I did it everyone! I truly picked my desert island songs. I spent days with this. I disciplined myself to only pick 10 songs. I kinda want everyone to listen to these songs in this exact order. Makes me cry actually. It’s the end of the world. I’ve escaped to an island and could only download 10 songs into my brain. These are the songs:
Dark Star by The Grateful Dead (From the Live/Dead album)
Seasons by Chris Cornell (From the Singles soundtrack)
Shine On You Crazy Diamond by Pink Floyd (From Wish You Were Here album)
Right Turn by Alice In Chains (from SAP ep)
A Day In The Life by The Beatles (From Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album)
Starla by The Smashing Pumpkins (From Pisces Iscariot B-Sides album)
Pneuma by Tool (From Fear Inoculum album)
Coney Island Baby by Lou Reed (Title Track)
Into Dust by Mazzy Star (From So Tonight That I Might See album)
Release by Pearl Jam (From Ten album)
These tracks all have special meanings for me. Bands I love and songs I obsess over.
Now I invite you to list your 10 desert island songs below in the comments.
On Monday, August 13 my friend and I went to see the rock band, The Smashing Pumpkins at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. They were touring this year in celebration of their 30th anniversary as a band. There has been so much personal drama surrounding this music group ever since the mid-1990s.
Taken in the early 1990’s with D’arcy on the far left
The drummer (Chamberlain) gets fired from them in 1996 because of involvement with drugs and the death of a former keyboard player but then later returns. Their bass player (D’Arcy) is fired and permanently replaced in 2000. But I know one thing is for sure, the music sounds great in the studio and live.
I think Smashing Pumpkins were one of the greatest rock bands of the 1990’s, easily.
Billy Corgan has been one of my favorite guitarists. His work on the studio albums Gish, Siamese Dream and even Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (1995) is brilliant, layering guitar upon guitar with brilliant riffs and awesome solos.
His lyrics are often depressed and angry, but they show hope and beauty too. Lyrics aren’t usually as important to me as music, but Billy Corgan writes good ones, in my opinion. For a rock star, he surprises me with that kind of songwriting talent.
When I first got into the Pumpkins back in 1991, I didn’t like Billy Corgan’s voice that much, but I grew to really appreciate it. The wall of sound created by Billy Corgan’s guitars combined with his original voice and songwriting is also backed up by the experienced drumming of Jimmy Chamberlain. He used to be in a jazz band apparently, and the guy definitely knows what he’s doing.
James Iha and D’arcy are respectively great rhythm and bass guitarists as well but they are unfortunately known more for their live contributions because Billy tended to prefer taking over in the studio. This was always the one controversial fact about the pumpkins.
But to see them live again for the first time since the fall of 96 was absolutely mind-blowing. This show lasted way past 3 hours but contained about 31 songs that spanned highlights from all of their studio albums. There were montage videos (D’arcy was unfortunately edited from some of the classic videos), bright and shiny lasers and colored spotlights that enhanced the already intense amplified sounds of guitars and drums just charging at you like a rocket!
I was quite satisfied seeing them again. This show was way better than the one I saw over 20 years ago. Much cleaner, tighter and I finally got to hear Jimmy’s fantastic and spot-on drumming since the last time I saw them, he was temporarily replaced by the drummer from the alternative band Filter. Yes there was no D’arcy but I’ll settle for 75% of the band.
Recent photo of the band. Obviously no signs of D’arcy but instead we have Jack Bates on the far right
Even on a Monday night with a wife and kid back at home and with my impending daily job still waiting for me at 8:00 am the next day, the wild and crazy concert was worth it.
I was a Senior in High School in 1993 when this glorious record came out! Everything fell into its right place with this one. Gish was stunning! But Siamese Dream was a masterpiece!!!
Every artist has their “crowning achievement”
I think Smashing Pumpkins were one of the greatest rock bands of the 90’s, easily.
Billy Corgan has been one of my favorite guitarists. His work on the studio albums Gish, Siamese Dream and even Mellon Collie (1995) is brilliant, layering guitar upon guitar with brilliant riffs and awesome solos.
His lyrics are often depressed and angry, but they show hope and beauty too. Lyrics aren’t usually as important to me as music, but Billy Corgan writes good ones, in my opinion. For a rock star, he surprises me with the kind of songwriting talent.
“Cherub Rock” opens up with a distinguishing drum roll followed by simple clean guitar playing the main riff. Within less than a minute, a wall of guitars is hitting you, but it’s still extremely listenable. The melodies of this song are awesome, and I’d bet you’ve heard it on the radio.
“Quiet” is an assault of layered metal riffs. “Today” is another radio song. It’s one of the weaker songs on the whole, but I think it’s still pretty nice and ironically a lot of people’s favorite song.
“Hummer” is nearly 7 minutes long, with several different parts and great textures and melodies. “Disarm” is a beautiful acoustic guitar and vocal track, with strings added (that are good and not cheesy).
“Soma” starts with a peaceful clean guitar riff, but explodes into a wall of distorted guitars and wild leads. I still pull out my acoustic guitar once in a while and play the tabs to this one.
