1979 cover

Jace Matthews Burlington, NC, US

My high school band mates and I covering 1979 at a local restaurant in Burlington, NC. MCIS had a massive influence on us and even though the guitarist on the left passed earlier this year; I will always treasure the affinity we shared for Smashing Pumpkins, and all of the times we shared a stage covering some of our SP favorite songs.

Father’s music

Jay Kenny Ath6, IE

My memory is of the first song my father ever showed to me, when I was young he played bullet with butterfly wings, I instantly fell in love, my father is where I get most my music taste and he’s given me so much happiness through music over the years

“Just a Young Girl Raiding Her Sister’s Music Collection

Marissa Danielle Niles, IL, US

When I first discovered MCIS, I was 14, just a young girl raiding her sister’s music collection that was kept off limits! I’ll admit I would wait for her to leave, and listen to the album from start to finish, reading along the with the lyrics, and would be captivated by the beauty and artistry of everything with MCIS. It became my routine, every weekend on Fridays usually just me and the music, discovering MCIS with such excitement! As I listened more I grew to develop a deep love and appreciation of SP. I instantly was moved by Thirty-Three, Tonight, Tonight, and Cupid De Locke which would transport me into another dreamlike world that no other music has ever done (or at least since I discovered The Beatles). It was pure magic, and I will always remember MCIS this way!

Timeless

Nathan Walden Decatur, AL, US

Back when cds were a thing I know I went through multiple copies. Probably bought it at least four or five different times.

Infinite Inspiration

Edmundo Veloso Rancagua, CL

as an 18 year old moving from Rancagua to the capital of Chile, Santiago, MCIS meant the soundtrack for my coming of age and since the inspired my work. https://open.spotify.com/album/3IKQSosKvctAVdAP4k0p6p?si=U_q9dugtTdOJMRMniVfi_w

How MCIS changed my life at 16

Ryan Payne Friendswood, TX, US

So. When I was sixteen, I was a troubled youth. My father knew I really liked Siamese Dream and surprised me with my first cd copy of MCIS. From there, I was hooked. Flash forward to three years later, I started a band. Bought the MCIS deluxe edition and started learning how to play the songs.  Not only did the record make me a better musician, but it gave me a unique outlook on life. The record pulled me out of a dark self-destructive place, and taught me to use those feelings in my art.

My mother

Jordan Whatley Bristol , GB

My mother borrowed the album from the library!! She is 70 now so smashing pumpkins has been a big part of her life!! When I was younger I was brought up on the album it’s become literally the album that shaped me as a musician to experiment be weird try new things and I’m pretty sure after all my mental health issues (eating disorders, depression) without this as an outlet I wouldn’t be where I am now and that’s studying at a music university trying to create my own masterpiece!! I don’t expect anyone to read this or go anywhere but it’s nice to just say that I love this album and it brings me joy most days <3 thank you guys 

Last row

Gillian Long Island New York , US

Summer before our very first year of college we bought the only tickets we’re could  afford at the time which happened to be the absolute last row of the stadium. It was hilarious, we had all the room to sing and dance to every song without bothering anyone, because there was no one else there with us. A night I’ll never forget. Plus for more then half the show we snuck into the seated area up front and enjoyed the opening acts up close before security caught on. 

Too young for vinyl.

Chad Danforth,Illinois , US

I was 6 when MCIS was released but thanks to older cousins/neighbors was hooked on SP. Crows Nest in Joliet had the numbered vinyl but due to my age I was told I should buy the cassette instead. Own the reissue but still looking for that OG.

1996

Andrew Mitchley Sandton , ZA

I had cassette tapes of MCIS, first year of high school. Poor and lost, on days when I had nothing else to live for, I’d hide away in my father’s car, close my eyes and let the music take me to a better place. MCIS made me find that in music there is love in love there is hope. Never let tomorrow be your excuse for today!

