Smashing Pumpkins live on Letterman

[krs]

wow.

[redddog]

I thought they were tight. I had no idea Billy could rock the guitar like that.

[tommy lee]

[willerichey]

Similar to the sound of nails on a chalk board??

[eligit]

i liked siamese dream a lot (guitar + drums!) but that thing on letterman just sounded like "graaaaaaaah" on both vocals and guitar.

i think his approach on guitar translates better in the studio.

this one sounds better but still has issues:

YouTube - Zwan - Honestly - Letterman 23-01-03

[krs]

I thought it was passionless shite.

And what's up with the shirts? Corgan's was cool but the rest looked like they threw that together at the Sally Ann...

[octatonic]

Not hungry enough anymore.

Compare:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FP1yIfMeIQ0

to

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnIlmTJDlrg

That still gives me chills.

[eligit]

Originally Posted by octatonic

Not hungry enough anymore.

Compare:

YouTube - Smashing Pumpkins 'Tarantula' on Letterman 7/9/2007

to

YouTube - Smashing Pumpkins - ZERO

That still gives me chills.

wow....the older one really kicks ass!! pure rock and roll balls.

....his vocals are whiny but full of attitude. also i kind of like the way the tempo accelerates.

[BJohnston]

Not a lot of fire in the furnace anymore. I consider myself to be a pretty big Pumpkins fan, but that was hard to watch. I just see Billy grasping at straws. Seems like he's been lost for a while. Just my $.02

B

[Daniel Antix]

yeah not hte most energetic pumpkin performance... but he is ually pretty laid back kinda hard rock... that "don't give a f*ck" attitude... but thats why i love him

if you youtube some other recent performances they are a little more rock... and yeha he plays the f*ck out of the guitar.

[84K]

I don't know why anyone is bashing that performance. I think they sound good for their first few gigs as a band. In fact, all things considered, I think they did a great job.

[u b k]

Originally Posted by octatonic

That still gives me chills.

to be fair, that was on a proper stage with a huge audience jumping up and down; that kind of energy feeds you, propels you to your own greatness. they were also cresting a huge wave of popularity and success at that time. and wasn't jimmy losing his mind nightly on smack? that had to add a whole other level of edge to the game.

the latest looks a lot like people who haven't re-established their energy or collective vibe yet, and it's on a tv show, which always intensifies self-consciousness for artists. playing so far from the audience, with cameras and crew in between, is not an environment most of us are terribly comfortable or familiar with.

so yeah, it was on the dull side, but so are most rock performances on big tv shows (imo). rock needs to be fueled by something, they haven't found it at this point. maybe they won't, but i won't write them off them just yet.


gregoire
del
ubk
.

[quietdrive]

Come, at which time did anything Billy was singing on actually sounded good? I've never heard such a bad singer... his nasal voice is really like nails on a chalkboard. I'd prefer hearing Hillary Duff sing.

[Bo Jorgen]

I love that guy. One of the biggest geniuses in rock ever.

For sure, he stirs up mixed emotions, not least here on GS. In my experience, Corgan has not too many friends on these boards.

I wish the new line-up the best of luck.

[chrispick]

Originally Posted by u b k

to be fair, that was on a proper stage with a huge audience jumping up and down; that kind of energy feeds you...
...the latest looks a lot like people who haven't re-established their energy or collective vibe yet, and it's on a tv show, which always intensifies self-consciousness for artists. playing so far from the audience, with cameras and crew in between, is not an environment most of us are terribly comfortable or familiar with.

If you've ever attended a talk show taping, you realize it's a minor miracle a band can muster any energy at all.

The stage area (i.e., taped off floor) is always very cramped. The band's usually shouldered together, three feet from three hulking cameras. And the most of the audience (barely a small crowd) are watching the whole thing via in-studio monitors because they can't see past those hulking cameras.

Plus, in many cases, the band tapes the performance out of program sequence -- often before the host even hits the stage. The magic of editing and all that.

