Untitled

Tavis Los Angeles, CA, US

Falling asleep while listening to “1979” play on the radio from the boombox in my bed as a young kid and then dreaming of what the music video might look like.

A Friend’s House

Scott Alan Wheeler Houston, Texas , US

I was 15 years old in 1995, and I went over my friend Chad’s house and he had the double-disc of Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. I remember enjoying the album very much, but also I loved the video and song for “Tonight” with the moon and stars and old-fashioned Hollywood Callback graphics!  Fabulous album, and wonderful memories sharing with friends.

Youth

Kevin Himl Nashville, TN, US

The album, melodies, and lyrics remind me of growing up. It reminds me of good times and bad as a teenager. Anger and rage, love and sadness. It reminds me of friendships and love come and gone. Talking about how mine blowing the guitars are this solo, and reading about the equipment setups in Guitar World (I still have a copy). It reminds me of a particular birthday gift I wanted but never got the year they played Nashville for the tour. And hearing about how awesome it was the next day, from some one now who doesn’t even remember going.

Like a familiar scent or a favorite drink, this album stirs up a host of memories of a simpler time of a world without so much worry.

Madison Square Garden

Steve New York, NY, US

I was so excited to see SP live at MSG for the first time. But you had to cancel the show due to overdose. So sad!

The beginning

Audrey Niort, FR

The MCIS is the album that made me understand i wanted to make music.

The first song i sang in public , in a main stage with 500 people, was ” in the arms of sleep”

It was in 2002 but the memory is steal perfect

Love

Audrey

Acid before our history exam

Steven Faulkner hinckley, GB

It was early June 1996, the night before our History GCSE exams. So of course 4 of us dropped acid, and my friend put MCIS on. For some reason I vividly recall We Only Come Out at Night sounding utterly magical!

I passed my exam too!

The best thing i’ve heard

Javier Silva MX

When I heard this album it was at night and I feel like it was something magical 

MCIS: tribute to a masterpiece

Filippo Banti PERUGIA, IT

Lots of memories recall me MCIS even if i was born years after the publication date it is one of the most important album for me. It reminds me 3 years ago when I was in Genova, for an internship at IIT. I used to listen to It in the shuttle from the last stop of the Genoa’s underground to the research institute, It was love at first sight and the album who introduced me to the wonderful and dreamy SP word. During those months I used to watch to the 1996 live at Brixton Academy, what a live performance, one of my all-time fav. Thank you for your music, It can really change your life in better, at least for me! SP for life.

The album that taught me how to write songs.

Anansi SP ES

After 2 years trying to become a guitarist, MCIS came out and taught me how to write songs not only with a guitar but with all kinds of instruments, harmonies and melodies. 25 years later, I still secretly hope one day I will be able to write a song that could be included in MCIS.
I stopped thinking like a guitarist and began to think like a musician.
Sometimes my friends tell me of any of my songs “Hey, that sounds like The SP”, my thoughts: “Then I fucking nailed it!”.

Not Just any Commute

Andrew Hunt Miami, US

I used to live in The Hague and worked in Amsterdam. Just over an hour commute each way. I went to the opening concert in Rotterdam and was so blown away that I listened to the double CD religiously every day on the train. It was a pivotal time in my life and every song takes me back.

Radio

Ulrike Preuss Ruhrgebiet , DE

I listened to the radio while doing housework. Than there was playing tonight tonight. I imidiadly left my home for driving to the town and bought this amazing album, it is great!

Happiest memories even with a broken heart.

Luis Olivera Saint Petersburg, FL, US

This album was there for me when i needed it most. Tonight, Tonight was/is there when I feel alive. 33 was there when I missed my favorite people. To forgive and Stumbleine made me feel better after the hard times that come with relationships –  familiar/ platonic/ and romantic. And I hope to name my future little one Lily because of the way I personally interpreted the song. This album is named infinite sadness but it’s brought nothing but comfort and joy to my life. Even now when I’m suffering through multiple existential thoughts and seeing more sad days, this is one of those albums you can play and have it all fade away. Thank you for this masterpiece and all your masterpieces before and after.

The Infinite Sadness Ends For a Bit

Keith Gerstner Austin, TX, US

Mellon Collie saved my life and made me realize I need to be an artist. I’ve never been confident in my ability as a performer, but the beauty and passion of Billy’s voice and songwriting made me feel like it was safe to be on stage with a voice that doesn’t match the “approved” idea of what a singer should sound like. I’m eternally grateful for that.

Mellon Collie/Jimmy memory

Art Eagle Pass, TX, US

I remember seeing the “Bullet with Butterfly Wings” video when I was 10 and being drawn to the galloping drum part…then at the 0:32 second mark, Jimmy hits the snare drum for the first time and it just clicked in my head…”I wanna be a drummer like that guy”…I’ve been following the Pumpkins and playing drums ever since then and MCIS is still to this day my “desert island” album.

Nostalgic growth

Cody Phillips Hixson, TN, US

MCIS to me was an absolute escape. An escape from middle school, when my angst was in high gear and getting bullied was the norm. If I could come home and throw these albums on and write poetry or draw, it took me out of reality, even if briefly, but that was bliss. These songs still carry me away to that time, and while some of those memories are harsh, it was a time of tremendous growth, and for that I am forever thankful.

Lockdown 2020

David Pattullo Liverpool, GB

March 2020. The UK has gone into lockdown and claustrophobia is setting in.

