Статьи о группе Smashing Pumpkins
GIBSON INTERVIEW WITH JEFF SCHROEDER
Jeff Schroeder, guitarist for The Smashing Pumpkins,
was recently interviewed for gibson.com. In the interview he discusses
guitars, music, life as a Pumpkin and even drops a hint that there
could be a special guest for the upcoming Australian tour.
The Smashing Pumpkins broke into the musical mainstream with their
second album, Siamese Dream. The group built their audience with
extensive touring and their follow-up, 1995’s double album Mellon
Collie and the Infinite Sadness, debuted at No. 1 on the American
Billboard charts.
With approximately 20 million albums sold in the United States
alone, The Smashing Pumpkins were one of the most commercially successful
and critically acclaimed bands of the 1990s.
In April 2006, the band officially announced that it was reuniting
and recording a new album. Returning members Billy Corgan and Jimmy
Chamberlin were joined by Jeff Schroeder and Ginger Reyes in 2007
to tour in support of their new release, Zeitgeist.
Gibson.com met up with Smashing Pumpkins guitar player Jeff Schroeder
before the bands show in Berlin, Germany, to talk about his past,
the new Smashing Pumkins and, yes, the Scorpions.
Gibson.com: Jeff, how did you get into playing
guitar?
I think I have a story that hundreds of thousands of Americans
share. It?s my brothers fault. He was a huge Kiss fan, we shared
a room, Kiss posters everywhere. From that time on, I wanted to
have a guitar, Ace was always my favourite. Guitar driven music
was always around when I grew up.
Gibson.com: When did you get your first guitar?
I got my first acoustic guitar when I was probably nine or ten
years old, and just kinda made some noise with it. When I was 12,
I started taking serious guitar lessons. I owned some cheapo no-name
guitar. I took lessons for four years, so actually I?m knowing a
bit about what I?m doing on stage, haha.
Gibson.com: What have been your musical influences?
From the early 70s to Punk Rock, 80s Hard Rock, Zeppelin, Kiss,
UFO or Van Halen, that?s the stuff I liked. Well, Van Halen was
so big back then, that I actually didn?t have a choice not to like
them at all. When I turned 18 I started to get interested in Alternative
music, so I got into bands like My Bloody Valentine and the Pumpkins.
To make it short, when it comes to music I like guitar driven music
best.
Gibson.com: Tell us a bit more about the last
band you were in.
The band I had for the past ten years was called Lassie Foundation.
It is a band inspired by late 80s, early 90s British guitar bands.
Anywhere between Echo and the Bunnymen and My bloody Valentine with
a little bit of the Beach Boys. Definately not as heavy as the Pumpkins.
Actually, the Smashing Pumpkins made me discover the heavier side
of my playing.
Gibson.com: Is Lassie completely on hold, or are
you planning any new releases?
When we had a two month break with the Pumpkins, I met up with
my old buddies and we recorded some songs together. I can?t exactly
say when, but they should be up on iTunes soon. We are not really
an active bad, but we have a certain fanbase in the US. It was really
intersting to see how my playing changed playing a year with the
Pumpkins. The recordings sound like classic Lassie Foundation songs,
but mentally I was somewhere else, haha. But honestly, I am very
proud of the stuff we did.
Gibson.com: How did you get the gig with the Smashing
Pumpkins? Did your cell ring and Billy Corgan was on the other line?
Well, not exactly. What happened is, that a friend of mine send
me a message saying that the Smashing Pumpkins are looking for a
new guitar player. And he thought I should try out. I never tried
out for any band, I never was a musician for hire, so I had no bio,
no photos, I just had my band which I had for the last ten years.
Because I really loved the Pumpkins, I was like well, let?s give
it a try. Luckily a friend of mine was doing some webstuff for the
Pumpkins, so she pushed them a bit to listen to my stuff. I talked
a couple of times with Jimmy on the phone, we went to breakfast
together. So Jimmy, some other bass player and me started to play
around a bit. After another month, finally Billy Corgan showed up
and we jammed a bit. It was like, thank you, we will call you… Another
two month later I got the call that I got the gig. And it worked
out really great. As a guitar team it is really hard to just create
chemistry. Billy and I are at a point where we connect really good
with each other.
Gibson.com: Did you have problems with old-school
fans asking for former guitar player James Iha?
To be honest, I am actually suprised of the lack of it. We did
around 115 shows now and I only one time heard somebody saying where
is James… The support of the fans is really amazing. They give me
little gifts, T-Shirts with my name on, for example. It makes me
really proud to see such a reaction, because I worked really really
hard to give the material justice and play to the spirit of the
band. I was a fan of the band, too. But if the original band can?t
be here today I feel more than happy to do it.
