In a new Instagram Q&A, Billy Corgan revealed that Melissa auf der Maur was never considered for the Shiny and Oh So Bright tour after it became clear that D’arcy Wretzky was out. Corgan criticized Melissa’s playing in a 2012 Consequence of Sound interview, though he never got personal with his criticism. Melissa auf der Maur played in the Pumpkins from 1999 to 2000 for the MACHINA tour.
“I play guitar pretty much on top, and so the bass is better laconic. If the bass is too on top, like for example, Melissa Auf der Maur. When she played with us, she played very on top, and it was constantly tripping all over the fucking guitars.
It’s hard to get… the Pumpkins’ sound. If you can bottle it, it’s sort of predicated on the idea the guitars are clearly on top and ahead of the drums; the drums sit in the middle, and the bass is a little back, so it has an impact and wide-scope sound. That’s the sound that I like to hear. Maybe it was developed through playing with D’Arcy and the way she played. I got used to that feeling, and so I’ve looked for that feeling ever since.”
Melissa auf der Maur told Alternative Nation in a 2010 interview that Corgan very briefly discussed the possibility of a return for the 2007 incarnation of the Pumpkins with her.
“At that time I did go to Chicago to record a song with Billy for my record that ended up being musically not fitting for this record but I do have a really beautiful outtake of a song that we wrote and recorded together. It was right at that time that he was playing with the idea of bringing it back together, we did have a brief conversation in Chicago about him maybe reaching out to James [Iha] and would I be interested and having a very light conversation about it where I said I’d consider it of course.
Then I guess he sort of went to a more of a focused him and Jimmy [Chamberlin] direction, which was his decision. But there was a very brief moment while I was in the studio recording my song with him where we did discuss it, but we never talked about it again.”
Below are excerpts from Billy Corgan’s new Instagram Q&A.
Was MAdM ever considered for this tour?
Not for a second.
Smashing Pumpkins = Beautiful Breasts
Yeah. And donkey piss.
Are you sick of being asked about the Final Metro Show DVD release?
Never. It’s like the seeking of the holy grail, no?
Do you know how fucking proud of you I am regarding you going vegan!?!?
Nothing to celebrate. It’s a personal choice and though I am an animal rights person per se, everyone has to make their own choices about diet/ecology/etc. including how animals-fish are used.