“Geel U.S.A.” is one of the best rockers, and one of the most layered. I don’t know how many guitars are in this song, but I’m pretty sure it’s more than 12 or so. Think My Bloody Valentine-esque The solo is wildly energetic, and the metal riffs are awesome.
“Mayonaise” is gorgeous and noisy at the same time. It’s my personal favorite.
There are no bad songs. Or else it wouldn’t be on my top 40 list. Duh!!!
When I first got into the Pumpkins back in 1991, I didn’t like Billy Corgan’s voice that much, but I grew to really appreciate it. The wall of sound created by Billy Corgan’s guitars combined with his original voice and songwriting is also backed up by the experienced drumming of Jimmy Chamberlain. He used to be in a jazz band apparently, and the guy definitely knows what he’s doing.
James Iha and D’Arcy are respectively great rhythm and bass guitarists as well but they are unfortunately known more for their live contributions because Billy tended to prefer taking over in the studio. This was always the one controversial fact about the pumpkins.
If you want my opinion (I guess you do, if you’ve read this far), this is one of the best rock albums of the 90’s, and you should buy it. Highly recommended. Here’s a video:
There’s been an ongoing list of albums that I have been posting about for the past few weeks. Feel free to browse thru the archives of my blog. Getting closer to 40
I’ve made the bold and brave decision to not only disclose my age but also establish a list of my favorite albums for every year of my life…so far.
So far I have covered 1976 Thru 1991
More to come.
I post little reviews every Tuesday and Thursday
Stay tuned
I listened to this album more than any other when I was in high school. Even more than Nirvana or Pearl Jam. Seriously!
When I was in cross country during my sophomore year in high school, we were heading to practice in this guy’s sport car and he was playing this tape that really captured my sense of sound. I was memorized by the intense wailing guitars. The ferocious pounding of the drums and the way the snares and bass were in perfect unison. Then there’s this soothing voice that clashes but actually blends quite well with the rhythm. I asked the guy driving who was playing. He told me the name and I was like….Smashing Pumpkins? Now that’s an interesting name for a band.
One afternoon,I was in my bedroom watching MTV laying on my stomach with feet up in the air with the sun light streaming through my bedroom window and suddenly a video comes on by Smashing Pumpkins. The song was entitled “Siva” and I was hooked. I felt alive!
I bought that album “Gish” at a Sam Goody and was in pure heaven. I couldn’t get enough of it.
Billy Corgan is a great song writer. For a man in his early twenties to compose songs of such complexity, yet undeniable relevance, is a truly awe-inspiring accomplishment. Such originality and creativity from Corgan allows us to suspend reality for the best part of an hour. Simply put, Gish bring the listener to another dimension where nothing matters except the wonderful emotions this album evokes.
James Iha is an awesome guitar player complete with strange sound effects. The whole band is great. The hard rock slant on I Am One sits beautifully with the majestic nature of the song Crush-all of this driven by wonder-drummer Chamberlain means that Gish frequently took up residence in my CD player and disc man…..and it often refused to leave.
So, if you haven’t got this record, well then you’re at a loss.
The only definite thing that can be said about Gish is that it is a forgotten classic. Don’t believe me. Listen the the track…Tristessa! This is pure adrenaline that just hooked me like getting stuck in a tar pit trap of ecstasy. I refuse to say any more about it. Check it out!
So these are five cd’s or vinyl records that I consider, at least the mood I am in right now, to be a few of my favorite ones. This list consists of albums that would make me cry if I lost them or got them stolen from me. I have played these records constantly. I would consider these to be currently my “desert island” discs.
1. Beck….Odelay (sampling masterpiece)
2. Black Sabbath….Paranoid (Original Heavy Metal Genius)
3. Beach Boys….Pet Sounds (So far ahead of its time)
4. Smashing Pumpkins….Siamese Dream (Listened to this one everyday after school in high school)
5. Neko Case….Fox Confessor Brings the Flood (I just listened to this one again a few hours ago…..it “ALWAYS” makes me cry…..because it’s that good!)
I listened to this album more than any other when I was in high school. Even more than Nirvana or Pearl Jam. When I was in cross country we were heading to practice in this guy’s sport car and he was playing this unusual tape. I was memorized by the intense wailing guitars. Then ferocious pounding of the drums and the way the snares and bass were in perfect unison. Then there’s this soothing voice that clashes but actually blends quite well with the rhythm. I asked the guy who was playing. I was like….Smashing Pumpkins? Now that’s an interesting name for a band. I was in my bedroom watching MTV and suddenly a video comes on by the Smashing Pumpkins. The song was entitled “Today” I was hooked. I bought that album “Siamese Dream: and was in pure heaven. I couldn’t get enough of it. Billy Corgan is a great song writer. James Iha is an awesome guitar player complete with strange sound effects. The whole band is great. I will say that while their first album “Gish” was a good one and their 3rd DOUBLE ALBUM. But those two were clearly opposite approaches to their unique and brilliant magic that was perfectly placed on this perfect Sophomore effort. None of their material EVER rose to this level. Don’t believe me. Listen the the track…Geek U.S.A. This is pure adrenaline that just hooked me like a tar pit trap. I refuse to say any more about it. Check it out!
The Music Bard 