Jimmy Chamberlin has left the Smashing Pumpkins, not exactly with a bang, but not with a whimper, either. The band's original drummer — who, depending on how you read it, either recently quit the band or was asked to leave — posted a cryptic explanation on his blog last night, explaining that he couldn't go into detail about why he left Billy Corgan as the only original member, but, suffice it to say, he felt like the group was not headed in the right direction.
"I will say, without going into any unnecessary details, that this represents a positive move forward for me. I can no longer commit all of my energy into something that I don't fully possess," Chamberlin wrote. "I won't pretend I'm into something I'm not. I won't do it to myself, you the fan, or my former partner. I can't just, 'Cash the check' so to speak. Music is my life. It is sacred. It deserves the highest commitment at every level and the Pumpkins are certainly no different." That kind of talk led Rolling Stone to speculate that perhaps Chamberlin was not OK with the group's music popping up lately in Visa, Ford and Hyundai commercials and "Guitar Hero: World Tour," or maybe because Corgan recently testified in Washington, D.C., in favor of the proposed Live Nation/ Ticketmaster merger.
Chamberlin claims that there's no drama, no bad blood — that he wishes Corgan the best and is glad he's chosen to soldier on under the Pumpkins name. "It is his right. I will continue to make music with the Jimmy Chamberlin Complex as well as pursuing other musical interests," he said.
As if to prove things are hunky-dory, one of the top pieces of video on the official SP site today was footage of Corgan recently praising Chamberlin as "the best drummer in the world right now." Hell, the site even has footage from South by Southwest of former guitarist James Iha's new band, Tinted Windows, and it's no secret that Corgan and Iha are not on each other's buddy list anymore.
However, it appears that Corgan has yet to weigh in on the matter ... but you can bet he will soon.