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Gish
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Gish | |||||
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| Studio album by The Smashing Pumpkins | |||||
| Released | May 28, 1991 | ||||
| Recorded | December 1990 – March 1991 at Smart Studios, in Madison, Wisconsin | ||||
| Genre | Alternative rock | ||||
| Length | 45:45 | ||||
| Label | Caroline; reissued on Virgin in 1994 | ||||
| Producer | Butch Vig, Billy Corgan | ||||
| Professional reviews | |||||
| The Smashing Pumpkins chronology | |||||
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| Singles from Gish | |||||
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Gish is The Smashing Pumpkins' debut album. Released in 1991, Billy Corgan described Gish as a "very spiritual album."[1]
Despite peaking at a mere #195 in the U.S. upon its release, Gish is currently certified platinum. As of May 2005, its U.S. sales stand at 1.1 million.
Contents |
Gish was recorded from December 1990 to March 1991 in Butch Vig's Smart Studios in Madison, Wisconsin. Whereas many albums at the time used drum sampling and processing, Gish used unprocessed drum recordings, and an exacting, unique guitar sound.[2] The album was recorded quickly by Pumpkins' standards, largely because of the group's inexperience.[3] The recording sessions put an intense strain on the band, with D'arcy later commenting that she didn't know how the band survived it, and Corgan later saying he suffered a nervous breakdown.[3] The recording cost $20,000.[4] James Iha bought his first Gibson Les Paul guitar for the recording of Gish. He used these model guitars almost exclusively until 1998's Adore.
The first mastering of Gish on CD was from Digital Audio Tape and appeared on Caroline Records. In 1994, after the success of follow-up Siamese Dream, the album was given a slight remaster and redesign and was reissued on Virgin Records.[5] Both editions credit Howie Weinberg as mastering engineer.
Gish was recorded towards the end of Billy Corgan's psychedelic influence, while the band's Post Punk roots had almost entirely evaporated. It introduced the heavy metal sound and heavy dynamic shifts that would characterize later Pumpkins work.
"I Am One", "Rhinoceros", and "Bury Me" were previously recorded as demos by the band in early 1989. All three songs were re-recorded for Gish. "Daydream" was also recorded during the same sessions. Unlike the other three, the band used the actual demo recording of the song from 1989.[citation needed]
Billy Corgan would later say,
| “ | The album is about pain and spiritual ascension. People ask if it's a political album. It's not a political album, it's a personal album. In a weird kind of way, Gish is almost like an instrumental album - it just happens to have singing on it, but the music overpowers the band in a lot of places. I was trying to say a lot of things I couldn't really say in kind of intangible, unspeakable ways, so I was capable of doing that with the music, but I don't think I was capable of doing it with words.[3] | ” |
The album was named after silent film icon Lillian Gish. In an interview, Billy Corgan said, "My grandmother used to tell me that one of the biggest things that ever happened was when Lillian Gish rode through town on a train, my grandmother lived in the middle of nowhere, so that was a big deal..."[1] Later, Corgan asserted that the album was originally going to be called "Fish" but was changed to "Gish" to avoid comparisons to jam band Phish.[6]
Gish was met with largely enthusiastic reviews. Greg Kot of the Chicago Tribune called Gish "perhaps the most audacious and accomplished" of all 1991 albums released by local bands.[4] Rolling Stone called it "awe-inspiring" with "meticulously calculated chaos" and a "swirling energy."[7] Despite an inauspicious start, the album sold 100,000 copies in less than a year, far exceeding the expectations of indie label Caroline Records.[8] After being reissued on the band's new label Virgin, the album went on to achieve platinum status.
Until The Offspring released Smash in 1994, Gish was the best selling album on an indie label.
All songs written by Billy Corgan, except "I Am One" by Corgan/James Iha.
- "I Am One" – 4:07
- "Siva" – 4:20
- "Rhinoceros" – 6:32
- "Bury Me" – 4:48
- "Crush" – 3:35
- "Suffer" – 5:11
- "Snail" – 5:11
- "Tristessa" – 3:33
- "Window Paine" – 5:51
- "Daydream" – 3:08
- "I'm Going Crazy"[9] (hidden track) – 1:00
- "Siva" was a limited edition 12"/CD with "Window Paine"
- "Rhinoceros" appeared on the Lull EP, although the 30 second feedback ending was cut on the EP.
- "I Am One" was re-released as a single on CD with "Plume" and "Starla"
- "Tristessa", a single prior to the recording of the album, was not re-released as a single
The following songs are those that were written and recorded for Gish but did not make the final cut. All but two of the tracks were released on future recordings.
- "Blue" (released on the Lull EP and Pisces Iscariot)
- "Obscured" (released on Pisces Iscariot)
- "Slunk" (released on the Lull EP)
- "Why Am I So Tired?" (released on Earphoria)
- "Jesus Loves His Babies" (Never officially released, does appear on Mashed Potatoes bootleg, a five disc set assembled by Billy Corgan and given to band and staff as a gift for Christmas 1994)
- "La Dolly Vita" (originally the B-side to "Tristessa", re-released on Pisces Iscariot)
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Top Heatseekers | 6 |
| 1991 | The Billboard 200 | 195 |
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | "Rhinoceros" | Modern Rock Tracks | 27 |
| 1992 | "I Am One" | UK Singles Chart | 73 |
- Billy Corgan – vocals, guitar, producer
- D'arcy – bass, vocals on "Daydream," layout
- James Iha – guitar, vocals
- Jimmy Chamberlin – drums
- Butch Vig – producer, engineer
- Howie Weinberg – mastering
- Bob Knapp – photography
- Michael Lavine – photography
- Chris Wagner – violin and viola on "Daydream"
- Mary Gaines – cello on "Daydream"
Gish also features an uncredited flautist on "Suffer".
- ^ a b Caro, Mark. "Smashing Pumpkins Finds a New Home at Caroline Records". Chicago Tribune. Friday, December 28, 1990.
- ^ Jones, Nick. "Fuck Off... We're From Chicago!" Spiral Scratch Magazine. 1992/01/09-23.
- ^ a b c MTV Rockumentary: Smashing Pumpkins. Aired 1995/10/17.
- ^ a b Kot, Greg. "Out of the Patch for Smashing Pumpkins." Chicago Tribune, 1991/06/21.
- ^ Corgan, Billy (March 1997), "10 Most Influential Productions", Musician Magazine, <http://www.pumpkins.it/billyinter.html>
- ^ Corgan, Billy. Caller Q&A. Rockline Radio Show. Broadcast 1998/07/13
- ^ "Meticulously Calculated Chaos." Rolling Stone. August 8, 1991.
- ^ Gooch, Marshall. "Smashing Pumpkins: Worst Case Scenario." Reflex Magazine: 1992/04/07.
- ^ Identified by Billy Corgan in a KROQ interview, 1996/02/03.