Crucify the Insincere: A Smashing Pumpkins Thread

[VinylGuy]

Damn Zero sounded awesome

[verb_to_trust]

Does every song have those lame wannabe Shakespeare skits on the video screen beforehand?

[VinylGuy]

Does every song have those lame wannabe Shakespeare skits on the video screen beforehand?

I hope not.

[Wendy Carlos's Twin]

Does every song have those lame wannabe Shakespeare skits on the video screen beforehand?

I was wondering the same thing. Didn't even watch past that. Pretentious as all fuck.

[AndySlash]

there's a few of those it looks like. corgan has several costume changes.

[VinylGuy]

They sound so good.

Im kinda loving the screens.

[surfndestroy]

Does every song have those lame wannabe Shakespeare skits on the video screen beforehand?

I hope not.

This thread is such classic RM. When the tour was announced, it was basically mocked. Then videos from the first show and setlist are great.

I am loving that they're putting on a stage show. That they (Billy really) has something to say and share, and not just trotting out what people want to hear. Rock needs more art in it so I wholeheartedly endorse what I've seen and heard so far.

[VinylGuy]

Well, im exited about them playing music again. Not sure about the other guys.

[surfndestroy]

Well, im exited about them playing music again. Not sure about the other guys.

Wasn't directed at you. Same thing happened in the GnR thread. Jus seems like it's easier for people to shit on an idea than wait for the outcome.

I am really looking forward to the show I see next month.

[verb_to_trust]

Does every song have those lame wannabe Shakespeare skits on the video screen beforehand?

I hope not.

This thread is such classic RM. When the tour was announced, it was basically mocked. Then videos from the first show and setlist are great.

I am loving that they're putting on a stage show. That they (Billy really) has something to say and share, and not just trotting out what people want to hear. Rock needs more art in it so I wholeheartedly endorse what I've seen and heard so far.

When you want to make an artistic statement, bring in Mark McGrath.

[VinylGuy]

Well, im exited about them playing music again. Not sure about the other guys.

Wasn't directed at you. Same thing happened in the GnR thread. Jus seems like it's easier for people to shit on an idea than wait for the outcome.

I am really looking forward to the show I see next month.

You are going to see them?? Cool!!! Hope they do a south american tour. Im still surprised on how good the gnr tour is, and i can totally see the same for the SP if Billy continues to be on good terms with the band...i mean musically they sound incredible.

[VinylGuy]

Watching the If All Goes Wrong show right now. Weird to think that ten years before he is playing with James. Wish Ginger played in this tour too and i would love to see James play some of the song from the Zeitgeist era.

[epilogue]

Well, im exited about them playing music again. Not sure about the other guys.

Wasn't directed at you. Same thing happened in the GnR thread. Jus seems like it's easier for people to shit on an idea than wait for the outcome.

I am really looking forward to the show I see next month.

I mean, if you want someone to keep mocking them I'm more than happy to jump in and help you out. But it seems like a dick move to stomp on other people's fun just because.

[VinylGuy]

Great nterview.

[Ello Sailor]

and i would love to see James play some of the songs from the Zeitgeist era.

Shitty era, shitty songs. They're going deep in the old catalogue. How could you possibly hope for Zeitgeist era tracks? That's absurd.

[Kevin Davis]

I like "Zeitgeist" -- not nearly as well as anything pre-breakup, but considerably more than anything that's come since. Even when the songs aren't great, the rocking side of SP just appeals to me -- an inimitable sound.

[VinylGuy]

There are a lot of song that i love from that era, as well as live shows.
Doomsday Clock, Tarantula, Bring the Light, Thats The Way, United States, Bleeding The Orchid, Superchrist, Glow, Gossamer, The Rose March, 99 Floors...i love all of them.

[Ello Sailor]

I like "Zeitgeist" -- not nearly as well as anything pre-breakup, but considerably more than anything that's come since. Even when the songs aren't great, the rocking side of SP just appeals to me -- an inimitable sound.

Zeitgeist has some of the weakest production and mixing I've ever heard on a rock record. The vocals are at the forefront and are squeaky clean, and the guitars have an almost synthetic sheen to them. It's a stark contrast to the fuzzy warmth of Gish, Siamese Dream and Mellon Collie. It does have Jimmy's drumming, though. After all these years he's still my fav. behind the kit.

[VinylGuy]

I like "Zeitgeist" -- not nearly as well as anything pre-breakup, but considerably more than anything that's come since. Even when the songs aren't great, the rocking side of SP just appeals to me -- an inimitable sound.

Zeitgeist has some of the weakest production and mixing I've ever heard on a rock record. The vocals are at the forefront and are squeaky clean, and the guitars have an almost synthetic sheen to them. It's a stark contrast to the fuzzy warmth of Gish, Siamese Dream and Mellon Collie. It does have Jimmy's drumming, though. After all these years he's still my fav. behind the kit.

I agree. But im talking about the songs...And my first post was about James playing those songs and what he could add them.

[Kevin Davis]

I don't know anything beyond the album itself (so, none of the singles VG mentioned), but I think it's a solid distillation of their heavier side, if pretty obviously separate from their creative streak, and certainly respectable for this type of "comeback" album. It does lack the warmth and atmosphere of "Gish," "Siamese Dream," etc., far and away my favorite era of SP music, but by 2007 I'd long since made peace with the loss of that element of their sound (it's not present on "Adore" or "Machina" either, or the Zwan album, which was the most recent Billy/Jimmy reference point at the time).

I've found most of what's come since (and I haven't listened to it all by any stretch) to be pretty characterless and middle-of-the-road, but I dig "Zeitgeist." Warts and all it still sounds like a Pumpkins record to me, where subsequent releases felt increasingly to me like a misuse of the name.