Jimmy Chamberlin
Encyclopedia
Jimmy Chamberlin is an American drummer
, songwriter, and producer
. He is best known as the former drummer
for the alternative rock
band The Smashing Pumpkins
. After a drug-related incident with touring keyboardist Jonathan Melvoin
in 1996, Chamberlin was fired from the band and joined The Last Hard Men, but rejoined the Pumpkins in late 1998. Following the 2000 breakup of the band, Chamberlin joined Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan
in the supergroup
Zwan
and also formed his own group, the Jimmy Chamberlin Complex
. In 2005, Chamberlin joined Corgan in reforming The Smashing Pumpkins; he eventually left the group in March 2009 and currently performs in the group Skysaw.
Chamberlin, who originally trained as a jazz drummer, cites jazz musicians Benny Goodman
, Duke Ellington
, Gene Krupa
, and Buddy Rich
, as well as rock drummers Keith Moon
, Ian Paice
, and John Bonham
as major influences on his technique. While he is known as "one of the most powerful drummers in rock," he primarily strives for emotionally communicative playing. In 2008, Gigwise named Chamberlin the 5th best drummer of all time.
, one of six children. His father and his older brother Paul were both active in jazz bands, playing clarinet and drums respectively, and his brother Paul is still an active rock drummer, with a local cover band
.
Chamberlin began drumming at age 9. His early instruction included Latin
, Brazilian
, and big band
techniques, but focused on jazz, under the tutelage of future Yanni
drummer, Charlie Adams
.
Chamberlin left home at age 15 and joined a series of local bands. Although his early music career proved profitable, Chamberlin's father pressured him into going to college, so he spent a year at Northern Illinois University
. In 1994, Chamberlin revealed that he had been estranged from his father for seven years. After three years with the show band JP and the Cats, Chamberlin, wearied by the touring schedule, quit and got a job building custom homes with his brother-in-law. Before long, he joined the Smashing Pumpkins.
met through a mutual friend, and Chamberlin expressed cautious interest, later recalling:
Corgan had his own concerns:
Despite Chamberlin making "tons of cash" as a carpenter, he would soon give up his job and move to Chicago to devote himself to the band. Chamberlin's entry quickly pushed the band towards a more powerful, intense sound. The first two Smashing Pumpkins albums, Gish
and Siamese Dream
, were performed almost entirely by Corgan and Chamberlin alone.
During this period Chamberlin became addicted to heroin. During the recording of 1993's Siamese Dream in Marietta, Georgia
, Chamberlin would often disappear for days at a time while the rest of the band feared for his life. He later said of his drug addiction that "It's pretty textbook [...] Guy makes it in rock band, gets very full of himself, starts thinking he's indestructible, and all of a sudden he destroys himself."
In the midst of the lengthy world tour supporting 1995's multi-platinum Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
, Chamberlin's father died, and his heroin addiction hit a fever pitch. Of this period, Chamberlin later said, "I learned that escapism was better than emotion, and that's where I hid... It got to the point that I really didn't care. Life was scary for me." Prior to shows scheduled at Madison Square Garden
in New York City, Chamberlin and touring keyboardist Jonathan Melvoin
overdosed on heroin; Melvoin subsequently died, and Chamberlin was kicked out of the band, ostensibly to protect his health.
Charged with drug possession
, Chamberlin avoided serving jail time by pleading guilty to a lesser charge of disorderly conduct
and returning to rehab. In late 1996, he joined The Last Hard Men, led by ex-Skid Row singer Sebastian Bach
. The band recorded its one and only album in 1996 and 1997, though its release was delayed until 2001 due to being caught in "major-label development hell
."
In October 1998, Corgan convened a band meeting where Chamberlin was reinstated as the group's drummer and the band decided to break up after one more album and tour. The band yielded two albums in 2000, Machina/The Machines of God
and the freely distributed Machina II/The Friends & Enemies of Modern Music
, before performing a farewell show in Chicago on December 2, 2000.
in 2001 with Corgan. Although Chamberlin predicted that "the band's going to be huge," Zwan produced only one album, Mary Star of the Sea, before disbanding in 2003. Chamberlin formed his next project, Jimmy Chamberlin Complex
, in 2004, and released its first studio album, Life Begins Again
, in 2005. Chamberlin stated that, with the Jimmy Chamberlin Complex, "I just wanted to make music and not really be constrained to making a Zwan or a Pumpkins record."
, on June 21, 2005. Chamberlin contacted Corgan to accept, and on February 2, 2006, MTV.com
reported that he and Corgan had signed a new management deal with the Front Line Management, with a spokesperson confirming they had signed under the name "Smashing Pumpkins".
Chamberlin and Corgan, without the other original members, decided to record an album alone. They played their first show in Paris on May 22, 2007, with three new band members. On July 10, the new album, Zeitgeist
, was released. Over the next year and a half, the band released more recordings and toured extensively.
On March 20, 2009 the Pumpkins' website announced that Chamberlin was leaving the band. Chamberlin released a blog stating that he left as he felt that the band would not further his commitment to music.
, symphonic pop' he reported that the band, also including multi-instrumentalists Mike Reina and guitarist Anthony Pirog, would record with Roy Thomas Baker
in Washington, D.C. in early 2010.
