James Iha

[marquiSP]

I know this has been discussed up and down and it's a totally dead issue, but, since I'm sick of arguing whether or not Zeitgeist sucks and whatnot, I figured I'd start this thread.

Ok, I miss James. I think Jeff is a better guitar player, and I've seen SP three times this year and they were awesome each time, but James' humor is sorely missed. Billy has no foil on stage now. I just miss the quirkiness that James brought to the table. I hope they can patch things up at some point, even though I know that's not ever going to happen. Oh well, I'm bored and just wanted to say that.

[Cheryl K]

He (James) seems so grumpy to me these days. Can't remember where I got that impression, but I don't want him back in the band if he's going to be a crankypants.

[Cheryl K]

I just wanted to say crankypants. :D

[Moonsongs]

:D crankypants

he's just grumpy because he wants to be in tSP and his pride won't allow it. :(

actually i doubt that...this is a man who used to wear dresses.

[Kran]

I think someone pissed in his cheerios about 10 years ago, cause he's given off that grumpy, cranky vibe for about that long.

[marquiSP]

Yeah, come to think of it, it's the SD/MCIS era James that I'm thinking off. He's been kind of a bummer ever since, although I do like some of his parodies from the Machina tour (Firestarter, anyone?...). Yeah, some falling out happened around the Adore era. Probably had a lot to do with D'Arcy's departure.


Also, "crankypants" is the word of the day. :)

[kendra]

I think someone pissed in his cheerios about 10 years ago, cause he's given off that grumpy, cranky vibe for about that long.

More or less, this. He seemed at least mildly excited when he was involved with Let It Come Down (if not overly cautious) - but other than that. Pissed in the cheerios indeed.

Still miss him though - wish he'd release a substantial set of songs. I don't really care if he ever collaborates with Billy Corgan again, though.

[Osceana]

Yeah, i feel the grumpy thing. But, i will forever miss him. Jeff is cool, everyone knows that, but he will never be James, and for me to 100% completely buy the Pumpkins again, i need James.

I'm holding out in my faith that he will someday return. It's just not the same, sorry.

[Sophisticado]

Yeah, i feel the grumpy thing. But, i will forever miss him. Jeff is cool, everyone knows that, but he will never be James, and for me to 100% completely buy the Pumpkins again, i need James.

I'm holding out in my faith that he will someday return. It's just not the same, sorry.

Agreed. I'm all about new Pumpkins, but I treat them exactly as that - new Pumpkins, not the Pumpkins.

[jack-o-lantern]

Ok, I miss James. I think Jeff is a better guitar player

He (James ) was a pretty good player actually back in the day, especially in Gish era judging from what I saw mostly on Vieuphoria - the leads, the solos, improvisation, but for reason unknown it stopped so he didn't progress. I miss him as well, in a sense that we have the smashing pumpkins and James isn't a part of it. If it was called Zwan or whatever I wouldn't mind Jeff nor Ginger. So I consider them tour musicians, and can sleep peacefully :)

[jack-o-lantern]

^Jimmy was absent for 3 years, so there is hope yet for James (and Wretzky) :) I always thought if Billy was such a peoples person - how come he can't get along with James and D'arcy? And Zwan? Or they can't get along with him? :)

[CrestfallenAlex]

I always thought if Billy was such a peoples person

:smug:

[marquiSP]

^Jimmy was absent for 3 years, so there is hope yet for James (and Wretzky) :) I always thought if Billy was such a peoples person - how come he can't get along with James and D'arcy? And Zwan? Or they can't get along with him? :)

That's totally different circumstances though. Jimmy royally fucked up and was fired for it. So when he returned, he WANTED to come back. James and Billy just hate each other, and I doubt James will come back unless they mend their relationship somehow.

Also, about your previous comment: I wouldn't say James got decent at the guitar until Mellon Collie. He doesn't do much in Vieuphoria and mainly just plays lead during parts with vocals. The bits of soloing Jeff gets to due in, say, Heavy Metal Machine, is genuinely good soloing.

[Rotting Apples]

:smug:

My thoughts exactly. Please explain what you mean, jack-o-lantern, by Billy being a "people's person".

[WorldView]

Also, about your previous comment: I wouldn't say James got decent at the guitar until Mellon Collie. He doesn't do much in Vieuphoria and mainly just plays lead during parts with vocals. The bits of soloing Jeff gets to due in, say, Heavy Metal Machine, is genuinely good soloing.

Agreed.

[FrowningSmile]

I saw James play with A Perfect Circle one time, and he just stood dead still on the side of the stage. He looked like he was gonna fall asleep. On the Machina tour, he looked like he was ready to just sit down and play. Hopefully he can get his shit together and enjoy himself some more, then he should come back. U know get the space helmet on and bust out the blaster. that's the james we need in tSP

[marquiSP]

Yeah, maybe he needs to get laid or something. Who knows?


