Nicole Fiorentino

Nicole Margaret Fiorentino (born April 7, 1979) was a former bassist for The Smashing Pumpkins (replacing Ginger Pooley and her temporary replacement Mark Tulin). She became an official member in 2010. She performs on the band's third Teargarden by Kaleidyscope EP (2011) and subsequent album Oceania (2012). Fiorentino departed the band in 2014.

Nicole's the first bass player I've worked with where she is the bass player on the album. She's such a major contributor, and it's such a thrill to work with her. It's interesting as a composer to hand her something and see her come up with melodies that are counterpunctual in a baroque way but yet they sound like they're from a different mindsource as opposed to me writing counterpunctual melodies that sound like they come from one mind. I'm proud to work with her.

Biography
Prior to joining the Smashing Pumpkins, she was a member of Radio Vago, Chicago alternative act Veruca Salt, Spinnerette, Twilight Sleep, and Light FM, the last of which opened for Billy Corgan's one-off band Backwards Clock Society in November 2009.

Within a February 17, 2011 post on The Smashing Pumpkins' Facebook page, Fiorentino claimed she was one of the girls on the cover of the Pumpkins' 1993 album Siamese Dream. Although it was received by many fans to have been in jest, several news sources and a portion of the fan community believed this to be a genuine claim. Rolling Stone suggested that Corgan had "decided to pull a Twitter prank". Former SmashingPumpkins.com webmaster, Paul Friemel, later claimed that both cover models had been located in 2007 and that neither was Fiorentino.

In September 2014, Corgan stated in an interview with Alternative Nation that both Fiorentino and bandmate Mike Byrne were no longer members of The Smashing Pumpkins, citing different levels of commitment to the Smashing Pumpkins. However, Fiorentino and Corgan remain on amicable terms.

Bass Magazine wrote of her: "Fiorentino's magnetic stage presence and staggering tone made her stand out and become a favorite among fans … When we had a chance to discuss her playing with Billy Corgan, [Corgan] likened her style to that of Chris Squire of Yes, an incisive comparison given Fiorentino's strong rhythmic propulsion and her cutting midrange sound."

Discography
With The Smashing Pumpkins
 * Teargarden by Kaleidyscope (2011)
 * Oceania (2012)
 * Oceania: Live in NYC (2013)