Smashing Pumpkins In Their Own Words - "Cherub Rock"

[@robertwest3826]

Jimmy Chamberlin’s drumming is absolutely melodic. It’s unreal. You can hear the entire melody ofCherub Rock in just his drums. I never realized how much of the musicality of that song was coming from Jimmy. This guy is an absolute genius.

[@kerrigillings8447]

Agree 💯

[@metalskinn460]

He is 50% of that band after Billy. The Smashing Pumpkins simply doesn't sound the way it does without him.

[@davidmarles9409]

@@robertwest3826 that's because you know the song.

[@thebigjimmyd]

I could hear the Cherub Rock riff perfectly with Jimmy's drumming.

[@jcreature11]

I’d hope so lol

[@chupacabrajr4152]

indeed so!

[@Charlesbabbage2209]

The fact that he isn’t just playing a beat, he is playing music on the drums. He is so good that you get emotionally transported to the song immediately. The thing that is wild about hearing those parts in isolation is that they are complex parts on their own… but they fit so well with the rest of the song that they just blend into this powerful sound.

[@le_th_]

As a Gen Xer, I feel totally and completely spoiled. Christ, we had no idea how good we had it being born into such an incredible era of rock and then coming of age into shoegaze, and moving into late adolescence and early adulthood in alternative, grunge, and indie.

[@Scott-i2b]

You are correct!!!

[@Scott-i2b]

You are correct!!!

[@chriscampbell9191]

It was a magic time to be alive, that is for certain.

[@vrin1]

The 70s were the best time for music

[@solearesoul]

I knew the music was amazing at the time, but in retrospect, it wasn’t just amazing, it was a once in a lifetime rock n roll musical renaissance that we lived through.

[@leof2497]

I could listen to this drumming all day long.

[@wilssantos2]

Gosh, same here. Chamberlain is the go-to example for rock drumming. BY FAR.

[@dprahn02]

Yeah.. He's effortless..

[@vegawinnfield7002]

Im a guitarist but i really want to learn to play drums...and JC is my go to learn❤

[@christophergerry4726]

Had the same thought. It’s perfect.

[@alexandergribakin576]

F*ck yeah))

[@ckmoore101]

Man, the riff and tone of Cherub Rock, is legendary.

[@uzi978]

And the solo is very underrated... don't hear people talk about it enough.

[@whatdothlife4660]

@@uzi978 I can't think of a bad Billy Corgan guitar solo on their on anything Machina or earlier.

[@DanielWalsh-do8in]

So is the drumming

[@rextopher]

God damn. 30 years later, he remembers the way Butch wanted him to play it. What a beast.

[@SupermanNew52]

The Smashing Pumpkins have been my favorite band since late 94' when I was 12yrs old. My friend's older brother was being deployed overseas and came in the house with a giant box of cassette tapes one day and plopped them on the floor in front of us. Bands in the box included Weezer, Pearl Jam, AiC, Soundgarden, Nirvana, Stone Temple Pilots, NIN, Green Day, many other bands and of course The Smashing Pumpkins. We immediately put the Siamese Dream album into the player because we thought the album cover was funny. Life changing moment. Everyone should go watch these full interviews, they're great. All of Rick's interviews are great. Have a good weekend everyone.

[@daflamer1]

Loved your story.

[@SupermanNew52]

@@daflamer1 Thank you, have a good day.

[@livinginoklahomacityofficial]

I would watch 1000 hours of content talking about this record. What an album ❤

[@matiasishere1487]

One of the greatest of all time I think

[@RAEckart22]

Remember Vieuphoria? Must've watched that VHS 1000+ hours in 1994 alone.

[@barbarino2000]

Rick does so well at this stuff. And I always appreciate the editing/production.

[@Golf4-65]

I was in college in 93 when Cherub Rock came out. Remember hearing it at a party for the first time. I was a fan for life after that.