It's very much a "cold" performance venue.

Not to make excuses for SP. Lame does as lame is.

[Whitecat]

I've seen the Smashing Pumpkins live, back in the day. Honestly, they were the worst live act I've ever seen.

The first time (mellon collie tour), they basically seemed like they just didn't care.

A second opportunity presented itself, and I saw them again (and Jimmy Chamberlain had re-joined the band after his rehab) - I figured the first time was maybe just an off-night.

Nope.

They. Sucked. Hard.

The only song with any semblance of passion was Drown. At least it's a long song. Everything they played from Siamese Dream was played double-time, sloppily, as if they were so sick of playing it they just rushed through it all to get it over with. Not a great way to treat your fans.

I love their records, I think they're a great studio band but it clearly doesn't translate to stage presence.

[HIGHENDONLY]

So what if he sucks, hes rich and was on Letterman, so what are you doing these days besides posting on GS?

[HighKing]

Originally Posted by HIGHENDONLY

So what if he sucks, hes rich and was on Letterman, so what are you doing these days besides posting on GS?

*yawn*

Thanks for sharing, d00d. Because we know that what life is all about is being rich and being on Letterman!!!!

[Kris]

Ooohhh, Burn...

I thought this was covered already...

As a reminder: http://www.gearslutz.com/board/1052518-post8.html

[Brad_Wood]

Originally Posted by chrispick

Plus, in many cases, the band tapes the performance out of program sequence -- often before the host even hits the stage. The magic of editing and all that.

It's very much a "cold" performance venue.

Not to make excuses for SP. Lame does as lame is.

Sorry to nitpick, but Letterman & Leno tape their shows in sequence in real time, to minimize the amount of editing needed before airtime. With Letterman, you'll notice there is always an extra set of commercials to allow for a quick line check before air. The producers of the show are verrrry upset if you screw up the timing. Letterman does his intro, Paul counts you in & you're off. In rare cases, you can retrack a bad vocal in the few minutes after the show ends in their basement audio studio, but, again, they really don't like that. That contributes to the pressure cooker feeling- you really are on the spot- contrary to what anyone who hasn't played the show says. That, and the cold temperature makes it quite the surreal experience. Its over so quick! The times I played, I was struck by how we were "wrangled". These folks crank this out 5 days a week & deal w/all manner of temperaments- wild animals, stars, folks off the street, Dave, Jay, weather- you name it. They have to step on some toes to get it done, but it is impressive. Sorry for the long post. Oh, SP was.... eh, but I am biased.


Best- Brad

[Resonant Alien]

Billy Corgan - great songwriter (great!), lousy singer (really lousy). The only thing that ever stopped me from being an insane over-the-top Pumpkins fans was his voice. OK, so a lot of successful rock singers can't really sing, but Corgan is almost painful to listen to sometimes (Tonight, Tonight being one of the worst). Still, I put up with his terrible voice because the songs are so great.

I still have a hard time considering this incarnation of the band as "Smashing Pumpkins" - no Iha? no D'Arcy? It's like Led Zeppelin without JPJ or Bonham - just doesn't cut it.

[84K]

Originally Posted by quietdrive

Come, at which time did anything Billy was singing on actually sounded good? I've never heard such a bad singer... his nasal voice is really like nails on a chalkboard. I'd prefer hearing Hillary Duff sing.

Aquired taste. I can see how you don't like him, but a girl I was talking with about the new record said to me yesterday, "his voice is so cool... NO ONE sounds like him." I'll take that over another constipated-voiced, depressed overly introspective wannabe Cobain.

Originally Posted by Bo Jorgen

I love that guy. One of the biggest geniuses in rock ever.

I look at him as the Pete Townshend of the 90s.

[True North]

Originally Posted by 84K

I look at him as the Pete Townshend of the 90s.

As a huge Townshend fan I found this quote interesting. How so ?