Gibson.com: Did you have to practise a lot to
learn the material?
Since the tour started last year, we played over 70 different songs.
So when rehearsals started we rehearsed for 6 ? weeks, 6 days a
week, 10 hours a day. Today you witnessed the soundcheck, we soundchecked
for nearly 1 ? hours. For the Pumpkins, that is quite a mellow soundcheck.
We don?t even call it soundcheck, we call it rehearsal. We play
a lot of music together, a lot of. Billy is definately the musical
leader, and sets the direction, but we are able to flow with it
very well now. It definitely doesnt feel like practising.
Gibson.com: How do you feel to work now with one
of your former icons?
To be honest, I just feel like it is an honour and a privilege
to share the stage with Billy. At a certain level you can be scared
and intimidated and of course i was. But when you?re in it, it is
like sink or swim. Everyday to be able to play with Jimmy and Billy,
it?s such an amazing experience.
Gibson.com: Unfortunately you weren?t able to
contribute to Zeitgeist.
We already talked about it for sure. Jimmy and Billy first of all
had to get a band together. Ginger and I never did so much touring
in our whole life. So the first objective was to play the shows
and not worry about much else. Billy and I are now talking about
guitar stuff all the time. I would see it as a very natural progression
to move into that as soon as we have finished the Zeitgeist tour.
Gibson.com: What other musicians would you like
to share the stage with?
That?s a frightening question. If I ever felt like I was good enough
playing with these guys, my first choice would be John Mc Laughlin.
He combines fluid, intense playing with this whole spiritual element.
I really love Jeff Beck, I think he would be fun to play with. I
also would love to share the stage with Yngwie Malmsteen, the shredding
king. Actually we tried to get him to play with the Samshing Pumpkins,
but he said he was in the studio and unfortunately couldn?t make
it. You never know… We try to invite a lot of people to jam on our
shows. Uli Jon Roth for example joined us for a few gigs. Actually
it seems like Tommy Lee will join us for the Australian Dates.
Gibson.com: How did Billy get in touch with Uli
Jon Roth?
When Billy and Jimmy were working on „Zeitgeist“ in L.A., the Scorpions
were working on their new album in the same studio. So they met
the Scorpions. Uli was in L.A. at the same time working on something
else. Klaus, singer of the Scorpions asked Billy if he would like
to meet Uli. Billy, being a long-time lover of the early Scorpions
material took the offer and became close friends with Uli Jon Roth.
Billy told Uli that when the Pumpkins would play Germany he should
join them on stage for a jam. He showed up and played like two or
three nights with us. It was so amazing, he didnt even listen to
any music or the songs at all. We were playing an eighteen minute
song. He just went up and played to it. No rehearsal, nothing.
Gibson.com: What do you personally think about
Uli ?
There is only one Uli. Unfortunatly I think he is a bit overlooked.
He is like the missing link between Blackmore and Yngwie. Uli is
really an A+ class musician. It is amazing, his ability to react
to music on the spot, that?s killer. He is like the white Jimi Hendrix.
He is a really unique individual with a very spezial aura surrounding
him. It is beyond my comprehension how he is able to view his instrument.
He is playing that 36 frets Skyguitar, I couldn?t even get a tone
out of it, haha.
Gibson.com: I heard you are getting your Doctor.
I finished all my classes and only have to finish my dissertation.
It is not an easy task, but I don?t have to be at school. I?m getting
my Doctor in literature at UCLA. I really love to be surrounded
by that creative energy. Whether it?s music or literature, it is
part of the same process for me. To me it is all art. As cheesy
as it may sound, but if you read a good article, or see a good film,
it may inspire your music or inspire to write a song. Or read a
good book and write a good poem. My goal is to finish my dissertation,
even if I never teach.
Gibson.com: So between travel, soundcheck and
rocking the stage you are studying?
Of course I am. While the others are sleeping, you can often find
me on the bus working. Yesterday for example, I finished a whole
chapter of my dissertation. For me it is not that I have to, it
is just an intellectual kind of journey. It is not very rock. This
band is not very rock in a traditional way. People would be shocked
to see how much water gets drunk during a tour, haha.
Gibson.com: What kind of guitars are you using
with the Smashing Pumpkins?
As you have seen at soundcheck, my rig is full of Gibson Guitars,
haha. I love them all. I have several SGs, a Les Paul Custom, a
Les Paul Classic and a 335. My favourite guitar is the Les Paul
Classic, that is my main guitar. The way it sounds, the way it feels,
it is the perfect Smashing Pumpkins guitar.
