The Smashing Pumpkins – Nothing Ever Changes (1988)/The Smashing Pumpkins (1989)/Moon (1989) – PEQUENOS CLÁSSICOS PERDIDOS

Well before becoming something of an upside-down hero of alternative rock in the 90’s at the forefront of Smashing PumpkinsBilly Corgan was already circulating through the music universe, probably picking on his partners in his pre-SP gothic band, called Marked.

When that group came to an end, or was exterminated by Mr. Corgan, he called Ron Roesing to play drums on his new project, and thus – in short – the first version of the Pumpkins was born. Then came the big turning point in this early history: while working in a record store, Billy met a guitarist named James Iha, also addicted to Cure, and with that formation – Roesing would soon be replaced by a drum machine – the first record was born. of the band, Nothing ever changes (recorded at Bald’s parents’ house), a mix of Cult, Sisters of Mercy and Billy Corgan, still very, very far from “Rhinoceros” or “Today”.

Corgan, Iha and their drum machine began to perform around Chicago, and at that time they met D’arcy Wretzky, who was recruited by Billy and took over the bass for the Pumpkins. The trio impressed Joe Shanahan, owner of Cabaret Metro, who wanted them live at his house on the condition that they have a ‘human’ drummer. A friend of the band recommended Jimmy Chamberlin, then a jazz musician, and the quartet was formed and ready to perform at the Metro on October 5, 1988.

Establishing themselves in the local scene, the so-called Smashing Pumpkins recorded another demo that they sold at their shows, following the path of ten out of ten independent bands. The Smashing Pumpkins, the tape, had a print run of 500 copies and today, if you bump into one, steal it, sell it and guarantee your old age. Two of the six tracks on the demo are from Corgan’s first band, the aforementioned Marked; “Jennifer ever” is a beautiful song, but it’s “East” that already has ‘the face’ of SP.

Shortly before “I am one”, Sub Pop, Butch Vig and Gish but before that, still in the same 1989 in which the tape above came to the world, now as a ‘real band’, the Pumpkins recorded one more demo to be sold in their presentations, also sold today at the price of a kidney. Moon it’s already the crushed pumpkins that everyone has loved since 91, including raw versions of the splendid “Rhinoceros” and the short “Daydream”, all interspersed with religious lines in Spanish that seem to have come out of a Jane’s Addiction record (laughs), with who by the way were comparators (more laughter).

From then on, a few trips with acid were enough to compose the beloved and already mentioned Gish and 20,000 doletas to enter Smart Studios under the tutelage of the aforementioned Butch Vig, but the stories about my favorite album by Billy and Co. stay for another day. For today, I suggest turning up the volume and getting a feel for what the Smashing Pumpkins were like before they hitch a ride with their lead singer in an ice cream truck and head out celebrating love and getting high.