Trash Theory made this wonderful lyrical breakdown video on the Smashing Pumpkins ‘1979’ and how it represents the collective youthful exuberance we seek to regain only when we’ve grown away from it. That’s sort of what we are doing with History of Alternative which you can catch on-air on 101WKQX weekdays 10a-7pm for a limited time.
It’s got some NSFW language, but it’s a well-woven piece that shows how the song’s message permeates in other movies and music while being one of the Pumpkin’s best tracks. The video also notes how Pumpkin’s leader Billy Corgan was bringing the band in a different direction on ‘Mellon-collie and the Infinities Sadness’ and artistically stopping one formula that they grew tired of one their earlier records.
One thing this video gets wrong in my opinion is where it claims the band has not been able to strike the same glory since this period which is just aggressively esoteric. If you are going to praise the band for encapsulated the ideal feeling of youth, why you would then not allow the same artist to grow?
No matter what you think of this video, maybe you will love this: Our epic Lounge session with Smashing Pumpkins where Billy and the company share stories of growing up in Chicago and more.