The Vast Oceans

Ignacio Sánchez Parra Olivos, Buenos Aires, AR

I still remember the first time I heard “Porcelina of The Vast Oceans”. I will never forget the feeling of being lost in an ocean, levitating as if I was in space. Ever since then, no other song has given me that same feeling of hope, positivity and dreams that got me through high school as much as that song did. It maybe was not the intention of the song, but the beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. It is still my favorite song to this day. 

The Bus Ride

Paul HOFFMAN ESTATES, US

When I was starting my freshman year of high school in 1995, our bus driver was a cool, young lady.  She put on alternative radio for us, and I just chilled, listening to the radio playing.  Then I heard Bullet With Butterfly Wings.  From the opening line, I bolted upright to listen carefully.  This…was the coolest song I had ever heard.  I hadn’t gotten to alternative rock yet, but this was my gateway, and it’s still my favorite song of all time.  The Pumpkins were my gateway to great music, but I still always come back to them, because you can’t mess with perfection.

Infinite

Howie Noel New York, US

This album is an artistic masterpiece. Mellon Collie is the album that I remember the strongest from high school. It was the first double album I ever owned and it contained so much artistic inspiration. Friends knew I loved the band and we’d bond even more over it as everyone loved that album. Even the art I drew for my high school yearbook was in tribute to the album with several references to the songs. The lyrics are especially meaningful to me as they really connected with them. From Bodies to Muzzle, my love for this album has never lessened.

The Past, Present, and Infinite Future

Holly Hampshire, IL, US

Age 4 in a suburb of Chi I saw 1979 on MTV & fell in love with SP. At 25 I had my first child who could only fall asleep if MCIS was on repeat. At 29 my 2nd child claims her favorite band is SP with Love as this week’s repeat song, last week was Cyr. It’s incredible to grow up feeling an unyielding connection to all of SP’s music, to then have your own children love it so dearly.

the first one

Goran Mitrovic HR

It was the first CD I ever bought, based on the last half of BWBW I caught on MTV. Never heard of SP before (no Internet back then) and after buying the CD, haven’t heard for anyone else in the next two years or so.

Once Upon a Time in My Life

Dennis Ibanez Inglewood, CA, US

It was rainy Saturday afternoon in the month of an inter dimensional-ized March and April in Southern California, where constant cloudy weather coated the sky and personal atmosphere. I was sitting on the side of my bed at 13 years old organizing my YuGiOh cards, and alternative music was playing from my CD/Radio/iPod player I begged my parents to get me for my birthday. U2’s “No Line on the Horizon” was released, The Killers’ “Day and Age” had already entered, Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida” was immortal in the airwaves. Needless to say, music was noticeably poppier with an intent to resonate a cheerful, but less spicer, soulful note into the eardrums; that is what pop music’s objective is, as given. Leaving my KISS, Iron Maiden, and Pop-Punk, and British Pop chapter of music listening, I was stilled tuned into LA 987 alt fm (and Pandora radio was not invented yet). Songs followed each other in repetition: Closing Time, Song 2, Adam’s Song, Wonderwall, I Will Buy You a New Life, Human, Sex on Fire, Panic Switch. So such a variety of artists, right? Then I stumbled into Smashing Pumpkins songs. I realized such a variety of tonality by one single artist. An array of emotions triggered, transmitted by the perfect chemistry of instruments and vocals, an alchemy of destruction and beauty, sadness and a means to rebel, nostalgia and trauma, musically disciplined and venturesome. I can respectfully say, in my humbled opinion, alternative radio music painted a canvass that VH1 or Fuse music video cable channels could not even with the advantage of visual display. “1979”, “Tonight, Tonight”, “Bullet with Butterfly Wings”, “Zero”, “Tonight Reprise – Version 1”, “Today”, “Disarm”,“Landslide”. Thank you, SP. You’ve given my memories to which make it a bright past and a revolution to carry on forward. You’ve stricken more than a chord, lift more than an imprint on people. I could not imaging the hurt and distress that had to be experienced to birth the beauty we’ve come to experience. I hope good health finds and bonds with you for the rest of time. Love.

Discovery

Alejo Buenos Aires, AR

First time I heard about SP I was in Paraguay in 1995. A local band suggested me to listen to this alternative band that was different to everything. I bought Mellon colllie and couldn’t understand until some days. Now they are my way to live. Thanks. 

