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Just Hook it to My Veins!
Location: František! How's the foot of your turtle?
Posts: 32,743
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wow, i just read parts of the latest article on sp.com and it sucks harder than possible. fucking hell. very typical though.
Smashing Pumpkins dot com | winds change
Quote:
The Winds Of Change
July 16, 2009
It would appear as though being a fan of The Smashing Pumpkins means dealing with change. I doubt there are many long-time fans who would disagree with that statement. Whether it was Jimmy's unexpected departure from the band (on either occasion,) the breakup of the band in 2007, or any of the other countless smaller incidents we all remember, change has been a part of this band's history practically from day one. While the events of recent weeks may not have been as severe as the departure of a band member or the breakup of the entire band, we find ourselves sitting at another crossroads today. This time it is with regards to the makeup of this website. Recently Billy posted a message, which was followed by a clarification by SP Media Militia headquarters, announcing that massive changes had been implemented to the site in terms of users' ability to post comments. This has not gone over very well with some fans, and on the surface it may seem that the least logical way to promote unity and love on the site would be to prevent people from posting what's on their minds. But then again to many of us, Jimmy's departure from the band didn't seem too logical either. Nonetheless, the decision has been made, and the gears are in motion behind the scenes to make changes to SP.com (hopefully for the better) and to attempt to steer the focus and direction of the site down a different (and hopefully brighter) path.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3233/...13ce14f63e.jpg
What lies on the horizon? Only the shadow knows.
There may be a lot of chatter going on about how things are changing and whether they are for the better or worse of the group and the fan base as a whole, and there may be a lot of skeptical fans out there. However, in reality change is what often brings out the best in any situation. Change is what prevents complacency in our day to day lives. More often than not, it ultimately leads to bigger and better things in the music and entertainment world, both from the perspective of the artist, athlete, coach, or performer and his or her fans. I think it is interesting to see how fans react to change. Not just within the SP fan community, but when it comes to fans of...well, anything. Pro basketball fans turn out in droves at each summer's NBA draft to cheer or boo their team's management as the newest changes to the rosters are announced. Yet, regardless of what players are drafted and what players ultimately make the squad for the next season, these same fans still buy their tickets, attend games in person, and purchase concessions and merchandise.
In my neck of the woods there are a whole lot of extremely passionate fans of the University of Kentucky men's basketball program. Three years ago a massive change came in the form of head coach Tubby Smith (who was beloved by the majority of people I know) leaving to accept the head coaching job at the University of Minnesota. It was kind of a collegiate basketball version of Jimmy's departure from the Pumpkins earlier this year. Change came again this past spring when Smith's replacement, Billy Gillispie, was fired in favor of Memphis' John Calipari. This one more closely mirrored the 1996 version of Jimmy's departure. These two coaching changes have been discussed over and over again by everybody from kindergartners to great grandparents, and everybody has their own passionate opinion. Yet all of us will be watching very closely when the opening tip-off comes in November.
Many pro wrestling fans were at their most vocal when Vince McMahon bought out World Championship Wrestling and Extreme Championship Wrestling (his two biggest competitors.) This essentially formed a monopoly on the business that generates literally millions of dollars every year. To this day there are groups of "purist" fans who contend that wrestling in the mid to late 1990's was at an entirely different (and much better) level than it is today. The change of unifying those three wrestling promotions is still perceived in a negative light by some. Yet most of these same people turn on Mr. McMahon's TV shows every week and discuss them on websites, much the same way we discuss Billy and his music.
Change is a part of life. When it happens in the sports or entertainment venues, fans are very passionate and very vocal about it. Some are resistant to it and long for things to stay the same...or to go back to what they used to be. Others are open to it and roll with the punches. And still others remain indifferent. What is going on right now in Pumpkinland is no different. We are all very passionate about the band we have loved and followed for years. Whether we've been on board since the beginning or just joined the "team" after Zeitgeist and the re-emergence of the band, we all have our opinions and like to voice them. We all know that something is happening with SP right now...although it may not be entirely clear just what. Music is being worked on, and we have still been promised new tunes by this fall. The archive project is moving right along, and Quinto is doing his best to keep us updated and involved every step of the way. As discussed earlier, something is being worked on with this website. It has a new mission statement, and changes are being made. Most of us do not know just what those changes are or how they will manifest themselves. Only time will tell exactly where we are all headed right now. For some fans, this information in and of itself is enough to keep them curiously interested. Others are anxious to find out more specifics, but are rolling with the proverbial punches and taking things one day at a time. And still others find themselves conflicted, wishing things would just go back to the way they used to be.
Perhaps it is human nature to be resistant to change. Whether it's with music, movies, sports, or art, fans are typically passionate about the people, bands, and teams they follow. Being a fan means having the feeling of being personally invested in the product and the end result. Yet at the same time, being a fan means being an observer who watches the game from the stands or listens to the concert from the arena floor. During the Pumpkins' twentieth anniversary tour, Billy made no secrets about his desire to continue to evolve and press forward as an artist regardless of what anybody else wanted him to do. As he put it, The Smashing Pumpkins never have been and never will be the "greatest hits" band. He also directly addressed the desire from some fans to hear those greatest hits by saying that if some people were not OK with the direction the band was heading, he and the band were OK with those people not riding along on the train to...wherever it is we're all headed next. The Smashing Pumpkins will always be in some form of constant flux.
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Photos by Jeff Loder
It could be argued that the best works of art and the best performances in sports come as a result of change. I don't think it's a stretch to say that many SP fans have an enormous appreciation for the beauty of "Adore." Anybody who knows anything about the history of the Pumpkins knows that this album came immediately after an enormous laundry list of changes that occurred in Billy Corgan's life. Many basketball fans would tell you that some of the best and most dominating teams in NBA history were the Chicago Bulls teams led by Michael Jordan in the early 1990's that won three consecutive championships. But would that same team be able to contend in the NBA today? Probably not, unless significant changes had been made over the course of the years. The same holds true for music and art. Times change, and artists have to change with them in order to survive.
I think that the coming changes for SP.com will ultimately make it a better place and a better form of representation for the band. I also think that the personnel and musical changes going on right now are going to lead to a body of work that is extremely well written and well produced. Billy outlined his idea to make the next "album" a compilation of 44 songs released in small pieces, the first of which is set to come out this fall. It certainly is a unique idea, but we all know how amazing that other little compilation of around 40 songs known as "Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness" (and the subsequent B-sides released afterward) is. Whether we like it or not, change it is a-comin' and the prospects of what lies ahead are promising. Wherever you fall on the spectrum, we all share one common bond. We are still fans of The Smashing Pumpkins and whenever new information or new songs are revealed, we'll all be tuning in.
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07-07-2009, 08:02 AM
HAPPY SMASHING PUMPKINS DAY!!
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