[@williest1]

What a great time to be alive!! So spoiled as a teen in the 90s, had NO IDEA how far we had it

[@rome8180]

Jimmy Chamberlain comparing the one-handed hits to downpicking is a brilliant analogy. I could tell Rick got genuinely excited in that moment.

[@mcgarnacle21]

As a drummer, I did too! It’s the perfect analogy and I can’t believe I’d never heard of it before. And it truly does sound different to just single strokes.

[@pooki903]

Chamberlin

[@rmaxtpmx]

​@@pooki903brilliant addition to the conversation. What would we do without your once-in-a-generation genius?

[@xcx8646]

It is the perfect analogy. That clip should be shown to every guitarist who knows Am pentatonic and who makes a joke about drummers musicality - or supposed lack thereof. Awesome playing too.

[@Squidward_Tikiland]

2:00 “we just wanted to be Boston and Queen”… WE LOVE YOU BILLY 🎉 🎉🎉

[@the_katman2181]

Jimmy Chamberlin is my all time favourite drummer. And I love listening to him talk about his drumming.

[@okalright8980]

Jimmy Chamberlin is one of my favorite drummer's. To me he was a huge part of the Pumpkins sound. Great interview Rick Thank You.

[@89joshuadavies]

I mean he is the other half of the pumpkins!

[@davidostlouis]

​@89joshuadavies the proof of how instrumental Jimmy is to the Pumpkins sound is the Adore album because he wasn't on it.

[@okalright8980]

@@davidostlouis gish was the best for me

[@Soldano999]

Jimmy is such a powerhouse. The drums on this song always amazed me what an absolute road roller.

[@lostinpa-dadenduro7555]

These interviews should be added to library of Congress.

[@ErnestoLopez78]

Yes! Thank you! The whole channel I might add

[@tripthemillipede1988]

1000% i'm not all the way through but the bit from Billy about the Rush riff is mind blowing. don't know if they bring it up in this truncated version or not

[@davedavid7061]

Calm down dude

[@af7119]

It's Rick! Say hello to my AR-15!

[@Jimmybarth]

So should your brain that's composed of one cell.

[@recklesstoboggan]

This type of detail, power, nuance, consistency, inconsistency/feel, variety, and conversationality is exactly why Jimmy Chamberlin is the most natural, diverse, exquisite, subtle, powerful, improvisational, inspirationtional, and legendary drummer ever. Yes. Ever.

[@rdcwild3023]

There’s a mutual respect between Rick and the artists that adds a level of authenticity to these interviews I love

[@Punk_Unkle_Guitars]

His vocals were really fantastic on this album as well as how it was captured and produced 🔥

[@jessewallace12able]

Cherub Rock is my favorite song ever. Changed my life.

[@KayButtonJay]

God he is so good at drumming. It’s unreal. Tastiest sounding stuff ever

[@Zuccus]

These interviews are so important!

[@arbiehill68]

Fucking love Cherub Rock. Probably the fault of 80% of my tinnitus. JC the best and looking so good!

[@thwwoodcraft1449]

Ditto REEEEEEeeeeEEEEEEEEEeeeeeee is my constant companion

[@arbiehill68]

@@thwwoodcraft1449 Mine is hissing REEEEEEeeeeEEEEEEEEEeeeeeee like a screaming snake.

[@brentcollins9727]

The Warning in concert gave me my crickets for life. I forgot my earplugs and was on the front row.

[@thwwoodcraft1449]

@@brentcollins9727 two 2nd row TOOL shows in 2019 back to back weeks cemented my misery.

[@ars4455]

I got my tinnitus from Dinosaur Jr when they played brutally loud in Manchester in 2006... since then I have experienced different tones of ringing in my ears, I even heard my heartbeat sounding very loud in my ears... it lasted for a few minutes, but it was very scary...

[@killbotone6210]

Jimmy dosent get enough credit because he dosent swing his arms around like a gorilla , his technique is utterly flawless, hes like a shark, tiny movements behind the drums but hes controlling an absolute hurricane of speed,percesion and nuance that other drummers of that era just didnt have.

