Interview in Vox Magazine
| The heroin-related death of their keyboardist and the subsequent arrest and firing of their drummer marked the nadir of the SMASHING PUMPKINS' turbulent eight-year career. BILLY CORGAN discusses the consequences of the tragedy for the Chicago band... | By David Fricke Pictures by Scalet Page |
| BILLY CORGAN remembers answering the phone at his Manhattan hotel, the Four Seasons at about 5am. The call was from Tim Lougee, aka Gooch, co-tour manager for the Smashing Pumpkins. Gooch was in drummer limmy Chamberlin's room at the Regency Hotel, on Park Avenue, with one of the band's security managers, Bill Sitkiwiecz. Gooch's message was simple and devastating: "Jimmy's OD'd Jonathan's dead. Cops are here." In a matter of hours, Corgan was supposed to be on stage with Chamberlin, guitarist James Iha and bassist D'Arcy for the first of two sold-out shows at New York's Madison Square Garden. Instead, in just a few moments during the early hours of July 12, what was supposed to be one of the most triumphant days in the singer-guitarist's life and the Pumpkins' eight-year career had collapsed in ruins. Jonathan Melvoin, a 34-year-old keyboard player hired last December to play with the group on tour, was dead, the victim of a mixture of alcohol and a lethal strain of heroin known as Red Rum. The 32-year-old Chamberlin, who was using heroin with Melvoin that night, had not overdosed but was in police custody and about to be charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance. Later that morning, Corgan, Iha and D'Arcy (last name Wretzky) were taken to the 19th Precinct police station on East 67th Street for questioning, then released and left to contemplate the tragedy of Melvoin's death, Chamberlin's serious legal plight and the Pumpkins' precarious future. "I guess they wanted to know if we were involved," Corgan says later of their questioning by the police. "I think they thought maybe bands were like gangs, and it was all interconnected: If somebody in the band was doing drugs, then everybody in the band was. In the end they turned out to be just doing their job." | |
| It has been nearly three months since Melvoin's death and Chamberlain's
arrest and subsequent firing by the band. Corgan is sitting in a lounge at Chung King Varick Street Studios in downtown Manhattan, where he's busy mixing a new clutch of Pumpkins B-sides. He's talking on record for the first time about the circumstances leading up to that disastrous morning and the consequences - immediate and long-term - that he and the band must now address. Corgan is dressed entirely in black (boots, pants, long-sleeved turtleneck), and the sober ensemble contrasts dramatically with the white-marble pallor of his closely shaven head and broad, boyish face. "The initial wave of thought was: 'OK, Jimmy's got a court date, Jimmy's going into rehab. Four weeks and we'll be back on tour,"' Corgan continues, going back to the events of July 12. "Part of this is denial. You just want everything to go back to the way it was. And I don't mean we were being insensitive. The idea of going back on-stage was completely horrifying. |
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"We just went into that mode. As someone in the band
pointed out - I think it was D'Arcy - people on the outside don't realise
that, in a band, you're used to dealing with stressful situations. Dealing
with this was, in a weird way, like dealing with just another crazy fucking
day. "It wasn't until 48 hours later that the bomb hit. The real weight
of it: Jonathan’s life, jimmy's life. It was completely devastating"
The devastation was wide-spread On July 17, five days after Chamberlin
s arrest and shortly after he'd entered a patient rehabilitation program
at an undisclosed facility, he was notified by phone by Pumpkins co-manager
Peter Mensch that the band had fired him. Corgan considered telling the
drummer personally, but felt:  "There's
nothing I want to hear him say." Chamberlin had a long history of
drug addiction and alcohol problems, and the catastrophe at the Regency
Hotel wasn't "the final straw," Corgan insists. "It was
the final brick." Chamberlin appeared in New York City criminal court
for arraignment on August 13 on the possession charge, which stemmed from
drug paraphernalia and a small amount of heroin that the police found in
his Regency Hotel room. But the case was put over until September 25 to
enable the District Attorney's office to complete its investigation. The
charge carries a maximum sentence of one year in jail, but Chamberlin's
attorney, Richard Schaeffer, speculates that because the drummer had no
previous offences, "the district attorney might agree to come to some
form of dismissal." Schaeffer says that, to his knowledge, Chamberlin
was never in any danger of facing additional charges in connection with
Melvoin's death: "I don't think that the police would have released
him that day if that were the case." As to why Chamberlin was staying
in a different hotel to the rest of the Pumpkins, Schaeffer says that his
client told him: "There was some groupie who was harassing him. He
was trying to isolate himself so he wouldn't be found by that person."
