Just listen to 'G.L.O.W' and my first thought after listening was, wow, where has the poet gone!?

I mean one of the main reason I love the Pumpkins/Billy and have done for nearly 20 years was that Billy was/is a true poet when it comes to lyrics. His lyrics mixed with the music the Pumpkins produced was something truly special.

I feel since the band reformed that the poet has gone awol.

It all seems very forced to me and I think they are just trying way to hard.

I think Sunkissed was pretty poetic. http://www.thepumpkins.net/component/option,com_artistavenue/task,playSong/id,1009/

if you are refering to zeitgeist, I think Billy wanted to make a more raw harder sounding pumpkins for the comeback. American Gothic is full blown poetry though in my opinion. Billy has also said in a past interview that his fans need a "hook", that is what we expect in their music. G.L.O.W has a great "hook" if you ask me. I think G.L.O.W. was written with the single format in mind, sort of like eye from lost highway and the batman tune teitbite. with "guitar hero" in mind to spread pumpkin love to a new audience.

Yeah, I agree with slunkdross. Just wait for the next album tear 79, I have a feeling it will satisfy a lot of people.

"with "guitar hero" in mind to spread pumpkin love to a new audience."

See now that is the kind of talk that scares me sooo much.

To me the reason I fell in love with the Pumpkins is that they did whatever they wanted to do.

"Everybody was playing 2 minute pop songs and we were playing 6 minute rock songs" - Billy Corgan 1995.

To me Billy seems to be trying way to hard to appeal to a "new" audience and in the process alienating alot of the bands life long fans.

"I think Sunkissed was pretty poetic."

Yeah sure it is but come on! one song. The Pumpkins I know produce an album of poetry, pure poetry with meaning and passion.

I couldn't give "monkeys" about the "Guitar Hero generation". If they cared or knew anything about music then they should be playing really music in real bands.

I hope you are right superchrist. I want my poet back.....

tear79 wrote:

To me the reason I fell in love with the Pumpkins is that they did whatever them wanted to do.


So they've done something unexpected, something they want to do ... yet you're not happy with it.

GLOW, to me, is just a fun rock song. Songs like GLOW have been in the Pumpkins history, say like Transformer back in the day ... fun beat, fun lyrics - "she's as happy as a turtle?" - fun all round.

The poet is there, he is always there. As mentioned with Sunkissed and also other 'new' songs like 99 Floors, Peace and Love etc ... he still writes heartfelt lyrics we can get lost in. But its nice to mix it up with a lighter side every now and then with a bit of fun, simple rock.

Also this is a stand alone song, its not going to part of a full idea or album. Hearing this Im starting to get a better idea what Corgan means about future releases. Rather than putting this song with other songs on an album, its better to release this as a one off and keep other songs of similar meaning, style etc to be part of a bigger idea - a bigger album. As the others said ... the next album will be the big thing.

Yeah. I know this is a stand alone song and not connected to an album, which is fine by me, if a bit pointless.

I just have all sort of question going on in my head right now about Billy and the Pumpkins.

Are they doing this for the right reasons anymore? Is it all just a cash in? Why try so hard to get "new" fans when they have such a huge fan base already?

I guess im getting paranoid but the whole Guitar hero thing has really got to me.....

The point is they could not do whatever they wanted to do before because of the label and they had to fight to have those "tracks" you love released.

now they have no label constraints, they can actually do what they want. So to put out a piece of music that may get that 12 year old to actually download the pumpkins discography because they can't get enough, (like when we all were introduced to the band) and then play it for his friends instead of the same old regurgitated mp3 downloads. This is the angle Billy is going for, fresh new ways to get his music out there. Not all songs are poetic or meaningful, but there does have to be something you like about it to keep you listening.
For me, I have enjoyed them from gish times and I salivate every time I hear any new song from the band, poetic, poppy, psychodelic, slow, heavy, soft, loud, long, short, etc, etc, etc.
I hope you get your poet back though tear79

I wouldn't say pointless, its putting their music in an industry that is somewhat bigger than the music industry itself. Its the same as recording a song purely for a movie soundtrack. I don't see how this is any different to the Batman soundtrack or Eye for Lost Highway.