[@jonasscherman9522]

He have some jazz swing in his groove, that was more common in the 60s, and that's makes him so interesting ❤️

[@howlingwolf7280]

I was fortunate enough to see one of their final shows at the NEC here in the uk, when they first broke up. The break from the softer acoustic first half of the set, and the second set, the lights went down and then a pillar of light lit up Jimmy and he rose up 15-20 feet and did a 3-4 min drum solo. It was so a hell of an experience. Amazing drummer.

[@pauljordantalbot4100]

@@jonasscherman9522 more importantly imo, he still sounds heavy as hell. Part of it’s production, but a huge part was jimmy knowing where on the head to hit for it to sound heavy. He’s like a classical timpanist in how he is so aware of stick placement and how much pitch vs thud he can get One of the best of all time rock drummers

[@davidmarles9409]

He's good and I love the Pumpkins but to say other's didn't and couldn't do what he did is simply incorrect.

[@johnn.2017]

Back in the day my friend knew him. She was a self-taught drummer and he came to see her band play. He was like that was great, but you're doing it all wrong. He re-taught her starting with "This is how you hold your sticks..." Great guy!

[@chrisspatz8811]

I love the sound of this song. It rocks so well in a mostly upbeat way. I wish there were a lot more like it.

[@bobantaya6975]

Cherub rock starts off as an anthem with the drums and becomes the anthem of that generation. Great song.

[@rotapoint]

I've never missed a flight when Cherub Rock is the wake-up call

[@thundarrisaboss2725]

Billy and Jimmy are 2 of the best ever to do it. Just amazing ❤

[@relaxxdfittactical]

I love listening to him cause he’s not just a band guy. Guy is super smart, great with business, it’s interesting to hear his expertise/business/creative mindset.

[@Rcprobot]

Butch sheds light on something only a songwriter will get, that moment where you play something for someone outside the process and as you’re playing it you suddenly have this moment of clarity where something you’ve heard a thousand times takes on a new light because you’re seeing it through the listeners eyes for the first time and you realize this isn’t good enough

[@le_th_]

You're experiencing it through the listener's ears for the first time...unless you're talking about music video, then it's through their eyes and ears.

[@Rcprobot]

@@le_th_ This reply isn’t good enough

[@chis5050]

this is so real. when youre the music maker its so hard to get away from the perspective of all the background knowledge and technical bullshit that runs through the mind when you hear your song. getting that outside perspective is everything

[@Rcprobot]

@@chis5050 The difference is that afterwards Billy wrote Today, Disarm and Cherub Rock in response to those feelings of inadequacy lol

[@PhillipCalvin627]

Hearing Jimmy's version and ultimately the final version of the song really demonstrates why he's an incredible drummer. It's not just that he's a great drummer stylistically and holds down the rhythm of the song but emphasizes he the dynamics of everything else in the song along with it. It shows that it's a conscious decision to do that when comparing the initial beat to what he felt it should be.

[@unacharmer]

my ole high school buddy JC . Trust me. We knew in the mid 80s he had it.

[@musicguitarfun3190]

Did he have those monster drum chops even then?

[@TheInternetIsDeadToMe]

I remember the first time I heard the opening drum roles of Cherub Rock. It sounded so dramatic, like the opening of a stage show as the curtain rises. It’s an absolute masterclass in how to open an album.

[@johnmatlock]

I was at a party in the Hollywood Hills on the night they were to play SNL. The music stopped and the TV was turned up when they came on. They absolutely killed Cherub Rock and everyone was speechless in disbelief at what just happened. It was one of the most incredible TV performances I had ever seen. I went out and bought the CD that week.

