I think this song is still pretty great, even though the video is obviously ridic in the extreme. The Smashing Pumpkins are a good thing to think about when you are thinking about your own art or work, and how seriously you want to be taken. I mean, duh, we all obviously have an intense urge to be taken seriously—does it stem from adolescence, when no one would take you seriously, which was obviously super-tragique because you KNEW EVERYTHING DUH? I don’t know, but more and more lately, I think we should all be working to transcend that specific urge . I think the difference between demanding to be taken seriously and knowing that nobody can really make a career, or a lifetime, out of demanding to be taken seriously, is basically the difference between a Billy Corgan and a Tom Waits. For reallys. I mean, look at these “The Matrix” moves Billy is busting out in the middle of the video! I mean, I’m sure he’s having a good time, or as good a time as Billy Corgan can have or whatever. But he’s still demanding that you take his good time seriously, you know? I think this might be what happens when you never totally get over high school (I am currently in therapy in order to get over high school for this exact reason!)
This video was shot after Melissa Auf Der Maur (sp?) became the bassist for Smashing Pumpkins. I have always had a tremendous affection for the Auf Der Maur, and I have recently realized its because she never seemed to take anything too seriously—joining two of the biggest bands in the 90s right while they were in the process of completely imploding, how could she, right? But she always just kind of seemed to have her eyebrows raised, taking it all in. It’s sort of funny, which cultural figures from our adolescene ended up demanding to be taken seriously for all of their careers. Like Beck—man, who saw that coming, right? But anyway, I would like to take this moment to reach out to everybody out there in internet land, and urge you (and by you, I mean myself) to play it like Auf Der Maur/ the Fonz, and be cool. I don’t even remember where I was going with this!
Also, unrelated: I love how Auf Der Maur and James Iha are totally dressed like members of Urge Overkill. Classic, and they offset Corgan’s rubber priest vestments rather nicely, don’t you think?
