THE WORLD IS A VAMPIRE...SENT TO DRAIN

[Incandenza]

I'm still strongly against the reverse cowgirl.

 

[Incandenza]

Cool post to have at the top of page.

 

[Agent of Oblivion]

Geek USA is a damn good track, too. I like that downtuned stoner distortion.

 

[The Coat Is My Father]

I like Siamese Dream well enough, but the whole thing except for maybe five songs blurs together to me. I remember the sound and the atmosphere much more vividly than any individual songs.

 

[Sesquipedaliantique]

it turns out the 90s really were the last good time for commercial rock radio.

I was thinking a while ago that the poptimist movement came at a strange time, since there are definitely fewer mainstream radio level bands that are worth listening to now than at any other point in history. Especially in Britain, where a significant portion of the best bands of the 20th century have always aimed for that kind of crossover success. As recently as the 90s Radio 1 would regularly play songs by Blur, Pulp, Suede, Supergrass and Elastica, all of whom have been absorbed into our modern (or maybe not so modern now) canon. Oasis seem like a bit of a joke in retrospect, but the British music press hyped them incessantly/continues to use them as a reference point for newer bands who are going to 'turn our music scene away from synths and back to guitars for the time being' once every half-decade, and at least a few of their big hits qualify as good drunken sing-alongs. I suppose it could just be a reaction to the devalued singles market for traditional four piece bands, but I can't envision much of a cultural consensus being formed w/r/t bands that captured the zeitgeist of the last ten years or so.

 

[Edwin]

check the subliminal Zeitgeist reference on Alfie

 

[King Kamala]

Alfie rocks out to "Tarantula" while riding around Wiltshire.

 

[Sesquipedaliantique]

I haven't lived there since I was 18, thank God.

 

[BurningPirateShipSex]

Perhaps off topic, but what would your top 10 most ridiculous lyrics be, Czech?

 

[BUTT]

HERE IS ANOTHER WHITE GIRL WHO SHARES YOUR BIRDAY DAWG

This post will inevitably be edited by BPSS so I want to quote it to let everyone know it was here.

 

[BurningPirateShipSex]

It's what I get for having PGT and this open in two different windows. Thanks, BUTT.

 

[Loaded Glove]

Of all the Smashing Pumpkins songs, this is my favorite Smashing Pumpkins song.

Mayonaise- Smashing Pumpkins

 

[BUTT]

I just listened to the entirety of Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness for the first time. A fair number of the non-singles were actually rather good but my God was that album a chore to get through. And yet it was so admirable in its ambition. That kind of Grand Artistic Statement from a mainstream rocker just doesn't exist anymore, and it's a shame. I know Billy is still trying to recapture that magic with his hilariously titled Teargarden by Kaleidyscope, but that's taking the whole thing way too far into self-parody. I don't even know who the modern, far shittier counterpart to SP would be. I could see someone like Pete Wentz trying it and failing miserably, but he tries too hard already. How did rock get so small?

 

[Byron The Bulb]

How did rock get so small?

Glorious times are gone and everyone's doing bad.

 

[King Kamala]

How did rock get so small?

Glorious times are gone and everyone's doing bad.

#brodyofthemusicfolder

 

[BUTT]

And that was seven months ago! He's probably added a new page or two since.

 

[King Kamala]

That's how I'm so accurately able to assess your standing in this folder.

 

[Incandenza]

Kamala's still smarting from the time I called him Brody with a liberal arts degree.

 

[NoCalMike]

Not that 90% of anything on Top 40 radio is worth listening to, but I can honestly say that the generic "modern rock" station is the least likely of any for me to find something that makes me want to keep it on there, especially since the "classic rock" station is beginning to mix in late 80's early 90's rock stuff.

 

[NoCalMike]

If there was a way to get some Dave Matthews into this thread, we'd just about have the complete set of shit I had to listen to when I was riding in someone else's car in high school.

Points for bringing up Dave Matthews. Geez, talk about a band that was so universally loved during that time that I couldn't stand.

