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Smashing Pumpkins: Tales of a Scorched Earth
Initially contemporaries of Nirvana and Pearl Jam, Billy Corgan’s Smashing Pumpkins outgrew and outlived the grunge scene with hugely acclaimed commercial triumphs like Siamese Dream, which legitimised heavy metal, and number one album Mellon Collie and The Infinite Sadness . Unlike many of their contemporaries, the Pumpkins were able to withstand internal problems and keep selling records, emerging as the longest-lasting and most successful alternative band of the early ’90s. Though drugs and other problems led to the band’s final demise, Corgan’s recent return with Zwan is a reminder of how awesome the Pumpkins were in their prime. Seattle-based Hanson has followed the band for years and this is the first in-depth biography of their rise and fall.
- GenresMusic
256 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2004
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
September 23, 2011
This is pretty much the only biography of the Smashing Pumpkins you are likely to be able to find, but as a fairly hardcore Pumpkins fan, this didn't tell me that much I didn't already know. While it is a fairly interesting read, the author spends too much time detailing dates and figures for record sales and chart positions, which subsequently makes it read more like a university thesis than a music biography. She also spends too much time discussing contemporary bands, particularly Fountains of Wayne, for no good reason.
It is uncertain whether a better or more comprehensive biography will ever emerge, particularly given the sorry condition of the now 'reformed' band, but we live in hope - and if one does appear, hopefully it'll end with 'Machina' in 2000, rather than dwelling on the more recent efforts...
It is uncertain whether a better or more comprehensive biography will ever emerge, particularly given the sorry condition of the now 'reformed' band, but we live in hope - and if one does appear, hopefully it'll end with 'Machina' in 2000, rather than dwelling on the more recent efforts...
July 23, 2023
Bought online and read whilst watching Smashing Pumpkins DVDs/Blu Rays, Billy Corgan's 33 podcast, and discography in order. (Only got up to Adore before finishing the book).
Books on the Smashing Pumpkins are very thin on the ground, to the extent this was the only one I've found, so it was a pleasant surprise to find it was a well-written documentation of the band and its music.
As a former journalist, I always appreciate the forensic detail and skilled writing style employed by fellow journalists when they turn to writing a book. There is no stone left uncovered, proper research, and use of quotes rather than a half-arsed skim over the surface of the band's discography.
This could particularly be applied to the chapters detailing Gish, Siamese Dream, Mellon Collie... and the various side projects and ancillary releases of the first half decade of the band. (Although I did feel like the author went on about the Grunge scene a little too much, with Nirvana and Kurt Cobain mentioned almost as much as Corgan and SP in the first half of the book).
However, the final releases, and closing chapters, seem rushed (as they often do in these sorts of projects as a fatigued author sees the finishing line in site and rushes towards it).
Ironically, it is in the discussion of the later releases - Adore, Machina I & II - that I actually derived my only real criticisms and not for the reason of brevity. It is actually because I felt the author verges on sycophantic in the way she praises the albums, and Corgan. It almost comes across as she is saying she 'gets' the music where others don't or didn't.
Personally, I didn't mind the SP's change of direction in terms of approach to the music and instrumentation, I just found those albums to fall below the standard of the first three despite having their moments. As someone who felt that way, I found the author's appraisals of the records irritating and a little haughty.
That being said, I wonder if I would have taken that if I'd agreed with her assessment of those albums? Maybe that's on me and my bias. But I am me, and this is my review, so...
On a similar note, I was a huge fan of the Zwan album and would have liked to have read more about its background. But then again, this is a Smashing Pumpkins book, not a Billy Corgan biography.
If you want the juicy gossip behind the scenes, you'll have to wait for WPC to release his autobiography (and maybe then you might not get it) but for now, this is certainly a well-written and researched book exploring the music of the Smashing Pumpkins.
Books on the Smashing Pumpkins are very thin on the ground, to the extent this was the only one I've found, so it was a pleasant surprise to find it was a well-written documentation of the band and its music.
