I had already been exposed to the Pumpkins via Siamese Dream, but I never had the connection until MCATIS. I was 18 or 19 and in a weird place. Living with a roommate I wasn’t getting along with, life was not fun. I remember sitting on my couch watching videos on MTV when Bullet With Butterfly Wings came on. I just sat there, enthralled, mesmerised, in awe. Who is this band that knows what I feel like? How do they know the thoughts in my head? How is this possible. I must watch this again. and again. and again. I was hooked. That song was me in that moment. I was one with it. I never felt more of a connection than I did at that moment. Later that day I had a friend come over and I was telling him about this awesome band and song that I heard and I said I’ve got to get that album. He goes, hey man, I just bought that CD do you want to borrow it? the answer of course was yes. It’s funny, because I still have his copy of the CD. I just bought him a new one because I had had such a sentimental attachment to the one I borrowed from him. To this day, The Smashing Pumpkins are my favorite band. I collect as much as I can. Long Live The Smashing Pumpkins!