When asked if the drummer's explanation might have been a cover for going
off to use drugs, Schaeffer says: "jimmy's statement to me seemed
logical and sensible. I just accept that at face value." |
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| JONATHAN MELVOIN's death its cause and allegations about his use of hard drugs, left his family in shock His lather, Michael Melvoin one time chairman of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Science, has been instrumental in launching its MusiCares Substance Abuse Initiative, an out reach programme combating drug abuse in the music industry On July 25 Jonathan's younger sisters Susannah and Wendy, also singers and musicians, issued a statement describing his death as "a tragedy and a travesty, a freak accident." They insisted he "was not a drug abuser," saying "A recreational digression took a deadly turn, and we pray that our loss will not be' in vain... We are consoled in our grief only' by the' hope that the circumstances surrounding Jonathan’s death will inspire at least one person to reconsider before challenging the vagaries of fate. “Jonathan is survived by his wife, Laura Marie Vasquez, arid an infant son, Jacob Arthur, who was born in March "I still think about Jonathan and I can't picture him dead,' says Corgan. He says that during the six months Melvoin toured with them. "Jonathan was with us in just about everything We didn't exclude him from (band) dinners or any thing "The weirdest thing was, I was in the police station with my head down, and I was so tired, I wasn't even thinking Somebody walked in, and the way they walked I went 'Oh, that's Jonathan ' In my brain it said: 'Jonathan ' I looked up and it was a cop "You just refuse to accept that somebody is really dead." Corgan admits soberly "It's like they're on permanent vacation" |
" I still belive
that we are a blessed, Billy Corgan |
Melvoin came to the band with high
recommendation Corgan says he met vocalist Chris Connelly of Revoltiing
Cocks late last year Connelly - who worked with Melvoin told Corgan'. "I
hear you're looking for a keyboard player I really like this guy I think
he'll fit the bill'. He's a good person. he won't drive you fucking nuts.”For
the most part, Melvoin lived up to his advance billing When Melvoin joined
the Smashing Pumpkins as a backing keyboard player last December, the Pumpkins
were riding a tidal wave of commercial success Their recent double CD,
'Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness', was on its way to selling more
than six million copies and the band was setting out on a year'-long world
tour. Tragedy first struck in early May, a 17-year-old girl died of massive
internal injuries in the mosh pit at the Pumpkins' Dublin concert But it
was largely an exciting and auspicious time for them'. "From everything
I was told and everything I felt, Corgan insists, "we were playing
the best concerts we'd ever played, for once, we were hitting on all cylinders'.
Corgan says that Melvoin “fit in right away'.  I
kept telling him 'I'm very proud and happy you’re here and you're doing
your job, and at the same time you're not getting into the middle of our
little world. “While playing with the band, Melvoin also got to showcase
his drumming prowess in the Pumpkins' long, psychedelicised jams on the
'Siamese Dream' track 'Silverfuck'. Corgan says he was aware of rumours
that Melvoin had some history of drug use. "I spoke to him personally."
Corgan claims, "and he assured me up and down that there would be
none of that going on this tour, that playing with us was a completely
great opportunity. and he would do absolutely nothing to fuck that up And
except for those foray's off the deep end, there was no evidence that he
was ill-intentioned "According to Corgan. those "forays"
were two separate incidents involving heroin use by both Melvoin and Chamberlin
during the spring Asian and European legs of the Pumpkins' tour. The first
one was in Bangkok. Thailand, in late February. "Jonathan was fine,
but Jimmy' was definitely out of it," Corgan says "And because
we were in Thailand, we didn't call anybody. What are you gonna do? The
next your know, your need an interpreter So we just dealt with it ourselves.
“The second, more serious event occurred in Lisbon, Portugal'. in May.
Corgan says that Chainberlin and Melvoin were both found: unconscious outside
a hotel by hotel staff and rushed to hospital for emergency treatment'.
“Adrenaline shots to the heart the whole Pulp Fiction bit." as Corgan
puts it'. "After the first time it happened, I had a talk with Jonathan
where I told him: ' 'If this happens again, you're gonna be fired. "
says Corgan "After Lisbon, I told him: 'You're fired, but I want your
to finish the I tour because you're gonna leave us in the lurch. He was
very forlorn, very repentant When the Pumpkins opened their US summer tour,
in Saginaw, Michigan, on June 25, Melvoin was still playing with the band.
"When I really thought about it, I thought he's not just some guy
I hired who came off the Poison tour’. “Corgan recalls "I liked him
so much I thought that as a friend , he deserved another chance".
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The PUMPKINS confronted Jimmy Chamberlin's
renewed drug use with a different tack, an approach that reflected his
status as an official member and the powerhouse -rhythm force in the Pumpkins'
sound "With Jimmy, it was back in the category of : 'You need help.
Something's gotta happen,"' says Corgan. "It was addressed as
What can we do? I guess part of the problem is, having been through it
before, we viewed it as'. 'Here's how we deal with it " Chamberlin
was born on June 10, 1964 in Joliet, Illinois'. Back in 1994 Chamberlin
described: his family life as: "Highly dysfunctional. My father was
really abusive'. I decided early on that I didn't want to be like him'. "
A graduate of Northern Illinois University. Chamberlin played in jazz bands
and worked as a carpenter in Chicago before joining the Pumpkins'. The
drummer's first major substance abuse crisis as a Pumpkin came when Chamberlin
went into rehabilitation for alcohol and heroin addiction during the sessions
for the group's 1993 album, 'Siamese Dream'. (His sponsor was Red Hot Chili
Peppers and ex-lane's Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro.( Halfway through
the Pumpkins' tour to promote that album, Chamberlin underwent rehab for
the second time. "After That," Corgan says, "we set up support
systems by which this would never happen again." (Queried as to whether
he has used drugs in the past, Corgan replies firmly: "I would never
lie about that. Yeah, I have. Let's just say I'm no angel. Have I ever
used drugs to the extent that it destroyed my life? No. Have I ever endangered
anyone else with my drug use? No. I'm not perfect either. I've talked openly
about taking so much LSD during the 'Gish' period that I was stuttering.")