This released their first album, a six track release titled Great Civilizations on November 1, 2010 as a digital download only, on both Amazon and iTunes. No official release announcement was made even on the band's official website. Downloads from iTunes and Amazon were removed after there was confusion over the band's name. The new band name, Skysaw, was officially announced in December 2010.
In March 2011 it was announced that the Skysaw full-length LP would be released on Dangerbird Records
. On June 21, 2011, the new, extended 10 song LP Great Civilizations was released. The band subsequently toured with label mates Minus The Bear
and performed hometown shows at Chicago's Metro and the Black Cat in D.C.
, Duke Ellington
, Gene Krupa
, and Buddy Rich
as influences. He has also been compared to jazz drummer Dennis Chambers
for his "quick hands, furious snare rolls, and crackling rimshots." In general, he is one of the few hard rock drummers to combine a driving backbeat with jazz-like flourishes. When asked about his influences in 2007, he responded:
Other drummers that influenced Chamberlin around the recording of Zeitgeist included Bobby Caldwell
of Captain Beyond
, Lalo Schifrin
's Dirty Harry
soundtrack, Weather Report
, and Return to Forever
's Lenny White
.
Chamberlin prefers not to use Pro Tools
or click track
s; however, he used click tracks on the recording of Siamese Dream because he thought his meter
during the Gish era was too inconsistent.
Ex-bandmate Billy Corgan
has said of Chamberlin, "he's up there with Bonham
, you know, that level of drummer, who has been able to play a variety of music and have his style impact the way people play drums. That's the hallmark of a great drummer. And, right now, I think, pound for pound, he's the best drummer in the world."
Maple Custom Absolute kit with 60 (instead of standard 45) degree bearing edges. His kit consisted of two snares
(5x12 and the main snare, his 5.5x14 "Signature" model), six tom
s (12x14, 8x10, 9x13, and an 8x8 above his floor toms which are 16x16 and 16x18), a 16x22 bass drum
, four crash cymbal
s (a 15" thin and three Zildjian A customs - 15", 18", and 19"), a 8" splash cymbal
, 15" New Beat hi-hat
s, a 20" China High, a 22" K Constantinople medium ride
, and a 22" riveted swish knocker. Chamberlin's drumhead
s are Remo
coated Ambassador on snare-side, clear Emperors on tops of toms with clear Ambassadors underneath, with a Powerstoke 3 on the bass drum batter. He uses Zildjian
cymbals and Vic Firth
5B sticks. His signature snare drum is popular with other drummers - Chad Smith
has been known to use it as a second snare drum.
On the 6th of April, 2011, Chamberlin announced that he had switched from long-term drum manufacturer Yamaha to Drum Workshop
. He has ordered a custom "prototype" Copper Lacquer Specialty with Chrome Hardware. The Shells are a ply combination of VLT Maple and Mahogany with no reinforcement hoops. The kick drum hoops are Solid Black Lacquer. The sizes are 5x8, 7x10, 8x13, 10x14 rack toms. 14x14, 16x16 floor toms. 16x22 kick and with a matching 5.5x14 snare and a stainless steel 6.5x14 snare.
Side projects
Guest appearances
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
, songwriter, and producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
. He is best known as the former drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
for the alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band The Smashing Pumpkins
The Smashing Pumpkins
The Smashing Pumpkins are an American alternative rock band that formed in Chicago, Illinois in 1988. Formed by Billy Corgan frontman and James Iha , the band has included Jimmy Chamberlin , D'arcy Wretzky , and currently includes Jeff Schroeder Mike Byrne , and Nicole Fiorentino The Smashing...
. After a drug-related incident with touring keyboardist Jonathan Melvoin
Jonathan Melvoin
Jonathan Melvoin was an American musician active in the 1980s and 1990s.He was the brother of Susannah and Wendy Melvoin of Prince and the Revolution. He first learned to play drums, and was cited by friends and relatives as one of those people who could play anything...
in 1996, Chamberlin was fired from the band and joined The Last Hard Men, but rejoined the Pumpkins in late 1998. Following the 2000 breakup of the band, Chamberlin joined Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan
Billy Corgan
William Patrick "Billy" Corgan, Jr. is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and occasional poet best known as the frontman and sole permanent member of The Smashing Pumpkins. Formed by Corgan and guitarist James Iha in Chicago, Illinois in 1987, the band quickly gained steam with the...
in the supergroup
Supergroup (music)
In the late 1960s, the term supergroup was coined to describe "a rock music group whose performers are already famous from having performed individually or in other groups"....
Zwan
Zwan
Zwan was an American alternative rock band that was formed by members of The Smashing Pumpkins, Slint, Tortoise, Chavez, and A Perfect Circle. Zwan was started in late 2001 by Billy Corgan, lead singer and guitarist of The Smashing Pumpkins, after the Pumpkins disbanded in December 2000. The band...
and also formed his own group, the Jimmy Chamberlin Complex
Jimmy Chamberlin Complex
The Jimmy Chamberlin Complex is an alternative rock/jazz fusion band, founded by Jimmy Chamberlin and Billy Mohler. Their debut album entitled Life Begins Again was released on January 25, 2005...
