Were they a bigger band in '92 (pre-SD) than they are now?

cardiac · 12-26-2013, 05:42 AM

Would it be a fair assessment to say that The Smashing Pumpkins were a bigger band back in '92 than they are now? In terms of bringing in bigger crowds and such. Seems like an insane idea considering that they have a large back-catalogue of well-known hits now that they didn't back then, but still.

I know it's festival, but that's a shitload of people really into the band. There's no way in hell that would happen now even with the endless hit parade.

MyOneAndOnly · 12-26-2013, 01:23 PM

http://wac.450f.edgecastcdn.net/8045...-fieri-gif.gif

Bread Regal · 12-26-2013, 04:18 PM

what a shitty performance.

Kahlo · 12-26-2013, 06:17 PM

internet audience & awareness / STFU

T&T · 12-26-2013, 10:29 PM

I'll say they were a better band. with better songs.

redbreegull · 12-27-2013, 12:41 AM

what do you mean by bigger

impossible to judge from a festival crowd especially in the 90s when people actually moved at shows. maybe more people were interested in seeing them in any given city, but certainly they were not more well-known. still seems doubtful.

themadcaplaughs · 12-27-2013, 11:49 PM

Have to agree with the idea that it depends on what you consider "bigger" to entail. 1992 they were certainly on an upward trajectory. The band was really starting to lock into its sound (particularly James and Billy's dual guitars), the songs were getting better by the day, and there was a certain "edge" to the band in 1991/1992 that I'd argue has never been recaptured.

That being said, the "Bury Me" clip really shows the kind of shows that can plague bands at this point in their career. The energy is there, but when you really listen to that performance it is, at best, a C level performance of a great song.

Today, if you can handle Byrne's lackluster palying and Jeff's boring guitar, there is certainly more consistency to performances than their used to be. I guess ultimately it depends on if you prefer a more "tense" show where problems can (and will) occur, or a more professional show.

Bread Regal · 12-28-2013, 12:29 AM

i love inconsistency, and when things are on the edge of falling apart.

but that bury me video is beyond the edge. except for jimmy. not a single poor performance by him in the entire recorded catalogue, live or studio.

MyOneAndOnly · 12-28-2013, 12:31 AM

20+ years ago they sold a million copies of their debut album.

today no one care

O'Doyle Rules · 12-28-2013, 03:24 AM

Fuck the catalog

Kahlo · 12-28-2013, 06:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bread Regal

i love inconsistency, and when things are on the edge of falling apart.

but that bury me video is beyond the edge. except for jimmy. not a single poor RELEASED performance by him in the entire recorded catalogue, live or studio.

Pretty sure there will be plenty of takes of him out of his fucking mind.

pavementtune · 12-28-2013, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cardiac

Would it be a fair assessment to say that The Smashing Pumpkins were a bigger band back in '92 than they are now? In terms of bringing in bigger crowds and such. Seems like an insane idea considering that they have a large back-catalogue of well-known hits now that they didn't back then, but still.

I know it's festival, but that's a shitload of people really into the band. There's no way in hell that would happen now even with the endless hit parade.

Might also depend on where that hell is.

full gig, Moscow 2013

full gig, Rome 2013

festival gig, UK 2013 (Nick Cave & TBS played at the same time on the main stage)

Shallowed · 12-28-2013, 06:47 PM

What song are they playing from about 1:20 onwards in the Moscow vid?

slunken · 12-28-2013, 08:24 PM

The untr00 fan alert song

pavementtune · 12-28-2013, 08:32 PM

Could be an outro to Space Oddity, or maybe a bit of Gossamer version 2013, don't know.

T&T · 12-28-2013, 10:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottytheoneand

20+ years ago they sold a million copies of their debut album.

today no one care

Did Gish really sell 1million copies the year it came out? I always thought it was 100k and that they broke into the 1million once SD came out.

edit: from wiki:

Quote:

Despite an inauspicious start, the album sold 100,000 copies in less than a year, far exceeding the expectations of indie label Caroline Records, a subsidiary of Virgin Records.[10] The album was certified gold on March 14, 1994. Until the release of The Offspring album Smash in 1994, Gish was the highest-selling independently released album of all time. Gish would later be reissued under the Virgin label, and was certified platinum on February 5, 1999.[11]

so it took until 1999 to sell 1 million.

slunken · 12-28-2013, 11:06 PM

http://wac.450f.edgecastcdn.net/8045...-fieri-gif.gif

how's it feel scotty? to be so obviously wrong?

slunken · 12-28-2013, 11:09 PM

If I could be serious for a moment, however, I would say that the interest in the band now is probably the most similar to the interest pre-SD. There are plenty of people hanging around but that ground-breaking album hasn't been released yet. They released an okay starter album and there's a fan-base but that's about it.