[@trevormills3541]

For me - Siamese Dream is top 3 greatest of all time. It's timeless. I get excited listening to it, even to this day. Alone on an island and I could only have 5 albums to listen to. Siamese Dream is likely my first choice. The layers this album has from just the guitar work, is unfathomable. You can only pick up on it over time.

[@HansFoote]

Couldn't agree more, this album had such an impact on teenage me in the 90's, still listen to it all the time now

[@radtech21]

6:59 - “It feels like people… humans playing music.” Thank you VERY VERY MUCH Butch Vig!

[@humanbeing5300]

Pumpkins were one of my favorite bands as a kid. I immediately realized their musicianship was a step above the rest

[@derbz22]

Imagine asking the right questions and actually letting the artists answer...rick is a treasure

[@mattdonnelly1972]

Class is in session. Rick continues to deliver the goods in these interviews. Amazing.

[@SrSacaninha]

It's so fantastic that you have enough material to put these videos together.

[@perry2592]

The whole interview is epic.

[@jonahladd818]

Loved this, I'd also love to see Johnny Rzesnik and Robby Takac on here talking about this era of music!!

[@Stratomaster989]

Jesus !!! Jimmy’s drumming is hypnotic

[@Oldmanrufus46]

Got to see the Pumpkins last summer with STP opening, such amazing live bands!

[@MrSulfor]

Seeing them next month!

[@Bradgilliswhammyman]

Any time you get a chance to interview Corgan is time well spent..the man is a genius and created some of the most important music of the 90s.

[@adolfcasillas3590]

Pumpkins stand the test of time, find myself going back to their music more than anyone from that era.

[@bloodsling]

his drum tones are wonderful,love his drumming on Cherub Rock.

[@dprahn02]

When I started learning guitar I picked up the Siamese Dream tab book.. so many great tunes to learn there. After the obvious diasrm, I tackled Soma.. and that one till this day is one of my favorites.. I guess I'm kinda biased haha..

[@MrSulfor]

Same! Looked for another copy yesterday and used it's like 60 bucks. That was such a well transcribed tab book.

[@KeyanShokraie]

This was a life-changing moment for me, I was playing in a drum line and we spent every afternoon pouring over Jimmy Chamberlain's drums on Siamese Dream. Thank you so much for this interview & thank you for Smashing Pumpkins stunning art. Timeless.

[@bryanwhite5785]

Saw Pumpkins in my town of Springfield,Mo in 1994 in the worst venue possible and He hated some fans wanted to mosh which he told everyone and I agree and I lost both my shoes with the crowd push but my buddy and I found the shoes and I can't say enough about this band and how they brought to the whole music scene along with Bush who toured with the Toadies an Hum a couple weeks later. It was a great contrast to all the grunge that had been so over saturating the airwaves. Loved that sceen and still do but man the Pumpkins were just something else and just wanted to be their own selves. Much respect and greatful I got to see them live and have such a fond memory of them

[@clear_gray_sky539]

We love you beato

[@AlexCasonPhotography]

Celebrate Jimmy, Billy, D’arcy and James every day! They deserve praise for that sick run of great songs.

[@culturetoronto]

I found Disarm really late... passed my 20s, in my 30s... and I couldn't stop listening to it until I could play it on guitar (I'm 5 months into my journey).. still haven't even heard so so much good music.. I don't know how I skipped The Smashing Pumpkins lol but I was really into rap in those younger days :)

[@washboy154]

I could sit down and listen to just Jimmy’s drums for hours on end. Dude has groove.

[@android131c]

acoustic cherub rock is awesome. i love Siamese Dream but Mellon Collie & The Infinite Sadness double album is for me the pinnacle of rock, up there with The Beatles, Radiohead, & Zeppelin’s best

[@unclefrank8824]

At the time, the Pumpkins were polarizing. I remember the music editor at my college slagged the record and I fed him a fat satchel of mushrooms and we listened to Siamese Dream again. After the group hallucination of a Phoenix flying out of the speakers at the peak of Soma, he recanted and proclaimed what we all, already knew. Siamese Dream was an all-time great record.