. In 2005, Chamberlin joined Corgan in reforming The Smashing Pumpkins; he eventually left the group in March 2009 and currently performs in the group Skysaw.
Chamberlin, who originally trained as a jazz drummer, cites jazz musicians Benny Goodman
Benny Goodman
Benjamin David “Benny” Goodman was an American jazz and swing musician, clarinetist and bandleader; widely known as the "King of Swing".In the mid-1930s, Benny Goodman led one of the most popular musical groups in America...
, Duke Ellington
Duke Ellington
Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American composer, pianist, and big band leader. Ellington wrote over 1,000 compositions...
, Gene Krupa
Gene Krupa
Gene Krupa was an American jazz and big band drummer and composer, known for his highly energetic and flamboyant style.-Biography:...
, and Buddy Rich
Buddy Rich
Bernard "Buddy" Rich was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. Rich was billed as "the world's greatest drummer" and was known for his virtuosic technique, power, groove, and speed.-Early life:...
, as well as rock drummers Keith Moon
Keith Moon
Keith John Moon was an English musician, best known for being the drummer of the English rock group The Who. He gained acclaim for his exuberant and innovative drumming style, and notoriety for his eccentric and often self-destructive behaviour, earning him the nickname "Moon the Loon". Moon...
, Ian Paice
Ian Paice
Ian Anderson Paice is an English musician, best known as the drummer of the English rock band Deep Purple. As of Jon Lord's departure in 2002, he is the only founding member of the band who never stopped performing with the group, and the only member to appear on every album the band has...
, and John Bonham
John Bonham
John Henry Bonham was an English musician and songwriter, best known as the drummer of Led Zeppelin. Bonham was esteemed for his speed, power, fast right foot, distinctive sound, and "feel" for the groove...
as major influences on his technique. While he is known as "one of the most powerful drummers in rock," he primarily strives for emotionally communicative playing. In 2008, Gigwise named Chamberlin the 5th best drummer of all time.
Early life
James Joseph Chamberlin was born in Joliet, IllinoisJoliet, Illinois
Joliet is a city in Will and Kendall Counties in the U.S. state of Illinois, located southwest of Chicago. It is the county seat of Will County. As of the 2010 census, the city was the fourth-most populated in Illinois, with a population of 147,433. It continues to be Illinois' fastest growing...
, one of six children. His father and his older brother Paul were both active in jazz bands, playing clarinet and drums respectively, and his brother Paul is still an active rock drummer, with a local cover band
Cover band
A cover band , is a band that plays mostly or exclusively cover songs. New or unknown bands often find the cover band format marketable for smaller gigs, and these bands may be known as a wedding band, party band and function band. A band whose covers consist mainly of songs that were chart hits is...
.
Chamberlin began drumming at age 9. His early instruction included Latin
Latin American music
Latin American music, found within Central and South America, is a series of musical styles and genres that mixes influences from Spanish, African and indigenous sources, that has recently become very famous in the US.-Argentina:...
, Brazilian
Music of Brazil
The music of Brazil encompasses various regional music styles influenced by African, European and Amerindian forms. After 500 years of history, Brazilian music developed some unique and original styles such as samba, zouk-lambada, lambada, choro, bossa nova, frevo, maracatu, MPB, sertanejo,...
, and big band
Big band
A big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with jazz and the Swing Era typically consisting of rhythm, brass, and woodwind instruments totaling approximately twelve to twenty-five musicians...
techniques, but focused on jazz, under the tutelage of future Yanni
Yanni
Yanni , born Yiannis Hrysomallis is a Greek self-taught pianist, keyboardist, and composer who has spent most of his life in the United States.He earned Grammy nominations for his 1992 album, Dare to Dream, and the 1993 follow-up, In My Time...
drummer, Charlie Adams
Charlie Adams (drummer)
Charlie Adams is an American drummer, percussionist, drum engineer, composer, music producer, and film producer. He formed the rock band Chameleon in the 1980s, and was known for his revolving, upside-down drum set. He has been drum lead for Yanni through nine major concert tours...
.
Chamberlin left home at age 15 and joined a series of local bands. Although his early music career proved profitable, Chamberlin's father pressured him into going to college, so he spent a year at Northern Illinois University
Northern Illinois University
Northern Illinois University is a state university and research institution located in DeKalb, Illinois, with satellite centers in Hoffman Estates, Naperville, Rockford, and Oregon. It was originally founded as Northern Illinois State Normal School on May 22, 1895 by Illinois Governor John P...
. In 1994, Chamberlin revealed that he had been estranged from his father for seven years. After three years with the show band JP and the Cats, Chamberlin, wearied by the touring schedule, quit and got a job building custom homes with his brother-in-law. Before long, he joined the Smashing Pumpkins.
The Smashing Pumpkins
The Smashing Pumpkins were looking for a live drummer to open a show at the Metro, a Chicago club. Chamberlin and Billy CorganBilly Corgan
William Patrick "Billy" Corgan, Jr. is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and occasional poet best known as the frontman and sole permanent member of The Smashing Pumpkins. Formed by Corgan and guitarist James Iha in Chicago, Illinois in 1987, the band quickly gained steam with the...
met through a mutual friend, and Chamberlin expressed cautious interest, later recalling:
So I went out and saw the band - Billy, JamesJames IhaJames Yoshinobu Iha b. March 26, 1968 in Chicago, Illinois) is a Japanese American rock musician. He is best known as having been a guitarist and co-founder of the alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins and for his eclectic musical projects of recent years, most notably being a permanent...