I do know that Billy didn't look very into it when I saw them in Asheville, but he looked like he was having fun at the Voodoo performance. Maybe Bill needs to shoot some Prozac James' way...

[jack-o-lantern]

Also, about your previous comment: I wouldn't say James got decent at the guitar until Mellon Collie. He doesn't do much in Vieuphoria

Vieuphoria Lost '94 tapes (and Quiet and Soma leads)

Mellon Collie didn't feature any hard to play leads for James !-LIVE-! (nor Billy for that matter (just TAFH comes to mind)). Nor did Adore live, nor Machina live.

About the peoples person part..I'll sort of quote Billy: "I'm giving it all to the people", "We are the Smashing Pumpkins and we're here for you", "We are doing the best music out there for you (fans)"...I never thought of those as pure propaganda. Have you? :D (And that friendly smile towards anyone new he meets, you can't fake that :) )

[Liam-M]

:heart: :cry:

[i]

:heart: :cry:
qft

[Daysleeper]

. On the Machina tour, he looked like he was ready to just sit down and play.


That's interesting. When I saw the band on the Sacred & Profane tour right near the end of the band (Nov 00), James was pretty in to it, and at one point I distinctively remember him rocking out and jumping up with his guitar as he played. It looked pretty cool.

The man doesn't want to be back in the band...can we just let that rest, please.

[CrestfallenAlex]

The man doesn't want to be back in the band...can we just let that rest, please.

:yes:

Anyone who can't understand this is having difficulty imagining the situation from the perspective of someone other than a fan.

[kendra]

That's interesting. When I saw the band on the Sacred & Profane tour right near the end of the band (Nov 00), James was pretty in to it, and at one point I distinctively remember him rocking out and jumping up with his guitar as he played. It looked pretty cool.

The man doesn't want to be back in the band...can we just let that rest, please.

Yeah I was gonna say uhh...the show I saw in April of '00, James was amazing. And dare I say more animated with his instrument than the Crog. Hair shakin' droppin' to the knees all out rocking. It seemed that he very much so enjoyed playing, even if he didn't enjoy being in the band.

[FrowningSmile]

wish i would have made it to one of those shows. i guess indiana has the ability to suck the life out of everyone

[WorldView]

He was kind of dead at the April 00 show I went too...however he was going crazzzzy at the United Center show. Him and Billy jumping up at times and rocking out!!

I was also at Storytellers, summer 00 and James seemed pretty dead. I even accidentally ran into him on the street hours before the show and he didn't even seem like he wanted to be bothered..

[jack-o-lantern]

James Iha = Smashing Pumpkins :-D That kid's all right!

[Kran]

Not that we'll ever know, but man, I'd love to know what it is that happened between Corganus & James...Was it some crazy single event, or a game of attrition. What is it with our facination with other people's business. I'm no busy body by any means, but i'm as bad as anyone else when the dirt gets slung.

[weepingwillowly]

Ok, I miss James. I think Jeff is a better guitar player, and I've seen SP three times this year and they were awesome each time, but James' humor is sorely missed.

right!!!jeff is simply marvellous on the new version of hmm!!! when i saw him in the Grand Rex, i told to myself:"OMG a fucking shoegazer sic...." and when i saw him in a festival in France in august, i seemed different to me..i just seems to learn and improve himself slowly and we have to respect that.it was also funny to see him shatter his guitar after technical problem this summer

[kendra]

Not that we'll ever know, but man, I'd love to know what it is that happened between Corganus & James...Was it some crazy single event, or a game of attrition. What is it with our facination with other people's business. I'm no busy body by any means, but i'm as bad as anyone else when the dirt gets slung.

Cos you care about the band, more or less. To make a bad analogy, it's like if your friends are fighting and you have no clue why (until someone fills you in). Not saying we're all BUDDY BUDDY PALZ with The Smashing Pumpkins, but I'd say most of the folks on this board know enough about the people and the band to be interested in what exactly what down and why things are the way they are. It shouldn't really matter if you're coming at it from "THE MUSIC IS ALL THAT MATTERS OKAAAYYYY", but it's not a failing of your character that you're interested in more than that.

[Avalinaelise]

. i guess indiana has the ability to suck the life out of everyone



yes indiana does suck the life out of everyone and everything!

[kendra]

I'll third that as well. Martinsville, lick my unwiped asshole.

[marquiSP]

The man doesn't want to be back in the band...can we just let that rest, please.

I was just reflecting on what's missing from the band in his absence. No one is harboring delusions that he'll be back. Yeah, I hope he's happy in whatever it is he's doing these days, but I'll miss his goofiness all the same.


Plus, I was sick of reading Gish elimination threads. Sue me.

[i]

I have to admit I had a lame dream 2 nights ago that involved James and Billy on stage. At one point James and Billy were both playing percussion (some bongos and assorted non-drumset percussion) while Jimmy was on acoustic guitar. That was weird.

Martinsville, lick my unwiped asshole.

eww!!

[Evil Meanie]

I really don't think that Billy hates James, I think it is the other way around...or at least it was at first.

