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Hope you guys don't mind me going off topic a bit.

 

I've never really listened to The Smashing Pumpkins. Which album should I start out with first? From what I've seen, it should be either Siamese Dreams or Mellon Collie.

 

Does anyone know the cheapest place where I can buy these two albums on vinyl? I did a quick search and Mellon Collie is really expensive.

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Hope you guys don't mind me going off topic a bit.

 

I've never really listened to The Smashing Pumpkins. Which album should I start out with first? From what I've seen, it should be either Siamese Dreams or Mellon Collie.

 

Does anyone know the cheapest place where I can buy these two albums on vinyl? I did a quick search and Mellon Collie is really expensive.

 

I think Siamese Dream would be a good place to start, but I think you'll get a lot of different opinions on the best entry point (and a lot of people in here are much bigger SP fans than I).

 

Siamese Dream is priced pretty similarly on most sites (but I haven't looked since I picked up my copy).  Amazon.ca seems to have the Mellon Collie box for a decent price a lot of the time, but it's still going to run you $60-70.

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I think Siamese Dream would be a good place to start, but I think you'll get a lot of different opinions on the best entry point (and a lot of people in here are much bigger SP fans than I).

Siamese Dream is priced pretty similarly on most sites (but I haven't looked since I picked up my copy). Amazon.ca seems to have the Mellon Collie box for a decent price a lot of the time, but it's still going to run you $60-70.

I would second Siamese Dream. It's a less daunting volume of music.

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On the other hand, their debut, Gish, covers most of the band's early sound which is pretty consistent and relevant. It's also a good documentation of that "grunge" era of loud and crunchy guitars. Siamese Dream takes from where Gish left with more experimentation, different instruments, different layers of guitars and that incredible mix of heavyness and beauty. It also defines their music, taking them far away from literally hundreds of other bands from that era. Then Mellon Collie is an impressive collection of a multitude genres and possibilities, all bravely recorderd. It was a shock when I first listened to it with, looking forward to what should be a sequel to Siamese Dream but then introduced to a whole new Smashing Pumpkins.

 

I'd start from Gish and then on. Also, don't forget to check Pisces Iscariot, their b-side collection. You won't believe the quality of their b-sides at that time. Same with The Aeroplane Flies High.

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I always thought Machina was their most accessable. I really atruggled to get into their earlier stuff at the start and it was Machina that got me hooked on them. Adore is my favourite album. But Siamese is also a good starting point. Mellon Collie can be a bit intimidating at first due to sheer weight of number. Its a huge collection of songs!

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  • 3 weeks later...

Well. to each's its own.

 

The more I listen to his post-Machina TSP music,the more I appreciate the fact that he's reissuing the back catalog to balance things out. I'd say Oceania is the only thing that emerges those ashes but it still sounds transient and leaves the listener eager for a greater sequel. Unfortunatley, this new song kinda moves back to that unfortunate psychedelic-classic-rock that he recorded in those awful TG EPs.

 

Hopefully it'll sound better in the studio, I still listen to Corgan's back catalog a lot and have a great respect for him. Incredible songwriter when he was at his best.

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Agreed. A lot of good stuff came out of Ravinia. Methusula sounded great, but that Burnt orange black especially. Billy also mentioned any upcoming tours they play can consist of songs from any era in Billy's catalog. It's really cool to hear that.

 

True story: I (along with many of my Resistance Pro brothers and sisters) sang on stage with Billy during the last show at that show. It was a pretty surreal experience for many of us, myself especially as usually I'm the guy taking pictures of people on the stage, not the guy on the stage!

 

Methuselah was one of the standouts of that show for me but really the whole thing was pretty excellent. 

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sorry to bump this..

 

I recently bought a used Gish from Other Music in NYC and I am having real trouble deciphering whether or not this is an OG or the remastered 90's version.

 

I have looked at discogs but they don't really give much information on how to tell these apart.

the Matrix seem to match up with the OG but there's small numbering above the UPC which a friend

told me might mean it's the remastered version.

 

I looked on ebay and it was really no help and collector's frenzy doesn't show the backs of the LPS.

 

here's the information..

 

Barcode: 0 1704617051 2

  • Matrix / Runout (side A): CAR-1705-A HUTLPX-2A-1
  • Matrix / Runout (side B): CAR-1705-B HUTLPX-2B-1

 

LP Catalog number is CAROL 1705

 

doesn't say Remastered anywhere on the LP but it's still in shrink and it looks

like there was a sticker over the barcode that was torn off so maybe it said it on there/?

 

can anyone help?  thanks guys!

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sorry to bump this..

I recently bought a used Gish from Other Music in NYC and I am having real trouble deciphering whether or not this is an OG or the remastered 90's version.

I have looked at discogs but they don't really give much information on how to tell these apart.

the Matrix seem to match up with the OG but there's small numbering above the UPC which a friend

told me might mean it's the remastered version.

I looked on ebay and it was really no help and collector's frenzy doesn't show the backs of the LPS.

here's the information..

Barcode: 0 1704617051 2

  • Matrix / Runout (side A): CAR-1705-A HUTLPX-2A-1
  • Matrix / Runout (side B): CAR-1705-B HUTLPX-2B-1
LP Catalog number is CAROL 1705

doesn't say Remastered anywhere on the LP but it's still in shrink and it looks

like there was a sticker over the barcode that was torn off so maybe it said it on there/?

can anyone help? thanks guys!

Just learned this myself. I bought what I thought was a OG press of Gish. Everything checks out barcode wise. It was sealed so I never saw the run out. If the barcode on the back has the same barcode numbers above it but a little smaller, it's a press from 2000. This is mine,

juLVT2u.jpg

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Check the barcode. It is different between the releases. If the barcode and matrix matches, You have your answer.

 

 

I don't understand..

the matrix almost never matches the barcode.  or am I misunderstanding it?  what am I matching?

the matrix matches what discogs says ..  (is this what you mean?)

 

 

Just learned this myself. I bought what I thought was a OG press of Gish. Everything checks out barcode wise. It was sealed so I never saw the run out. If the barcode on the back has the same barcode numbers above it but a little smaller, it's a press from 2000. This is mine,

juLVT2u.jpg

 

well here's the weird thing..

mine doesn't look like that..

 

there looks like there might be some numbers above the barcode but they're buried in the spine..

(damn I wish I knew how to post pictures on here..)

 

 

OzjrScV.jpg

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I don't understand..

the matrix almost never matches the barcode.  or am I misunderstanding it?  what am I matching?

the matrix matches what discogs says ..  (is this what you mean?)

 

 

 

well here's the weird thing..

mine doesn't look like that..

 

there looks like there might be some numbers above the barcode but they're buried in the spine..

(damn I wish I knew how to post pictures on here..)

 

 

OzjrScV.jpg

 

Yeah that's weird! I was reading on a SP forum about this release (mine and I assume yours) is king of a mystery release. Not a bootleg, but not a lot of info. I decided to open mine. Kind of a quiet press.

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Yeah that's weird! I was reading on a SP forum about this release (mine and I assume yours) is king of a mystery release. Not a bootleg, but not a lot of info. I decided to open mine. Kind of a quiet press.

 

yeah mine is opened.  it was put up at a record store and they didn't know which pressing it was either..

 

I have an OG UK "Hut" release and I was trying to upgrade...

 

but I have no idea..

 

ugh.

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