, and D'arcyD'arcy WretzkyD'arcy Elizabeth Wretzky is an American musician. She is best known for her work as the original bass player of the alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins...
- playing at Avalon with a drum machineDrum machineA drum machine is an electronic musical instrument designed to imitate the sound of drums or other percussion instruments. They are used in a variety of musical genres, not just purely electronic music...
. Man, did they sound horrible! They were atrocious. But the thing I noticed was that not only were the song structures good, but Billy's voice had a lot of drive to it, like he was dying to succeed. So I ended up driving from work every Wednesday to rehearse with them.
Corgan had his own concerns:
He was wearing a pink t-shirt, stonewashed jeansStone washingStone washing is a textile manufacturing process used to give a newly manufactured cloth garment a worn-out appearance. Stone-washing also helps to increase the softness and flexibility of otherwise stiff and rigid fabrics such as canvas and denim....
, he had a mulletMullet (haircut)The mullet is a hairstyle that is short at the front and sides, and long in the back. . The mullet began to appear in popular media in the 1960s and 1970s but did not become generally well-known until the early 1980s...
haircut, and he was driving a 280Z, and had yellow drums. We were sort of looking each other in the eye thinking, 'This ain't gonna happen, this is not the guy.' [But] he'd learned all our songs, as only Jimmy can, off the top of his head, and, within one practice, we were ready to play. It was amazing. We just knew right away. He's that good.
Despite Chamberlin making "tons of cash" as a carpenter, he would soon give up his job and move to Chicago to devote himself to the band. Chamberlin's entry quickly pushed the band towards a more powerful, intense sound. The first two Smashing Pumpkins albums, Gish
Gish
Gish is the debut album by American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins, released in May 1991 through Caroline Records. Frontman Billy Corgan described Gish as a "very spiritual album"...
and Siamese Dream
Siamese Dream
Siamese Dream is the second album by the American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins, released on July 27, 1993 on Virgin Records. The album fused diverse influences such as shoegazing, dream pop, grunge, classic rock, heavy metal, and progressive rock.Despite recording sessions fraught...
, were performed almost entirely by Corgan and Chamberlin alone.
During this period Chamberlin became addicted to heroin. During the recording of 1993's Siamese Dream in Marietta, Georgia
Marietta, Georgia
Marietta is a city located in central Cobb County, Georgia, United States, and is its county seat.As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 56,579, making it one of metro Atlanta's largest suburbs...
, Chamberlin would often disappear for days at a time while the rest of the band feared for his life. He later said of his drug addiction that "It's pretty textbook [...] Guy makes it in rock band, gets very full of himself, starts thinking he's indestructible, and all of a sudden he destroys himself."
In the midst of the lengthy world tour supporting 1995's multi-platinum Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness is the third album by American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins, released October 24, 1995 on Virgin Records. Produced by frontman Billy Corgan with Flood and Alan Moulder, the twenty-eight-track album was released as a two-disc CD and triple LP...
, Chamberlin's father died, and his heroin addiction hit a fever pitch. Of this period, Chamberlin later said, "I learned that escapism was better than emotion, and that's where I hid... It got to the point that I really didn't care. Life was scary for me." Prior to shows scheduled at Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
in New York City, Chamberlin and touring keyboardist Jonathan Melvoin
Jonathan Melvoin
Jonathan Melvoin was an American musician active in the 1980s and 1990s.He was the brother of Susannah and Wendy Melvoin of Prince and the Revolution. He first learned to play drums, and was cited by friends and relatives as one of those people who could play anything...
overdosed on heroin; Melvoin subsequently died, and Chamberlin was kicked out of the band, ostensibly to protect his health.
Charged with drug possession
Drug possession
Drug possession is the crime of having one or more illegal drugs in one's possession, either for personal use, distribution, sale or otherwise. Illegal drugs fall into different categories and sentences vary depending on the amount, type of drug, circumstances, and jurisdiction.A person has...
, Chamberlin avoided serving jail time by pleading guilty to a lesser charge of disorderly conduct
Disorderly conduct
Disorderly conduct is a criminal charge in most jurisdictions in the United States. Typically, disorderly conduct makes it a crime to be drunk in public, to "disturb the peace", or to loiter in certain areas. Many types of unruly conduct may fit the definition of disorderly conduct, as such...
and returning to rehab. In late 1996, he joined The Last Hard Men, led by ex-Skid Row singer Sebastian Bach
Sebastian Bach
Sebastian Bach is a Canadian heavy metal singer who achieved mainstream success as frontman of Skid Row from 1987 to 1996. Since his departure from Skid Row, he has had many television roles, acted within Broadway plays, and leads a successful solo career.-Early life:Bach was born Sebastian...
. The band recorded its one and only album in 1996 and 1997, though its release was delayed until 2001 due to being caught in "major-label development hell
Development hell
In the jargon of the media-industry, "development hell" is a period during which a film or other project is trapped in development...
."
