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Smashing Pumpkins Propel Live Earth Into the 'Zeitgeist'
- Posted on Jul 7th 2007 10:05PM by Melissa Olund
Keeping with the day's bands reunited theme, the Smashing Pumpkins brought their wall of sound to New York's Live Earth stage. Frontman Billy Corgan, looking one part mental patient and one part prison inmate, unleashed 'United States' from the band's new 'Zeitgeist' album on the crowd, meshing in 'The Star Spangled Banner' during his guitar solo. 'Bullet With Butterfly Wings' followed, played at punk-rock speeds with fellow original Pumpkin Jimmy Chamberlain furiously smashing away behind his 'kit. In what may have been a comment on the Live Earth proceedings, Corgan changed the lyrics, singing "Can you fake it for just one rock show?"
As the band shifted into the next song, Corgan cheekily introduced it as "Tar-an-too-lah," otherwise known as their current single, 'Tarantula.' He reminded the global audience that the band's new album is released on Tuesday, joking, "We know you're all gonna buy it, not illegally download it like you did all our other albums." Is Corgan's annoyance at filesharing the impetus for Smashing Pumpkins controversial decision to release 'Zeitgeist' in four different versions, each with an alternate bonus track? Only Billy knows for sure.
Closing with 'Today,' from 1993's breakthrough 'Siamese Dream,' Corgan thanked the New York crowd and bid them "God bless." Amen, Billy. Amen.
- Filed under: Concerts and Tours, News, Live Earth
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UGERS
Oh my god now I heard it all with these raving report's about a group I wanted to throw up on.
Zeitgeist? They got the right name full of a whole lot of PUMPKIN. American taste is something that is hard to get. low and skanky.
Vicente
I agree, a vast part of the Pumpkins' greatness is the fact of changing every album, there's no album that sounds like another. Zeitgeist is not hte greateest work, but it's not the worst either.
July 09 2007 at 1:14 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
B Hertz
Phil, with your fine history in Pumpkin Fan Being you of all people should know that Billy IS a self-centered pompous ass. But that's why I love him. And he's a lonely 40 year old man which may make it seem he's "lost his edge." But I think he's just doing what he's always done. Change.
July 08 2007 at 6:24 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
Phil
As a huge long term Pumpkins' & Corgan fan that has seen more than 15 of their shows over the years, I was pretty disappointed last night in what I saw and heard live. I think Jimmy still continues to smack some amazing skins, but Billy has lost his edge and the two new folks don't come close to replacing D'Arcy and James. It proves that the true Pumpkins' are much more than the Billy show. It also didn't help when Billy started talking smack about the new record and buying it vs. illegally d-loading it, when he could have spent that time talking about why they were at Live Earth in the first place. It unfortunately made him come off as a pompous self-centered ass, which as a long term fan is something I never thought I would say.
Phil
CB
Hey Matt...That wasn't Darcy.
Ginger is the name.
Smoothie
algore and the global doofus's
July 08 2007 at 6:30 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
Matt
Pumpkins were great.. punk gods among pop stars. Man when D'Arcy cradles that bass in those thighs....inside of her is such a part of me!
July 08 2007 at 2:25 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
lacking
Just came home from the show and thought the Pumpkins set was okay or average. The crack about illegal downloading came across pompous not really joking....
July 08 2007 at 1:37 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
Bonnie
Loved "United States," found it brilliant. Loved the intensity, the Hendrix-like feedback and "Star-spangled Banner." Loved everything about that song. I never heard it before and was blown away. Who else could pull off new material like that, and just Kill? Pumpkins are back, yahoo! What a contrast to happy, cute Jon Bon, huh?
July 08 2007 at 1:10 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
Simon
For the record...after Billy's rant, he added a "just kidding". I mean, here's this guy who put a whole album online for free...
July 08 2007 at 12:37 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
11 Comments