The Best Of Jimmy Chamberlin

Well I Never...

Jimmy Chamberlin News (Weekly Round-Up)

As promised - here's some stuff > 

1.  Frank Catalano says that the shows him and Jimmy played in Chicago earlier this year have been filmed and not only that but him Jimmy are going back to the studio (doink) to record even more new music. 

2. As part of CIMMFEST - Jimmy will be appearing on a panel entitled "Live Streaming: From Consumption to Cache" on Saturday, May 3rd at 1:30 - 3:00PM (murica Time).  One presumes the panel itself will be live-streamed somewhere, though I can't see mention of it on the festival page.  Anyway,  this is in addition to Chamberlin's performance in his new band "Mary Shelly" and their scoring of the classic Battleship Potempkin.

3. In contrast Jimmy gives Tyson Meade's track Dusty Come Up for Air some old school bombast.  Chamberlin features on 3 of the forthcoming album's 10 tracks.

4. The day you have all been waiting for is here; Jimmy will be heading down to Vic's Drum Shop on the 23rd of April to celebrate REMO-DAY!

And lastly,   following the disappointment that the most recent Smashing Pumpkins' announcement wasn't the triumphant return of Jimmy to his throne  - in a series of rambling and vague posts, it has become apparent that Billy Corgan is using drum machines to write the parts for the next "Smashing Pumpkins" album.  Here's hoping this 'new' (re: old) approach to demoing yields more interesting results than those of Oceania- "Hey Mike, try and play like Jimmy might ok?"

Frank and Jim 'do some Jazz' (April 14)

Zwan Auditions...

Juan Alderete de la Peña, perhaps best known as the kick-ass bassist for Mars Volta, recounts his audition with Jimmy Chamberlin, Billy Corgan and Matt Sweeney...

http://pedalsandeffects.com/throwback-thursday-another-audition-billy-corrigan-and-zwan/

Jimmy Chamberlin Re-Joins Smashing Pumpkins

(Again, Again, Again)

Just got word that Jimmy Chamberlin has re-joined Billy Corgan and the Smashing Pumpkins.  Sources close to the band report that following a serendipitous invite to the true-fan only ‘Amazon Listening Party’ for the Smashing Pumpkin’s forthcoming album,  Oceania, Chamberlin was so awestruck by the quality of the recording that he reached out to former bandmaster Corgan and tabled a deal to re-join the outfit.   

Sources reveal that Chamberlin privately cited many reasons for his return to fold; “it’s been too long… it’s totally driven by a desire to not sound anything like ‘classic pumpkins’ and to explore totally new ground… It’s all about the cash… I just love wrestling and tea and so does Billy…my shaman told me to do it… Teargarden has been an unmitigated success so far – it's the best release method ever”.

However, the official announcement, announced over at Smashing Pumpkins.com states Chamberlin’s true motivation:

"I want Corgan’s dreams, his songs and his band back together..."   

"...I have waved any creative input and final say on everything, it will be, and rightly so, all Billy's. This is a make or break year for the band and only securing the best marketing deal will ensure the bands future, not the music.”

When asked by the "gatekeepers" of Smashing Pumpkins fandom, oddly comment disabled site Crestfallen.com, about the specific moment he realised he wished to reconcile his musical ideology with Billy’s own, Chamberlin explains;

“It was about 7 or 8 tracks into the new record. In each track I heard the drums doing things I have done in other songs or pretty much would do - given the chance.  I kept thinking, this in an odd bastardisation of my originality as an Artist and if Billy wanted to just get someone in to play like me, why not pick, say Matt Walker.  He actually did it OK”.  He continues “I figured that; if they’ve got a new guy in and he’s just going to approximate what I’d do, but so incredibly poorly I can’t really comprehend it, I should probably just do it myself”.  

Chamberlin continues, “I was quietly optimistic that Billy would move forward in new musical directions, as he always used to try and one of the reasons I used to love the band, but now my priorities have changed & it’s why I’m back in; I am all about living in the past now. I am the difference, I am the 97%.  I realised that touring on ‘Rat in a Cage’ into my 60’s, is my real dream future”, gushes Chamberlin.