In October 1998, Corgan convened a band meeting where Chamberlin was reinstated as the group's drummer and the band decided to break up after one more album and tour. The band yielded two albums in 2000, Machina/The Machines of God
MACHINA/The Machines of God
Machina/The Machines of God is the fifth album by American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins, released on February 29, 2000 by Virgin Records. A concept album, it marked the return of drummer Jimmy Chamberlin and was intended to be the band's final official LP release prior to their first...
and the freely distributed Machina II/The Friends & Enemies of Modern Music
MACHINA II/The Friends & Enemies of Modern Music
Machina II/The Friends & Enemies of Modern Music is the sixth album by American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins. It was released for free on the Internet on September 5, 2000...
, before performing a farewell show in Chicago on December 2, 2000.
Other projects, 2001–2006
Chamberlin went on to form ZwanZwan
Zwan was an American alternative rock band that was formed by members of The Smashing Pumpkins, Slint, Tortoise, Chavez, and A Perfect Circle. Zwan was started in late 2001 by Billy Corgan, lead singer and guitarist of The Smashing Pumpkins, after the Pumpkins disbanded in December 2000. The band...
in 2001 with Corgan. Although Chamberlin predicted that "the band's going to be huge," Zwan produced only one album, Mary Star of the Sea, before disbanding in 2003. Chamberlin formed his next project, Jimmy Chamberlin Complex
Jimmy Chamberlin Complex
The Jimmy Chamberlin Complex is an alternative rock/jazz fusion band, founded by Jimmy Chamberlin and Billy Mohler. Their debut album entitled Life Begins Again was released on January 25, 2005...
, in 2004, and released its first studio album, Life Begins Again
Life Begins Again
Life Begins Again is the debut album by the Jimmy Chamberlin Complex . It was released on January 25, 2005 and as an Enhanced CD...
, in 2005. Chamberlin stated that, with the Jimmy Chamberlin Complex, "I just wanted to make music and not really be constrained to making a Zwan or a Pumpkins record."
Revival of The Smashing Pumpkins
Billy Corgan announced at an April 2004 solo performance that he and Chamberlin intended to work together again in the future. After appearing on Life Begins Again, Corgan announced plans to "renew and revive" the Pumpkins through a full-page advertisement in his hometown's newspaper, the Chicago TribuneChicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
, on June 21, 2005. Chamberlin contacted Corgan to accept, and on February 2, 2006, MTV.com
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
reported that he and Corgan had signed a new management deal with the Front Line Management, with a spokesperson confirming they had signed under the name "Smashing Pumpkins".
Chamberlin and Corgan, without the other original members, decided to record an album alone. They played their first show in Paris on May 22, 2007, with three new band members. On July 10, the new album, Zeitgeist
Zeitgeist (The Smashing Pumpkins album)
Zeitgeist is the seventh album by American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins, released on July 10, 2007 in the United States and Canada. It was the first album The Smashing Pumpkins released after their 2000 disbandment and 2005 reunion. The album was produced by Roy Thomas Baker, Billy...
, was released. Over the next year and a half, the band released more recordings and toured extensively.
On March 20, 2009 the Pumpkins' website announced that Chamberlin was leaving the band. Chamberlin released a blog stating that he left as he felt that the band would not further his commitment to music.
Skysaw
While giving drum clinics in late 2009, Chamberlin announced his next project, a band called This. Describing the music as 'progressiveProgressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
, symphonic pop' he reported that the band, also including multi-instrumentalists Mike Reina and guitarist Anthony Pirog, would record with Roy Thomas Baker
Roy Thomas Baker
Roy Thomas Baker is a multiple award-winning Anglo-American music producer, songwriter, arranger and Recording Academy Governor, who has produced Platinum and Gold certified pop and rock records from the 1970s to the present.- Career :Baker began his career at Decca Records in England at the age...
in Washington, D.C. in early 2010.
This released their first album, a six track release titled Great Civilizations on November 1, 2010 as a digital download only, on both Amazon and iTunes. No official release announcement was made even on the band's official website. Downloads from iTunes and Amazon were removed after there was confusion over the band's name. The new band name, Skysaw, was officially announced in December 2010.
In March 2011 it was announced that the Skysaw full-length LP would be released on Dangerbird Records
Dangerbird Records
Dangerbird Records is an independent record label located in Los Angeles, California. Founded by Jeff Castelaz and Peter Walker in 2004, the label is home to artists across the globe, as well as part of the burgeoning Silver Lake music scene. Their small roster of artists has enjoyed international...
. On June 21, 2011, the new, extended 10 song LP Great Civilizations was released. The band subsequently toured with label mates Minus The Bear
Minus the Bear
Minus the Bear is an American indie rock band from Seattle, Washington. Founded in 2001, the group features current and former members of Botch, Kill Sadie, and Sharks Keep Moving...
and performed hometown shows at Chicago's Metro and the Black Cat in D.C.
Musical style and influences
Chamberlin comes from a jazz background, and he notes jazz musicians Benny GoodmanBenny Goodman
Benjamin David “Benny” Goodman was an American jazz and swing musician, clarinetist and bandleader; widely known as the "King of Swing".In the mid-1930s, Benny Goodman led one of the most popular musical groups in America...
