Original Smashing Pumpkins Reunite To Sue Leaker: ‘This Isn’t A Robin Hood Helping Out The Impoverished’

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The Smashing Pumpkins made a Facebook post earlier this week reacting to the recent leak of unreleased Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness material. Billy Corgan said that he and his original Smashing Pumpkins bandmates Jimmy Chamberlin, James Iha, and D’arcy Wretzky are ‘unified’ on legal issues, and plan to prosecute the culprit. The post was later deleted, but Alternative Nation managed to capture it.

“A NOTE REGARDING LEAKS FROM THE PUMPKINS ARCHIVES: Recently, some ‘fresh’ tracks, albeit outtakes and work product from 20+ years ago, surfaced on the internet. And though such releases are celebrated by fans and media alike, they are the product of theft and should not be applauded as such. Remember, whoever the culprit is, they do not reveal themselves for fear of prosecution. This, ladies and gentlemen, is not some Robin Hood helping out the impoverished. And when they are found out, we, The Smashing Pumpkins (and yes, the original 4 are unified on such issues) will prosecute to the fullest extent of the law as well as bring a civil suit; for undoubtedly this person is a former employee. And in that, we will reward whoever helps bring this matter to its just result. But that does not mean we don’t have our suspicions and leads. It’s only a matter of time.”

“One and Two” originally appeared on James Iha’s 1998 solo album Let It Come Down, and an unreleased demo version also featuring Iha on lead vocals also appeared on Smashing Pumpkins’ Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness reissue in 2012. Alternative Nation uncovered a newly leaked version of “One and Two” on YouTube over the weekend from the Mellon Collie sessions featuring Billy Corgan on lead vocals. It is one of the few recordings known of Corgan singing lead vocals on an Iha penned track. Corgan laughs throughout the recording, and at the end Iha apologizes to everyone in the room.

Another Mellon Collie era track also leaked, “The Tracer” from Pastichio Medley.