Talking about the future, for the handful of you out there wondering about the prospects of drumming tyke Mike Bryne, unfortunately the one and only music pundit who was in the slightest bit bothered by his dismissal, didn't have much hope;

“Even if my life depended on it, and I had Bonham, Moon and Rich as my phone-a-friends, I couldn’t pick this guys style out of a line-up of 5 ‘mathrock’ drummers."

Bryne, tweeted his disappointment at his inevitable dismissal; “shit. I dun goofed #imitationnotnecessarilythesincerestformofflattery”. 

Corgan Continues Charm Offensive...

Further to Corgan's most recent contradiction, thanks to Machine Somehow reader Chris and Arachnea, here's a little extract from a recent interview Corgan conducted with Mojo Magazine here in the UK, where he continues to lavish praise on musical soulmate Jimmy Chamberlin... 

Mojo: You were playing with James and D'arcy but the arrival of Jimmy Chamberlin changed everything. How?

Corgan: When Jimmy joined the band we were playing a lot of kind of Cure type songs, very simple beats. Right away I could tell it was almost like he was playing dumb. We had one heavyish song and he was playing it without breaking sweat when any other drummer would have been huffing and puffing, so it wasn't too long before we sold our Jazz Chorus amps – which were the alternative amp of choice – and we got Marshall half-stacks. The louder we played, the louder he played. He was always one step ahead of us. There was nothing Jimmy couldn't do. Jimmy is an incredible emotional interpreter of the song, He would bring these emotional swells, almost like an orchestral swish, to what we were doing.

Did the band come close to splitting around Mellon Collie…?
No... Are you going to kick out one of the greatest drummers in the world who just helped make this massive album? Are you going to kick him out when you are playing this sold-out tour all around the world?...

In 2001 you and Jimmy formed Zwan with Matt Sweeney (Chavez), Dave Pajo (Slint/Sterolab) and Paz Lenchantin. What were you trying to achieve?

Jimmy and I had held this myth that if James and D'arcy had been better musicians the Pumpkins would have been bigger. So Zwan was an attempt at getting better musicians. It wasn't designed to be grandiose like the pumpkins, it was the opposite – let's have some fun, let's make a really good record with people we like. We went to Key West and rented a house. We would sit on the front porch and write songs and play all this kind of groovy stuff. Then, when it got serious the whole thing started to blow up and it was like "Oh my god, I am in the same nightmare again." It was the classic thing where you get out of a bad relationship and you think, "I am never going to do that again," and you go out and get the same kind of girlfriend but worse. That's what I did.

Did Corgan just sort of Appologise to Chamberlin...?

Thanks HU xx

Here's a transcript for part of an interview on Radio 1's Zane Lowe program, with Billy Corgan, celebrating Siamese Dream.

Corgan contradicts his previous remarks about the end of his relationship with former Smashing Pumpkins drummer Jimmy Chamberlin...

Zane Lowe: How can you guys not be in contact still? Even if you’re not making music, if you have that kind of spiritual kinship? That’s deeper than that! Isn’t it?

Billy Corgan: You know, we’ve all had — and this may sound a little bit strange, but — we’ve all had great romances in our life, you know? And, they don’t always all go the way we want them to. And it doesn’t mean we don’t love, and doesn’t mean we don’t think fondly of… But I think relationships run their course. Jimmy and I made so much incredible music together, so, you know, if we never play together again, that’s okay with me.

He — you know, I want to speak for him for a second, I feel I can — he wanted to have his own musical journey. He was always on my musical journey. And so I have to really bow my hat to him and say…I think it’s that time in his life where he has to have his own musical journey. He’s entitled to it. He’s earned that. I understand why a fan would want to see him play with me and play those songs. He did it. Maybe having his own band and having his own music experience and not having somebody sort of veto over his head what the drum fill should be…I mean, you’ve got to remember, as psychic as that relationship was, he had to deal with me going, “Nah, I don’t really like that drum fill.” You know, “Can you slow that part down?” Because as the songwriter you get to make the calls. And he was always so so supportive of my music, so, I can’t say a bad word about it. I just think we reached a point where there was nothing else to do, and that’s that. The ugliness part is just the part of…that just goes with breaking up.

Smashing Pumpkins Record Club

Smashing Pumpkins are opening up the archives, at last. Head over to SP.com and subscribe now for a previously unreleased and unheard version of Drown and there's an Easter Egg of an early version of Chamberlin's monster grover Geek U.S.A. to boot ...