, Duke Ellington
Duke Ellington
Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American composer, pianist, and big band leader. Ellington wrote over 1,000 compositions...
, Gene Krupa
Gene Krupa
Gene Krupa was an American jazz and big band drummer and composer, known for his highly energetic and flamboyant style.-Biography:...
, and Buddy Rich
Buddy Rich
Bernard "Buddy" Rich was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. Rich was billed as "the world's greatest drummer" and was known for his virtuosic technique, power, groove, and speed.-Early life:...
as influences. He has also been compared to jazz drummer Dennis Chambers
Dennis Chambers
Dennis Chambers is an American drummer who has recorded and performed with John Scofield, George Duke, Brecker Brothers, Santana, Parliament/Funkadelic, John McLaughlin, Niacin, Mike Stern, Greg Howe, and many others. Despite a lack of formal training, Chambers has become well known among...
for his "quick hands, furious snare rolls, and crackling rimshots." In general, he is one of the few hard rock drummers to combine a driving backbeat with jazz-like flourishes. When asked about his influences in 2007, he responded:
Aside from the obvious—Keith MoonKeith MoonKeith John Moon was an English musician, best known for being the drummer of the English rock group The Who. He gained acclaim for his exuberant and innovative drumming style, and notoriety for his eccentric and often self-destructive behaviour, earning him the nickname "Moon the Loon". Moon...
, John BonhamJohn BonhamJohn Henry Bonham was an English musician and songwriter, best known as the drummer of Led Zeppelin. Bonham was esteemed for his speed, power, fast right foot, distinctive sound, and "feel" for the groove...
, Ian PaiceIan PaiceIan Anderson Paice is an English musician, best known as the drummer of the English rock band Deep Purple. As of Jon Lord's departure in 2002, he is the only founding member of the band who never stopped performing with the group, and the only member to appear on every album the band has...
—I would have to say Tony Williams, Elvin JonesElvin JonesElvin Ray Jones was a jazz drummer of the post-bop era. He showed interest in drums at a young age, watching the circus bands march by his family's home in Pontiac, Michigan....
, any of the jazz greats—Gene KrupaGene KrupaGene Krupa was an American jazz and big band drummer and composer, known for his highly energetic and flamboyant style.-Biography:...
, those people. I think, more and more, as I get older, I've developed my own rock style and I tend to pull more stuff from Elvin Jones and Tony now that I can incorporate it into a rock arena and kind of modernize it.
Other drummers that influenced Chamberlin around the recording of Zeitgeist included Bobby Caldwell
Bobby Caldwell (drummer)
Bobby Caldwell is a drummer, songwriter, producer and arranger who co-founded rock cult bands Captain Beyond and Armageddon during the first part of the 1970s. Prior to these projects he played in some of Johnny Winter's seminal albums like Live Johnny Winter And and also on Saints and Sinners...
of Captain Beyond
Captain Beyond
Captain Beyond was an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1971.-History:The original line-up for Captain Beyond were singer Rod Evans, drummer Bobby Caldwell, guitarist Larry "Rhino" Reinhardt, bassist Lee Dorman and keyboardist Lewie Gold...
, Lalo Schifrin
Lalo Schifrin
Lalo Schifrin is an Argentine composer, pianist and conductor. He is best known for his film and TV scores, such as the "Theme from Mission: Impossible". He has received four Grammy Awards and six Oscar nominations...
's Dirty Harry
Dirty Harry
Dirty Harry is a 1971 American crime thriller produced and directed by Don Siegel, the first in the Dirty Harry series. Clint Eastwood plays the title role, in his first outing as San Francisco Police Department Inspector "Dirty" Harry Callahan....
soundtrack, Weather Report
Weather Report
Weather Report was an American jazz-rock band of the 1970s and early 1980s. The band was co-led by the Austrian-born keyboard player Joe Zawinul and the American saxophonist Wayne Shorter...
, and Return to Forever
Return to Forever
Return to Forever is a jazz fusion group founded and led by keyboardist Chick Corea. Through its existence, the band has cycled through a number of different members, with the only consistent band mate of Corea's being bassist Stanley Clarke...
's Lenny White
Lenny White
Leonard White III, better known as Lenny White is an American jazz fusion drummer, who is best known for playing in Chick Corea's Return to Forever.-Biography:...
.
Chamberlin prefers not to use Pro Tools
Pro Tools
Pro Tools is a digital audio workstation platform for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X operating systems, developed and manufactured by Avid Technology. It is widely used by professionals throughout the audio industries for recording and editing in music production, film scoring, film, and television...
or click track
Click track
A click track is a series of audio cues used to synchronize sound recordings, sometimes for synchronization to a moving image. The click track originated in early sound movies, where marks were made on the film itself to indicate exact timings for musicians to accompany the film...
s; however, he used click tracks on the recording of Siamese Dream because he thought his meter
Meter (music)
Meter or metre is a term that music has inherited from the rhythmic element of poetry where it means the number of lines in a verse, the number of syllables in each line and the arrangement of those syllables as long or short, accented or unaccented...
during the Gish era was too inconsistent.
