Source : The Smashing Pumpkins Chronology
Introduction
| 1984 | 1985 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 |
|---|
Before the Smashing Pumpkins were formed the lives of all band members were extremely different. Once they culminated and formed a group, all four lives changed forever. They became a band that were looked down upon, told they could never be big, given all the wrong advice, insulted, and told all lies. Their great success a few years later disproved all the cynics and critics of their music.
Billy was working in a used-record shop and "basically being the four-track cassette making geek." James was a student in Graphic Arts at Loyola University and playing in a band called Snake Train. D'Arcy was still working at a coffee shop. She had training in oboe and the classical violin.
The Early Years was a dark and mysterious era in the history of the band. There are discrepancies among the sources consulted for much of the information presented.
Billy wrote two articles for his high school paper at Glenbard North in Chicago, both dated 1984. He wrote them in his junior year.
One article was dated in 1984, with no month or day cited. Billy, a record reviewer for the publication and also Features Editor, composed an article on Van Halen's 1984. He explained that he was disappointed with their latest two releases, but applauded their newest album and described his "shock, relief, happiness" for the record.
The second review he gave was more diverse. Billy decided to digress from his normal record reviews and analyze and predict the success of the new bands of the time. The article is dated June 6, 1984, which reveals that he wrote this near the end of his junior year in high school. At the time, Billy had predicted that U2, REM, and Metallica were the premier bands of the future. Billy's science teacher, Walter Schearer, later recalled him as "relatively quiet" but his friends would claim he was outspoken. Schearer also remembered Billy as the "average Glenbard North honors student." According to Marlo Macaisa, one of Billy's closest high school friends, "In AP Bio, he cut the cat's tail off, put it in his back pocket, and walked around school like that." On a field trip for John Slusser's US History class to the Art Institute, Billy and his friend Pete Sallis trashed the bathroom with toilet paper.
His classmates frequently described Billy as unusual. "Billy wore untucked shirts, slanky clothes, and a smirk on his face when he spoke," recalled Dan Shaw.
Billy later commented on his old high school years, "I used music as an excuse, but the biggest factor was that I hated high school. I absolutely hated it. I thought it was this weird biosphere of envy, meanness, and jealousy. I went to visit a couple of friends at the University of Illinois. I looked around and thought this is high school times 10. It was around the time when I started getting weird hair cuts and I thought I was Mr. Alternative. I thought, I can't handle this. There's no way." He also felt that "You walk into high school with a pretty open mind, and you quickly realize where you exist on the food chain. This guy's cuter and this guy plays on the football team so he gets fucked even though he's ugly. You get a scheme of the world pretty fast." Billy began playing the guitar at the young age of 15; his freshman year at Glenbard High. He discovered the use of power chords and he would practice alone in his room for hours at end at the conclusion of the school day.
He sported goth haircuts and listened to music that was yet to be popular and it made him become an outcast. His musical choices were Judas Priest, Black Sabbath, UFO, Cheap Trick, David Bowie, Jimi Hendrix, the Beatles. All formed the roots of his musical influences. Billy was a dishwasher in a Chinese restaurant and played in the Glendale Heights park district basketball league. However, "all he ever concentrated on was his music. He didn't even think about school, even though he was so smart," said Marlo Macaisa, the good friend of Billy's. To protect his fingers for guitar playing, Billy quit the dishwashing job and the basketball league.
Billy graduated from Glenbard North High School. At eighteen years of age, Billy moved to Florida with his band, The Marked. Ron Roesing and Dan were the other members. The band was called appropriately after the birthmarks sported by the drummer and himself. Billy was born with a large strawberry birthmark on one hand and he was convinced that when anyone looked at him, they always looked at his hand first. The band made little progress. They returned to Chicago about twenty gigs later, and broke up. Billy had hopes of forming a new band.
Billy befriended a Japanese-American, James Iha. James had grown up in a suburban environment where he "learned to deal early on with being a minority, being called names." He had average grades in high school, attended a junior college where he received high grades, and continued his education with a Graphic Arts major at Loyola University. He also took courses in theology, psychology, and "all these other things that didn't relate to art. But it was good." He later dropped out to spend time working with the band. Their similar influences and interests caused both of them to collaborate and form a band. James was playing with band called Snake Train for the first few months with the Pumpkins.
Billy and D'arcy were at a local Chicago club called the Avalon. D'arcy was outside talking about a live band that frequently played at the Avalon, the Dan Reed Network. Billy, or "some asshole" as D'arcy had thought at the time, interrupted her conversation. It was something similar to this: "What the hell are you talking about? That band was crap and besides that, they were put together by a record company," Billy shouted. "How would you know that? Can you tell just by looking at them?" D'arcy claimed. "I can tell by the way a guy jumps around on stage," Billy responded. "I jump around on stage and I wasn't put together by a record company," she said. "Yeah, well what do you do?" he asked. "I play bass." "I have a band and I'm looking for a bass player. Here's my number, give me a call," Billy said. After she had called him, D'Arcy was invited to Billy's home. Years later, Billy described her as being very apprehensive in her audition, the point where she was unable to play properly. He was amazed that she was not able to even hold her instrument. However, Billy found her to be a very interesting and kind person. She also listened to his tapes and was impressed with the "acid rock" she heard. D'Arcy joined the Pumpkins without an audition.
D'Arcy had moved to France. After she returned to Chicago O'Hare Airport, she decided to remain in the windy city. D'Arcy would live in a "punk rock house" for "a really fun three months" she later recalled, before meeting Billy outside the club. She began working at low-paying jobs such as at a bakery, motorcycle store, and a Japanese restaurant. D'Arcy was initially a waitress while working with the band. She felt that the working experience helped to build her character.
