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'''''Machina/The Machines of God''''' is the fifth studio album by [[The Smashing Pumpkins]], released on February 29, 2000, by [[ | '''''Machina/The Machines of God''''' is the fifth studio album by [[The Smashing Pumpkins]], released on February 29, 2000, by [[:Category:Virgin Records singles|Virgin Records]]. A [[:Category:Concept albums|concept album]],<ref name="kroq">Interview with Billy Corgan, May 24, 2000, [[w:KROQ-FM|KROQ-FM]]</ref> it marked the return of drummer [[Jimmy Chamberlin]] and was intended to be the band's final official LP release prior to their first break up in 2000. A sequel album—''[[Machina II/The Friends & Enemies of Modern Music]]''—was later released independently via the Internet, and limited quantities for the physical version. | ||
As with its predecessor, ''[[Adore (The Smashing Pumpkins album)|Adore]]'', ''Machina'' represented a drastic image and sound change for the band. After the relatively brief ''Adore'' tour, the new line-up with Chamberlin and the former [[W:Hole (band)|Hole]] bass guitarist [[ | As with its predecessor, ''[[Adore (The Smashing Pumpkins album)|Adore]]'', ''Machina'' represented a drastic image and sound change for the band. After the relatively brief ''Adore'' tour, the new line-up with Chamberlin and the former [[W:Hole (band)|Hole]] bass guitarist [[Melissa Auf der Maur]] mounted longer international tours that returned the live incarnation of the band to a guitar-driven hard rock style.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.livedaily.com/archive/2000/2k02/wk1/ReviewSmashingPumpkinsPla.html |title=Review: Smashing Pumpkins Play Visceral Show in Northern California (02/7/2000) |last=Reiley |first=Laura |date=February 7, 2000 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20000229191724/http://www.livedaily.com/archive/2000/2k02/wk1/ReviewSmashingPumpkinsPla.html |archivedate=February 29, 2000 |accessdate=October 9, 2012}}</ref> | ||
== Background and concept == | == Background and concept == | ||
After the ''Adore'' tour ended in the second half of 1998, lead singer/guitarist [[Billy Corgan]] immediately began to work on new material, playing new songs as early as October of that year.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.spfc.org/tours/date.html?tour_id=633 |title=spfc.org : Tour History – Dates : 1998/10/31 |work=spfc.org |accessdate=October 9, 2012}}</ref> In the same month, the four original band members convened, and decided that Jimmy Chamberlin would rejoin the band, and that a final album and tour would be mounted before the group disbanded permanently.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Kot |first=Greg |title=Pumpkin Seeds |journal=Guitar World |date=January 2002}}</ref> "If you want to know what Jimmy brings back to the band," Corgan told '' | After the ''Adore'' tour ended in the second half of 1998, lead singer/guitarist [[Billy Corgan]] immediately began to work on new material, playing new songs as early as October of that year.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.spfc.org/tours/date.html?tour_id=633 |title=spfc.org : Tour History – Dates : 1998/10/31 |work=spfc.org |accessdate=October 9, 2012}}</ref> In the same month, the four original band members convened, and decided that Jimmy Chamberlin would rejoin the band, and that a final album and tour would be mounted before the group disbanded permanently.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Kot |first=Greg |title=Pumpkin Seeds |journal=Guitar World |date=January 2002}}</ref> "If you want to know what Jimmy brings back to the band," Corgan told ''Q'', "then listen to ''Adore'' and this new record back-to-back. It speaks for itself."<ref>''[[w:Q (magazine)|Q]]'', March 2000</ref> According to an August 19, 2014 interview with Ryan Leas, Corgan explained, "I was thinking like, you know, what the Beatles did with Sgt. Pepper’s. Why can’t we make a really different type of record? So that was my thinking going into it."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/1698954/inside-baseball-with-billy-corgan-the-smashing-pumpkins-leader-on-adore-machina-and-the-end-of-teargarden-by-kaleidyscope/franchises/interview/ |title=Inside Baseball With Billy Corgan: The Smashing Pumpkins Head On Adore, MACHINA, And The End Of Teargarden | date=August 19, 1994 |website=Stereogum|accessdate=December 9, 2019}}</ref> | ||
Corgan envisioned a lengthy concept album in conjunction with a | Corgan envisioned a lengthy concept album in conjunction with a musical theater approach to a tour, based around the idea of the band playing exaggerated versions of themselves, as the press and public seemed to view them.<ref name="borges">{{cite web |url=http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/countygrind/2010/07/qa_billy_corgan_regret_smashing_pumpkins.php |title=Q&A: Billy Corgan Reveals Biggest Regret, Weighs Indie Versus Corporate Rock Ahead of Tonight's Show at Revolution |last=Borges |first=Christine |date=July 20, 2010 |work=[[w:New Times Broward-Palm Beach|browardpalmbeach.com]] |accessdate=October 9, 2012}}</ref><ref>Episode 59 of ''[[w:VH1 Storytellers|VH1 Storytellers]]'', August 24, 2000</ref> He later explained, "the band had become such cartoon characters at that point in the way we were portrayed in the media, the idea was that we would sort of go out and pretend we were the cartoon characters."<ref name="borges"/> From there, a story was conceived revolving around a rock star named Zero (based on the public persona of Corgan) hearing the voice of God, renaming himself Glass, and renaming his band The Machines of God. Fans of the band were referred to as the "Ghost Children".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.3ammagazine.com/3am/cherubs-zeros-glass-children-swans-symbolism-in-lyrics-of-the-smashing-pumpkins/ |title=cherubs, zeros, glass children & swans – symbolism in lyrics of the smashing pumpkins | date=April 24, 2018 |website=3:AM Magazine|accessdate=December 9, 2019}}</ref> | ||
[[File:Machina chart.jpg|thumb|left|Billy Corgan's chart showing the loose story of ''Machina'' and ''Machina II''|link=Special:FilePath/Machina_chart.jpg]] | [[File:Machina chart.jpg|thumb|left|Billy Corgan's chart showing the loose story of ''Machina'' and ''Machina II''|link=Special:FilePath/Machina_chart.jpg]] | ||
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Corgan described the new recording process for ''Machina'', now focused more on the song development than on the concept: | Corgan described the new recording process for ''Machina'', now focused more on the song development than on the concept: | ||
{{cquote|We spent most of the time trying to take the songs as far as they could be taken down a particular avenue. So if it was gonna be proto-cyber metal, we tried to make it very proto and very cyber. If it was acoustic, then we tried to not fall into the typical | {{cquote|We spent most of the time trying to take the songs as far as they could be taken down a particular avenue. So if it was gonna be proto-cyber metal, we tried to make it very proto and very cyber. If it was acoustic, then we tried to not fall into the typical ballad-y kind of aspects. That's where we spent most of our time. The songs were probably written in about a day.<ref name="mtv2000">{{cite web |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1434163/20000302/smashing_pumpkins.jhtml |title=Billy Corgan Discusses Painless "''Machina''" Sessions |last=Basham |first=David |date=March 2, 2000 |work=[[w:MTV|mtv.com]] |accessdate=October 9, 2012}}</ref>}} | ||
In the end, the theatrical qualities of the live performances and appearances were mostly abandoned. Many of the songs on the album refer to the ending of love and relationships (both romantic and otherwise), most of them obvious references to the band themselves. Corgan described "This Time" as "my love song to the band."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://twitter.com/Billy/status/78435594295975936 |title=Twitter / Billy: I Bet You Didn't Know That ... |last=Corgan |first=Billy |authorlink=Billy Corgan |date=June 8, 2011 |work=[[w:Twitter|Twitter]] |accessdate=October 9, 2012}}</ref> According to Corgan, the album was structured so that the first eight tracks would be "more poppy", and the last seven "more arty." Generally, Corgan appraised the sound of the album as "a rock 'n' roll approach with pop sensibility."<ref>{{cite journal |title=[Billy Corgan interview] |journal=INSite}}</ref> After the [[W:Electronica|electronica]]-influenced ''Adore'', ''Machina'' was a return to the distorted guitar sound of previous albums, though synthesizers and acoustic guitars were still heavily used. | In the end, the theatrical qualities of the live performances and appearances were mostly abandoned. Many of the songs on the album refer to the ending of love and relationships (both romantic and otherwise), most of them obvious references to the band themselves. Corgan described "This Time" as "my love song to the band."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://twitter.com/Billy/status/78435594295975936 |title=Twitter / Billy: I Bet You Didn't Know That ... |last=Corgan |first=Billy |authorlink=Billy Corgan |date=June 8, 2011 |work=[[w:Twitter|Twitter]] |accessdate=October 9, 2012}}</ref> According to Corgan, the album was structured so that the first eight tracks would be "more poppy", and the last seven "more arty." Generally, Corgan appraised the sound of the album as "a rock 'n' roll approach with pop sensibility."<ref>{{cite journal |title=[Billy Corgan interview] |journal=INSite}}</ref> After the [[W:Electronica|electronica]]-influenced ''Adore'', ''Machina'' was a return to the distorted guitar sound of previous albums, though synthesizers and acoustic guitars were still heavily used. | ||
== Marketing and release == | == Marketing and release == | ||
''Machina'' was released as a single album on February 29, 2000, with a bonus disc, ''Still Becoming Apart'', available at certain stores.[[File:Spiotm.jpg|thumb|right|"I of the Mourning" promotional single cover|link=Special:FilePath/Spiotm.jpg]] | |||
''Machina'' was released as a single album on February 29, 2000, with a bonus disc, ''Still Becoming Apart'', available at certain stores. | |||
[[File:Spiotm.jpg|thumb|right|"I of the Mourning" promotional single cover|link=Special:FilePath/Spiotm.jpg]] | |||
A video was made for "[[Stand Inside Your Love]]", the planned first single, in late 1999, but at the last minute, "[[The Everlasting Gaze]]" was issued as the album's first promotional radio single in December 1999. "Stand Inside Your Love" was released as the first commercially available single on January 21, 2000. "I of the Mourning" was also released as a promotional single and received limited airplay. "Heavy Metal Machine" was issued as a promotional cassette but was not distributed to radio stations.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spfreaks.com/default.aspx?page=COLLDETAILS&item=882 |title=..: SPfreaks :.. |work=spfreaks.com |accessdate=October 9, 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716115025/http://www.spfreaks.com/default.aspx?page=COLLDETAILS&item=882 |archivedate=July 16, 2011 }}</ref> | A video was made for "[[Stand Inside Your Love]]", the planned first single, in late 1999, but at the last minute, "[[The Everlasting Gaze]]" was issued as the album's first promotional radio single in December 1999. "Stand Inside Your Love" was released as the first commercially available single on January 21, 2000. "I of the Mourning" was also released as a promotional single and received limited airplay. "Heavy Metal Machine" was issued as a promotional cassette but was not distributed to radio stations.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spfreaks.com/default.aspx?page=COLLDETAILS&item=882 |title=..: SPfreaks :.. |work=spfreaks.com |accessdate=October 9, 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716115025/http://www.spfreaks.com/default.aspx?page=COLLDETAILS&item=882 |archivedate=July 16, 2011 }}</ref> | ||
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On March 9, the band went on the Thursday edition of ''@MTV Week'' at Broadway Studios in New York City for a half-hour live TV special. During the broadcast they performed "The Everlasting Gaze" as well as "I of the Mourning" after an online and call-in voting competition between three songs from ''Machina''. The special also featured [[W:Carson Daly|Carson Daly]] interviewing the band members and online chats with the band, and an interactive online video for "The Crying Tree of Mercury." | On March 9, the band went on the Thursday edition of ''@MTV Week'' at Broadway Studios in New York City for a half-hour live TV special. During the broadcast they performed "The Everlasting Gaze" as well as "I of the Mourning" after an online and call-in voting competition between three songs from ''Machina''. The special also featured [[W:Carson Daly|Carson Daly]] interviewing the band members and online chats with the band, and an interactive online video for "The Crying Tree of Mercury." | ||
On May 23, Corgan announced on | On May 23, Corgan announced on KROQ-FM that the band would be breaking up at the end of the year.<ref name="kroq"/> The band reconvened in a studio to finish off the leftover ''Machina'' tracks, but Virgin remained uninterested, so the band released ''[[w:Machina II/The Friends & Enemies of Modern Music|Machina II]]'' on their own in September, handing them off to fans to distribute free over the Internet.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.spfc.org/band/studio.html?session_id=47 |title=spfc.org : Studio Sessions : Jul 2000 – Chicago Recording Company |work=spfc.org |accessdate=October 9, 2012}}</ref> | ||