[@mrbubalophil1731]

Siamese Dream is among my favorite albums both musically and in production. But if I had to remove one song, it would be Disarm. I always felt that song was out of place with the rest of the album, but it is also one of the songs that makes it popular.

[@Jpetersson]

Drummers are underrated!

[@unacharmer]

not by people who know drumming. They totally know hes in the upper echelon.

[@TheOverlordOfProcrastination]

Not by musicians.

[@X_Annedolf..Frankler_X]

No they're not. Some of you clowns are just obsessed with saying underrated for some reason

[@joey3118]

Love all Smashing Pumpkins, but for me Gish is on another level. IMO one of the greatest albums ever. Would love to see what would’ve happened if they kept going down the “psychedelic jam band“ phase for a while.

[@X2Ronbo]

Wow, I used to play the heck out of that song at 11 in my Monte Carlo SS convertable with the volume at 11 in 93/94. Great drumming.

[@michaelp8856]

you should just make a clip of that drum part - man that's the beat - amazing

[@Beermalls]

Chamberlain is one of my favorite drummers! Dude just kills it! Love Siamese Dream!

[@RyanBridwell-wq9bo]

Thank you so much! Just hearing those song titles brings such joy.

[@endocry]

Proud to say I knew Jimmy was the best drummer of his era when I was like 12 in the 90's. (I use the term "best" loosely, I genuinely think ranking musicians is ridiculous)

[@Charly_Dont_Surf]

Brilliant album!

[@ricardocampos3991]

Billy is the greatest songwriter of his generation. Jimmy is a superb drummer. 🎸

[@mikelilley]

Just subscribed, love your stuff Rick. I'm not a musician but love music and the process behind the scenes stuff. Thank you!

[@bronzeagekid8223]

I think the answer to your last question at the end was that rock music was riding an incredibly exciting wave at that moment and EVERYONE I knew was into it. Some preferred one band, some another, but when my friends and I first heard "Cherub Rock" it was instantly like "WOW!!!". Compared to Gish, it was like a jackhammer to the skull but still so melodic and well composed. That's why Butch had those back to back massive records. The wave was moving, the vibe was happening, the SONGS were great, and you couldn't help but be into it.

[@davidostlouis]

Jimmy's precision is simply unmatched.

[@ivangotyokes]

Those drums are so clean.

[@philipatwell8477]

I was not expecting that drum cover but it was such a pleasant surprise

[@danerd8978]

How the f is it a drum cover if they fuckin' wrote it?

[@jeanpommes]

I was one of those guys who thought Siamese Dream was “overproduced” and even phony. Then I saw SP play live and their total immersion in and mastery of the songs won me over completely.

[@only5186]

And they were loud as shit back then lol loved it

[@russtuff]

My favorite song of theirs, it's solid gold.

[@paulfitz6614]

Chamberlain plays the vocal line in his drummer, it's nuts.

[@trentdennison6707]

Love Cherub Rock, what a great start to the album. Whenever I think of that I album it just reminds me of how much I loved all the guitar layering, felt like a huge wall of guitar

[@leoborganelli]

Cherub Rock is freaking phenomenal!!! That whole album was the story if my 20s

[@Keepgrinding3173]

Be cool to have all 3 Butch,Jimmy,Billy all interviewed together at the same time.

[@thebizkid84]

The Smashing Pumpkins are my favorite band. Growing up, it was Nirvana, but I’ve grown to enjoy the Pumpkins so much more. They were on fire for those first three albums in that ‘90s stretch that their B-sides could’ve been hits. They were that good. Unfortunately, Billy has said he will never use that ‘90s sound again as he’s more of an artist pushing the boundaries, challenging himself like he has for the past 20+ years, but still, great band.