Billy, James, and Ron Roesing recorded a demo tape, "Nothing Ever Changes", at Bob English's house in June. English produced the tape and it identified the duo as the "Smashing Pumpkins". A drum machine replaced Ron as a second demo tape was recorded with songs such as "My Eternity", "Armed to the Teeth", "Screaming", "Bleed", "There It Goes", and others. This tape was given to Joe Shanahan, owner of the Metro Club, who allowed the band to perform later.
The very first show of the "Smashing Pumpkins" was on July 9th. Billy had played guitar with the opening band, StillLife. The band consisted of just Billy on bass, James on guitar, and a drum machine.
The first known public show of the Smashing Pumpkins was played in front of fifty people at the Avalon Club in Chicago on August 10th. Tickets were $1. The band played as a three piece (D'Arcy played bass) with a drum machine. Joe Shanahan enjoyed the performance, and asked that they play at his club, only if they discard the drum machine.
The band played at the Cabaret Metro on October 5th with October's Child and Love and Addiction following their performance at 9 PM. There was a very small turn out for the show. A friend suggested that they consider jazz drummer, Jimmy Chamberlin, who had previously played a ten-piece showband, JP and The Cats, and was looking for employment. Jimmy was a graduate of Northern Illinois University.
Jimmy had been in attendance at the show at the Avalon, and in an interview a few years later, he remembered the band as "atrocious" but he saw potential. He had seen the Pumpkins a few other times before as well when they had a drum machine. He felt that the songs were great and that Billy was an excellent songwriter. Therefore, he accepted the offer to be the drummer for the band when Billy contacted him.
The band's fourth gig was as the opening act for Jane's Addiction in November. The gig had been granted since the Pumpkins had replaced their drum machine with a human. Jimmy was announced as the new drummer at the WNUR show on the 16th.
The Pumpkins were interviewed and played a short set at the Northwestern University college radio station at the WNUR Studios in Evanston, IL.
The bad did a 11-song set at WZRD radio in Chicago in which they promoted their upcoming LP and a demo tape that was untitled. Most of their demo tapes were recorded in 1988.
The Pumpkins played their first Cabaret Metro show on March 17th. The concert was called "Light Into Dark". It featured five Chicago bands to celebrate the release of a "Light Into Dark" compilation on the local label Halo Records. Each band played for thirty minutes. In addition, it was Billy's 22nd birthday.
Exact dates are unknown, but a self-released tape was sold at early shows after April. An LP of the "Light Into Dark" compilation on Halo Records was released on April 12. "Sun" and "My Dahlia" appear on the vinyl. This is the first vinyl appearance of the band and the only official release of these two songs.
Another cassette was issued; this one was entitled Moon and was sold in the fall. Pressing was limited and it was sold at early shows with white paper j-card and hand-written labels once again. The tape was released after September.
The Pumpkins began touring out of Chicago by September. Drummer Jimmy Chamberlain later stated that in these cassette releases, "you can hear a little bit of apprehension on our tapes from the early days" in terms of drums.
The "I Am One" 7" vinyl is released on Limited Potential in May. It also featured "Not Worth Asking".
The Pumpkins opened for the Lemonheads for three dates in November. They closed out the year by playing a New Year's Eve show at the Cabaret Metro opening for My Life With Thrill Kill Kult.
Billy Corgan's side project "Starchildren" gave their first show on August 18th. Their motto: be repetitious for nuisance's sake.
The Pumpkins did a show on August 25th for the Midwest Music Conference, a series of gigs around town geared to showcase the area's premier bands for industry folk.
By September, Billy categorized the Pumpkin sound as "We've been called everything from neo-glam to hypnotic drone grunge." Billy cites '60s mega-rock bands like Cream, Black Sabbath, the Stooges, Blue Cheer, Led Zeppelin "your monsters of rock" as the band's influences.
The Pumpkins had covered numerous songs up to this point. They include: Steppenwolf's "Sookie Sookie" and a "pretty nasty" version of Blue Oyster Cult's "Godzilla." The band also covered Ozark Mountain Daredevils' "Jackie Blue" for an upcoming tribute album. Tristessa 7" and 12" vinyl was released in December on Seattle's Sub Pop and Sub Pop UK respectively. B-sides included "La Dolly Vita" and "Honeyspider." The 7" was a part of the Sub Pop Singles Club series. The 12" was a Sub Pop UK release from Germany.
The band signed with Caroline, the New York based label in December. They plan to release their debut album in late March or April and booked dates to record with producer Butch Vig at Smart Studios in Madison, WI.
During the recording sessions, Billy and James received their first exposure to the Frogs. They saw a show in Madison, and thought, "This is going to be the worst show ever," after they saw the Frogs enter the stage with their silver wings and pink sailor suit. However, then they "were just standing there in shock. But then they rocked." It thus began a very long friendship with the Milwaukee band who have guest appeared on some releases and Jimmy the Frog was an essential on the MCIS tour later in '96-'97.
Also in December, Billy said that the album will be entitled Gish named in honor of American motion picture actress Lillian Gish, best known for her work in silent epics such as "The Wind." Billy once said, "When I was little, my grandmother used to tell me that one of the biggest things that ever happened was when Lillian Gish rode through town on a train. My grandmother lived in the middle of nowhere, so that was a big deal."
With Caroline, the Pumpkins hoped that it would be a springboard to a major-label deal next time around. Mark Williams later signed the band to Virgin Records.