In all honesty I had my doubts about GH too, same questions and worries as you. But there are a lot of positives that will come out of this. Can I ask, have you played GH or Rock Band (similar to GH)?

I'm a big gamer but have never gotten into GH or any other of those interactive games (ie GH and those crazy dance ones etc). But I played Rock Band a few weeks ago at a party and it was the most fun I had listening to music and interacting with other people about music in such a long time. Drumming along to Cherub Rock was so much fun and actually sparked interest with other people at the party, I was able to tell people about SP, Cherub Rock, interesting facts about the song etc ... and a few people asked me to make them mixtapes. It was a good ice breaker and got a few new people into seeing the band in a new light. It surprised me that how many other people of my age group didn't know the song, Im 26 btw. One person though Cherub Rock was the new song they had read about ... I had to restrain myself at that point ...

As for getting new fans, its a very important thing to do. Not all old fans are happy because they want the Pumpkins they first fell in love with, some older fans have grown with the band and know they'll never be those Pumpkins again. If you get new fans now, they fall in love with the band for who they are now and they'll be more accepting to the avenues the Pumpkins take to release their music. This will keep the fan base ticking ...

Plus they are artists, they need to try new things, take new risks ... if they did the same thing all the time it would be pretty boring.

After hearing GLOW its perfect for GH ... and personally I can't wait. Hope that gives you a flip side to think about ... but don't worry, the poet is still there. He's just had the summer off I think - hehe

Don't worry about the Guitar Hero thing. It's as much an experiment as anything else. Is this a viable way to sell music? Who will buy it? Will they buy SP music in other formats after playing the tracks in GH?

I think it's very forward thinking of them and I'm very proud that they've done it.

As to your comments RE: Where has the Poet gone? ... I totally agree. But Zeitgeist was a scary album for BC to release. They wrote it in unusual circumstances (only the two of them) so couldn't hear what it would sound like. They also felt like they had to make a few statements: WE ARE THE SMASHING PUMPKINS. THIS IS THE MUSIC WE MAKE. WE SOUND LIKE NO ONE ELSE. THIS ALBUM ALSO SOUNDS UNLIKE ANY OF OUR OTHER STUFF. WE ROCK...HARD!

All these things will affect where Billy's head is when writing. ie I need to write a rock song with rock lyrics as apposed to this is how I'm feeling so these are the songs I've written.

The Residency Shows and American Gothic were a massive step in the right direction. The next album WILL BE AWESOME!!!!

sunky wrote:
I wouldn't say pointless, its putting their music in an industry that is somewhat bigger than the music industry itself. Its the same as recording a song purely for a movie soundtrack. I don't see how this is any different to the Batman soundtrack or Eye for Lost Highway.

In all honesty I had my doubts about GH too, same questions and worries as you. But there are a lot of positives that will come out of this. Can I ask, have you played GH or Rock Band (similar to GH)?

I'm a big gamer but have never gotten into GH or any other of those interactive games (ie GH and those crazy dance ones etc). But I played Rock Band a few weeks ago at a party and it was the most fun I had listening to music and interacting with other people about music in such a long time. Drumming along to Cherub Rock was so much fun and actually sparked interest with other people at the party, I was able to tell people about SP, Cherub Rock, interesting facts about the song etc ... and a few people asked me to make them mixtapes. It was a good ice breaker and got a few new people into seeing the band in a new light. It surprised me that how many other people of my age group didn't know the song, Im 26 btw. One person though Cherub Rock was the new song they had read about ... I had to restrain myself at that point ...

As for getting new fans, its a very important thing to do. Not all old fans are happy because they want the Pumpkins they first fell in love with, some older fans have grown with the band and know they'll never be those Pumpkins again. If you get new fans now, they fall in love with the band for who they are now and they'll be more accepting to the avenues the Pumpkins take to release their music. This will keep the fan base ticking ...

Plus they are artists, they need to try new things, take new risks ... if they did the same thing all the time it would be pretty boring.

