FROM THE ARCHIVES 5: a review of "The Smashing Pumpkins: If All Goes Wrong"

On the heels of my review of "The Runaways," I am going to extend the rock and roll theme by posting an archived review of a recent documentary on The Smashing Pumpkins. I suppose this posting will also pose as a celebration as it arrives to you on the eve of the band's latest release from the 44 song album in progress, "Teargarden By Kaleidyscope."

Originally written November 2008

"THE SMASHING PUMPKINS: IF ALL GOES WRONG" Directed by Jack Gulick
**** (4 stars)
Director Jack Gulick's "If All Goes Wrong" truly and happily surprised me. It is not a concert film or a vanity piece. As the film chronicles two residency performances held in 2007 by the reformed/reconstituted alt-rock band The Smashing Pumpkins, we are treated to an exploration of the artistic process, the reasons why art is created, how the environment can effect the artistic process in positive and negative fashions and even the symbiotic relationship between artist and audience. Heady stuff for rock and roll but in many ways, I shouldn't have expected less from a band led by Billy Corgan, whose songwriting often contains high drama, sweeping emotions, fragile beauty and at times pitch black anger, rage and devastating sorrow.

The music of The Smashing Pumpkins has consistently shown a difficult spiritual exploration and pursuit of the majestic, a trait that has always kept this band a tad out of step with the current musical scene--even when they ruled the rock charts in the early to mid 90s. As drummer Jimmy Chamberlin pointedly states during an interview segment, "Art shouldn't make you feel comfortable," and we often see the discomfort Corgan puts himself through in creating new music daily, dealing with fans' expectations crossed with his own high expectations of himself and his band performing at a residency engineered for them to explore new musical territories and to strengthen their own bonds as a musical unit.

Yet, if a kernel of truth or a beautiful song is the result, wasn't the sometimes arduous process worth it? That is the question Gulick poses as we are treated with a film that is not about the end results, the "peak work" or a great rock show but the actual process--a process the residency audience is consistently and sometimes unknowingly and unfavorably a part of.

Throughout the music press, Billy Corgan has been painted as an egomaniacal Svengali whose often rampaging music is seen as being nothing more than a child's tantrum. His critics' views of him will probably not be changed by this film. But, I give credit to Corgan to allow himself to be captured on film not as a rock-star hero but as a human being doing the best he can at what is obviously his calling, his life's work. We see his hopes, his desires, his ambivalence with his musical past and former bandmates (the stare he gives the camera as he defiantly plays "Soma," a track co-written with former guitarist James Iha is blistering), his failings with himself and his extremely self aware knowledge of his fans' desires and the possible frustrations he has placed upon his band ("I think I may have pushed the band too fast, too far this time," Corgan says after another disappointingly received performance which ended with new Pumpkins guitarist Jeff Schroeder angrily hurling his instrument down to the stage floor). It shows a man and a band unwilling to rest on past hits and tour forever on one song when there's so much to be discovered--and if new selections like the shimmering "The Rose March," the 37 minute epic "Gossamer" and the gorgeously folky "99 Floors" are any indication, the musical future of The Smashing Pumpkins is firm.

But, most importantly, I am thrilled to have seen a film released in our current instant gratification, completely impatient, success obsessed culture that celebrates and gives ample time to the process.

"If All Goes Wrong" is a strong documentary that was one of the finest films I have seen this year.