Smashing Pumpkins - Memories!

SUBMIT YOUR MEMORY!

Mom <3

Tyler duran San Antonio, Texas, US

My mom is the reason I’ve been such a deep and engaged pumpkin fan for most of my life. From being a kid jamming to machina and machina 2 with her all the way to growing up and experiencing a new era of the pumpkins. One never before seen <3 

Festivals in decades past

David Fisher London, GB

Seldom did I attend a festival or show without a Smashing Pumpkins shirt. A few cans of beer from the cheapest place possible, great music and some dodgy sunglasses. I miss those days! <3 SP

Bad 90s haircut

Rich Chicago, US

Couldn’t tell you exactly when this was but in middle school you’d most likely find me in one of my SP shirts!

My year of military service

Maurizio Sartori Udine, IT

When I met my girlfriend I listened to Siamese Dreams, but when I completed my military service in 1985 Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness accompanied me during that time. Hello from Italy

Hofu, Japan – June 1993

Ron Hudy Las Vegas, NV, US

Was in the Marine Corps for 8 years in the 90’s and stationed in Iwakuni, Japan from ’92-’95.  Rocking my first Smashing Pumpkins shirt while sight-seeing in Hofu, Japan!

Pumpkins in Miami!

Ali Werner Port Orange, US

Close friends/co-workers Peter, Ali & Randall go to see the Pumpkins in Miami.  We LIVED for live music— still do.

My zero t-shirt

Bárbara Cordovani São Paulo/SP, BR

My everyday T-shirt for years, since 1997. Couldn’t wear anything else. uniform for all sp shows in Brazil. I remember it was almost impossible to buy it here, so my sister brought me from Chicago as a gift for my birthday. I cryed like a baby when I figured out what it was.   

Lombard Illinos

Christi Sioux Falls, US

I remember you from rooftop hanging out many years ago!

True Love

Brandon Hensinger Allentown, PA, US

I met my girlfriend when I was 14 years old. We bonded and fell in love over many songs from the Melancollie and the Infinite Sadness Album. For 20 years, every time I heard any of these songs it reminded me of her. After 20 years of not seeing each other, we reconnected and were married and we chose Thirty Three as our wedding song.

When an album stays with you

Kira Dothan, AL, US

Even though I already knew how to spell “melancholy”, the SP album “Melon Collie & The Infinite Sadness” made such an impression on me that ever since my default way to spell it is “melon collie” unless I concentrate.

Queen of Lake Michigan

Brian Kalamazoo , US

One of the lucky fans who got to see the MCIS tour (6/25/96 Saginaw, MI) prior to J.C. being fired. Venue was a small place to open such a big tour, but the floor was GA and wi was ready to hustle. Garbage opened the show and I was front row looking up at Shirley rocking out. When SP went on they were on point, I remember Billy telling the crowd that D’Arcy was aka “The Queen of Lake Michigan” and she seemed really embarrassed. During Fuck You I managed to make my way up to the front and was able to hold on to the barrier thru all 3 encores. Riding in the back seat on the way home the DJ on Z93 said that his boss called from the show and told him to keep playing SP the rest of the night.

Melbourne Mellon Collie

Curtis Manchester NH, US

I had a penpal from Australia and I got to visit her when I was 16. We were both huge Pumpkins fans and she gave me this shirt. I still have it over 24 years later!

Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness tattoo in micro realism 🖤

Amalia Ricalde Bogotá , CO

My first and favorite tattoo in honor of MCIS 🖤

Where boys fear to tread

Autumn Valparaiso, US

Christmas with the fam 

In nana’s garden

Emma London, Ontario , CA

Anytime I visited my nana in England we would rent cassette from the Library. I would fall asleep to this album as a kid!

