I had the wind kicked out of me when it was announced that the Smashing Pumpkins were going to disband in 2000. I've been an official fan of the group since 1994 (but I enjoyed them during their first release in 1991) and have absolutely adored them for so many years. Occasionally, I was one of the SP people that drive you batty talking about how cool their music is. I just couldn't help it. If there was an opportunity to scream, "I love The Smashing Pumpkins" from the mountaintops, I would.

Okay, now that we have established that I am a FAN, I'm going to tell you how you can be one as well. That is, if you haven't already succumbed to their allure. First, a little history lesson.

The Smashing Pumpkins formed in 1988 with frontman, Billy Corgan and guitarist, James Iha. They played gloomy goth-rock songs (likeThe Cure) before the teamed up with bassist, D'arcy - the token female in the group. Legend has it that Billy and D'arcy got into a fight while waiting to see a concert and then Billy said he needed a bass player and asked D'arcy to join his band! A few months later, The Smashing Pumpkins were asked to perform at the hip Chicago club, The Cabaret Metro, but only if they could find a drummer (they were using a drum machine - sooo 80s). Someone told them about a great drummer named Jimmy Chamberlain and the band was complete, The Smashing Pumpkins were born.

In 1989 the group released their first ever recordings on both a cassette demo and on an alternative compilation called Light Into Dark. Things were looking good for the Pumpkins as they were then asked to have their songs I Am One and Tritessa on Limited Potential and Sub Pop Records. If you want news on the CD release coming in March email Girl Zone.

During this time, Billy Corgan was dating Courtney Love (Hole) and both of their albums appeared on Caroline Records in 1991 during the alternative/grunge explosion. The Smashing Pumpkin's hit alt-rock singles Siva and Rhinoceros were being played on MTV and the band was getting tons of kudos for their debut album GISH. That was, until, Nirvana came out with their album NEVERMIND and Billy broke up with Courtney, who then went off to marry Kurt Cobain. All of a sudden, people forgot about The Smashing Pumpkins.

In 1992, The Smashing Pumpkins did a song for the movie SINGLES called Drown. Up until this time, there was sort of a 60s progressive rock influence that made them very rock. With Drown, The Smashing Pumpkins moved into alternative-pop and that paved the away for their 1993 release, SIAMESE DREAM. You would have had to be hiding under a rock all your life to not of heard songs from this blockbuster of a release. From Billy Corgan in an ice-cream truck driving through the desert with the song Today, to the painful song about feeling neglected in childhood in Disarm" The Smashing Pumpkins were finally on their way with huge record sales, a worldwide tour and legions of devoted fans. In 1994, the put out a collection of B-sides called PICES ISCARIOT because people were desperate to hear new music by them!

After headlining Lollapalooza (covering for Nirvana because Kurt Cobain had recently died), Billy Corgan lead his bandmates into a small rehearsal studio in Chicago to record the double-album, MELLON COLLIE AND THE INFINIATE SADNESS in 1995. With 48 songs, they had several hits like Bullet With Butterfly Wings, 1979 and Zero, a blend of several different styles that range from Alternative, Pop and plain ole Rock. They recorded so many songs for this release that they had to release a box set of outtakes called THE AEROPLANE FLIES HIGH just to make sure people heard most of the songs.

In 1996, The Smashing Pumpkins suffered some terrible losses; so many that a band that wasn't as dedicated to being a band and writing great music, would have broken up. They lost their touring keyboard player, Jonathan Melvoin, to a heroin overdose and their drummer Jimmy was involved in the incident. Jimmy was kicked out of the band and then Billy Corgan's mother died of cancer. Not long afterward, Billy's wife filed for divorce. It was a painful time that led to the very emotion release, ADORE, in 1998.

ADORE was special because it marked The Smashing Pumpkins saying that they were moving away from being a rock band. With only Billy, D'arcy, James and a drum machine, the Pumpkins returned to being the same band they were 10 years earlier. ADORE was very dark with songs like Ava Adore but also cheerfully sad in their other single Perfect. Many people considered ADORE to be a failure, but to many fans it stands as a beautiful record.

As the new millennium approached, the Pumpkins banded back together with Jimmy (now clean and sober) and made the epic record, MACHINA -THE MACHINES OF GOD. The record is like MELLON COLLIE in that there is a theme throughout the album. In MELLON COLLIE the theme was life as a teenager, in MACHINA it was a mythical story about a band out to save Rock and Roll. MTV heavily played their songs The Everlasting Gaze and the first happy Pumpkin love single, Stand Inside Your Love - which had Billy Corgan's real-life girlfriend Yelena Yemchuck playing the love interest.