I remember it really looked like Billy was trying to suck up to James at times on the Machina tour. Adding "Blew Away," to some of the sets, and even having James play "Go" at the last concert...(didn't James say that he had no idea that was going to happen, or something?) I even have a show (can't be bothered to see which one) where Billy is introducing James, and ends it with, "..and most of all, I just call him a friend, Mr. James Iha."

I can't speculate on what damaged their relationship, but I suspect it had something to do with D'arcy's departure, and possibly Jimmy's return. However, I think Billy got pissed at James for not saying goodbye at the final concert or whatever, and finally brought it public on his old brightly colored blog. Even his more recent confessions haven't exactly spoken highly of James.

As far as seeing James in the band again, I think it'd be a little unfair to Jeff if his place is suddenly taken by a guy who opted out of being in the band when he had the chance. (And I know for a fact that I read somewhere that Jimmy sent an e-mail 'reaching out' to James..so he was at least asked about it.) It's not that I have a lack of fondness for James, but Jeff is doing his job, and doing it very well....and I'm sorry, but Zeitgeist sounds like a genuine Pumpkins album to me, and it didn't have a bit of Iha's influence, so I doubt his return would change the sound or the direction of the band very much at all. If anything, it would add more stage banter.

But then again...if Roger Waters can play with Pink Floyd again, after a fucking legal battle over the name, and having his fantastic solo albums almost completely ignored as a result of Gilmour getting the Floyd name...then absolutely anything can happen.

[Kran]

Agreed on everything you've said here, especially Zeitgeist sounding like genuine Pumpkins.

[kendra]

Adding "Blew Away," to some of the sets

Yeah, and then stepping up to the front of the stage during the solo of the song and doing that little move where he makes all the girls shriek by pushing his crotch/guitar out at them, and generally making sure the spotlight was on him as it should be at all times, while James looked on bemusedly. :lol: What the fuck ever, man. Billy Corgan is all about Billy Corgan! :D

I did like his little lines about James during that tour, though. "My friend, my lover, my muse....James Iha."

[Evil Meanie]

I didn't watch him play the song, I've only heard it, so I wasn't aware that he took center stage. I thought that he faced the back or stepped to the side or something....

[sotherbee]

I did like his little lines about James during that tour, though. "My friend, my lover, my muse....James Iha."

I always liked when I heard Billy refer to him as James "Wahfoot" Iha. The 01-24-2000 show's third encore (XYU+We Love You) was a good one if you like hearing Billy rant for 19 minutes. He does talk about James for a few minutes in the middle though.

[WorldView]

I didn't watch him play the song, I've only heard it, so I wasn't aware that he took center stage. I thought that he faced the back or stepped to the side or something....

At the show I went to Billy stayed at the center spot and James just sang from left field.

Hearing Blew Away live was cool, but I wasn't too crazy about the rushed Machina version of it.

[CrestfallenAlex]

Let me get this straight.


and if you need her
you know that she'll be there

stay awake, i lie here
with her and i fall
and when i wake inside you
i know you know i'm yours

blew, blew away
but i don't wanna fade
blew, blew


The girl gives him a blowjob but he still has a boner so he waits until she falls asleep, slips inside her and starts going at it, and he expects her to reaction to this to be happiness at how devoted he is to her?

[CrestfallenAlex]

Ohh, wait..."when *I* wake inside YOU"...so it really is some sort of mutually somnambulistic intercourse. Okay.

[kendra]

I always tittered at that line myself, Paul. But I have nfi what he is going on about.

[i]

Me neither but yes there was always some kind of weird sexual connotation in that sweet song.

[LithiumCore]

I'm a huge zeitgeist fan, and after seeing the new lineup live I gotta say they really bring it, but as much as I like Jeff I would love for James to come back. I wouldn't want to see Jeff kicked out of the band on James's account but in the event that Jeff moves on there is no one else I'd rather see come in.

Honestly, I'd like to see Jeff and James both featured on guitar. I'm not exactly sure how it'd work out but I'm sure with 3 guitarists they'd still sound like the Smashing Pumpkins. I'd be totally enthusiastic about that lineup, simply because, like many of you, I have such fond memories of James. The Smashing Pumpkins are still the legit Smashing Pumpkins without James... but he really brought something that was irreplaceable; something that was about more than just his guitar playing.

And about James and Billy's relationship... if I had to guess, I'd have to say that it isn't going to be a permanent split. Even if James doesn't rejoin the Pumpkins, I see him and Corgan making amends eventually-even if it takes years. They seemed to be pretty good friends and even though Billy has said some pretty insulting things about him; he's also acknowledged that James was a great person and his underlying closeness with James has still managed to eek its way out. I think time will blow over whatever caused such a rift between the two; hopefully anyway.

...I just straight up miss James. He needs to hurry up and get that 2nd solo album out; how hard can it be to make 10 bubble-gummy songs with "love" in the title? Get it together, Iha!