After hearing GLOW its perfect for GH ... and personally I can't wait. Hope that gives you a flip side to think about ... but don't worry, the poet is still there. He's just had the summer off I think - hehe

it does rock for guitar hero, (Even though i never have played it) as long as there's some sort of physical release at some point (like they said there would be) i'm happy.

don't forget drown (singles soundtrack) and glynis (no alternative) as singles not on a pumpkins album. Both these songs are pumpkin classics in my eyes. not to be overlooked.

b-sides, singles, lps are a part of the pumpkins style, always has been.

Drown is one of my fav Pumpkins tracks. I have no problem with them writing songs for Film, that's something Billy has always done.

But writing a song just so it can be downloaded for some stupid "lets play at rock stars because we have no real musical talent" game worries me....

And to be honest I think it just cheapens the band and their music.

tear79 wrote:
Drown is one of my fav Pumpkins tracks. I have no problem with them writing songs for Film, that's something Billy has always done.

But writing a song just so it can be downloaded for some stupid "lets play at rock stars because we have no real musical talent" game worries me....

And to be honest I think it just cheapens the band and their music.

I respect your opinion, but I totally disagree! I think it's great, I love playing those games, and I am a Pumpkin fan now more than ever!

sunky wrote:
I wouldn't say pointless, its putting their music in an industry that is somewhat bigger than the music industry itself. Its the same as recording a song purely for a movie soundtrack. I don't see how this is any different to the Batman soundtrack or Eye for Lost Highway.

In all honesty I had my doubts about GH too, same questions and worries as you. But there are a lot of positives that will come out of this. Can I ask, have you played GH or Rock Band (similar to GH)?

I'm a big gamer but have never gotten into GH or any other of those interactive games (ie GH and those crazy dance ones etc). But I played Rock Band a few weeks ago at a party and it was the most fun I had listening to music and interacting with other people about music in such a long time. Drumming along to Cherub Rock was so much fun and actually sparked interest with other people at the party, I was able to tell people about SP, Cherub Rock, interesting facts about the song etc ... and a few people asked me to make them mixtapes. It was a good ice breaker and got a few new people into seeing the band in a new light. It surprised me that how many other people of my age group didn't know the song, Im 26 btw. One person though Cherub Rock was the new song they had read about ... I had to restrain myself at that point ...

As for getting new fans, its a very important thing to do. Not all old fans are happy because they want the Pumpkins they first fell in love with, some older fans have grown with the band and know they'll never be those Pumpkins again. If you get new fans now, they fall in love with the band for who they are now and they'll be more accepting to the avenues the Pumpkins take to release their music. This will keep the fan base ticking ...

Plus they are artists, they need to try new things, take new risks ... if they did the same thing all the time it would be pretty boring.

After hearing GLOW its perfect for GH ... and personally I can't wait. Hope that gives you a flip side to think about ... but don't worry, the poet is still there. He's just had the summer off I think - hehe

amen.

i havent played GH or RB myself either, but it isnt something that i think cheapens the band or their music. it is a whole new avenue for them to showcase their music. and about this whole "they are doing it just for the money" thing... any band out there is playing music for the money. if they never got paid a single penny then every musician would be homeless. that is why a lot of bands starting out have other jobs while they are playing in a band. any job that someone may be passionate about, they are also doing it for the money because that is what allows them to live their life the way they want to. whether you are a school teacher, missionary, or musician. you can still have passion and be true to yourself while at the same time being able to make money.

however, if billy and co. were only interested in money then he would just write mellon collie part 2 or siamese dream part 2 and sign a big record contract. instead, he is going out into completely new and unknown terrain. he is trying new things. i have also been a long time fan (28 years old) and yeah id love to hear more mellon collie type songs or whatever, but to me, the biggest joy of being a pumpkins fan is that you never know what the next song is going to sound like. the pumpkins are one of those few bands who really cant be categorized and that is why i love them. the next song could be acoustic, electric, electronic, fast, slow, loud, subtle, etc. you never know. therefore, for me personally, i am always excited and ready for where the band takes us. maybe i am biased and too loyal of a fan, but at the end of the day, in billy i trust.