MyOneAndOnly · 12-29-2013, 08:52 PM

i had no idea how many albums sold in 91. My point is that they meant something. They had influence on the music scene. People gave a shit about what the band was doing.

Now... not so much.

Oceania sold 102k copies. But if anybody thinks that it's as influencial as Gish or leading in the direction the band went after Gish I'd say they were fucked in the head.

slunken · 12-29-2013, 08:54 PM

Oh I didn't realize we were making comments based purely on nothing instead of actual facts. Carry on, then.

MyOneAndOnly · 12-29-2013, 10:06 PM

Shallowed · 12-29-2013, 10:11 PM

Oceania could only sell 100k in a year because it has Smashing Pumpkins on the cover. They have had over two decades of history behind them, they don't need to make a name for themselves.

In 1991, they had barely just begun to make a name for themselves, which makes selling 100k albums in a year a far bigger achievement. People were excited about what the band would bring in the future, whereas now, no-one gives a shit about the future of the band. Which in a way explains why Billy has been so upset about people "living in the pass" since 2007.

MyOneAndOnly · 12-30-2013, 05:40 PM

The only reason it's called SP is so that bill can book gigs.

Legacy Act

Trotskilicious · 12-30-2013, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bread Regal

i love inconsistency, and when things are on the edge of falling apart.

but that bury me video is beyond the edge. except for jimmy. not a single poor performance by him in the entire recorded catalogue, live or studio.

i was getting a big jimmy boner just listening to the side of the PI vinyl that has herro kitty kat on it

i mean him and bill are some kind of megajam machine if they aren't together then it's not sp

plus bill's all old and lazy now and his jams are all tame and they like quiet cups of tea at antiques stores...and all of the donuts (in the world)

Trotskilicious · 12-30-2013, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottytheoneand

i had no idea how many albums sold in 91. My point is that they meant something. They had influence on the music scene. People gave a shit about what the band was doing.

Now... not so much.

Oceania sold 102k copies. But if anybody thinks that it's as influencial as Gish or leading in the direction the band went after Gish I'd say they were fucked in the head.

jesus christ scotty shut the fuck up

Trotskilicious · 12-30-2013, 06:33 PM

oceania outsold gish on opening day and your butt cheeks are still blowing hot air, old man

Trotskilicious · 12-30-2013, 06:34 PM

just like his music THE DUDE DELIVERS

slunken · 12-30-2013, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trotskilicious

i was getting a big jimmy boner just listening to the side of the PI vinyl that has herro kitty kat on it

slunken · 12-30-2013, 08:10 PM

I recently made an "Alt Pisces Iscariot and Friends" playlist that substitutes all possible replacements of PI tracks with alt/live reissue versions and then adds the "& and Friends" tracks

New way to experience the old album from Earth-2.

MyOneAndOnly · 12-30-2013, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trotskilicious

jesus christ scotty shut the fuck up

How's your job going?

12-26-2013, 05:42 AM	#1
cardiac Apocalyptic Poster Location: Finland Posts: 1,408	Were they a bigger band in '92 (pre-SD) than they are now? Would it be a fair assessment to say that The Smashing Pumpkins were a bigger band back in '92 than they are now? In terms of bringing in bigger crowds and such. Seems like an insane idea considering that they have a large back-catalogue of well-known hits now that they didn't back then, but still. I know it's festival, but that's a shitload of people really into the band. There's no way in hell that would happen now even with the endless hit parade.

12-29-2013, 10:06 PM	#21
MyOneAndOnly Shut the fuck up! Location: "Okay, white power feminist" - yo soy el mejor Posts: 23,882	lol

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12-26-2013, 01:23 PM	#2
MyOneAndOnly Shut the fuck up! Location: "Okay, white power feminist" - yo soy el mejor Posts: 23,882	http://wac.450f.edgecastcdn.net/8045...-fieri-gif.gif

12-26-2013, 04:18 PM	#3
Bread Regal Banned Posts: 5,711	what a shitty performance.

12-26-2013, 06:17 PM	#4
Kahlo Registered User Posts: 17,539	internet audience & awareness / STFU

12-26-2013, 10:29 PM	#5
T&T Socialphobic Location: montreal Posts: 11,677	I'll say they were a better band. with better songs.

12-27-2013, 12:41 AM	#6
redbreegull Just Hook it to My Veins! Location: N3t4Euh Haus Posts: 32,753	what do you mean by bigger impossible to judge from a festival crowd especially in the 90s when people actually moved at shows. maybe more people were interested in seeing them in any given city, but certainly they were not more well-known. still seems doubtful.