Memories with my dad

Brianne Dickman Springfield, MO, US

I was 9/10-years-old when the album came out. I remember my dad bought the cassette tape(s) and he put the first one into the tape player in his old single-cab Toyota and it was the first time I had heard Smashing Pumpkins and I was in love. Anytime I hear 1979, thirty-three, zero, etc. I always think back to driving around on dusty, Missouri roads with my dad. 

Things moved slower back then

Jerrod Grandville, US

September 1996 and I just started high school.  Bought Mellon Collie the previous spring and Siamese Dream that the summer, which inspired me to play guitar.  As I was learning my first chords, my SP obsession was forming and I bought Gish on a hot Sunday afternoon at our local “record store”.  We had to walk, it was about 20 minutes crossing busy streets and parking lots.  Had not heard a song on the album prior to buying,  music was so much more difficult to access back then.  If it wasn’t on the Radio or MTV, and if a friend didn’t own it, you couldn’t hear it.  I knew buying this album blind would not disappoint, and it was time.  I Am One and Snail caught my attention first.  My favorite track on the album, Bury Me, didn’t hook me until 9 years later, when it told the story of a girlfriend who had recently broke my heart.  SP and Billy Corgan remain my all time favorite, the essential piece in my music journey.

Impressionable youth

Elizabeth Cornwall , GB

Looking for a kiss kiss 

Holding a smashing kettle

Rich Giles Sheffield, GB

Before an SP gig, my pals just fancied a British cup of tea so I snapped them holding this kettle 😀

Handpainted MCIS Jacket

Natalia Indio, CA, US

Bullet with Butterfly Wings was my favorite song as a kid, so this jacket I commissioned has a lot of sentimental value. I hope to rock it at a Pumpkins show 🙂

My Zero T-shirt

Marília Maggioni Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, BR

I joined the Smashing Pumpkins Message Board back in the late 90-00’s and made great friends overseas. One of the kindest person there was Sherry, aka Hollasher, and knowing the huge fan I was plus how hard was to find some band stuff here in Brazil those days, she sent me this Zero T-shirt. It is precious to me, like everything related to MCIS, the first SP album I’ve ever listened to and where it all started. 

A reason to live

Melissa McCann California , US

I was about 19 years old when I painted this in 1999. I suffered from severe depression and anxiety. I spent much of my Highschool years confined to mental hospitals. Mellon Collie gave me a connection and release to what I was going through. Painting was also very therapeutic, so it just seemed natural to paint something “Smashing Pumpkins”. I suffered a lot of abuse and felt like taking my life. Feeling so alone but having a connection to lyrics and a sound that moved me literally saved my life. Bullet with Butterfly Wings was my anthem. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your music, and everything. 

Very First Concert

Nicole Semiraro Aberdeen, New Jersey, US

Infinite Sadness tour  February 1, 1997 at the old Charlotte coliseum…. I was 8 years old and my parents took me to my very first concert. Fountains of Wayne opened for SP. Fast forward 24 years later, my parents and I got to see SP again last month at Sea Hear Now. I’m still on cloud 9! 

Rocker boys dig it!

Jenifer Calgary, Alberta, CA

The shirt says “Zero” and had the star, but that’s what it was. It was a journey to find it in long sleeve(like Billy’s). Rocker boys dig it! Whenever someone who knew about SP, saw me wearing it, they would immediately approach me and start a conversation. This pic was taken in the year 2000.

SP saved me

Wim Van Kelst Antwerp, BE

When Mellon came out, I was in my 2nd year of studying for nurse. Emotionally I was going through a tough period and listening to SP helped me to hold on. The concert in Flanders Expo Gent was the highlight of that period. Looking forward to it and the energy of that night saved me from getting depressed. I still remember the amazing light show, Jimmy on drums and the band performing on an extremely high level. Thank you and love to you all @

The world is a vampire

Tim Tarragindi, AU

Playing in my band with my fave shirt of my fave band.  The ‘world is a vampire’ shirt.  Mellon collie had been out afew years by then but it was still a proud time for me to rep the band that inspired me to play in the first place.