Smashing Pumpkins facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Smashing Pumpkins
The Smashing Pumpkins in 2007
Background information
Origin	Chicago, Illinois, United States
Genres	Alternative rock
Years active	1988–2000, 2006-present
Labels	Caroline, Virgin, Hut, Constantinople, Martha's Music, Rocket Science
Associated acts	Starchildren, Zwan, Spirits in the Sky

The Smashing Pumpkins are a famous alternative rock band. They became well-known in the early 1990s. This band started in Chicago, Illinois, in 1988.

The group broke up on December 2, 2000. But they got back together in 2006 and are still making music today. The main members until 2000 were Billy Corgan (who sang, played guitar, and wrote most songs), James Iha (guitar), D'Arcy Wretzky (bass guitar), and Jimmy Chamberlin (drums).

The Smashing Pumpkins became popular with hit songs like "Today", "Rocket", "Disarm", "Bullet With Butterfly Wings", "1979", "Zero", and "Tonight, Tonight".

Their music style is mostly alternative rock. However, they also took ideas from other types of music. These included grunge (a rock style from the 90s), heavy metal, psychedelic rock (music with unique sounds), progressive rock (music with complex structures), and later, electronica (music made with electronic instruments).

Discover The Smashing Pumpkins' Music

The Smashing Pumpkins have released many albums over the years. Each album has its own special sound. Here are some of their main albums:

• Gish (1991)
• Siamese Dream (1993)
• Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (1995)
• Adore (1998)
• Machina/The Machines of God (2000)
• Machina II/The Friends & Enemies of Modern Music (2000)
• Zeitgeist (2007)
• Teargarden by Kaleidyscope (started in 2009)
• Oceania (2012)
• Monuments to an Elegy (2014)

Images for kids

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  Vocalist Billy Corgan in 1992

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  Guitarist James Iha in 1995

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  Corgan performing at the Nassau Coliseum in January 1997. He had a shaved head and wore his famous "Zero" shirt.

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  Original bassist D'arcy Wretzky in 1998

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  Bassist Melissa Auf der Maur joined after Wretzky left in 1999.

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  Original drummer Jimmy Chamberlin in 2014.

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  The Smashing Pumpkins on May 22, 2007, in Paris. This was the band's first show after they broke up. From left to right: Billy Corgan (front) and Jimmy Chamberlin (back).

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  Guitarist Jeff Schroeder joined the band in 2007.

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  The music video for "Tonight, Tonight" was inspired by Georges Méliès's film A Trip to the Moon. It looked like an old silent film with theater backgrounds and simple special effects.

See also

In Spanish: The Smashing Pumpkins para niños