Ex-bandmate Billy Corgan
Billy Corgan
William Patrick "Billy" Corgan, Jr. is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and occasional poet best known as the frontman and sole permanent member of The Smashing Pumpkins. Formed by Corgan and guitarist James Iha in Chicago, Illinois in 1987, the band quickly gained steam with the...
has said of Chamberlin, "he's up there with Bonham
John Bonham
John Henry Bonham was an English musician and songwriter, best known as the drummer of Led Zeppelin. Bonham was esteemed for his speed, power, fast right foot, distinctive sound, and "feel" for the groove...
, you know, that level of drummer, who has been able to play a variety of music and have his style impact the way people play drums. That's the hallmark of a great drummer. And, right now, I think, pound for pound, he's the best drummer in the world."
Equipment
On the Smashing Pumpkins album Zeitgeist and subsequent tour, Chamberlin used a YamahaYamaha Drums
Yamaha Drums is a subsidiary of the Yamaha Corporation founded in 1967. The company manufactures acoustic and electronic drum kits as well as percussion instruments, marching band equipment, and drum hardware.-Production:...
Maple Custom Absolute kit with 60 (instead of standard 45) degree bearing edges. His kit consisted of two snares
Snare drum
The snare drum or side drum is a melodic percussion instrument with strands of snares made of curled metal wire, metal cable, plastic cable, or gut cords stretched across the drumhead, typically the bottom. Pipe and tabor and some military snare drums often have a second set of snares on the bottom...
(5x12 and the main snare, his 5.5x14 "Signature" model), six tom
Tom-tom drum
A tom-tom drum is a cylindrical drum with no snare.Although "tom-tom" is the British term for a child's toy drum, the name came originally from the Anglo-Indian and Sinhala; the tom-tom itself comes from Asian or Native American cultures...
s (12x14, 8x10, 9x13, and an 8x8 above his floor toms which are 16x16 and 16x18), a 16x22 bass drum
Bass drum
Bass drums are percussion instruments that can vary in size and are used in several musical genres. Three major types of bass drums can be distinguished. The type usually seen or heard in orchestral, ensemble or concert band music is the orchestral, or concert bass drum . It is the largest drum of...
, four crash cymbal
Crash cymbal
A crash cymbal is a type of cymbal that produces a loud, sharp "crash" and is used mainly for occasional accents, as opposed to in ostinato. The term "crash" may have been first used by Zildjian in 1928....
s (a 15" thin and three Zildjian A customs - 15", 18", and 19"), a 8" splash cymbal
Splash cymbal
In a drum kit, splash cymbals are the smallest accent cymbals. Splash cymbals and china cymbals are the main types of effects cymbals.The most common sized splash has a diameter of 10", followed by 8"...
, 15" New Beat hi-hat
Hi-hat
A hi-hat, or hihat, is a type of cymbal and stand used as a typical part of a drum kit by percussionists in R&B, hip-hop, disco, jazz, rock and roll, house, reggae and other forms of contemporary popular music.- Operation :...
s, a 20" China High, a 22" K Constantinople medium ride
Ride cymbal
The ride cymbal is a standard cymbal in most drum kits. It maintains a steady rhythmic pattern, sometimes called a ride pattern, rather than the accent of a crash...
, and a 22" riveted swish knocker. Chamberlin's drumhead
Drumhead
A drumhead is a membrane stretched over one or both of the open ends of a drum. The drumhead is struck with sticks, mallets, or hands so that it vibrates and the sound resonates through the drum.-History:...
s are Remo
Remo
Remo is a male given name of Latin origin - see Romulus and Remus.Remo may also refer to:* Remo, an American drum skin company* Remo , another name for the German wine grape Riesling* Remo language, a Panoan language of Brazil and Peru...
coated Ambassador on snare-side, clear Emperors on tops of toms with clear Ambassadors underneath, with a Powerstoke 3 on the bass drum batter. He uses Zildjian
Avedis Zildjian Company
The Avedis Zildjian Company is a cymbal manufacturer founded in Istanbul by Armenian Avedis Zildjian in the 17th century during the Ottoman Empire. At nearly 400 years old, Zildjian is one of the oldest companies in the world...
cymbals and Vic Firth
Vic Firth
Vic Firth is an American musician and is the founder of Vic Firth Company , a percussion stick and mallet manufacturing company that he started in 1963. The company bills itself as the world's largest manufacturer of drum sticks and mallets...
5B sticks. His signature snare drum is popular with other drummers - Chad Smith
Chad Smith
Chad Smith is an American musician, best known as the longtime and current drummer of Red Hot Chili Peppers. Smith is also the drummer of the hard rock supergroup Chickenfoot which includes Sammy Hagar, Joe Satriani, and Michael Anthony, former Deep Purple vocalist Glenn Hughes' backing band and...
has been known to use it as a second snare drum.
On the 6th of April, 2011, Chamberlin announced that he had switched from long-term drum manufacturer Yamaha to Drum Workshop
Drum Workshop
Drum Workshop is a drum and hardware manufacturing company based in Oxnard, California. Their slogan is "The Drummer's Choice".-History:...
. He has ordered a custom "prototype" Copper Lacquer Specialty with Chrome Hardware. The Shells are a ply combination of VLT Maple and Mahogany with no reinforcement hoops. The kick drum hoops are Solid Black Lacquer. The sizes are 5x8, 7x10, 8x13, 10x14 rack toms. 14x14, 16x16 floor toms. 16x22 kick and with a matching 5.5x14 snare and a stainless steel 6.5x14 snare.
