Mellon Collie tour memories 95-97

Andrea IL, US

From hearing the album debuted live and in person at the Riv Oct of ‘95,  to grabbing our first actual copy from Sam Goody in our local mall, the album has always been the soundtrack to our lives. It helped us get through some pretty hopeless times as teenagers. It’s stuck with us for 25 years and still  has major significance, every single day.

Muzzle, In the Arms of Sleep, and Beautiful will always be my go to when I need to be comforted. The memories will always be with me! Thank you, SP, for a lifelong of amazing music.

First Album Purchased

Rachael Cary, NC, US

I was 8 years old when MCIS was released. It was the first album I ever purchased (on CD). I remember in 5th grade my music teacher at school let us bring in songs to play for the entire class and I picked  “Tonight, Tonight”. This album and the songs still mean so much to me.

Lifting Spirits from the Depths of Hardship

Cyrus New York, NY, US

I was never an avid music lover and shamelessly bore that label for much of my youth, knowing nothing about SP except for one song: Cherub Rock, since it was available on Rock Band and, needless to say, the hardest song on which to play the drums.

When COVID-19 unleashed itself onto our fragile world and quarantine subsequently ensued, I figured it was time to expand and discover my empirical musical tastes. Now sitting in mandated isolation, I began exploring and took a chance on the Pumpkins. Gish and Siamese Dream earned their much-deserved praise, but nothing could’ve prepared me for the monster that was to immediately follow: MCIS. Furiously blasting metal riffs and simultaneously soothing the senses with ballads and pop harmonies, this beauty of a record has everything for any genre enthusiast. As I witnessed the world going mad and no longer making sense, for 2 hours those worries evaporated and I allowed myself to be immersed in Billy’s epic fantasy. No other album can recreate the awe of coming across such an art gem, instilling both joy and a renewed hope for a better tomorrow.

It all started…..

Rebecca Wemyss Ottawa, Ontario, CA

I get asked why I decided to learn how to play the cello. I decided the night of the 1996 MTV awards to learn how to play the cello solely because I thought ‘Tonight, Tonight’ was the best song I had ever heard. I loved the orchestral arrangement and wanted to learn how to play the cello at that exact moment. Almost 25 years later, I’m still playing the cello and so many opportunities have come my way because I decided at that exact moment to take music seriously

The Day of Release

Brett Hickman Lansing , US

This is me describing the day of the album’s release. I bought the album and listened to it with my sister, who is also a fan.

Swapping CDs on the school bus

Andrew Roanoke, VA, US

When I was in high school, my friend and I always switched CDs on the bus ride home and listen to each other’s music. Then I got into SP and for a week I listened to the first half of MCIS. My friend asked me to switch it up, so I put in the second half of MCIS. We quit swapping shortly thereafter. 

First album I bought

Emily Parmelee, SD, US

MCIS was the very first album I bought with my own money. I had bought the BWBW cassette single and my preteen self was juat captivated. When I bought MCIS I opened the package, put it in my cd player and listened to the full album front to back singing along to every song with the lyric book included. I dunno how many times I did this, but I learned the words to every song. I know it’s cliche to say, but that album really did change my life in a musical sense and sel-expression sense. Music became a way for me to connect emotionally and let my feelings out by singing and listening to these songs. I had grown up listening to a lot of older music my parents listened to, but this year and with SP guiding my way, I found myself through music. And I love that with SP and BC I can still do that now with them as a 30-something adult. Thank you for the music all these years BC and SP. Forever a fan. Love Always,  Emily

The Smashing Pumpkins at Soma, San Diego

John New York, NY, US

Memories taken from packet written in Middle School, 1996.

Best Concert Memory

Andrew Saco, Me, US

I used to work for the sole purpose of going to see live music. My friends and I were lucky to have lived in a time when everyone could still access floor seats to a concert. 