Multistory midnight misery

Tammy Woodland Staffordshire, GB

In mid naughties my boyfriend and I went to see Kings of Leon in Manchester. We parked in a 24 hour multistory (parking lot) and because we were always late for everything had to park second from the top of about 8 floors high. Watched an awesome gig went to a bar after (I was sober!) then went back to the car around 11:00 only to find there was horrendous traffic trying to leave,  we decided to sit and wait as we didn’t know how long it works take to clear. Worst decision! We had no food,  water I was stone cold sober, tones of people kept their engines running there was no escape from the cooking fumes, we left it too late to give up & had back to a bar they’d ask closed. Trapped in this parking lot hell I could feel panic creeping in from behind my unconscious thoughts when……. Tonight Tonight came on the radio. We looked at each other and smiled, trapped in this misery after midnight realising it’s bad but it could always be worse we had had an amazing night. So we wound the windows down, turned the radio up full blast and sang as loud as we could through the fumes,  others joined in, we all embraced our misery and for a few glorious minutes I didn’t want to be anywhere else. We did eventually get out around 3am and never knew what the hold up was but that song saved our sanity. We also played Tonight Tonight at our wedding, thanks SP love your art. Mrs Tammy Woodland.

Childhood Drawings

Epiphany North Adams, MA, US

At age 10, the first album I was allowed to buy was “Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness”. While it would play through my boom box, I would draw what each song sounded to me. “1979” always felt carefree and made me feel safe, and that is still apparent looking back at it 12 years later. 

Untitled

Eliana Hershberg Jerusalem, IL

My mother just told me that she used to sing goodnight and farewell to me when I was a baby. I thought this was very sweet. 

The weekend before the debut of MCIS

Andrea Dooley (DeFilippo) Bloomington, IL, US

Well, here’s to hoping we can submit more than one memory! This would be memory number one for me. We went to the two surprise shows in Peoria and Dekalb, IL(with a complimentary after show pass from Billy)..leading up to the infamous show and debut of MCIS at the Riv!  We will never forget the amazing shows-Us figuring out that Evil Clown had the free tickets for the Riv and then heading to the show. Omg, what a night. Even with the power outage. I will never forget hearing the songs for the first time. What a surreal time! So, who introduced us to the album?

The Pumpkins!

Discman

Michael Watson Yucaipa, CA, US

A memory I had of Mellon Collie, particularly Bodies.

At the Library

Alexander Huber San Jose, US

I was 11, thee year 1997. I moved to San Jose from Sacramento. There was a library across the street and I noticed one day they has CDs and MCIS was jist there staring at me. I checked it out, listened and was so enthralled that I never returned it. I got what I could from the record as an 11 year old and found new lessons and feels from each listen since then. 

First album/concert

Lance Entrekin Crawford, TN, US

I was a trumpet player in beginner band and my section leader told me she had a band I need to hear. I was 13 and just getting into music. She told me if I liked it to let her know bc they were going to the concert the next weekend. I took Mellon Collie home and devoured it. It changed my life and is still my favorite album to this very day. I immediately asked my dad for a guitar for Christmas. So two weeks later, my friends (who were older than me) along with one of our substitute teachers, snuck me out of the house and took me to the SP concert at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, MS. I remember it was right before Thanksgiving and WPC said something about remember that turkey you are eating was once wild and free lol. That night and that album changed my life. It was my first concert. Will forever be the ruler I measure every show against for the rest of my life. Thank you. 

Kris Bordeaux, FR

C’est tout simplement l’album qui m’a donné envie de faire de la musique.

On Repeat

Heather Van Pelt Stratford, Ontario, CA

I remember purchasing MCIS as soon as I could save up enough babysitting money. It was a double album so it was more expensive than other albums I’ve bought but I didn’t care.

Both CD’s remained on constant repeat in my Sony CD  player for at least a year, maybe more.I was OBSESSED!

 ZERO is still one of my favourite songs today! Thank you for this masterpiece ❤️