Discography
The Smashing Pumpkins- 1991: GishGishGish is the debut album by American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins, released in May 1991 through Caroline Records. Frontman Billy Corgan described Gish as a "very spiritual album"...
- 1993: Siamese DreamSiamese DreamSiamese Dream is the second album by the American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins, released on July 27, 1993 on Virgin Records. The album fused diverse influences such as shoegazing, dream pop, grunge, classic rock, heavy metal, and progressive rock.Despite recording sessions fraught...
- 1995: Mellon Collie and the Infinite SadnessMellon Collie and the Infinite SadnessMellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness is the third album by American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins, released October 24, 1995 on Virgin Records. Produced by frontman Billy Corgan with Flood and Alan Moulder, the twenty-eight-track album was released as a two-disc CD and triple LP...
- 2000: Machina/The Machines of GodMACHINA/The Machines of GodMachina/The Machines of God is the fifth album by American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins, released on February 29, 2000 by Virgin Records. A concept album, it marked the return of drummer Jimmy Chamberlin and was intended to be the band's final official LP release prior to their first...
- 2000: Machina II/The Friends & Enemies of Modern MusicMACHINA II/The Friends & Enemies of Modern MusicMachina II/The Friends & Enemies of Modern Music is the sixth album by American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins. It was released for free on the Internet on September 5, 2000...
- 2007: Zeitgeist
Side projects
- 1998: The Last Hard Men (The Last Hard Men) (limited release 1998, reissue 2001)
- 2003: Mary Star of the Sea (ZwanZwanZwan was an American alternative rock band that was formed by members of The Smashing Pumpkins, Slint, Tortoise, Chavez, and A Perfect Circle. Zwan was started in late 2001 by Billy Corgan, lead singer and guitarist of The Smashing Pumpkins, after the Pumpkins disbanded in December 2000. The band...
) - 2005: Life Begins AgainLife Begins AgainLife Begins Again is the debut album by the Jimmy Chamberlin Complex . It was released on January 25, 2005 and as an Enhanced CD...
(Jimmy Chamberlin ComplexJimmy Chamberlin ComplexThe Jimmy Chamberlin Complex is an alternative rock/jazz fusion band, founded by Jimmy Chamberlin and Billy Mohler. Their debut album entitled Life Begins Again was released on January 25, 2005...
) - 2010: Great Civilizations (Skysaw)
Guest appearances
- 1994: She Knows Everything (remix) (MedicineMedicine (band)Medicine is an alternative noise-pop/rock band from the San Fernando Valley, United States. They were formed in 1991 by guitarist Brad Laner and signed to Rick Rubin's American Recordings label the following year...
) - 1997: StarjobStarjobStarjob is an EP by The Frogs that was recorded in 1994, and finally released in 1997. Billy Corgan produced the record under the alias "Johnny Goat", and Jimmy Chamberlin played bongos on the song "Raped"....
(The FrogsThe Frogs (band)The Frogs are an American rock music band founded in 1980, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, by brothers Jimmy and Dennis Flemion. The brothers mainly write and perform short, catchy pop songs, but they are also known for their improvised home recordings which are delivered in a comedic style, and often...
) - 1997: Boom! Boom! Boom! (The Kelley Deal 6000The Kelley Deal 6000The Kelley Deal 6000 was an alternative rock band formed in St. Paul, Minnesota, USA, and was active between 1995 and 1997. They were formed by Kelley Deal when she got out of rehab in 1995.-History:...
) - 2005: TheFutureEmbraceTheFutureEmbraceTheFutureEmbrace is the only solo album by Billy Corgan, frontman of the alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins. Released in June 2005, the album's sound was markedly different than most of Corgan's earlier work, eschewing his characteristic "drums, bass, big-guitars sound" in favor of an...
(Billy CorganBilly CorganWilliam Patrick "Billy" Corgan, Jr. is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and occasional poet best known as the frontman and sole permanent member of The Smashing Pumpkins. Formed by Corgan and guitarist James Iha in Chicago, Illinois in 1987, the band quickly gained steam with the...
) (appears on "DIA") - 2006: Gone (Bill MaddenBill MaddenBill Madden is an American singer-songwriter, also regarded as an indie and an activist. Madden is best known for his environmental song and music video Gone which was in rotation on television networks, mtvU in America and MuchMusic in Canada. As a short film and music video, Gone also won...
) - 2006: Help Yourself Charlie Paxson (appears on "C.Y.T")
- 2010: Not From Here (Gannin Arnold) (appears on "Not From Here" and "Get On with It")
- 2010: Metro: The Official Bootleg Series, Volume 1 (appears on "FreedomFreedom (Jimi Hendrix song)"Freedom" is a Jimi Hendrix song released in 1971 from the album The Cry of Love. The album was released posthumously in 1971 and became a major hit. This was the only single released from the album and was somewhat successful on the charts, reaching number 59 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart...
")
External links
- Jimmy's Love Letters – blogs by Chamberlin about the reformation of The Smashing Pumpkins
- The Smashing Pumpkins
- Skysaw