12-27-2013, 11:49 PM	#7
themadcaplaughs Apocalyptic Poster Posts: 2,626	Have to agree with the idea that it depends on what you consider "bigger" to entail. 1992 they were certainly on an upward trajectory. The band was really starting to lock into its sound (particularly James and Billy's dual guitars), the songs were getting better by the day, and there was a certain "edge" to the band in 1991/1992 that I'd argue has never been recaptured. That being said, the "Bury Me" clip really shows the kind of shows that can plague bands at this point in their career. The energy is there, but when you really listen to that performance it is, at best, a C level performance of a great song. Today, if you can handle Byrne's lackluster palying and Jeff's boring guitar, there is certainly more consistency to performances than their used to be. I guess ultimately it depends on if you prefer a more "tense" show where problems can (and will) occur, or a more professional show.

12-28-2013, 12:29 AM	#8
Bread Regal Banned Posts: 5,711	i love inconsistency, and when things are on the edge of falling apart. but that bury me video is beyond the edge. except for jimmy. not a single poor performance by him in the entire recorded catalogue, live or studio.

12-28-2013, 12:31 AM	#9
MyOneAndOnly Shut the fuck up! Location: "Okay, white power feminist" - yo soy el mejor Posts: 23,882	20+ years ago they sold a million copies of their debut album. today no one care

12-28-2013, 03:24 AM	#10
O'Doyle Rules Demi-God Posts: 396	Fuck the catalog

12-28-2013, 06:47 PM	#13
Shallowed Braindead Posts: 18,608	What song are they playing from about 1:20 onwards in the Moscow vid?

12-28-2013, 08:24 PM	#14
slunken Virgo Posts: 42,781	The untr00 fan alert song

12-28-2013, 08:32 PM	#15
pavementtune ************** Location: I'm a quitter. I come from a long line of quitters. It's amazing I'm here at all. Posts: 8,661	Could be an outro to Space Oddity, or maybe a bit of Gossamer version 2013, don't know.

12-28-2013, 11:06 PM	#17
slunken Virgo Posts: 42,781	http://wac.450f.edgecastcdn.net/8045...-fieri-gif.gif how's it feel scotty? to be so obviously wrong?

12-28-2013, 11:09 PM	#18
slunken Virgo Posts: 42,781	If I could be serious for a moment, however, I would say that the interest in the band now is probably the most similar to the interest pre-SD. There are plenty of people hanging around but that ground-breaking album hasn't been released yet. They released an okay starter album and there's a fan-base but that's about it.

12-29-2013, 08:52 PM	#19
MyOneAndOnly Shut the fuck up! Location: "Okay, white power feminist" - yo soy el mejor Posts: 23,882	i had no idea how many albums sold in 91. My point is that they meant something. They had influence on the music scene. People gave a shit about what the band was doing. Now... not so much. Oceania sold 102k copies. But if anybody thinks that it's as influencial as Gish or leading in the direction the band went after Gish I'd say they were fucked in the head.

12-29-2013, 08:54 PM	#20
slunken Virgo Posts: 42,781	Oh I didn't realize we were making comments based purely on nothing instead of actual facts. Carry on, then.

12-29-2013, 10:11 PM	#22
Shallowed Braindead Posts: 18,608	Oceania could only sell 100k in a year because it has Smashing Pumpkins on the cover. They have had over two decades of history behind them, they don't need to make a name for themselves. In 1991, they had barely just begun to make a name for themselves, which makes selling 100k albums in a year a far bigger achievement. People were excited about what the band would bring in the future, whereas now, no-one gives a shit about the future of the band. Which in a way explains why Billy has been so upset about people "living in the pass" since 2007.

12-30-2013, 05:40 PM	#23
MyOneAndOnly Shut the fuck up! Location: "Okay, white power feminist" - yo soy el mejor Posts: 23,882	The only reason it's called SP is so that bill can book gigs. Legacy Act

12-30-2013, 06:33 PM	#26
Trotskilicious Banned Location: I believe in the transcendental qualities of friendship. Posts: 39,439	oceania outsold gish on opening day and your butt cheeks are still blowing hot air, old man

12-30-2013, 06:34 PM	#27
Trotskilicious Banned Location: I believe in the transcendental qualities of friendship. Posts: 39,439	just like his music THE DUDE DELIVERS

12-30-2013, 08:10 PM	#29
slunken Virgo Posts: 42,781	I recently made an "Alt Pisces Iscariot and Friends" playlist that substitutes all possible replacements of PI tracks with alt/live reissue versions and then adds the "& and Friends" tracks New way to experience the old album from Earth-2.