No 'Bad Blood' Betwixt Corgan and Chamberlin...

Rolling Stone asks Corgan in a new interview regarding the upcoming releases;

Could the original Pumpkins line-up ever reunite?
Corgan: ... Jimmy [Chamberlin] and I aren't enemies – he's just off doing what he wants to do, as he should. There's not super bad blood between me and Jimmy that we'd never get on stage again. But I cannot in any way, shape, or form ever envision standing on a stage, playing music again with James [Iha] and D'arcy [Wretzky].

In other news...

Smashing Pumpkins to reissue and release new old stuff: Head to HU for the lowdown

Jimmy Chamberlin Interviewed for SPIN

Here's a couple of extracts:

"I want to be 'Jimmy Chamberlin, the drummer, the musician who's done many things,'" the 46-year-old rocker tells SPIN.com, "not just 'that guy from the Smashing Pumpkins.'"

"After I left the Pumpkins, I went home and just sat around," Chamberlin explains. "I have a studio in my basement and I found myself writing all these songs, just taking advantage of the relaxed situation. I wrote about 30 songs in about 30 days."

His partnership with Reina was a total fluke: "I was talking to a friend, saying, 'I wish I could find somebody who looks like a cross between Chris Cornell and Jim Morrison, has a great voice, is independently wealthy, has their own studio, and doesn't do anything but make music.' [Laughs]. Then my friend says, 'I know [Reina]!'

The two started trading songs via email, and then Chamberlin invited Reina to Chicago, where the duo "rented a proper studio for a couple of days," says Chamberlin. "We went in and wrote a song specifically for the exercise of getting to know each other. It sounded great and from then we worked together."

The collaborative experience was refreshing for Chamberlin, who had taken a backseat to Billy Corgan in the Pumpkins. "I always wanted to be in this role, as a songwriter," he says. "In the Pumpkins it was always impossible because Corgan would wake up and write five songs. He was so prolific there wasn't a lot of room for anyone else."

With Great Civilizations Chamberlin is exploring a new, more experimental direction from his Pumpkins days, while still respecting the moody elements of his past. The LP is a collection of prog-leaning, psychedelic jams with flourishes of acoustic guitars, keyboards, piano, and more. Think a proggier, more expansive Sparklehorse. "It's symphonic at points and gets really dark, too," says Chamberlin. There's a full string section on "Am I Second," while songs like "Capsized Jackknife Crisis" and "Tightrope Situation," Chamberlin's personal favorite, recalls experimental bands Yes and King Crimson.

Outside of Skysaw -- originally called "This," a name that "wasn't resonating with me," says Chamberlin, "it's a prohibitive name to Google" -- the drummer is a "closet suburbanite," living outside Chicago where he spends a lot of time with his two children...

He's psyched, however, to return to music and move forward with Skysaw, and put his past with the Pumpkins behind him. "It's important for Billy [Corgan] to carry on as the Pumpkins -- that's a lot of his ownership and a big part of his personality," says Chamberlin, who explains that he and Corgan are friends "from a distance." "He's an extremely talented musician, fantastic songwriter, and a great guy at getting what he needs. But as time went on it became less and less about my journey and more about facilitating someone else's."

"I've learned that you can call it a band, but unless everyone is contributing it's not really," says Chamberlin. "It's pretending that it's a band. I wasn't interested in creating another experience like that. Skysaw is predicated on a three-way split."

He adds, "That situation [with the Pumpkins] placed constraints and a parameter on my career that wasn't always easy to deal with. That can stagnate your growth as a musician. Not anymore."

Read the rest here

You Can't Quit, You're Fired.

Anyone remember this little article in RS, where Corgan claimed to have fired Jimmy Chamberlin from the Smashing Pumpkins in 2009?  As you recall, this was contrary to the previous statement by Chamberlin and indeed, Chamberlin denied Corgan's account himself in the RS article.

Well, guess what, Corgan's recollection of the affair, is a different this time around in a new interview with the Sidney Morning Herald.

"...it was a serious decision for both of us..."

Corgan states about the departure of Chamberlin. Last time I thought about what being fired by someone meant, it had little to do with a decision made by both parties...  