I’m allowed out only for essential shopping, to walk my 11 month old daughter to sleep, and to run late at night. The weather is unseasonably warm, and I use this time to listen to artists and albums I have wanted to revisit but never found the time.

I listen to all of Depeche Mode’s albums in the sun, and fall back in love with my favourite Smashing Pumpkins album Adore.

I decide to run to Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, an album I had wrongly labelled as inconsistent in my impatient adolescent mind. I fall in love with its harshness and delicacy. Night after night I repeat this, and my runs get longer as I want to hear more.

MCATIS becomes my clear favourite SP album. I also fall deeply for all the albums. Discovering new gems day by day.

Then when I thought I’d heard it all, Ogilala blew me away, and was a rare album to be universally liked by all in the house.

In conclusion, I want to thank SP for MCIS, and for the journey it has taken me on in these uncertain times.

In love since 1995

Margo Warsaw, PL

I remember going to a record store near my high school but couldn’t afford the CD,still remember the sorrow of having to put it back on the shelf ,did buy it after some time and some saving up and fell in love with it’s magic. Listened to it about a milion times since then and today I love it even more. Masterpiece.Has made my life so much better.In love since 1995.

Søren

Erna Schou Klemensker, Denmark, DK

My son was a huge SP fan since he was just a young kid… sadly we lost him in a car accident 7 years ago 😢 31 years old, newly wedded and a father of twin girls at two years old. We had “Bullit with Butterfly wings”. 4 years ago I got married to my loved one ❤️ I walked up the Aisle to “Mellon collie and the Infinite Sadness” ❤️ and it felt like my son was at the wedding to ❤️ and I too has become a huge SP fan 😍

The Holy Grail of vinyls

Kleber Junior Lisboa, Lisboa, PT

I already had it on CD, after years searching, I finally bought MCIS on Vinyl!

The Empty Bodies

Shawn Ward Toronto, Canada, CA

My bandmates and I have been huge Smashing Pumpkins fans since we were kids (we are all in our late 30’s now and nothing has changed), so when we came to the point when we needed a band name, we decided on naming our band The Empty Bodies, which is obviously a lyric from the song Bodies from Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness because that is collectively probably our favourite SP song. I included a picture of the album artwork from our second full length album which we released in July of 2019. Thanks for the opportunity to tell our Mellon Collie story and I’ll still be listening to Mellon Collie 25 years from now!

Shawn Ward

Wait There’s More?!

Josh Nichols Gilbert, AZ, US

When the album came out my oldest brother made a cassette tape that had half the songs. It was a selection of songs from both CDs. I was around 11 and knew nothing about the band, but ended up with the tape and listened to it nonstop. I was obsessed with it for a long time. Eventually I learned it was a double album and discovered the other half of the songs. It was a miracle to me! So much more amazing music at such a pivotal time in my life. It was a gift to discover something I loved so much was only half of a whole album. I got to fall in love with the album all over again even more!

My first concert

Amber Geiger St.Louis, Mo , US

I grew up in rural Southern Illinois in a town of less than 200 people. I saved my babysitting money of $2 an hour to buy the album. It changed my life. The first time I heard Muzzle, I knew I was meant for more than conservative farm life.

My cousin’s parents drove us over an hour to see The Pumpkins when they toured for the album. It was my first concert, I was a freshman in high school and I can close my eyes now and see it all. I remember the cover of Norwegian Wood, and thinking it was the best night of my life.

This album shaped so much of my adolescents. I’ve never left it and listen to it often. I remember the struggles of being a teen in a small town longing for more and realizing that it was out there. I got out, saw the world and let it change and shape me. I no longer fear I’m ordinary, I came of age with this album in my ears I’m extraordinary. 

Poor college student

Steffanie S. Ho Ho Kus, US

I loved the Pumpkins since I was a college student and Gish was released.  I saw The Pumpkins at the Cleveland Agora theater right before Siamese Dream was released.  A few years later Melancholy was released right around when I started dating my future husband.  He had never heard of The Pumpkins and I told them about the amazing artists that make up the band.  A day later he bought me the Melancholy album, I knew then he was the one!  We’ve now been married for over twenty two years and have been to several Pumpkins and WPC concerts together.  We played Landslide as our couples dance at our wedding.   We can’t wait for future concerts to resume!

Bonding through MCIS

Richard Neiman US

I would sneak into my Brother’s room whenever he’d go out to raid his “cool stuff.” Comics, CDs, videogames, anything he had was fascinating to me. I found MCIS, and I loved it. I asked if we could listen to the “CD with the lady on it” once he got home. I’ll always cherish listening to it with him.

Travelling 1995 world trip

Dan Jordan Worthing, GB

25 years ago Myself and my now wife went travelling around the world for a year. Despite limited funds music was our must have and this album was bought in Thailand and was played relentlessly throughout the trip. It was OUR album and remains OUR album to this day. The trip was topped off In Brisbane Australia when we saw SP live and then to top it all when in Sydney at our local pub Billy Corgan dropped in to listen to some live Aussie music. We couldn’t believe it but I plucked up the courage to say hello sadly no mobile phones or cameras were available then so all just memories now but what a year, what an album and what a band👍

Teenage Angst

Gordon Normandy, FR

The album I learnt guitar to and helped mitigate the frustrations of growing up. Music was my methadone, MCIS the syringe most often used.