded by cats).

--Sam Boyer, reporting from the ‘90s.