Alright, let’s jaw about this “Pisces Iscariot” thing, whatever that means. It’s some kinda music record, you know, like them old vinyls? But this one’s by some band called the Smashing Pumpkins. Sounds like somethin’ you’d see at the county fair, smashing pumpkins, I mean. Anyway, this record, they call it an “album” now, fancy, huh? It came out back in ’94, a long, long time ago. I was still milkin’ cows then, I reckon.
What’s the Big Deal?
Now, they say this ain’t even a real album, not like the ones they work real hard on. It’s a bunch of songs they didn’t put on other albums, leftovers, you know? Like when you make a big pot of stew, and you got some extra meat and veggies left over. You toss ‘em together, and it still tastes pretty good, sometimes even better. That’s what this “Pisces Iscariot” is like. They call ‘em “B-sides” and “outtakes”, whatever that means. Sounded good enough to me, though.
They say it sold a whole bunch, went platinum, they call it. Means a whole lot of folks bought it, more than I can count, that’s for sure. Got up to number four on the charts, wherever them charts are. Must be some kinda big board in the city, I guess, where they write down all the popular music. Back then, I just listened to the radio, what came on came on, didn’t think too much about it.
- Songs and Stuff
- Now, this album, it’s got all kinds of songs on it. Some fast, some slow, some loud, some quiet. One fella, Billy Corgan, I think they call him, he’s the main guy in the band. Sounds like he had a lot on his mind, singing about all sorts of things. I couldn’t always understand what he was saying, but the music was catchy, you know? Made you tap your feet.
- They say this Billy fella, he wanted to call it “Neptulius” at first. Sounds like a space name, don’t it? Like one of them fellas they sent to the moon. But they ended up callin’ it somethin’ about fish, “Pisces,” and some other fella named “Iscariot.” Don’t ask me, I ain’t no Bible scholar. Sounds kinda fishy, if you ask me, ha!
More Than Just Leftovers
Some folks, they say it’s just a bunch of scraps, nothin’ special. But others, they say it’s better than a lot of them albums they worked real hard on. More varied, they say. I guess that means it’s got a bit of everything in it. Kinda like a good ol’ country store, got yer nails, yer flour, yer candy, everything you need.
It’s Got Staying Power
Even though it’s been a long time since ’94, people are still talkin’ ’bout this “Pisces Iscariot”. Writing articles and stuff. Musta made a real mark, you know? Like a good strong cup of coffee, it sticks with ya. It’s a story, they say, about these four fellas playin’ music and…well, I don’t rightly understand all of it, somethin’ ‘bout obeyin’ commandments and respect or lack thereof. All I know is, the music is still around, and folks still like it.
Lasting Impression
So, that’s the story of this “Pisces Iscariot” as best as I can tell ya. It’s a bunch of songs that weren’t supposed to be together, but they ended up makin’ somethin’ pretty good. Kinda like life, you know? Sometimes the things you don’t expect are the best ones. And even if it ain’t the fanciest or the most planned out thing, it can still touch people and last a long time. Just like a good quilt, made from scraps but warm and comforting all the same.
In Conclusion
This album, seems like it was a pretty big deal back then, and still is to some folks now. A bunch of songs thrown together, but somehow it worked. It sold a lot, people liked it, and they’re still talkin’ about it. Seems like a good thing to me, even if I don’t understand all the fancy words they use to talk about it. It’s just good music, plain and simple.
Tags: [Smashing Pumpkins, Pisces Iscariot, Alternative Rock, 90s Music, Album Review, B-sides, Outtakes, Billy Corgan]