Corgan points out that, to the best of his knowledge, Chamberlin was "basically
clean" when the 'Mellon Collie...' album was issued last autumn. "When
I say 'basically clean,' was he drinking occasionally? Yes," says
Corgan. "Did I hear rumours? Yes. Did I see it? No. Did I worry? Yes."
According to the police, Chamberlin and Melvoin were in Chamberlin's room
at the Regency Hotel, using heroin late on the night of July 11 They both
passed out. When Chamberlin awoke at about 3,30am the next morning, Melvoin
was still unconscious. Chamberlin failed to rouse him and called Pumpkins
security manager Bill Sitkiwiecz for help. The two made several unsuccessful
attempts to revive Melvoin, then called 911 at approximately 4am. Paramedics
declared Melvoin dead at the scene at 4.15am According to the New York
medical examiner's report, Melvoin died of an accidental overdose of alcohol
and opiates. Chamberlin was arrested and charged with criminal possession
of a controlled substance, a misdemeanour. His attorney, Richard Schaeffer,
says the police found traces of heroin on a hypodermic needle as well as
additional packets of the narcotic in Chamberlin's room. Detective Alex
Perez of the New York Police Department took Chamberlin's statement at
the 19th precinct station at about l0am. Chamberlin was finally released
by the police at 2.15 9pm. "He was very upset at the death of his
friend," Perez says, "but he was very co-operative and gave us
no attitude at all. "Corgan, Iha and D'Arcy were brought in to the
station for questioning, Perez says: "just to see if they could provide
any information as to the relationship between Melvoin and Chamberlin.
"Corgan vividly remembers the media crush that greeted him as he left
the station. "It was the full Hard Copy scene, chased by camera crews
and the whole bit. People with secret microphones, people trying to take
pictures. 'Say something for your fans...' I felt like OJ." The Pumpkins
were not invited to Melvoin's July 15 funeral service, but Corgan says.:"
I won't question the family's reason behind that." Chamberlin issued
no public statements following his arrest or after he was let go by the
Pumpkins. Schaeffer says his client: "Intends to continue rehabilitation.
He realised he has to do this in order to save his life. "With regard
to Chamberlin's musical future, Scllaeffer only says that the drummer:
"Intends to reenter the field. I can't be more specific than that."
Corgan claims Chamberlin got a severance deal from the band: "What
Jimmy has earned, Jimmy will get. He needs it. He needs what he does have
and what he has worked for to straighten out his life. "
On August 8, after holding three days of auditions
in Chicago the band announced the hiring of drummer Matt Walker of industrial-metal
group Filter for the remaining 90 dates of the Pumpkins tour, which resumed
in Las Vegas on August 27 and includes two rescheduled Madison Square Garden
gigs on September 17 and 18. Dennis Fleming, of the controversial underground
duo The Frogs, one of Corgan's favourite bands, has been recruited to play
keyboards. In addition, Corgan is preparing a deluxe Pumpkins box
set for release later this year, which will include every 'Mellon Collie'-era
B-side - 28 tracks in all - that the group has recorded, including recently
cut covers of New Wave hits by Missing Persons, the Cars, Blondie and The
Cure. |
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Corgan
insists that he and the remaining Pumpkins are not acting callously by
going back out on the road so soon after Melvoin's death. "In the
context of everything, what could I do?" Corgan argues. "Jonathan's
dead. No amount of guilting is going to change that." "Maybe
I'm in some highly sophisticated form of denial," he says with a tight
smile. "Deep down, I'm really sad Jonathan's dead, and I'd give a
lot to change that Jimmy's in some other place, and I'd give a lot to change
that. But what is, is. I've worked so hard. James and D'Arcy have worked
so hard and been so considerate in their diligence. Why should we punish
ourselves?" Does he believe that, given the events of the past eight
months, the Pumpkins are a star-crossed band? "I still believe that
we are a blessed, lucky group of people," he insists before adjourning
to the recording studio next door to continue mixing. "We are not
your tragedy band. We had such fucking amazing lives - this includes Jimmy,
too. To be so lucky, to be blessed with such amazing experiences, you can't
piss on it in any way shape or form, and we won't start now. "Are
there times when you think you're fucking cursed? Absolutely. But that's
why you've got to come out the other end of it." Would he welcome
a clean, reformed Chamberlin back in the Pumpkins at some future date?
"You know, there's those days when you think: 'I wish this was all
gone and we could just go back to being the most killer band in the world,"'
Corgan says wearily. "But there's that sentiment in my heart where
I feel I've really turned a corner on it. I still believe he's got God's
gift. But it would take a lot of tea in China to go back to that."