[PhiloBeddoe]

Originally Posted by u b k

to be fair, that was on a proper stage with a huge audience jumping up and down; that kind of energy feeds you, propels you to your own greatness.

so yeah, it was on the dull side, but so are most rock performances on big tv shows (imo).
.

All definitely true, but c'mon this is show business and these guys are pros (at least Corgan and Chamberlain anyway). They've performed on lame tv and video shoot sets tons. There is no natural energy in a tv studio, so you have to fake it! Grit your teeth, jump up and down and get into it. I think the real truth is that they are old and tired.

For those calling for all original Pumpkins to be present - Iha and Darcy are irrelevant except to look at. Corgan and Chamberlain make those records. If you don't like the new record you can blame them.

All that said, as far as the song I've heard much worse comeback efforts and at least they were actually playing their instruments and singing. I'm at least interested in hearing more.

[cl516]

i remember a live show of theirs in toronto for the adore album.
a mellower show with seats and purple lights.
that was a very solid and enjoyabe performance.
i guess it just depends on whether you like crazy 'zero' performances or more laid back stuff. i love their music. but yeah, reunion without those two band members definitely feels quite off.

[Analogeezer]

Originally Posted by Brad_Wood

Sorry to nitpick, but Letterman & Leno tape their shows in sequence in real time, to minimize the amount of editing needed before airtime. With Letterman, you'll notice there is always an extra set of commercials to allow for a quick line check before air. The producers of the show are verrrry upset if you screw up the timing. Letterman does his intro, Paul counts you in & you're off. In rare cases, you can retrack a bad vocal in the few minutes after the show ends in their basement audio studio, but, again, they really don't like that. That contributes to the pressure cooker feeling- you really are on the spot- contrary to what anyone who hasn't played the show says. That, and the cold temperature makes it quite the surreal experience. Its over so quick! The times I played, I was struck by how we were "wrangled". These folks crank this out 5 days a week & deal w/all manner of temperaments- wild animals, stars, folks off the street, Dave, Jay, weather- you name it. They have to step on some toes to get it done, but it is impressive. Sorry for the long post. Oh, SP was.... eh, but I am biased.


Best- Brad

By far the coolest performance I ever saw on Letterman was when the original Black Sabbath lineup reunited before that Ozzfest tour.

No little combo amps, Geezer Butler had two SVT's and Iommi had two Laney stacks (he likes them for some reason)....as soon as they kicked into it you could hear the broadcast limiters just pegging out, the audio sounded like a soaked sponge it was being limited so hard...you could just tell it was loud as piss on the set.

By the end of the song, people were STANDING ON THEIR CHAIRS CHEERING, YELLING and just in general going off, I have NEVER seen a band elicit that kind of reaction on a late night TV show.

Letterman came out and was VISIBLY PISSED, as it would have been a very hard act to follow. He was grimacing and just real curtly said "Black Sabbath folks, uhhh Black Sabbath"....he said it almost like it was Ed Sullivan...

Usually the bands that play on Letterman come out and play, and people clap politely then it's off to the rest of the show.

That night the band OWNED the friggin show it was just really strange to see a TV audience react like that....I've never seen it before or since.

Analogeezer

[theoryinmotion]

Originally Posted by BJohnston

Not a lot of fire in the furnace anymore. I consider myself to be a pretty big Pumpkins fan, but that was hard to watch. I just see Billy grasping at straws. Seems like he's been lost for a while. Just my $.02

B

Couldn't have said it better...........

[octatonic]

Apparently Billy is living with Courtney Love these days - has his own wing in her mansion.

Is it too far of a stretch to say everyone and everything she touches turns to shit?

[theron d]

Corgans vocals on the older albums (Gish) were buried more in the mix, thought it sounded better (or maybe because he was younger and his voice was different back then). Anyhow the vox on the new one sound too up front IMO....
Theron D

[s.d.finley]

Originally Posted by octatonic

Apparently Billy is living with Courtney Love these days - has his own wing in her mansion.

Is it too far of a stretch to say everyone and everything she touches turns to shit?

LOL

Sad, but true.....