[@sixthview]

Rick, these episodes are amazing. I wish I was some million, billion, trillionaire so that I could just support you in making your shows. Thank you for all you put out man. 🤘

[@body_by_depuy]

This album dropped my senior year of high school. I had the white SP t-shirt with the manifesto printed on the back (wore that shirt until it was literally rags). Siamese Dream is the soundtrack of my senior year. I had PJ "Ten" and of course I had Nevermind, and those were great, but Siamese Dream spoke to those of us who were "weird" and not part of the cool kids. It didn't hurt that I grew up in Chicago and after every big band being from Seattle and before that from LA, it felt different to have a "hometown" band that hit us like that. Any single song from this album pulls me right back into that summer and I instantly feel 17 again, a few bucks in my pocket and my life ahead of me.

[@kyledw4381]

One of the few bands I loved in the 90s I can still listen to today without getting overwhelmed by a sense of depression. The music may have been moody but i never felt a sense of hopelessness or despair from the Pumpkins. 🤘

[@shanebrbich5698]

All (positive) comments in this interview are so spot on! Beautiful work Beato 👍🇦🇺

[@EddieRobinson-b2w]

Jimmy is a beast and a civilized man on the drums... incredible player ❤😊

[@Punk_Unkle_Guitars]

Siva is a monster and I love Jimmy's snare stuff

[@TheMasonator777]

The 90s bands that worked all had great drummers.

[@pierrebidondo4095]

Im not a drummer, but I've played in bands for almost 50 years, & I can't recall ever hearing a drummer who had cymbals with such distinctive sounds from each other🤔..very melodic sounding..well, when Jimmy plays them anyway👍

[@nailholesga]

I was never really into the Pumpkins (no disrespect to them. They're great musicians, just wasn't my thing). But "Cherub Rock..." Yeah, that's the Pumpkins song that I can go back to again and again and again. Such a great track. Love these kinds of track breakdowns from all kinds of musicians.

[@naomibillharzferreira2981]

Rick! Thank you so much for your content! Great work ❤

[@SuperStrik9]

My favorite Smashing Pumpkins song. Love that Rick is rocking his late period Jim Morrison jacket 👍

[@mikemcintosh9933]

Listen to that ghost note stuff Chamberlin performed. My goodness.

[@89joshuadavies]

One of the best at making the busiest, crowded beats sound perfectly simple

[@CaladiumBandOfficial]

Subscribed. We love you, Rick. Never quit bro!!!

[@JosephHaubert]

Love your channel! Siamese Dream is one of the greatest rock albums of all time IMO. Even Pisces Iscariot (b-sides) was amazing. They were literally shitting amazing songs during this time. I miss rock music. Hope you share more from this interview.

[@heathbarnhart1092]

As a 90s kid I loved this record. Pretty much all music media were up there own asses about what music was supposed to be, but the people who actually listen to music knew this was good.

[@sitindogmas]

I'm becoming an old cynical, judgmental prick but Cherub Rock is one of the greatest rock songs and riffs of all time, plus you factor in what an absolute magical tim the 90s were and how the bands and the people in them had the same magic, it was in the air, you could feel it and see it, even without the lsd lol. I'm constantly homesick for those days ✌️💚

[@TheLEMRR]

Man, Jimmy is so smooth on that kit

[@bradleygray2511]

Thank you Mr Rick for these very intelligent videos

[@haroldniver]

It’s amazing, it really is. Irony and lack of ambition were all over everything when Siamese Dream was written, recorded, and released. And Billy said, “fuck that, we’re gonna do it our way, we’re gonna make a HUGE-sounding record.” And it just turned out to be the pinnacle of human achievement in music. Because the Pumpkins were HONEST and didn’t give a crap about the fads.

[@chadpetzinger6001]

This song is amazing. Jimmy Chamberlin is stellar… that grove, my god!!!!!!!!!

[@tommyowen529]

Even Jimmy's simple stuff is dynamic and intricate af. He's so damn good.

[@nunyafunyuns]

I finally get you now, Mr. Beato. And I love you.