He continues "...we had invested a lot of energy bringing the band back. There was a point where we couldn't see eye to eye". This, at least seems more congrous with Chamberlin's own account. Then, in a reversal of his original "fuck you", Corgan actually echo's Chamberlin's original sentiments towards his one time 'musical soulmate', saying "I wish him the best. He's an incredible musician [the best drummer in the world - by Corgan's own account - DP]".

However, he again wraps himself up in another contradiction as he goes on to complain that his solo record was ignored because it wasn't "Smashing Pumpkins". What basis then does he have to expect something different of his ex-bandmates? But he does; "The stuff they have done (since) is off the radar from the general public."

Now, considering he hasn't spoken to Chamberlin since his departure, I guess he isn't aware that Chamberlin has been working on an new album, by This, this past year.  Maybe this isn't wider public knowledge, but since Chamberlin decided to take himself out of the music hype machine, taking a stance against prolific self-publicisation last year, maybe he doesn't... [deep breath]... care. I'm sure if he did and played by Billy's rules, he would undoubtedly have made an announcement about making an announcement, about announcing how great it will be, well before now... 

But perhaps, just perhaps, he has slightly more important things to do beside coaxing "a wider public knowledge" of his forthcoming record. Perhaps like Jimmy has said, his family means a little more than a bunch of cash and a few gold records.

GISH DAY !!!

Chamberlin's Gish Snare and a Smashing Pumpkins Gish Box-Set

Ahh, the good old free-floater. 

Turns out that the guy who picked up Chamberlin's Zeitgeist kit also got a hold of the [missing] part of Jimmy's Gish era kit at the same place...

According to Mekong56, the store, who contacted Jimmy, explained that the snare was used both to tour subsequent to the release of Gish and on the album itself.  Read the rest of this story over at the Pearl Drummers Forum.

In other news, good old, Billy Corgan, mentions in a new video interview that he is still working on releasing a Gish Box Set to celebrate the album's 20th anniversary (next year).  But there's only one thing stopping it now. The evil fat cats at EMI aren't letting him do it. So, he's asked for some help - go show you support for the project here. Seriously, please do. 

Corgan in Contradiction Shock

In an earlier interview, Corgan appeared to take credit for Jimmy Chamberlin's drumming style. "What???!!!11!111!???" indeed!
But, in another new interview he, again, talks a little about the formative moments of the band...

When we first started the Pumpkins and Jimmy Chamberlin joined and I realized he knew every Rush fill, I was like, 'OK. This is great.'. The prog element of the band is something that not everyone has understood, but Jimmy and I were both really into it.

So how much credit can you really take for influencing someone to play in a certain way, when, before they have even met you, they already know how to play like this?

Not that much.

Corgan Responsible for Chamberlin's Drumming Style

So says Corgan, in effect, during a new interview with MusicRadar.

"...the style that Jimmy helped create, which is a very fast hands, busy style...was something I kind of had to encourage Jimmy to do through the years."

Granted, of course, there's got to be some oscillation between band members influence over one another. But it seems clear, to me at least, that Jimmy's style is based fundamentally on aspects of the ['very fast hands / busy style'] of most all the Jazz drummers (and indeed some Rock drummers), he has ever cited as his (some formative & pre-Pumpkins) influences, rather than (just) the influence of Corgan.

Also strange that [in the formative period of the band] Corgan had previously explained,

"...it took about two or three practices before I realized that... Chamberlin's playing was something that enabled us to rock harder than we could ever have imagined."

I never knew that realising something was the same as influencing it...

"All kudos to Jimmy..." indeed.  

Linda Strawberry comments on Chamberlin's "departure" from Smashing Pumpkins

Earlier today, Linda Strawberry (famed Corgan hanger-on and 'artist') thought it wise to join in the contentious discussion, on The Smashing Pumpkins' Official Message Board, following the publication of the exposé, Billy requested, in this months' Rolling Stone.  She then saw fit to remove her comments...  

However, living in this day in age, nothing is deleted from the internet;

She first posted

... [Jimmy] battles alot of demons. It was hard to be away from his gorgeous wife and kids. The 'dream' of what its like to tour and do all of that is nothing like the reality... I also think the 'road' makes it near impossible for you if you are battling old demons - so its probably not the best place to spend your time if you wanna stay sober...

