"Zero" is the third single from The Smashing Pumpkins' third studio album, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. "Zero" was written by Billy Corgan and was the first song recorded for Mellon Collie. The song has six rhythm guitars, with two line-in twelve string acoustics.[2] Commercially, "Zero" reached number one in Spain and number three in New Zealand. In North America, the song reached number one on Canada's RPM Alternative 30, number 15 on the US Mainstream Rock chart, and number nine on the US Modern Rock Tracks chart. In the United States, the song was released as an EP, so it instead charted on the Billboard 200, making it to number 46.
"Zero" | ||||
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Single by The Smashing Pumpkins | ||||
Released | April 23, 1996 | |||
Format | CD, Cassette | |||
Studio sessions | ||||
Genre | Grunge[1], alternative metal, alternative rock | |||
Length | 2:41 EP length: 40:53 | |||
Label | Virgin | |||
Songwriter(s) | Billy Corgan | |||
Producer(s) | Flood, Alan Moulder, Billy Corgan | |||
The Smashing Pumpkins singles chronology | ||||
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The song was featured on "Homerpalooza", the penultimate episode of The Simpsons's seventh season.[3] The cover artwork is of a Giorgio Armani model, photographed by Corgan's then-girlfriend, Yelena Yemchuk, who also directed the music video.[4]
“ | We like to call this style of our music 'Cybermetal.' 'Zero' has six rhythm guitars, with two line-in 12-string acoustics, plus those wacky Iha leads. Tracked live with overdubs added later, this is a true mover as well as the first song that was recorded for Mellon Collie, James has always said this reminds him of Judas Priest. | ” |
— Billy Corgan, Guitar World, January 1997 |
Music video
The music video was directed by Yelena Yemchuk and described by NME as "very cinematic and creepy at times".[5] The concept of it was to set it in a Roman mansion, with lounging guests, while the band acts as their entertainment. The band predominantly wears black, which contrasts with the room's vibrant wine-stained colors that are associated with the Roman period. The video is the only such release to depict keyboardist Jonathan Melvoin, who died in July 1996 from a drug overdose.
Lyrics
my reflection, dirty mirror
there's no connection to myself
i'm your lover, i'm your zero
i'm the face in your dreams of glass
so save your prayers
for when we're really gonna need 'em
throw out your cares and fly
wanna go for a ride?
she's the one for me
she's all i really need
cause she's the one for me
emptiness is loneliness, and loneliness is cleanliness
and cleanliness is godliness, and god is empty just like me
intoxicated with the madness, i'm in love with my sadness
bullshit fakers, enchanted kingdoms
the fashion victims chew their charcoal teeth
i never let on, that i was on a sinking ship
i never let on that i was down
you blame yourself, for what you can't ignore
you blame yourself for wanting more
she's the one for me
she's all i really need
she's the one for me
she's my one and only
B-sides
Unlike most singles, "Zero" was released as an EP and included "Pastichio Medley", a medley of parts of songs from the Mellon Collie sessions that mostly remain unreleased. The medley runs over 23 minutes and features over 70 songs.[6] The medley also features snippets of songs that actually were released; the snippet of the song "Disconnected" is a riff from an early version of "The Aeroplane Flies High (Turns Left, Looks Right)" (originally B-side from the "Thirty-Three" single)[7] and the riff called "Rachel" ended up being worked into the album track "X.Y.U." Eventually, 2012's reissue of Mellon Collie saw a number of tracks from the "Medley" released in full versions,[8] and others on The Aeroplane Flies High reissue.