Before MACHINA was released, D'arcy decided to quit the band and was replaced by long time friend (and Hole bassist) Melissa Auf der Maur. Melissa had known the Pumpkins since the early days of GISH and Billy was the one who hooked Melissa and Courtney together. It was a great match as the new Pumpkins hit the road on a worldwide tour - the last tour they would ever do together. At the start of 2000, Billy announced that The Smashing Pumpkins would break-up at the end of the year but they would release one more album, MACHINA II. Virgin records didn't want to put out the album so soon after the first album release, so Billy decided to give all the songs away online to his fans for FREE. (What a great way to tell-off corporate rock!) The Pumpkins played their last show at the Cabaret Metro, as a tribute to their early days and released the last SP song, Untitled as a "goodbye" and "love you" to their fans.

Alright, long story isn't it? Well, there's plenty more but that's a rough rundown of a great band of characters and musicians. Over the course of 12 years, The Smashing Pumpkins had released 8 albums, toured the world six times and had 20 singles. They had band romantic break-ups (D'arcy and James), divorces (Billy and D'arcy - married Kerry Brown of Catherine), drug overdoes, death, depression, and much more. No one can say the Pumpkins didn't live the rock life to it's fullest.

So, how can you too become a SP fan? There are so many albums but, The Smashing Pumpkins make it easy with their greatest hits album ROTTEN APPLES along with a bonus disc of B-sides called JUDAS O. You get a handpick collection of popular Pumpkin songs from all their albums. The rundown is:

Rhinoceros - GISH Drown - SINGLES SOUNDTRACK Cherub Rock - SIAMESE DREAM Today - SIAMESE DREAM Disarm - SIAMESE DREAM Landslide - PICESE ISCARIOT Bullet With Butterfly Wings - MELLON COLLIE 1979 - MELLON COLLIE Zero - MELLON COLLIE Tonight, Tonight - MELLON COLLIE Eye - LOST HIGHWAY SOUNDTRACK Ava Adore - ADORE Perfect - ADORE The Everlasting Gaze - MACHINA Stand Inside Your Love - MACHINA Real Love - Never Released Untitled - Goodbye Single

Is that doesn't satisfy your cravings for more Pumpkin tunes, JUDAS O has an extra 16 songs for you. Many come from MACHINA II (a few remixes) and THE AEROPLANE FLIES HIGH box set. I'll tell you, to start yourself off, this is the cheapest and coolest way to get into THE SMASHING PUMPKINS.

If this isn't enough for you, the Pumpkins have also released a special DVD and VHS tape that shows the majority of their music videos and several documentaries.

Currently, Billy and Jimmy have formed a new band called (well, at least today) Zwan. Melissa and James have formed a new group called The Virgins and D'arcy has been staying private for the last year. So look out for new music by the old members!

Visit The Smashing Pumpkins online for more info. Or a great fan site.

Greatest Hits - They may say explicated lyrics but it's a REAL Clean record anyhow. Minor swearing on maybe 6 of the 40 songs.

Greatest Hits Clean -

Greatest Hits DVD -

Greatest Hits VHS - LIGHT INTO DARK to be released on CD with the first ever recorded songs by The Smashing Pumpkins www.lightintodark.com Sun and My Dahlia. Contact me for news on the March 2002 release!

If you want your crush to come into the light, but don't know how ask He Says She Says for advice.

How well do you know the women in The Smashing Pumpkins?

1. Here's an easy question to get you started. How many girls were ever in The Smashing Pumpkins?

A) 2
B) 1
C) 3

2. Before D'arcy learned to play bass, she was classically trained in:

A) Piano
B) Oboe
C) Trumpet

3) Melissa Auf der Maur shares a similar passion with Billy Corgan's girlfriend, Yelena Yemchuck. What is it?

A) Photography
B) Baking
C) Fashion Design

3. Which CD cover(s) did Darcy's relatives appear on?

A) Cherub Rock & Siamese Dream
B) Adore & Siamese Dream
C) Today & Siamese Dream

4. What band(s) has Melissa been in other then The Smashing Pumpkins?

A) Hole
B) Hole & Tinker
C) Hole & Mazzy Star

5. Which songs have D'arcy singing on her own (i.e. not back-up)?

A) Daydream & Farewell and Goodnight
B) Soma & Crestfallen
C) Daydream & Soma