We saw this tour stop in Hartford, CT.  It was a fantastic show. After the encore everyone started to file out of the venue. I noticed the lights didn’t come up yet. After convincing my friends to stay put because the lights didn’t come up yet. We waited and we waited and after about 45 minutes the band came back out on the stage. 

Awesome.

Billy took the mic and announced something along the lines of “now that the people who have heard their MTV hits have left we can play some music.” The Smashing Pumpkins played pretty much an entire extra set of new work, things you were working on, etc. What a great show. 

Thanks for that memory. 

I look forward to everything you have coming up.

Andy

The Infinite Sadness

Jane Richards Portland, OR, US

This was the first Smashing Pumpkins album that my dad showed me. We would drive for ever until we finished it. And when he was diagnosed with cancer and had to shave off all his hair I always said that he looked like billy. Although his favorite song was drown, this will always be our album. 

Memories of the future past

Rodrigo Castel La Paz, BO

June 2020, while walking through La Paz City after months of lockdown, I listened to “Mellon Collie and the infinite Sadness” for the first time. Those piano notes made me feel one with the World, egoless, time stopped. Eternalized in a picture, I felt so lucky and grateful to be alive. Can someone forget this pandemic? 

Hospital

Lachlan Lucan, IE

I was admitted to hospital with a very serious illness about 2 years ago and was in ICU for a number of weeks. Couldn’t use my phone and all I had was a discman while I was there. The first album I asked for was MCIS and it really helped me in my recovery, the themes of hope and the beautiful soundscapes got me through many a lonely time while I was there. Thank you eternally.

Youth Soundtrack

Kyle Dunn Mount Carmel, IL, US

In short, MCIS has been a soundtrack to my entire teenage years.  Through love woes, sad days, pandemic lockdowns, and drives with friends, this album has gotten me through it all.  “By Starlight” is especially dear to me, I treasure the song immensely.  Will love MCIS forever <3

Growing up with SP

Asher FL, US

the pumpkins have been and still are my favourite band of all time. I found out about them mainly from my mother, whom was a big SP fan growing up. The MCIS album has stuck with me for years, and I played the album on repeat during some of the hardest times. Thank you so much.

1979, Rain, Biking & Coffee

Krish Gupta New Delhi, Delhi, IN

One year ago, September 2019, the dull smell of rain in the air. After a long day at school I come home tired, wondering where it all went wrong. Took out my bicycle and decided to got for a ride all alone. Somewhere along the way, 1979 came on very randomly. I like that song. Gave me the feeling of being loved and having loads of good friends again. Gave me my simple dream of being accepted again. Gave me hope that better days will come. As I rode I reached a pretty bad coffee shop but still I sat there and listened to 1979. And now, “As you can see there’s no one around”. I know I’m still a kid but I don’t know when I’ll be happy again so I listen to this song to just get hope. 

Car Crash non-superstar

Sam Valdes Mexico City, Mexico. , MX

My parents took me to a weddint to Matamoros. We had free time, so we went to Brownsville and they bought me MCIS as a Christmas Present. The day after the wedding, we were driving South towards Tampico, when the car axle broke. My uncle was driving and he kept us safe.
My MCIS jewelcase cracked, CDs were fine, except for a scratch from a piece of jewel case.

i made my own poster of the smashing pumpkins

ernesto los angeles,California , US

this is a poster of the single of 1979

Musicland

Stanley Foss Ca, US

I bought MCIS at Musicland (which closed many years ago) in Monterey, CA in 10/28/95. I kept the receipt because I just knew this was going to be something special and a day to be remembered. I took the album to my best friends house and we listened to the whole thing straight through and we’re captivated. My favorite lyric is ‘Suffer my desire for you’; it says everything in 5 words. This album would become the soundtrack to my youth. 

