6. Smashing Pumpkins – „Tonight, Tonight“
Some venerable gentlemen from the beginning of the twentieth century go out, along with their partners, where else than in space, in the video “Tonight, Tonight”, by the band Smashing Pumpkins. In fact, for this video the band was inspired by the film “A Trip to the Moon” by Georges Méliès, in 1902.
History of the Band
The American alternative rock band ‘The Smashing Pumpkins’ was founded in Chicago in 1988. The classic component, and probably the most successful one from the band, is Billy Corgan , vocals and guitar, James Iha, guitar and vocals, D’arcy Wretzky, bass and vocals and Jimmy Chamberlin who plays the drums.
Smashing Pumpkins topped the sound of punk rock that characterizes most of the bands of alternative rock and approached a more complex genre, layered with heavy riffs of guitar, is a synthesis Personalized between genres like gothic rock, heavy metal, dream pop, psychedelic rock, progressive rock and electronic music later. Part of the band’s charisma is Billy Corgan, due to its cathartic and full of anxiety and depression lyrics, suggesting a dark atmosphere.
The band became popular in mainstream with the advent of the second album, ‘Siamese Dream’ released in 1993. The massive audience was built in part using Smashing Pumpkins’s numerous concerts that they sustained, and the continuing 1993 album ‘Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness’, which appeared in 1995, a double album that ranked first on the Billboard charts.
The Big Comeback
From a commercial perspective, Smashing Pumpkins were one of the most successful rock bands of the ’90s. Despite this, national differences and drug use led inevitably to a breakup, which occurred in 2000. In April 2006, the Smashing Pumpkins have announced an official musical comeback. Immediately after the announcement, the band began recording a new album.
Billy Corgan and the original members of the band, Jimmy Chamberlin were joined by Jeff Schroeder, guitar and vocals, Ginger Reyes, bass and vocals and Lisa Harriton, voice. In the summer of 2007 the band released the album “Zeitgeist”, followed by a tour to promote the material.
5. Jamiroquai – Virtual Insanity
All things in the room are moving in a strange way. But the strangest moves are Jamiroquai’s – a forerunner style hat Pharell had in the “Virtual Insanity” video. The unique accessory, decorated with feathers and artist’s lucky talisman, disappeared during a party after a concert when Jay Kay placed the hat off his head to play with the enthusiastic fans.
In the crowded created, the hat suddenly disappeared and the singer promised an iPhone 4 mobile phone for the one that manages to find it. Two days after the announcement, Jamiroquai’s show organizers were contacted by a man who claims to have recovered the hat from the head of a woman and will return it later the week.
The Band Story
Jamiroquai is a British jazz-funk-soul-disco band. In the beginning it was the most important component of the acid jazz movement in London, in the 1990’s, side by side with bands like Incognito, Galliano, The Brand New Heavies and Cordurov. In his next albums, it was an explosion of other musical directions, like rock, pop and electronic. Jamariquiai sold over 21 million albums worldwide.
Jamiroquai is one of the most popular bands of its kind. Recently, the group members were rewarded with a gold record for sales in the United States, for their number seven, ‘Rock Dust Light Star’.
At the age of 15 Kay left home, lived on the street, had trouble with the law and was stabbed and arrested for a crime he did not commit. After these experiences the young man decided to return home and begin a career in music. Kay did not have a band to support him but already had a project in mind and a name, Jamiroquai is a combination of the word “jam” and the name of a tribe, Iroquoi.
Kay’s songs drew the attention of the Acid Jazz label with whom he released the song ‘When You Gonna Learn?’. The singer started a band consisting of drummer Derrick McKenzie, Toby Smith (keyboards), bassist Stuart Zender and Wallis Buchanan. The Break between albums has had negative effects on the band’s popularity, the album ‘Synkronized ‘ being ignored by the American public, although the artist was still in vogue back home.
The media seemed to be more interested in other events than in their music: the refusal of a million dollars in favor of supporting a New Year’s concert, because of accusations about Kay kicking a photographer. Jamiroquai released another album ‘A Funk Odyssey’ which entered the rankings two years later. Meanwhile, Kay has launched its own series called ‘Late Night Tales’.
4. Marilyn Manson – Beautiful People
Marilyn Manson is not exactly the most ‘classical’ artist, so we can not expect the video to be either. The video “Beautiful People” can be considered by many as a horror one, despite the song title. Judder, mutilated plastic models, figures frightening and delirious crowds make you wonder ‘what the poet meant.’
Who is Manson?
Brian Hugh Warner is known as Marilyn Manson, an American musician known for the shocking image that he promotes during his concerts and by his lyrics loaded with message. His nickname is a cross between Marilyn Monroe and Charles Manson, perhaps the most shocking duo of American culture. Before Marylin Manson, Brian was involved in two projects: ‘Satan on Fire’ and ‘Mrs. Scabtree’.
These formed Marilyn Manson & the Spooky Kids, in 1989. Their debut album, Portrait of an American Family appeared in 1994, followed by ‘Smells Like Children’, released in 1995.
This material brought Manson his first international success, provided by Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) song, a cover of the band Eurythmics. The antichrist Superstar meant a much greater success. In 1998, Manson released Mechanical Animals, a material strongly influenced by David Bowie.
The disc has meant a change of image for the band, combining many visual elements that come from the rock fashion. In 2000, was released ‘Holy Wood’ (In the Shadow of the Valley of Death), a disc which represented a return to roots, namely the old style of Marilyn Manson.
Members
Most of the band members have contributed to the interpretation, in the studio or in live sessions, at several instruments, as former members. Ramirez played the guitar for a few live recordings while he was on bass, Madonna Wayne Gacy the organ and other instruments, Manson could play the flute, piano, organ and guitar, and bass guitar and drums Berkowitz. Current members know how to interpret more than just one instrument.