 

[Mickey Massuco]

I'm downloading this album right now (EMI/Corgan's obsession with not letting people steal music means this album is hard to find on most streaming sites). I'm pretty excited!

 

[Jaxxxson Mayhem]

The new album is REALLY good.

 

[BUTT]

Reading my posts in this thread I was surprised at how dismissive I was of them, but I didn't go through the whole Pumpkins catalog until 2012-13.

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/smashing-pumpkins-reunion-tour-w516780

"Reunion" announced but it's just Iha rejoining the current (all-male) lineup. Trump's America. They're only playing songs from the first five albums, which is good. I might go to the MSG show (it's on a Wednesday, which is inconvenient but I'll wait and see if it works) but I just don't know if 2018 Smashing Pumpkins are an arena act. I saw them in 2015 in Holmdel with Marilyn Manson, for which I paid $30. They did a nice 90-minute set with most of the hits, but they didn't play "Today." As far as I know that was their only amphitheater tour since the 2007 revival, and otherwise they've mostly done theaters and clubs. I know Billy is looking at GNR and seeing all the reunion cash, but James Iha is not Slash.

FAKE EDIT: They did an arena tour in 2012 supporting Oceania, but the only attendance figure I could find was that they drew 2,335 out of a 3,939 capacity at CT's Mohegan Sun Arena (which can hold up to 10,000 for concerts, meaning they didn't even use the whole arena.)

 

[Epic Springs]

https://www.alternativenation.net/smashing-pumpkins-bassist-darcy-first-interview-in-20-years/

D'arcy gave an interview stating that the reason for this tour is because the NWA set Billy back a lot financially. It is interesting that she was the only one not invited back for the reunion but she's had problems with Corgan for years.

I never disliked the Smashing Pumpkins but they were never a band I felt I needed to rush out and go see. I have friends who are massive fans though and have seen every iteration of them when they've toured the East Coast since reuniting in 2007. That's dedication.

 

[BUTT]

I don't believe she has played live since she left the band, so who knows if her musicianship is up to a professional level anymore. Still it seems Billy didn't really want her back regardless of whether or not she can play. I guess Melissa Auf der Maur is retired, so they can't bring her back either, but they had a couple of lady ringers before they settled on Jack Bates, son of Peter Hook. The Pumpkins just aren't right without a female bass player.

 

[CookieMueller]

I didn't know Auf der Maur retired. I like her.

 

[geniusMoment]

Huge fan of the band, but I think they are over-reaching with the huge tour of major arenas. Maybe I'm wrong, but it seems like they're going to have a hard time filling a lot of these places. I could see them coming close with the United Center because of the Chicago ties, and maybe MSG because it's NYC. But, I think a lot of these other places are going to be tough.

They really do have a surprising number of good songs though.

Soma
Mayonaise
1979
Today
Tonight, Tonight
33
Zero
Disarm
Tarantula
Cherub Rock
Ava Adore

Those are 11 just off the top of my head. I also like Perfect, but mainly because the music video shows what happened to the kids from the music video of 1979 as adults.

Also, 1979 is probably my favorite music video ever. So that adds something.

 

[CookieMueller]

If they get another well-known band from that era to open for them, they'd have a much better chance of selling out arenas. Can't think of any idle bands that fit the bill, big enough to help move a few tickets but small enough to not mind "opening". I'm on the fence about going but if Hole opened for them with Courtney, Eric, Melissa and Patty reunited I'd 100% buy a ticket. I realize there's probably only about 100 people on earth that feel that way though.

Pumpkins were smart to say "hey! only the songs you love!" I'll give them that.

 

[geniusMoment]

Not sure Courtney has the voice or drive anymore. I don't think she's done anything live in a very long time. I could see someone like Garbage opening. Not sure if they would be big enough to help a ton though.

 

[Epic Springs]

Yeah, my friends who are huge fans even admit that it's a big stretch for them to fill a lot of these arenas even on nostalgia. There's also apparently evidence, both video and written, of Billy criticizing other bands of doing "greatest hits" tours. I'm too lazy to find any proof but I'm inclined to believe he gave GNR shit for that.