List of the Smashing Pumpkins band members


are an alternative rock band formed in Chicago, Illinois in 1988. The band was formed by guitarist/vocalist Billy Corgan and guitarist James Iha after the demise of Corgan's first band, the Marked. Since its inception, the Smashing Pumpkins has gone through multiple line-up changes, with Corgan the only consistent member.
After the breakup of his gothic rock band the Marked, singer and guitarist Billy Corgan left St. Petersburg, Florida, to return to his native city of Chicago, where he took a job in a record store. While working there, he met guitarist James Iha. The pair soon began writing songs together with the aid of a drum machine. Corgan met bassist D'arcy Wretzky in mid 1988 after a show by the Dan Reed Network where they argued the merits of the band. After finding out Wretzky played bass, Corgan stated his band's need for a bassist and gave Wretzky his telephone number. Wretzky soon joined the band, and she and Iha later had a short-lived romance.
The first performance of the Smashing Pumpkins was on July 9, 1988, at the Polish bar Chicago 21. This performance included only Corgan and Iha with a drum machine. On August 10, 1988, the band played for the first time as a trio at the Avalon Nightclub. After this show, Cabaret Metro owner Joe Shanahan agreed to book the band on the condition that they replace the drum machine with a live drummer. Jazz drummer Jimmy Chamberlin was recruited for the band after a recommendation from a friend of Corgan's. On October 5, 1988, the complete band took the stage for the first time at the Cabaret Metro.
Soon after the release of their third album, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness in 1995, the group recruited keyboardist Jonathan Melvoin to perform on the ensuing tour. However, on July 11, 1996, Melvion and Chamberlin overdosed on heroin in a New York City hotel room. Melvoin died, and Chamberlin was arrested for drug possession. A few days later, the band announced that Chamberlin had been fired as a result of the incident. The Pumpkins chose to finish the tour, and hired drummer Matt Walker and keyboardist Dennis Flemion as temporary replacements. Corgan later said the decision to continue touring was the worst the band had ever made, damaging both their music and their reputation.
In early 1999, Jimmy Chamberlin rejoined the band; however, the lineup was short-lived, as bassist D'arcy Wretzky announced her departure that September. She was subsequently replaced by former Hole bassist, Melissa Auf der Maur, who performed on the “Sacred and Profane" tour and appeared in music videos. On May 23, 2000, in a live radio interview on KROQ-FM, Billy Corgan announced the band's decision to break up at the end of that year following additional touring and recording. The Smashing Pumpkins played at the Cabaret Metro on December 2, 2000, before a six-year disbandment.
On July 21, 2005, Corgan stated in full-page advertisements in the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times to announce that he had planned to reunite the band. On April 20, 2006, the band's official website confirmed the reunion. Corgan and Chamberlin were verified as participants in the reunion, but there was question as to whether other former members of the band would participate. In April 2007, Iha and Auf der Maur separately confirmed that they were not taking part in the reunion. Wretzky did not make an announcement, but Chamberlin would later state that Iha and Wretzky "didn't want to be a part of" the reunion. The Smashing Pumpkins performed live for the first time since 2000 on May 22, 2007, in Paris, France, with new members Jeff Schroeder on guitar and Ginger Reyes on bass guitar, as well as keyboardist Lisa Harriton.
This line-up toured to promote the 2007 album Zeitgeist and performed again throughout 2008 to celebrate the band's 20th anniversary—this time, the instrumentation was augmented by No Doubt trumpeter Stephen Bradley and trombonist Gabrial McNair, Kristopher Pooley on accordion and keyboards, and Gingger Shankar playing the rare 10-string violin. In March 2009, Corgan announced on the band's website that longtime drummer Jimmy Chamberlin, had left the group; Chamberlin stated that the split was amicable, commenting that he was "glad has chosen to continue under the name. It is his right." Corgan later stated that he fired Chamberlin and began searching for his replacement. In August 2009, Corgan confirmed on the band's website that drummer Mike Byrne had replaced Chamberlin after a series of open auditions. Keyboardist Lisa Harriton quietly left the group in 2009. In March 2010, bassist Ginger Reyes officially left the band in order to focus on her family and was briefly replaced by Mark Tulin of the Electric Prunes. In May 2010, Nicole Fiorentino was announced as the official replacement for Pooley. However, she was later dismissed from the band in 2014, alongside Byrne. In 2015, Chamberlin rejoined the band once again on a touring basis. In February 2018, Iha and Chamberlin officially rejoined for supporting Shiny and Oh So Bright Tour.

Members

Current

, the official lineup of the Smashing Pumpkins includes one vocalist/guitarist/bassist/keyboardist, one guitarist/keyboardist, one bassist/guitarist, and one drummer
ImageNameYears activeInstrumentsRelease contributions
1988–2000, 2006–presentlead vocals, guitars, bass, keyboardsAll of the Smashing Pumpkins' releases.
1988–2000, 2018–presentguitars, bass, backing vocalsAll of the Smashing Pumpkins' releases up to 2000, and from 2018 onward.
1988–1996, 1999–2000, 2006–2009, 2015–2017, 2018–presentdrums, percussionAll of the Smashing Pumpkins' releases up to 1996, from 1999-2000, 2007 to 2009, and 2018 onward.
2007–presentguitars, keyboardsIf All Goes Wrong, all of the Smashing Pumpkins' releases from Teargarden by Kaleidyscope: Vol. 3 onward.

Current touring musicians

The following members accompanied the band in a live setting, while providing few, if any, studio contributions.
ImageNameYears activeInstruments
—2015, 2018–presentbass
2015, 2016–2018, 2019–keyboards, guitar, bass, backing vocals, various other instruments

Former

The former members of the Smashing Pumpkins consist of two bassists, one bassist/keyboardist and two drummers.
ImageNameYears activeInstrumentsRelease contributions
1988–1999bass, backing vocalsAll of the Smashing Pumpkins' releases up to Machina/The Machines of God
1998drumsnone
1999–2000bassnone
2009–2014drums, percussion, backing vocals, keyboardsTeargarden by Kaleidyscope Vol. 1–2–3, Oceania, '
2010–2014bass, keyboards, backing vocalsTeargarden by Kaleidyscope Vol. 3, Oceania, '

Former touring musicians

The following members accompanied the band in a live setting, while providing few, if any, studio contributions.
ImageNameYears activeInstruments
—1992–1994cello
—1995–1996 keyboards
—1996–1997drums, percussion
—1996–1997 keyboards
1998drums, percussion
—Dan Morris1998percussion
—1998percussion
1998–2000piano, keyboards
—2000keyboards, vocoder
—2000, 2007backing vocals
2007–2009keyboards, backing vocals
2007–2009bass, backing vocals
—2008trumpet
2008trombone
2008keyboards, accordion
200810-string violin
2010 bass
2014–2015bass
2014–2015drums
—2016–2017bass, keyboards, backing vocals, various other instruments

Studio musicians

The following musicians appeared on a Smashing Pumpkins album but were not part of the band.
Gish
Siamese Dream
Pisces Iscariot
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
Adore
Machina/The Machines of God
Teargarden'' by Kaleidyscope
Monuments to an Elegy