The Frogs

The Frogs were an American rock music band founded in 1980, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, by brothers Jimmy and Dennis Flemion. The brothers mainly wrote and performed short, catchy pop songs, but they are also known for their improvised home recordings which are delivered in a comedic style, and often include controversial issues such as race, religion, and sexuality (notably homoeroticism). A history of strife has hindered the band, although they have a devoted fan base that includes many well-known musicians including Billy Corgan of The Smashing Pumpkins.

The Frogs, through their unique sense of humor, had gained a small but very devoted fan base in the early 90s. Critics attacked the band for poor taste, but well-known bands and performers have come to their defense. In 1993, Billy Corgan saw The Frogs at a small club in Madison, Wisconsin, and invited them to open for the Pumpkins. The Frogs were soon opening for Pearl Jam, Mudhoney, Urge Overkill, and other bands who were fans of the group, to mixed reaction.

In the summer of 1994, the Frogs played the second stage at Lollapalooza, with Corgan joining them at every stop, shredding away on lead guitar for their encore of "I Only Play 4 Money" and "Lord Grunge." Corgan continued to support and promote The Frogs by producing a short film, "Meet the Frogs," which he included on 1994's Vieuphoria video compilation. The short film brought the group recognition, but it has also confused Pumpkins fans who didn't know if they should take the band seriously or not.

From August 1996 to February 1997, Dennis Flemion replaced The Smashing Pumpkins' recently deceased keyboard player Jonathan Melvoin for their Infinite Sadness tour. During each night's encore, Jimmy Flemion performed "1979" (which reportedly was influenced by an unreleased Frogs song, "Pleasure" ), as well as selecting audience members to dance on stage. The Flemion brothers also appeared on the "Tonight, Tonight" single, and sang backing vocals on 1998's Adore.

In 1994 they recorded the EP Starjob which was produced by Billy Corgan (who used the pseudonym Johnny Goat); however, the album was not released until 1997.

More recent appearances include in November 13, 2007, when Jimmy Flemion performed with the Smashing Pumpkins at The Backyard in Austin, TX. The Frogs also opened for the Pumpkins on December 7, 2008, in Chicago.