The track "Tribute to Johnny" is an instrumental, a homage to guitarist Johnny Winter.[9]
EP track listing
All tracks are written by Billy Corgan, except where noted.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Zero" | 2:39 | |
2. | "God" | 3:09 | |
3. | "Mouths of Babes" | 3:46 | |
4. | "Tribute to Johnny" | Billy Corgan, James Iha | 2:34 |
5. | "Marquis in Spades" | 3:17 | |
6. | "Pennies" | 2:28 | |
7. | "Pastichio Medley" (The length was incorrectly put as "25:59".) | Billy Corgan, James Iha, D'arcy Wretzky, Jimmy Chamberlin | 23:00 |
Release history
Released | Label | Catalog ID | Format | Country | External sites | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
April 23, 1996 | Virgin | v25g-38545 • 7243 8 38545 2 3 | CD | US | Discogs | MusicBrainz | [1] |
April 23, 1996 | Virgin | 4LM-38545 • 7243 8 38545 4 7 | Cassette | US | Discogs | MusicBrainz | [1] |
August 19, 1996 | Hut Recordings • Virgin | HUTCD 73 • 7243 8 42046 2 4 | CD | UK | Discogs | MusicBrainz | [1] |
August 7, 1996 | Virgin | VJCP-15017 | CD | Japan | Discogs | MusicBrainz | [1] |
More releases: Discogs • MusicBrainz
Charts and certifications
Weekly charts
|
Year-end charts
Certifications
|
Availability
Title | Notes | Type |
---|---|---|
Live In Chicago | Live • Promotional | |
Live At The Riviera | Bootleg • Live | |
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness | Disc one – Dawn to Dusk | Studio |
666 | Bootleg • Video | |
Zero | Main release | Single |
Zero | Main release | EP |
The Aeroplane Flies High | "Zero" | Box set |
The Smashing Pumpkins 1991–1998 | Promotional CD | Promotional • Compilation |
The Videos | Video • Promotional | |
MCIS Demos II | Bootleg | |
A Gothic–Industrial Tribute to Smashing Pumpkins | Tribute | |
Rotten Apples | North American version | Compilation |
Greatest Hits Video Collection (1991–2000) | Video | |
The Killer in You: A Tribute to Smashing Pumpkins | Tribute | |
Rarities and B-Sides | Compilation | |
Celebrating *20* Years of Sadness | Live | |
Oceania: Live in NYC | Live • Video | |
London By Day | Live |
Tour stats
- Total plays: 786 plays (730 full, 51 tease, 5 abandoned, 9 soundcheck), 6 acoustic, 1 piano, 2 artists
- First performance: The Smashing Pumpkins 1994-07-28 at Lollapalooza 1994, Barrie, ON, CA (tease)
- First full performance: The Smashing Pumpkins 1995-02-20 at Double Door, Chicago, IL, US
- Last performance: The Smashing Pumpkins 2024-08-18 at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sioux City, Sioux City, IA, US
Personnel
- Billy Corgan – guitar, vocals, production, recording, mixing
- James Iha – guitar
- D'arcy Wretzky – bass
- Jimmy Chamerblin – drums
- Flood – producer, mixing, recording
- Alan Moulder – production, mixing, recording
- Chris Shepard – recording
- Barry Goldberg – recording, mixing assistance
- Dave Kresl – recording assistance
- Claudine Pontier – recording assistance
- Howie Weinberg – mastering
References
- ↑ 1001 Albums: You Must Hear Before You Die. Hachette; 2011. Print.
- ↑ Guitar World — January 1997
- ↑ Hartmann, Graham. "The Smashing Pumpkins – Rock Star Cameos on 'The Simpsons'". Loudwire.
- ↑ "Yelena Yemchuk Video | Interviews". OVGuide. Archived from the original on November 25, 2011. Retrieved October 25, 2015.
- ↑ "Free Music Videos, Video Interviews, Music Video News, Live Sessions and Clips". Nme.com. Retrieved September 19, 2014.
- ↑ "Pastichio Medley". Personal.umich.edu. Retrieved September 27, 2011.
- ↑ Corgan, Billy (January 1997). "King B's". Guitar World.
- ↑ "Smashing Pumpkins 'Mellon Collie' Reissue Is a Fan's Dream Come True | Antiquiet". Antiquiet. Retrieved October 25, 2015.
- ↑ "I Need a Hero: In honor of Smashing Pumpkins' twentieth anniversary, a list of Billy Corgan's top ten guitar heroes". Riverfront Times. Retrieved October 25, 2015.
- ↑ "Top RPM Rock/Alternative Tracks: Issue 9200." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
- ↑ "Charts.nz – The Smashing Pumpkins – Zero". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved November 24, 2016.
- ↑ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
- ↑ "Smashing Pumpkins Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved November 24, 2016.
- ↑ "Smashing Pumpkins Chart History (Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 24, 2016.
- ↑ "Smashing Pumpkins Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved November 24, 2016.
- ↑ "RPM Year End Alternative Top 50". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 19, 2018.
- ↑ "American single certifications – Smashing Pumpkins – Zero". RIAA. Retrieved November 15, 2020. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH.
- ↑ "New Zealand single certifications – Smashing Pumpkins – Zero". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved January 24, 2018.
External links
- Songs
- Singles
- The Smashing Pumpkins singles
- Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness songs
- The Smashing Pumpkins songs
- Music videos
- The Smashing Pumpkins music videos
- 1996 singles
- 1996 songs
- Songs written by Billy Corgan
- Songs produced by Flood
- Songs produced by Alan Moulder
- Songs produced by Billy Corgan
- Canada Rock/Alternative (RPM) songs
- New Zealand Top 40 songs
- Billboard 200 albums
- Billboard Alternative songs
- Billboard Mainstream Rock songs
- United States (RIAA) certifications
- New Zealand (RMNZ) certifications
- The Smashing Pumpkins EPs
- Virgin Records singles
- Virgin Records EPs
- Music videos directed by Yelena Yemchuk