In a recent Substack video, Billy Corgan changed his view on former bandmate D’Arcy Wretzky, marking a significant shift from their past conflicts. Corgan acknowledged Wretzky’s influence on the band, saying, “D’Arcy had a way of letting it be known — stuff that she thought was moving the band forward, or moving the band laterally, or moving the band backwards. Her opinion carried more weight than anyone else’s.” He added, “Her contribution, spiritually and emotionally, had a lot to do with the success of the band. I really did respect her musical opinion.”
This new perspective is a big change from 2018 when Corgan dismissed the idea of working with her again. Wretzky was the band’s bass player until 1999 and played a key role in shaping their sound across several albums. Her last work with the band was on “Machina II/The Friends & Enemies Of Modern Music” in 2000.
After Wretzky left, the band saw several bass players come and go. Melissa Auf Der Maur took over until the band paused in 2000. When they returned in 2006, they had a mix of players, including Ginger Reyes, Mark Tulin, Nicole Fiorentino, Mark Stoermer, and Sierra Swan. Currently, Jack Bates, son of Joy Division’s Peter Hook, plays bass on tour.
Next month, fans can look forward to a special release celebrating the 30th anniversary of “Mellon Collie & The Infinite Sadness.” This edition includes 80 minutes of concert tracks from 1996, along with extras like a book, tarot cards, and art prints. Fans can choose from six vinyl records, four CDs, or digital files. The Super Deluxe set even comes with Corgan’s signature. On Facebook, he expressed his excitement, saying, “I’m just so excited for this. A dream come true.”
