| James Talks About Adore Album |
| July 30, 1998, 11:00 pm |
Source: Boston Herald Music; Pumped down; Smashing Pumpkins rocking a little softer on album and tour SARAH RODMAN. Boston Herald. Boston, Mass.: Jul 31, 1998. pg. s.14 Abstract (Document Summary) "It's a different kind of Smashing Pumpkins record," says guitarist James Iha, who joins bandmates Billy Corgan and D'arcy Wretzky in concert tonight at the Orpheum. "It's more of a studio- based record, I think it has a more ambient sound. It's deeper in sound than our other records are." "We'd actually talked about taking away the rock element before we did `Mellon Collie,' " Iha said, referring to the group's 1995 Grammy-winning double album, which sold more than 8 million copies. "They definitely evoke different moods," said Iha. When trying to decide whether to use live or taped, Iha said: "I think it depended on the song. Like (the single) `Ava Adore,' when it was more like a rock-band sound, it was just boring. It sounded typical, more Pumpkins-sounding. When you put the electronic element in it, it just sounds a lot more now. It has a lot more of an edge to it." Full Text (827 words) Copyright Boston Herald Library Jul 31, 1998 On such guitar-heavy albums as "Siamese Dream" and "Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness," the Smashing Pumpkins turned the volume up to 11. With their latest, "Adore," the Chicago trio turn it down a notch or two. "It's a different kind of Smashing Pumpkins record," says guitarist James Iha, who joins bandmates Billy Corgan and D'arcy Wretzky in concert tonight at the Orpheum. "It's more of a studio- based record, I think it has a more ambient sound. It's deeper in sound than our other records are." Indeed, with its marriage of icy electronics and warm acoustic pianos and guitars, "Adore" envelops the listener with a gentler hand, while exploring familiar themes of fractured relations, deeply felt loss and bitter rage. "We'd actually talked about taking away the rock element before we did `Mellon Collie,' " Iha said, referring to the group's 1995 Grammy-winning double album, which sold more than 8 million copies. "We thought that would be our last heavy, heavy, rock-band record. That's not to say we wouldn't make another heavy record again, but we just felt that we had to change. One, because I think the band was starting to repeat itself as far as rock riffs and sounds, and I think times are changing and we change with it. Which is not to say we're hopping on a bandwagon. We just wanted to try different sounds." So Iha, bassist Wretzky and singer-songwriter-guitarist Corgan holed up in the studio for a year trying out those sounds, seesawing between acoustic and electronic tendencies. Since the departure of drummer Jimmy Chamberlin, after his well- publicized drug problems and links to the drug-related death of the Pumpkins touring keyboardist, the group decided to use both live drummers and drum machines. "They definitely evoke different moods," said Iha. When trying to decide whether to use live or taped, Iha said: "I think it depended on the song. Like (the single) `Ava Adore,' when it was more like a rock-band sound, it was just boring. It sounded typical, more Pumpkins-sounding. When you put the electronic element in it, it just sounds a lot more now. It has a lot more of an edge to it." Other songs had similar transformations, he said. "Appels & Oranjes," with its ultra-'80s synth rock, "was a lot more folky sounding," he said with a laugh. "It definitely went a long way from where it came from." Iha's voice - a soft croon heard on his recent solo release "Let It Come Down" - would have perfectly complemented the tenderness of "Adore." The fact that his voice isn't heard on the album was pointed out to Iha. "Yeah, well, he (Corgan) sings a lot," he said. He then adds more diplomatically, "I did all my songs on my solo record. I went right from my record into the band record, and I didn't really have any leftovers or anything." But Iha is working on more tunes that he envisions being on another solo record - as opposed to the next Pumpkins release - both of which should be coming soon. For now, he and his bandmates are looking forward to this smaller venue charity tour. "We originally wanted to make this whole tour for free," said Iha. After a tour of unusual venues in Europe, he said, "we wanted to play outdoor places (in the U.S.). But most of the cities wouldn't let us because of crowd-control problems, so we just thought of this charity tour. To make it more special we'd play typical rock places but give the money away." The money, Iha said, will go to charities "oriented toward kids: homeless kids, sexual abuse and domestic violence" in each city. The recipient in Boston is the Children's AIDS Program at Boston Medical Center. The group chose children in hopes that the cause would be "less political," because who can argue giving money to needy children. What can fans expect at tonight's show? Large doses of the new album and "Mellon Collie." "We're not playing a lot of older material, maybe three or four songs," Iha said. Also count on new arrangements. "We're doing them in a new style, not note for note the way they were on the old records." Even the new songs won't sound quite the same. "The way we're playing it now," Iha said, "we're not using any drum machines or tapes, we have a keyboard player who plays synth and piano, a drummer (John Mellencamp ace Kenny Aronoff) and two percussionists." The band wants to keep the shows as live as possible since loops lead to a "rigid" playing environment, Iha said. The Smashing Pumpkins play the Orpheum Theatre tonight. The show is sold out. [Illustration] Caption: IN TUNE: The Smashing Pumpkins' Billy Corgan, right, and James Iha, left, will join bandmate D'arcy Wretzky in concert tonight at the Orpheum. Their latest release, `Adore,' turns down the volume a notch from their previous releases. Herald photos by Ken Settle Credit: SARAH RODMAN |