Photo credit: Susan Farley
Billy Corgan is continuing to praise his original Smashing Pumpkins bandmates, with D’arcy Wretzky now receiving kind words from the legendary singer and guitarist. Corgan first buried the hatchet with drummer Jimmy Chamberlin, with Chamberlin rejoining the band last year after 6 and a half years away. Last month Corgan and Chamberlin reunited with James Iha for two performances in Los Angeles after nearly 16 years, with Corgan calling the experience ‘awesome.’ A couple of days ago, Corgan said he ‘loves’ original bassist D’arcy Wretzky, who left the Pumpkins in 1999.
During a live Facebook video, Corgan said, “Anybody have any questions? Okay, now somebody’s asking about D’arcy. Love D’arcy, but no we’re not gonna talk about D’arcy. So no more questions.”
Corgan also revealed that he’d like to build an app to release archival Smashing Pumpkins material, and that he is now rethinking his idea of making the next Smashing Pumpkins album in a stripped down fashion. Corgan said he is considering making it a rock and roll record. Corgan is also interested in touring in the fall, but not in a traditional sense. He’d like to screen silent films and play music along to them, somewhat similar to his Siddhartha project.
Current Smashing Pumpkins touring member Sierra Swan revealed on a Periscope video that she does not expect D’arcy Wretzky to make a guest appearance on the current ‘In Plainsong’ tour.
Original Smashing Pumpkins bassist D’arcy Wretzky’s boyfriend Patrick recently posted the first updates on D’arcy in several years on a Facebook Smashing Pumpkins group. The news is good: D’arcy is clean, healthy, and playing music again.
“I would like to say that D’arcy is not on drugs. As her boyfriend of four years I would not be with someone who is on drugs. She is healthy, mentally and physically. Last night when I came home from work she was with several other musicians who were over and she was playing bass and having a great time with it, after she was done playing we all ate sushi and had a great time. She was smiling all night, and that’s great to see.”
He also remembered her listening to The Smashing Pumpkins for the first time in over a decade in 2012 when he first met her,
“I like this group and the dedication to the band, I shouldn’t take the comments personally but it’s hard not too when they are so mean, untrue, and about your significant other. We live in an age of if its on Wikipedia or TMZ reports it, we are all led to believe it’s true. For example when she went to jail over her horses running free she took the hit for her ex boyfriend who was responsible for the horses and living at the farm when she moved. She did not want this mans child to watch his father go to jail. Is she perfect? Of course not, none of us are. Since I have met her she has come a long way. One wintery night in 2012 we listened to SP all night and drove around in a snow storm singing along and having a good time (and doing doughnuts in the snow) it had been over 10 years since she had listened to her bands music. When I met her she couldn’t even bear to listen to the radio. She has been working on herself and continues to do so. I can tell you that she is one of the most unselfish, empathetic, caring, giving, and sensitive, people I have ever met. Is she addicted? yes, addicted to fashion, science fiction, home renovation projects, Star Wars books, and our animals. She has been taken advantage of financially over the years, and used as a ladder for social climbers.”