The OFFICIAL Unofficial Achewood Message Board
Trivial Pursuits => Arts & Entertainment => Topic started by: Golfhaus on May 16, 2007, 01:51:36 am
-
So the wife and I heard this song (http://www.epitunes.com/Artists/Silversun-Pickups) on the radio the other day. It is called "Lazy Eye," by a group called Silversun Pickups.
We listened silently for about 30 seconds, before I finally spoke up:
"Did the Smashing Pumpkins get back together?"
After a while, you realize it is not, in fact, the case. But on first listen, suddenly I was back in 1993.
-
Hells yes, Silversun Pickups rock like it's no joke. "Smashing Pumpkins without the rock-god pretentiousness" is how I've described it to people. The whole album frickin' rocks.
-
But the Smashing Pumpkins have reunited. (http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1523078/20060202/smashing_pumpkins.jhtml?headlines=true) Or half of 'em did. Personally I don't think it's really a reunion without the girly-boy and the blond chick.
-
I don't count that particular exercise. Paul, Ringo, and two others would not re-make the Beatles, and Corgan would be better off for recognizing that.
-
But on first listen, suddenly I was back in 1993.
When I first read that my brain's immediate, completely sincere reaction was, "You mean it's not 1993?"
-
I don't count that particular exercise. Paul, Ringo, and two others would not re-make the Beatles, and Corgan would be better off for recognizing that.
Yes, but the Smashing Pumpkins have always been Billy Corgan and three lucky dudes riding his coat tails to stardom. Not the case with the Beatles.
Man, I could stand to hear some 1993 era Smashing Pumpkins. Silversun Pickups. Is it Smashing Pumpkins in disguise? That name is a little suspicious.
-
Yes, but the Smashing Pumpkins have always been Billy Corgan and three lucky dudes riding his coat tails to stardom. Not the case with the Beatles.
I'm not sure I altogether agree. Yes, Corgan is/was the driving force, but the other members actually brought some character and musicianship to the band. The fact that I can actually name them (James Iha, Darcy, Jimmy Chamberlain) says something.
Back to SSPU... here, rock out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlsO-JSA2pc
-
...really? Smashing Pumpkins? Huh.
My friend down the hall... who I guess is no longer my friend down the hall, now that I no longer live on that hall... said "have you heard that My Bloody Valentine band? The Silversun Pickups are like if they didn't suck."
-
Whoa dawg, you cats can have your Pumpkins and Pickups, just lets leave My Bloody Valentine out of this.
-
no, yeah. I love Loveless, but I just let it slide. When I start defending bands I like, I start saying incredibly douche-tastic things.
Greatest Hits: "You don't know what the fuck you're talking about! This is good!(to the personnel director of the radio station, when she said that DJ Shadow sucked.)"
"Yes, there IS such a thing as "Good." I decide what is good."
And other things along that vein. Basically I go into a mode where I DECIDE WHAT IS GOOD and I get all bitchy.
See Also: when I hang out with my jackass formerly-best-friend who says that all punk is worthless, and listens to bluegrass and country and jambandshit.
-
Yes, but the Smashing Pumpkins have always been Billy Corgan and three lucky dudes riding his coat tails to stardom. Not the case with the Beatles.
Eh.... that must have been why Zwan did so well.
-
Eh.... that must have been why Zwan did so well.
Machina sucked ass too.
-
Machina sucked ass too.
Not compared to Machina 2
-
The Smashing Pumpkins were excellent at the outset. gish is a great album, and siamese dream one of my all-time favorites.
Then Billy Corgan stopped going for his Judas Priest merit badge and decided he was a serious songwriter. With dire results, especially after Jimmy Chamberlin left the band. Without JC on the kit, Billy Corgan turned out to have a pretty small bag of tricks.
Machina starts off reasonably well, if you think telling the Cure to pretend they're Ministry qualifies as "reasonably well." Then it takes a swan dive into the potty around track 7, and stays there until the final song, which may as well be called "Tonight, Tonight Part Two."
The actual "album" part of Machina II is, for the first 40 minutes, the best SP album since siamese dream. The mix reflects a renewed understanding that Jimmy Chamberlin is a god, and that you should highlight him instead of burying him in cotton. "Let Me Give the World To You" might have been the hit single that saved them. Instead, they threw the album away and died.
Zwan: yuck.
Hopes for this new SP album: not high.
My Bloody Valentine: I don't do drugs anymore, so I can't stand them.
-
Assessment of the decline and fall of SP
I agree completely with all of that. Especially the part about Jimmy Chamberlain. Although I would add that Mellon Collie/Aeroplane is their best work. And I enjoy Adore despite the absence of JC.
-
Nothing to add to the Smashing Pumpkins discussion except I really liked Melon Collie, and Billy Corrigan is one of those people who are just a shaved head waiting to happen. Seriously, he looks so wrong with hair.
Anyway, the name Silversun Pickups comes from the fact that the band's from the Silverlake area of LA, and their liquor store of choice was called Silversun somethingorother. Liquor store runs were thus Silversun Pickups. I learned this from the local radio station that has been playing them for like a year, and I'm officially tired of Lazyeye. Trouble is, my backup radio station has just recently discovered this song and has it in heavy rotation...
Anyway.
-
Disc Jockeys. Now theres a source of reliable information.
-
Smashing Pumpkins-- there was a really awkward moment 2 nights ago when someone announced that they are playing in Asheville. Such things were uttered as "only 25$? We should go for two shows, at least!" Everyone was really really excited, simultaneously and unplanned. Except for my friend Sarah and I-- we just stared at each other. Confusing.
-
I saw Smashing Pumpkins in '97 and they were awesome. Really one of the best shows i've seen.
-
I saw them that year too Paul, in the 4th row. I think I still have hearing damage from that one. Also, I saw the lead singer of the Frogs standing offstage watching the show, he saw me see him, and he got all uncomfortable. He got up and played with them in the encoure though, and since I'm a bigger fan of the Frogs than the Pumpkins, it was a real treat for me.
-
Don't know the Frogs. Garbage opened here and they were awesome too.
-
The Frogs are worth checking out. (http://www.thefrogsarchive.com/bio.html) They have been sampled in Beck songs, inspired the likes of Pearl Jam, Nirvana and the Smashing Pumpkins, and also the singer sometimes wears a giant pair of wings green wings, as he did on the night I saw him with the SP. They sing such crowd pleasers as "I Only Play For Money (I Don't Give a Fuck About the Fans)" and "Hot Cock Annie." I've shared their "It's Only Right And Natural" album with every guy friend who's come out - they lyrics are witty and extremely subversive.
-
Christ on a fuck*ng crutch, are you telling me that the band that did "I'm Sad The Goat Just Died Today" did other songs? Good songs? I had always assumed they were a one-horror-and-out group.
-
It's all relative... the Frogs are intentionally shitty most of the time, sort of "car crash" good, not... good good. I've never heard this goat song, but basically if you can sit through Baby Greaser George (a song about a baby who is apparently hot to suck cock...) than you can sit through anything.