As a former journalist, I always appreciate the forensic detail and skilled writing style employed by fellow journalists when they turn to writing a book. There is no stone left uncovered, proper research, and use of quotes rather than a half-arsed skim over the surface of the band's discography.
This could particularly be applied to the chapters detailing Gish, Siamese Dream, Mellon Collie... and the various side projects and ancillary releases of the first half decade of the band. (Although I did feel like the author went on about the Grunge scene a little too much, with Nirvana and Kurt Cobain mentioned almost as much as Corgan and SP in the first half of the book).
However, the final releases, and closing chapters, seem rushed (as they often do in these sorts of projects as a fatigued author sees the finishing line in site and rushes towards it).
Ironically, it is in the discussion of the later releases - Adore, Machina I & II - that I actually derived my only real criticisms and not for the reason of brevity. It is actually because I felt the author verges on sycophantic in the way she praises the albums, and Corgan. It almost comes across as she is saying she 'gets' the music where others don't or didn't.
Personally, I didn't mind the SP's change of direction in terms of approach to the music and instrumentation, I just found those albums to fall below the standard of the first three despite having their moments. As someone who felt that way, I found the author's appraisals of the records irritating and a little haughty.
That being said, I wonder if I would have taken that if I'd agreed with her assessment of those albums? Maybe that's on me and my bias. But I am me, and this is my review, so...
On a similar note, I was a huge fan of the Zwan album and would have liked to have read more about its background. But then again, this is a Smashing Pumpkins book, not a Billy Corgan biography.
If you want the juicy gossip behind the scenes, you'll have to wait for WPC to release his autobiography (and maybe then you might not get it) but for now, this is certainly a well-written and researched book exploring the music of the Smashing Pumpkins.
September 5, 2018
The writing isn't all that great as words and names of people are sometimes spelled wrong, but the author, Amy Hanson does a great job of research in this book on the Smashing Pumpkins. The Pumpkins were absolutely one of my favorite bands from around 1995-2000, so basically late high school through junior college and in my first year at SF State. This book was a fun ride that took me back to some great tunes off Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, Siamese Dream, Adore, Gish and Machina/The Machines of God. Also reminded me of some great b-sides off the Aeroplane Flies High. Also reminded me of just how much the band Zwan sucked. LOL. This book is a little outdated as the band has released three more albums (one of them really good in my opinion) and had a little bit of controversy with no Darcy on their most recent reunion tour. None of that is in this book since it came out in 2004. But if you want a very quick read (200 pages) on a great band's heyday, this is a book for you.
November 24, 2016
This book deserved better than a three star review and not all my criticisms are aimed at the author. In fact, Amy Hanson's writing is so heady that at times this moves beyond the typical band bio to some pretty arty thematic ruminations.
However, one thing about it is usually when you read a band bio there are bios on the artists (which this has), producers (yup), engineers (check), etc. But there is also a song by song description of each key album. Only highlights from the albums are worked on, and that's enough for a Rolling Stone article, but not a bio.
The second major fault is no fault of Hanson's. The book was published in 2004. Since then the Smashing Pumpkins have (sorta) reunited, had a revolving membership, and produced what is arguably some of their most creative material. An update is due maybe?
Not a lot new for longtime fans, but Hanson's prose alone makes the trip worth it.
However, one thing about it is usually when you read a band bio there are bios on the artists (which this has), producers (yup), engineers (check), etc. But there is also a song by song description of each key album. Only highlights from the albums are worked on, and that's enough for a Rolling Stone article, but not a bio.
The second major fault is no fault of Hanson's. The book was published in 2004. Since then the Smashing Pumpkins have (sorta) reunited, had a revolving membership, and produced what is arguably some of their most creative material. An update is due maybe?
Not a lot new for longtime fans, but Hanson's prose alone makes the trip worth it.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews