Coat of Eyes

From SPCodex, The Smashing Pumpkins wiki
Coat of Eyes
OriginChicago, Illinois, US
GenresRock, new wave
Years active1983 – 1985
Associated actsThe Smashing Pumpkins, The Marked
Past membersBilly Corgan, Ron Roesing, Greg Bates, Dale Meiners, Jim Marcus

Coat of Eyes was an American alternative rock/new wave band formed by Billy Corgan and Greg Bates in Chicago, Illinois, in 1983. It was the previous band of The Marked.

History[edit | edit source]

Billy Corgan formed Coat of Eyes at the age of sixteen when he met Greg Bates outside the Chicago teen nightclub Medusa's. The band originally went by the name Bates Motel. The name Coat of Eyes came from a visual idea Corgan had based on a coat of arms.[1] Other musicians joined on a temporary basis. Jim Marcus contributed to a few of their songs. Corgan and Bates wrote, played and recorded together for two years and ended up with a catalog of around 40 songs, many with Bates on lead vocals.

While Corgan and Bates were looking for a drummer and bassist they met musicians, Dale Meiners and Ron Roesing. Trying to find a larger fan base, the band moved to St. Petersburg, Florida. Since Bates was at the time still in high school, he did not accompany them; the remaining trio started as a new band, The Marked.[1]

Corgan and Bates reunited in public at the Madame ZuZu's grand opening on September 13, 2012, with Bates playing guest guitar on "Today".

Discography[edit | edit source]

The dates are pure guesses, as 1985 was the last year before Coat of Eyes became The Marked.

References[edit | edit source]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Folkers, Geo. "Coat of Eyes – An Interview with Greg Bates". SPFreaks. Retrieved October 20, 2020.