James Iha's debut single, "Be Strong Now", released on this day in 1998! It was the lead single from his album, Let It Come Down. A promotional music video was also released. As with the rest of the album, the song featured Smashing Pumpkins drummer Matt Walker, as well as cellist Eric Remschneider (who arranged/played the cello for "Disarm", "Soma" and "The Bells").
Released as a 4-track single on CD and on 12" vinyl, it featured the bonus studio tracks "Falling", "My Advice" and "Take Care", and as a 2-track promo single where the other track is a 12-second call out hook. Both versions of the single have the same cover photo. There is also an extended promo version of the single called "Be Strong Now (With Intro)" lasting 3:35.
The song has been performed roughly 21 times, first in 1998 at the Viper Room which was James Iha's debut show as a solo artist, opening up for a solo set by Billy Corgan, both of which were enshrined in The Smashing Pumpkins archive release 'Live at the Viper Room 1.15.98'. Iha and Corgan would play the song together on February 19, 2000 at the Cat's Cradle in Carrboro, North Carolina – a show billed as The Smashing Pumpkins that probably wouldn't have included "Be Strong Now" except that Jimmy Chamberlin was unable to perform after being stung by a jellyfish in Florida.
AV Club called "Be Strong Now" a "perfect pick-me-up" song. It reached #78 on the UK Singles chart in July 1998.
Photos: US promo compact disc, and screenshot of music video
https://spcodex.wiki/Be_Strong_Now
James Iha's debut single, "Be Strong Now", released on this day in 1998! It was the lead single from his album, Let It Come Down. A promotional music video was also released. As with the rest of the album, the song featured Smashing Pumpkins drummer Matt Walker, as well as cellist Eric Remschneider (who arranged/played the cello for "Disarm", "Soma" and "The Bells").
Released as a 4-track single on CD and on 12" vinyl, it featured the bonus studio tracks "Falling", "My Advice" and "Take Care", and as a 2-track promo single where the other track is a 12-second call out hook. Both versions of the single have the same cover photo. There is also an extended promo version of the single called "Be Strong Now (With Intro)" lasting 3:35.
The song has been performed roughly 21 times, first in 1998 at the Viper Room which was James Iha's debut show as a solo artist, opening up for a solo set by Billy Corgan, both of which were enshrined in The Smashing Pumpkins archive release 'Live at the Viper Room 1.15.98'. Iha and Corgan would play the song together on February 19, 2000 at the Cat's Cradle in Carrboro, North Carolina – a show billed as The Smashing Pumpkins that probably wouldn't have included "Be Strong Now" except that Jimmy Chamberlin was unable to perform after being stung by a jellyfish in Florida.
AV Club called "Be Strong Now" a "perfect pick-me-up" song. It reached #78 on the UK Singles chart in July 1998.
https://spcodex.wiki/Be_Strong_Now
![[1]](https://spcodex.wiki/images/7/77/James_Iha_-_Be_Strong_Now.jpg){kind=link}
![[2]](https://i.discogs.com/g062_7hG6C-spQojIv4Xn1rnuHMJBMcLBnb-imjiJj4/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:517/w:600/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTIwODA5/MTctMTUzNDMzMjYy/NS05MDA2LmpwZWc.jpeg){kind=link}