Smashing Pumpkins - "Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness"

BetterManningNYG

what an amazing album...

if i were trying to name my favorite songs, i'd go with porcelina of the vast oceans (disk 1) and by starlight (disk 2). but it's tough...

i would rank mellon collie as my third favorite double album of all time behind the wall and the white album.

CM1847

The best thing about the Pumpkins, back when I was REALLY into them, was that there is a near never-ending supply of quality recordings out there of stuff that never sniffed an official release. The Machina demos are great. The '89 demos are among the best stuff that had ever done, it was Gish type stuff with more catchy hooks, some of the songs are amazing. I've got at least 10 CD-Rs full of unreleased stuff. Not to mention the 5 studio albums, 7 total CDs worth of official b-side releases(PI-1, Aeroplane box-5, Rotten Apples-1), and the 2-disc Machina II.

The boot of a Billy Corgan solo live show at the Viper Room is a must have for anybody intersted in the band. People say the band wasn't a good live band, which I can't comment on not having had the chance to see them, but that solo acoustic show is great.

Mellon Collie was my first favorite album, "Galapogos", "Muzzle" and "Stumbeline" are my favorite tracks.

prytocorduroy

darthvedder88 wrote:

I heard a rumor that there was a third disc to Mellon Collie that was never released with B-sides. Not sure if it's true or not...anyone know or anyone have it?

Actually, it IS true, except it wasn't another CD.

The Aeroplane Flies High Box set contained extended versions of the five MC singles (BWBW, 1979, Zero, Tonight Tonight, Thirty-Three). It is out of print, but easy to find online for under $100. It's worth the $100 if you were to end up spending that much though.

Now you may be referring to the vinyl, which contained three records and two vinyl exclusive tracks (Tonight Reprise, Infinite Sadness).

Go buy it now

darthvedder88

Sawyer wrote:

i too am a 'Muzzle' fanatic and 33 is just beautiful......

I'm loving the Muzzle fanatics!!! I think Corgan really expresses his feelings in this song and it just blows me away how the progression of the chords weaves its way into the stunning percussion work from Jimmy Chamberlin. This album was godly when it was released and I'd like to see another double album release from the new Pumpkins!

elmer

MotorCityMike wrote:

If it's possible to not be into the Pumpkins', and yet BE into this album, then that is where i fit. Muzzle kills me everytime i hear it. In good ways.

i feel the same way, maybe prefer Adore.

darthvedder88

I love the theatrics of Adore, but Mellon Collie IS the Pumpkins at their best.

Pearl Jam and toast

darthvedder88 wrote:

I love the theatrics of Adore, but Mellon Collie IS the Pumpkins at their best.

I gotta agree. I love Machina even more than Adore (and more than Siamese Dream depending on my mood) but MCIS really is their premiere (so far )

darthvedder88

I wish Virgin had allowed Corgan to release Machina as a double album...then we may have seen more singles and a longer tour back in 2000...either way I'd like to see another double album from the Pumpkins in the future.

stateoflove79

darthvedder88 wrote:

I wish Virgin had allowed Corgan to release Machina as a double album...then we may have seen more singles and a longer tour back in 2000...either way I'd like to see another double album from the Pumpkins in the future.

Nah, they already did a double album...and MCIS is so amazing that they'd never be able to come close to capturing it's magic...

Gimme an hour long disc, 12-14 songs...have Billy use his amazing imagery and songwriting talent, let Jimmy smack away on the drums and I will love it.

darthvedder88

I heard that during the Mellon Collie Sessions, there were two rooms. One Room Billy rehearsed and wrote songs, and in the other room James and D'arcy did the same, and Jimmy would alternate between rooms. What's really funny is that James only had one song that he wrote on his own make the album...

superdeluxe

darthvedder88 wrote:

Such a sad and depressing album to listen to, but it's so beautiful and inspiring. The greatest double album of all time. Each song illustrates the sorrows and regrets of a hopeless romantic (from my interpretation) and it's occurences in a day and night perspective. Billy Corgan is a musical genius, and I think this album foreshows his best lyrics and writing abilities. MAY THE NEW PUMPKINS ROCK AND MELLON COLLIE BE KNOWN AS THE GREATEST DOUBLE ALBUM OF ALL TIME!!!

It was certainly a ambitious project. Most said that they would not be able to pull it off. Its strange, but if you also look at the Aeroplane box set, Billy could have legtimately split all of that music into 3 cds, and they would have been considered masterpieces.

One of the great works of rock in our recent time.

You'veGotRedOnYou

I bought this album from a friend back in high school for 5 bucks. I still make fun of him for that to this day! Great album.

superdeluxe

stateoflove79 wrote:

However, noone mentioned any of the amazing B-sides that came from this record. It could have been a four disc album!!!

God
Mouths of Babes

God and MoB both could have been singles if it was actually on a release. Hell, not only was MCIS ambitious, even the B-sides we're ambitious! Most B-sides you get some obscure track, or maybe a alternate verision of the main song. Each B-side 'cd', contained 3-4 new songs 1-2 covers. I mean in total there we're about what..50-75 songs? Easily could have been a 3 disc or even 4 disc Monster set. But the record label would have gone nuts..hell they went nuts with just the 2 album disc.

superdeluxe

stateoflove79 wrote:

And the brilliance doesn't end there...don't forget that 5-disc Mashed Potatoes Box Set.

That could have been a nice money maker for the pumpkins..now its just out there in mp3 form

darthvedder88

Back in the day Corgan wrote songs like nonstop!!! I remember seeing an interview when he was at the MTV Music Awards or the Grammys (can't remember) right before the Mellon Collie sessions and an interviewer asked him what he was going to do with his time after the ceremony, and Corgan replied with "Probably write more songs, I wrote about ten this morning." The guy was nuts!!

stateoflove79

darthvedder88 wrote:

Back in the day Corgan wrote songs like nonstop!!! I remember seeing an interview when he was at the MTV Music Awards or the Grammys (can't remember) right before the Mellon Collie sessions and an interviewer asked him what he was going to do with his time after the ceremony, and Corgan replied with "Probably write more songs, I wrote about ten this morning." The guy was nuts!!

There are probably rooms full of unreleased Billy Corgan brilliance.

darthvedder88

stateoflove79 wrote:

There are probably rooms full of unreleased Billy Corgan brilliance.

It wouldn't surprise me if there were. Corgan probably has more written songs than the amount of money in Bill Gates' bank account.

whulmef

Isn't anything longer than 40 minutes a double Lp or a double album? Seeing how Mellon Collie is over 120 minutes long (am i right?) wouldnt it be a quadruple album?

I am really into the first disc, but I have never been able to get into the second one (the one with 1979 on it).

Speaking of great double albums, don't forget Blonde on Blonde and wilco's Being There which fits onto one CD but they put it on two anyways.

bladworth116

overrated. one album of excellent material here.

darthvedder88

Lately I've been thinking that Jellybelly has some of the best drum work Jimmy Chamberlin has ever done, and I absolutely adore the composition of Thru the Eyes of Ruby. The way the guitars are layered, it sounds like the Phil. Harmonic Orchestra!! Not many rock bands can produce a sound that rich!!!!