Followed shortly by,

...if you just profile [Jimmy] = here's a guy who lived on the very outer edge for years - raced fast cars - has died and come back to life - overdosed - done everything imaginable - um.. of course he has a destructive streak! everyone knows that. the stories about jimmy are legendary on par with any other rock legend. its amazing he is still alive!... It's the hardest thing to go from that to sober, stable, married father. Of course he's going to face some major ups and downs.

What exactly the purpose of these comments were, seems somewhat unclear... There seems to be a leaning towards suggesting that Jimmy had or was relapsing?

Fired or not from the Smashing Pumpkins, one can only surmise that Jimmy is glad to be away from the kind of people who speculate & insinuate things about his personal life, so freely and thoughtlessly, in the public arena.

(Update 19:17 - 07/03/10)
Stawberry is back on the Smashing Pumpkins message board, and states ;

I was in no way implying Jimmy had relapsed leading up to him departing SP. 

So there.

Smashing Pumpkins Fuck You

"Fuck You [Jimmy Chamberlin]" - Billy Corgan

So we finally get the other side of the story on why Jimmy [left] the Pumpkins, again in 2009...

In the newest issue of Rolling Stone (preview here), Billy, takes a little pop at former drummer  (as well as the rest of the original SP line-up) and musical soulmate Jimmy Chamberlin,

“Jimmy is a destructive human being, and people who are destructive break things,” Corgan says. “I don’t see me reaching the highest levels of my creativity if I’m unhealthy and if I have unhealthy people around me.[...]” After Corgan told Chamberlin he was out...I was like, ‘Fuck you,’”, Corgan recalls. “‘Go ride around in a white van for the rest of your life.”

Jimmy clearly has a slighly different perspective;

Chamberlin becomes apoplectic when he hears Corgan’s account. “In the middle of the last tour, Billy said it was the agent’s fault, then it was the band’s fault, then it was the fans’ fault,” the drummer says. “Yes, in the past, I was a destructive human being. I was a complete drug addict and a complete loose cannon, but I’ve taken responsibility for my life.” "In the grand scheme of things" he adds... it's a few Gold records and a bunch of money... I have a wife and kids and I am completely happy"

Jimmy's sentiments have been borne out in his recent clinic appearances (here and here) and in his statement when he left; where he wishes Billy all the best, and contrary to Corgan of his Jimmy's ideas, quite happily accepts Corgan's definition and pursuit of 'happiness/success'.

Updated 28 November 2011: Corgan makes an indirect apology for these comments; they were 'just the ugliness that goes with breaking up'

BILLY CORGAN PLAYS WITH DOLLS

My aim here was to stay away from reporting on Billy Corgan as "The Smashing Pumpkins", but this is so unbelievably embarrassing I couldn't ignore it. Go here to Stickam to watch a replay of last nights broadcast of Billy playing wrestling with dolls, including an effigy of James Iha.  In a strange twist, a key player in the idiocy, (Linda) Stawberry, described it as "retarded".  I couldn't agree more.

If you're an SP masochist, you may also want to log on to live SP chat right here, where you may be lucky enough to catch Billy joining in to; misquote and bitch about fans, directly to fans. 

If any of this was committing 100% to the Smashing Pumpkins, i'm not in the least surprised that JC didn't want any part of it...

Buy Jimmy Chamberlin's Drum Kit

So reports spinner:
Billy Corgan Headlining Benefit for Former Smashing Pumpkins Fan Club Leader - Spinner

...Corgan will take the stage [at Los Angeles' Echoplex on Nov. 8] as part of the Backwards Clock Society in order to help raise money for Laura Masura, the former head of the Smashing Pumpkins fan club. Masura shattered her leg on Sept. 9 in a motorcycle crash on the Pacific Coast Highway, stalling her ability to make a living producing jams... Corgan has also donated two special autographed items for auction: Jimmy Chamberlin's drum kit from the band's 1991 'Gish' sessions and tour, and Corgan's original bass guitar, which he played at the band's very first show and used on early demos. The items will be available via eBay soon.

Ed. Billy didn't donate the kit, Laura did. Jimmy signed it.
And the touted SP E-Bay store has an eBay profile

Update 21/10/2009:
Here's the Kit:
Cheers to SP.com for the images. Obviously Copyright and what-not.

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