Family/teenage memories

Nadine la, Ca , US

I was 14 or 15 when I saw you guys live for the first time. Went to this gig with my cousins. The plus was seeing you for the fist time and my other favorite band Garbage for the first time. I’m so glad I got to experience this with family. Next time I saw you live was Ava Adore tour with a good opening band Stabbing Westward, then again recently with my brother in law,  for the tour with Liam Gallagher. All such great memories

My First CD

Brett Lee Oceanside, CA, US

When I turned 13 years old, I got for my birthday my first CD player. With birthday money in hand, I rushed to the record store to buy my first CD: Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, the latest from the Smashing Pumpkins.  See, even at that time I was already a fan, but I had to settle with listening to friends’ copies or *gasp* dubbings to a cassette. That album, every second of it, became burned into my memory. Every middle school, adolescent tragedy, crush, and heartbreak had these song playing in the background. I love that album and still listen to it start to finish often. 

Changing

Matthew Patton Dayton, Ohio, US

I got MCIS used at a “CD Connection” store. Stayed in my cars 6 Disc CD changer for the whole summer and still call it the comprehensive soundtrack to my young life. I changed and began to look at everything differently after experiencing that album. This album and Final Fantasy 7 was a huge influence on me. 

Infinite Loneliness

Aimee Brockville, Ontario, CA

I was a depressed teen, not knowing what to do in life. I chose to move to a larger city (Ottawa) to go to college, and the first month there SP were touring. I did not know anyone there, but I bought a ticket and planned a bus route to get to the concert. I loved the album so much that summer, that I wrote a letter to Billy, I never sent it or kept it. The album helped with my sadness. The night of the show I felt alone, but in the crowd I was excited and I felt like I belonged. There is a beauty that comes from sadness. This was the first and only concert I ever went to alone. The bus ride home I talked with some fans but they got off at a stop before me. I went to the last stop on the line that night, but it was still far from where I lived. I didn’t know where I was, I had not thought this through. Terrified at this abandoned outdoor bus terminial, I figured out  what  street I was near and I either used a pay phone or waved down a cab ride because this was before cell phones. In any case, I made it into the cab and I was relieved to have enough cash on me to pay for the ride home. The loneliness I felt after the show was intense, but the music made it worth this experience. I felt stronger after and that I could make out okay on my own.

I still struggle with loneliness all the time and I am grateful for this album.

promo copy

Stacy Mecklenburg Fredericksburg, US

I was working at a record store in upstate NY when we received a promotional copy of Mellon Collie. I had been a fan of the band, and was excited to hear the new double album. We played it no less than 10 times in a row that first day, and that’s the day I fell in love with Billy Corgan. His genius sneaked into my heart like a bull sneaking into a china shop. I fell hard, and forever. 

Forever Connected

Carol Linden, VA, US

After a bad divorce, I found the love of my life in 1996.  We loved MCIS, and every song was poetry for our relationship.   He would call me on the phone and without saying a word would play Tonight Tonight. for me.  Sadly, he passed away from cancer years later.  Now every time I hear the song it reminds me of him and makes me smile.    “And our lives are forever changed – We will never be the same”

Sweet XV

Mónica Mendoza Mexico City, Mexico, MX

I was turning 15 years old and in Mexico, families have the tradition to do a party for their daughters, something like the Sweet 16th for USA: I didn’t wanted to have a party because I was not into that, but at the end, we did it. Is common that the girl dance a Waltz and I chose Tonight, Tonight, of course, my parents decided to go for something more traditional. At the party, one person gave me a special edition of Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, and I played Tonight, Tonight. I dance with my parents, friends and family. That’s the only good memory I have from that day. Thanks Smashing Pumpkins for so much! 

Childhood Memories

Patrick Albany, US

I was 5 years old when MCIS came out. Some of my fondest memories of my childhood are seeing the music videos for Bullet, 1979 & Tonight, Tonight on mTV. I remember my mom & grandma driving me to do errands & 1979 playing on the car radio. The nostalgia of those songs made way for my full-blown fandom in 2005 when I found my brother’s CD copy & borrowed it. He got mad because I overplayed the crud out of it. I drowned in the rest of their catalogue, and I haven’t turned back since. I still get goosebumps when I watch the vid for Tonight x2.