Actually was at that show in '88 or '89 at Cabert Metro in Chicago. It was only the Pumpkins 3rd or 4th show and I had no idea who they were, I was there to see Jane's Addiction. I got there halfway through the Pumpkins set and was more interested in socializing with people I knew from going to shows then I was in watching the opening act, so I don't remember much about them. I just remember the first time somebody played Gish for me, I looked at the CD and said "Oh sh*t. I saw these guys!!!"
I met him at a Pantera show at the Aragon once. I was in the VIP balcony because I had a friend who worked in Chicago radio. Although Billy was the only person I saw up there that qualified as a VIP. We shot the sh*t for quite awhile, comparing notes on shows we'd seen and he asked me to go on a beer run for him so he wouldn't get mobbed in the line. Seemed like a typical down to earth Chicago guy. Taller than I thought though.
It was 1989, when the Pumpkins started to record songs that would start an era of the Smashing Pumpkins by appearing on their first major c.d.! It would also end an era as these songs would be the last that captured the Pumpkins in their psychedelic groove. These sessions would produce what is known as the Gish Basement Tape. This session was shopped to labels and many of the songs eventually appeared on the Lull EP and Gish album in one version or another. The songs that were first recorded in these tapes were:
Blue (later on Pisces Iscariot collection)
Bury Me (later on Gish)
Bye June (later on Lull)
Daydream (later on Gish)
I Am One (later on Gish)
Rhinocerous (later on Gish, 2 versions made)
Other songs were released on rare promotional and compilation disc. This was a monumental time as The Pumpkins were recording music that would get them out of the underground and would push them into the consciousness of music history as a band that was meant to create a legacy.
Here are the songs that came out on those tapes that never made it to the big one two punch of the Lull/Gish releases!
Daughter
(really slow droll groove to this song)
Honeyspider
(another slow burner)
Honeyspider II
(an alternate version, vocals have less of a drag and more clarity in this one which I like) Removed dead video
Not Worth Asking
(more upbeat for these sessions)
C'mon
(could only find live version but what a f-ing jam, love the drums at the 3 min. mark and everything after)
Egg
(awesome acoustic track that stands out from the rest of the session)
Love
(not the Melloncollie song, way groovier, great outro at 3:15)
Psychodelic
(really cool vocals with some faint harmonizing)
Snap (If I Could)
(like the darker tone to this)
Stars Fall In
(Love the different tone in Billy's vocals and the cheery whooing chorus)
The Smashing Pumpkins went into the studio to record favorites from their live shows but the results turned into an acoustic session due to Chamberlain's failure to attend! I think it was for the better as the results turned out really cool but on the downer there are tracks that I wasn't able to track down for the first time in this thread!
Anyway, this session was fun as hell with so verbal banter and joking!
Fat Mans Blues
(I love Billy in this , fun and real)
I Am One Part II
(awesome acoustic takeoff of one of their most well known early songs, I love the speedup at the end)
Vanilla
(just a chill song, lyrically makes me think of Blank)
Bleed
(Dark and moody acoustic, my favorite from the session)
Sun (Abandoned)
(sounds like a Coheed and Cambria intro, Hmmmm)
My Dahlia (Abandoned)
(just them f***ing off for the most part, funny shit )
Songs I'm missing from the session:
A Trip Unto Bountiful [Mother/Waiting]
Waiting For You Know
Stray Cat Blues
These are all cool! I like My Dahlia and Bleed...listening some more tonight
As far as Tiny Tim and myself running into him don't be jealous man. He is from Chicago and TT and I are also out this way. Those things are bound to happen when these guys aren't touring and the type of places people out our way like to go to.
But you know what? He really is a cool guy and that's no BS!
In reply to Tray73, when he asked for requests I shouted "Drown" and he said, "sounds good to me". The song is from the "Singles" film soundtrack. I love the acoustic stuff from the unplugged sessions, I also adore (lol) the James Iah album.
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