The video for the final single, "[[Try, Try, Try]]", directed by [[W:Jonas Åkerlund|Jonas Åkerlund]], was released on September 11, 2000, but did not receive airplay in the US due to its graphic content.<ref>{{cite video |title=[[w:The Smashing Pumpkins – Greatest Hits Video Collection (1991–2000)|The Smashing Pumpkins – Greatest Hits Video Collection (1991–2000)]] |type="Try, Try, Try" video commentary |date=November 20, 2001}}</ref> | The video for the final single, "[[Try, Try, Try]]", directed by [[W:Jonas Åkerlund|Jonas Åkerlund]], was released on September 11, 2000, but did not receive airplay in the US due to its graphic content.<ref>{{cite video |title=[[w:The Smashing Pumpkins – Greatest Hits Video Collection (1991–2000)|The Smashing Pumpkins – Greatest Hits Video Collection (1991–2000)]] |type="Try, Try, Try" video commentary |date=November 20, 2001}}</ref> | ||
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Although the full extent of the original concept went unrealized, the storyline of Glass was tied to the album's release and marketing. A sequence of writings, by Corgan, were released under the name "Glass and the Machines of God" starting in the CD booklet and continuing over the Internet and elsewhere.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.pumpkins.it/glass.html|title=pumpkins.it|website=www.pumpkins.it|accessdate=November 2, 2019}}</ref> Additional entries, under the name "Chards of Glass", were posted by the band while on tour.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hugedomains.com/domain_profile.cfm?d=nachtkabaret&e=com|title=HugeDomains.com - NachTKabaret.com is for sale (Nach T Kabaret)|website=www.hugedomains.com|accessdate=November 2, 2019}}</ref> Corgan challenged fans to solve the "''Machina'' mystery" hinted at through it all, and in December 2000 posted his favorite fan interpretations.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.smashingpumpkins.com/winners.html| title = contest winners| date = December 13, 2000| archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20010215034947/http://www.smashingpumpkins.com/winners.html| archivedate = February 15, 2001| accessdate = August 8, 2010}}</ref> | Although the full extent of the original concept went unrealized, the storyline of Glass was tied to the album's release and marketing. A sequence of writings, by Corgan, were released under the name "Glass and the Machines of God" starting in the CD booklet and continuing over the Internet and elsewhere.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.pumpkins.it/glass.html|title=pumpkins.it|website=www.pumpkins.it|accessdate=November 2, 2019}}</ref> Additional entries, under the name "Chards of Glass", were posted by the band while on tour.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hugedomains.com/domain_profile.cfm?d=nachtkabaret&e=com|title=HugeDomains.com - NachTKabaret.com is for sale (Nach T Kabaret)|website=www.hugedomains.com|accessdate=November 2, 2019}}</ref> Corgan challenged fans to solve the "''Machina'' mystery" hinted at through it all, and in December 2000 posted his favorite fan interpretations.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.smashingpumpkins.com/winners.html| title = contest winners| date = December 13, 2000| archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20010215034947/http://www.smashingpumpkins.com/winners.html| archivedate = February 15, 2001| accessdate = August 8, 2010}}</ref> | ||
The booklet artwork, a series of paintings by [[W:Vasily Kafanov|Vasily Kafanov]], loosely told the album's story while hinting at themes related to | The booklet artwork, a series of paintings by [[W:Vasily Kafanov|Vasily Kafanov]], loosely told the album's story while hinting at themes related to alchemy, chemistry, metallurgy, physics, medicine, astrology, semiotics, mysticism, spiritualism, and art. The album was [[:Category:Grammy Award nominations|nominated]] for a 2001 Grammy for [[W:Grammy Award for Best Recording Package|Best Recording Package]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.digitalhit.com/grammy/43/nominees.shtml|title=43rd Annual Grammy Awards Nominations Coverage (2001) | DigitalHit.com|website=www.digitalhit.com|accessdate=November 2, 2019}}</ref> | ||
