In 2018, it was announced that James Iha and Jimmy Chamberlin would rejoin The Smashing Pumpkins. A tour and new music (produced by Rick Rubin), were announced to celebrate the reunion. Those Rick Rubin sessions were originally conceived as 2 EPs, but over time it became an album (or not according to Billy?). The result was Shiny and Oh So Bright - Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun. Joining Frank to discuss SAOSBV1LPNPNFNS is fellow Pumpkinhead Evangelina Sanchez! 

Evangelina and Frank discuss the feeling of being all "alone - together" as Pumpkins fans, how Shiny fits into the ATUM storyline, being a creative trying to rise above your mammoth past, a wishlist of Shiny songs to hear live, modern production pros and cons and Solara speaking to why we gravitate towards the Pumpkins.

While some fans heralded the return, others were dismissive. It's an album that has a complicated history with fans, critics...and possibly the band? But much like Monuments To An Elegy, there's a lot here to still dig into and enjoy.

Will the "Woahwoahwoahwoahwoahwhoah" crowd rise?! Become the owl at midnight!

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Happy Adore 25th Anniversary! Frank recently had a chat with Pumpkins producer, engineer and mixer, Howard Willing, and one topic that came up was his experience working on Adore. We thought it would be fitting to share a snippet from this interview in celebration of the 25th Anniversary of Adore. The rest of the interview, plus a proper Adore 25th Anniversary episode will be out later this month.

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In 2017, the wheels were in motion for Jimmy Chamberlin's return to the Smashing Pumpkins. But before his triumphant return to the Pumpkins, he returned with his other band, the "Jimmy Chamberlin Complex" and released his 2nd JCC album titled "The Parable". A jazz/fusion itch Jimmy gets to scratch outside of the Pumpkins. Joining Frank as guest co-host (returning from the SKYSAW episode) is Patreon member Joe!

We talk about the more jazz/fusion angle "The Parable" takes as opposed to the jazz/alternative rock feel of SKYSAW and "Life Begins Again", Sarsten Noice's art for the album and how it associates with its themes (and with Jimmy) and we heap tons of praises, as always, for Jimmy's incredible skills. 

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In 2017, Billy Corgan released his 2nd solo album, "Ogilala", but this time under the name William Patrick Corgan and with a much more organic and stripped-down sound. It's an album containing some of Corgan's best work and illustrates the power of his songwriting and ability to bend and shape the core of a song into the sound he envisions.

Joining Frank as guest co-host is a long-time friend and Pumpkinhead, Dr. Thomas Whitfield. Thomas digs deep and uses his Ph.D. to help break down the lyrics with surgical detail. If getting super in-depth and nerdy diving into WPC lyrics is your bag, then this episode is for you!

Frank and Thomas discuss being wary of people who aren’t passionate about something/anything, hiding Mellon Collie and the Goosebumps books from religious parents, seeds of CYR and ATUM found in Ogilala and Thomas' “Special K” experience with the album.

Plus a quick chat about the gorgeous short film, Pillbox, co-directed by Linda Strawberry.

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And then there were two. With the departure of Mike Byrne and Nicole Fiorentino, Corgan led the charge with guitarist Jeff Schroeder to make 2014's Monuments To An Elegy. An album with nods to its rock past as well as the Pumpkins' synthy future. Joining Frank as guest co-host to do a track-by-track breakdown of this album is former guest of the 'kast, ⁠Stephen Patrick Zapata-Kelly⁠!

Down a drummer, Corgan & Schroeder turned to Mötley Crüe's Tommy Lee for an assist to achieve the bombastic and skilled attack needed to match the energy of the songs (as well as Rage Against The Machine's Brad Wilk on drums and The Killer's Mark Stoermer on bass for live shows).

As the Teargarden project aspirations faded away (and with the subsequent abandonment of the Day For Night album), the future of the Pumpkins was looking dire once again. Luckily, time has shown that the Pumpkins are still going strong and with hindsight, a revisit of Monuments yields great rewards. Especially for fans who may not love the sounds of CYR or Atum (even though we get some glances in a few of Monuments' tracks).

Ultimately, Monuments is an album that Stephen and Frank agree is "like a good slice of pizza".

Lover, you're strange if you miss this episode!

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Pardon our John Wick nod in the title, but another badass, Jack Bates, is making his third appearance on the 'kast!

Jack joins Frank to discuss the Spirits on Fire Tour, the Mexico City World is a Vampire Festival, the upcoming Australian tour and so much more!

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Simon Mateljan of Ozphoria joins Frank to discuss his experience with the 2012 Oceania Australian tour!

(Link for Wil Anderson interview mentioned in the show HERE.)

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Yod He Vau He Om, Pumpkinheads! Today on the 'kast, we cover the critically acclaimed, post-reformation fan-favorite album OCEANIA! An album so special, Frank and Pat just had to assemble in person at Pumpkast HQ to dive head first into its briny depths. 

Frank and Pat discuss "deep" concepts like the "God umbrella," the beautiful truth of the lyric, "everything I want is free," and the spiritual connection "Pale Horse" has to "Adore." All that plus a possible nod to the Italian horror classic "Suspiria" and some speculation as to exactly what kind of "Special K" we're talking about on "The Celestials" (wouldn't be the first time Billy made reference to a beloved breakfast food – Pop Tarts, anyone?).  

We also thoroughly sing the praises of this incarnation of the band, which included Jeff "The Shredder" Schroeder, Mike Byrne's undeniable drum chops and the incredible bass contributions and backing vocals of Nicole Fiorentino. 

We hope you love this episode "101 percent"!

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Before we dive in for the track-by-track breakdown of Oceania, we take some time to cover the history of the album and this particular era of the Pumpkins. 

Joining Frank as guest co-host this episode is previous Pumpkast roundtable guest and dedicated Pumpkinhead Kim Rosas! In addition to covering the history of the Oceania era, Frank & Kim discuss their Pumpkin fandom around 2012 (and now), what it was like waiting for the song you wanted to listen to/record on the radio in the 90s, an unusual gymnasium SP show at the Florida State Fair and how the music of Billy/SP feels like fate and why we're devout members of the Church of Pumpkins (Churchkins?). 

Plus, we give mad props to the impossible task Mike Byrne found himself in and throw in some much-deserved love and praise for bassist Nicole Fiorentino and guitarist Jeff  Schroeder. 

It's a special and unique era for the Pumpkins that over time (as usual) finally got the love and recognition it deserves. 

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We end 2022 by covering the 2012 James Iha solo album "Look To The Sky", the sonically ambitious follow-up to Iha's first solo album "Let It Come Down". Pat remains out and Frank battles a cold but here to help Frank cover this overlooked gem is Patreon member and Aussie Pumpkinhead David Jepsen!

We talk about the album's excellent production, James gettin' sleazy by aping Iggy Pop, "Sad Happy Songs" and the incredible stable of James' talented friends appearing on the album including Karen O & Nick Zinner of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of Wayne, Nina Persson of The Cardigans, Sara Quin of Tegan and Sara, Mike Garson, Tom Verlaine of Television and Nathan Larson of Shudder to Think. 

Pump this 'kast while your eyes are glued on a valium gloomy day!

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