Crucify the Insincere: A Smashing Pumpkins Thread

[Ello Sailor]

Rick Beato just finished interviewing Billy Corgan. Should be interesting!

[Ello Sailor]

[VinylGuy]

cool!

Ill check out later

[Ello Sailor]

Really enjoyed the interview, especially the bits about Butch Vigg, Flood and Alan Moulder. I thought it was funny that Rick had Billy listen to tracks from the Pumpkins' two biggest albums, as he is known to block people on Instagram for even mentioning their adoration of his past work. He calls them "Siamese Zombies" or something.

[Ello Sailor]

I hope I'm not getting head of myself here, but the new song "Moss" sounds a little bit Adore/Machina-esque. I love it. My only complaint is that it's a little short.

[VinylGuy]

Oh cool!

I need to jump back into the podcast.

[VinylGuy]

I just got back to the podcast and i listened the Empires episode, and the studio version is reeeally good. I love it.

It was very cool to hear Jeff talk about the recordings, his first tour with the zeitgeist era and then Billy talk about some Monuments song and those weird years between Oceania and the current lineup. Jeff seems to have been there for him and he appreciates it a lot.

Still when Corgan needs to validate himself is just plain insufferable.

[Ello Sailor]

Jeff seems cool. Billy is the absolute worst. Bloody narcissists, innit.

[VinylGuy]

yeah, Jeff is a cool dude and he seems to appreciate the role he has in the band.

[VinylGuy]

Neophyte sounded pretty good too...maybe the next batch of songs are way better?

[VinylGuy]

Moss was good yeah. Avalanche too. Maybe this vol will be better?

I love the podcast, even when billy is being billy...lots of insight on how the band works and what happened in the past too...really cool. Im still laughing every time he mentions James, like some really minor guy in the bands ´s story.

I wonder if he will appear in the podcast.

[Ello Sailor]

I liked most of Atum act 1, so I don't really hear a notable step up in quality so far in act 2. As with a lot of Pumpkins tunes in recent years, I will like 90% of a song, and then find that there's a dealbreaker moment holding it back from greatness. Be that a horrible vocal, a cringeworthy lyric, or a verse/chorus/bridge that simply doesn't fit. Ultimately, I still give Billy props for trying things, but I would say he's definitely guilty of trying too much at times.

It makes me think about how much of a quality control role the likes of Vigg, Flood and Moulder held in the past. Hell, even D'arcy wasn't afraid to tell him when an idea wasn't up to scratch. These days Billy is surrounded exclusively by yes men, likely because he doesn't take criticism well, and his output has clearly suffered for it.

[VinylGuy]

i never listened to Act 1 again...i have to dive back into that one and Cyr more properly.

Yeah, im sure working with those producers help shaped a lot of what i love about the band, and maybe thats why i really like Shiny or i consider it the best sounding pumpking release since Machina.

But it seems these days its a more collaborative effort, and at least Jimmy has some imput on what they do or dont.

Im still curious about James these days...he seems very engaged live, and even in good terms with Billy, but he also sidelined in terms of how important he is to the band.

[Ello Sailor]

James has a young family. I think we saw from his stint in APC that he's fine with being more of a live guitarist than anything. It must be a far nicer lifestyle than having to do continuous promo etc.

[VinylGuy]

yeah, could be.

they seem to be at peace but also Billy talks about the band like its more him and jimmy and the others.

[Ello Sailor]

Also, I'm surprised you thought so highly of Shiny. To me it's probably their worst album. "Silvery Sometimes" is one hell of a single, but save for one or two other tracks, I found it to be aggressively bad.

[VinylGuy]

I think Oceania and Monuments are their worst albums, mainly because Jimmy is not involved and the songwriting is a clear intention to have that huge SD sound that Jimmy is a fundamental part.

Shiny has a lots of things i had been asking as a fan, mainly shorter songs and a better sound and mix. Hell, even Billy´s singing is way better although that changed with Ogilala. Feels way more focused.

But i feel working with Rubin sure helped on releasing only 8 songs that are no longer that 5 minutes.

[VinylGuy]

Also today´s podcast is featured with Chloe, his wife. She sounds so fucking cool really. Bily seems somehow uncomfortable for moments but overall is a good listen.

The new song is also interesting.

[VinylGuy]

Listened to the last one with Billy talking bout his friendship with Lisa Marie Presley. Very touching.

New song is good too.

[Ello Sailor]

I think Oceania and Monuments are their worst albums, mainly because Jimmy is not involved and the songwriting is a clear intention to have that huge SD sound that Jimmy is a fundamental part.

Shiny has a lots of things i had been asking as a fan, mainly shorter songs and a better sound and mix. Hell, even Billy´s singing is way better although that changed with Ogilala. Feels way more focused.

But i feel working with Rubin sure helped on releasing only 8 songs that are no longer that 5 minutes.

I think you may be romanticising Jimmy's involvement a little. Sure he's an incredible drummer, but that really only comes out in a live setting these days. Adore is a masterpiece, and Jimmy was absent. Jimmy's return on Shiny doesn't save the terrible song writing and vocal performances, nor does his absence hurt Oceania or Monuments half as much as you're implying.