In June 2001, a | In June 2001, a viral marketing campaign written by [[W:Jim Evans (artist)|Jim Evans]] and Division 13 was launched via the Smashing Pumpkins message board, encouraging users to seek out mysterious websites and video clips. This early example of an internet-based alternate reality game eventually unveiled the news of a new online animated series by [[W:Sony|Sony]] based on the ''Machina'' story. Due in part to the changing circumstances surrounding the album's rollout, the series was shelved before any episodes were completed, though several portions have been leaked to YouTube.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gt6tTK4-e9w|title=YouTube|website=www.youtube.com|accessdate=November 2, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLtewB8UjL4|title=YouTube|website=www.youtube.com|accessdate=November 2, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ML4QmfI0aJA|title=YouTube|website=www.youtube.com|accessdate=November 2, 2019}}</ref> In a 2010 interview, Corgan commented on the abandoned cartoon, stating, "Yeah, I think you can find a few bits and pieces, but it never got finished unfortunately. That would've at least explained what the fuck I was trying to do [laughs]. I'm not even sure now what I was trying to do. But I was trying to do something."<ref name="borges"/> | ||
{{clear}} | {{clear}} | ||
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| rev5 = ''[[w:NME|NME]]'' | | rev5 = ''[[w:NME|NME]]'' | ||
| rev5score = 6/10<ref name="NME">{{cite journal |url=http://www.nme.com/reviews/reviews/20000223124803.html |title=The Smashing Pumpkins – MACHINA/The Machines Of God |journal=[[w:NME|NME]] |date=February 23, 2000 |accessdate=March 5, 2020 |last=Segal |first=Victoria |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20000407105031/http://www.nme.com/reviews/reviews/20000223124803.html |archivedate=April 7, 2000 |url-status=dead }}</ref> | | rev5score = 6/10<ref name="NME">{{cite journal |url=http://www.nme.com/reviews/reviews/20000223124803.html |title=The Smashing Pumpkins – MACHINA/The Machines Of God |journal=[[w:NME|NME]] |date=February 23, 2000 |accessdate=March 5, 2020 |last=Segal |first=Victoria |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20000407105031/http://www.nme.com/reviews/reviews/20000223124803.html |archivedate=April 7, 2000 |url-status=dead }}</ref> | ||
| rev7 = ''[[w:Q (magazine)|Q]]'' | | rev7 = ''[[w:Q (magazine)|Q]]'' | ||
| rev7score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.qonline.co.uk:80/reviews/server.asp?id=18746 |title=The Smashing Pumpkins: Machina/The Machines of God |journal=[[w:Q (magazine)|Q]] |issue=163 |date=April 2000 |accessdate=August 30, 2018 |last=Elliott |first=Paul |pages=84–85 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20001121134100/http://www.qonline.co.uk/reviews/server.asp?id=18746 |archivedate=November 21, 2000 |url-status=dead}}</ref> | | rev7score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.qonline.co.uk:80/reviews/server.asp?id=18746 |title=The Smashing Pumpkins: Machina/The Machines of God |journal=[[w:Q (magazine)|Q]] |issue=163 |date=April 2000 |accessdate=August 30, 2018 |last=Elliott |first=Paul |pages=84–85 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20001121134100/http://www.qonline.co.uk/reviews/server.asp?id=18746 |archivedate=November 21, 2000 |url-status=dead}}</ref> | ||
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According to | According to Metacritic, the album received generally favorable reviews, scoring 66 out of 100 based on 15 reviews. | ||
Jim DeRogatis of the '' | Jim DeRogatis of the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' called ''Machina'' "an exceedingly impressive and hard-driving record"<ref name=derogatis>{{cite news |url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4537673.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180522111741/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4537673.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 22, 2018 |title=Smashing Pumpkins Reclaiming Rock Glory |work=[[w:Chicago Sun-Times|Chicago Sun-Times]] |date=February 29, 2000 |accessdate=October 17, 2016 |last=DeRogatis |first=Jim |authorlink=w:Jim DeRogatis |url-access=subscription}}</ref> and contended that it was the band's "masterpiece."<ref>[[w:Jim DeRogatis|DeRogatis, Jim]]. "Pumpkins Return in Force." ''[[w:Chicago Sun-Times|Chicago Sun-Times]]''. December 20, 1999.</ref> | ||
"''Machina'' finds the quartet back at their grunge-rocking best…" wrote Clark Collis in '' | "''Machina'' finds the quartet back at their grunge-rocking best…" wrote Clark Collis in ''The Daily Telegraph''. "[Corgan] seems re-energised as a writer and singer with the likes of 'Stand Inside Your Love' and 'Try Try Try' standing among their best work to date, while the lyrical refrain of the epic 'Glass and the Ghost Children' should please all those who like their rock music to be mean, moody and not a little psychotic."<ref>''[[w:The Daily Telegraph|The Daily Telegraph]]'', February 26, 2000</ref> | ||
== Track listing == | == Track listing == | ||