The Smashing Pumpkins

The Smashing Pumpkins are one of the most influential alternative rock bands in history. They formed in Chicago in 1988, broke up a couple times and reformed in 2005. They consisted of Billy Corgan (vocals, guitar), James Iha... [more]

The Smashing Pumpkins are one of the most influential alternative rock bands in history. They formed in Chicago in 1988, broke up a couple times and reformed in 2005.

They consisted of Billy Corgan (vocals, guitar), James Iha (guitar), D'arcy Wretzky (bass) and Jimmy Chamberlin (drums) for the majority of their recording career.

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Pumpkins Sue Virgin Records Over Beach of Contract

Written by John on

The Smashing Pumpkins are the most independent rock outfit signed to a major label. Frontman Billy Corgan is known for his shrewd contract negotiations and slamming of the mainstream media.

Now his ire comes in the form of a breach-of-contract lawsuit filed in LA Superior Court. The suit alleges that Virgin Records sold them out when they used one of their songs in a “Pepsi Stuff” promo with Amazon.com. This is the sort of thing that destroys their “artistic integrity,” the band claims. (Though the Pumpkins’ song “That's the Way (My Love Is)” was recently used in a Ford Focus commercial. Hmmm.).

The suit demands that Virgin compensate them for the illegal use of their song and likeness and asks for an injunction against any further use of their name or music.

The Pumpkins left Virgin Records in 2000 and joined Warner subsidiary, Reprise Records for their 2005 reincarnation. The only lingering connection the band has to Virgin allows the mega label to sell digital downloads, not use their songs or name for promotional purposes.