Discover

'''Gish''' is The Smashing Pumpkins' debut release. The album was named after silent movie actress Lillian Gish. In an interview with Billy Corgan he once said "My grandmother used to tell me that one of the biggest things that ever happened was when Lillian Gish rode through town on a train, my grandmother lived in the middle of nowhere, so that was a big deal."^[1]
It was recorded from December 1990 to March 1991 in Butch Vig's Smart Studios in Madison, Wisconsin, and released on May 28, 1991. The first mastering of ''Gish'' on CD was from Digital Audio Tape and appeared on Caroline Records. Several years later the album was remastered from analog tape and released on Virgin Records.^[2] Both editions credit Howie Weinberg as mastering engineer.
Many of the songs on Gish show their Psychedelic and Heavy metal influences.
"I Am One", "Rhinoceros", and "Bury Me" were previously recorded as demos by the band in early 1989. All three songs were re-recorded for Gish. "Daydream" was also recorded during the same sessions. Unlike the other three, the band used the actual demo recording of the song from 1989 and sequenced it as the closing track of Gish (followed by a brief secret song).
James Iha has mentioned that he bought his first Gibson Les Paul guitar for the recording of ''Gish''. He used these model guitars almost exclusively until 1998's ''Adore''.
''Gish'' originally peaked at #195 in the U.S. upon its release, and is currently certified platinum. As of May 2005, its U.S. sales stand at 1.1 million.

Contents

Track listing

Singles

Outtakes

Chart positions

Album

Singles

Personnel

Footnotes

Track listing

All songs written by Billy Corgan, except "I Am One" by Corgan/James Iha.
# "I Am One" – 4:07
# "Siva" – 4:20
# "Rhinoceros" – 6:32
# "Bury Me" – 4:48
# "Crush" – 3:35
# "Suffer" – 5:11
# "Snail" – 5:11
# "Tristessa" – 3:33
# "Window Paine" – 5:51
# "Daydream" – 3:08
#
★ "I'm Going Crazy" (hidden track) – 1:00

Singles

★ "Siva" was a limited edition 12"/CD with "Window Paine"

★ "Rhinoceros" appeared on the Lull EP, although the 30 second feedback ending was cut on the EP.

★ "I Am One" was re-released as a single on CD with "Plume" and "Starla"

★ "Tristessa", a single prior to the recording of the album, was not re-released as a single

Outtakes

The following songs are those that were written and recorded for "Gish" but did not make the final cut. All but two of the tracks were released on future recordings.

★ "Blue" (released on the ''Lull EP'' and ''Pisces Iscariot'')

★ "Obscured" (released on ''Pisces Iscariot'')

★ "Slunk" (released on the ''Lull EP'')

★ "Why Am I So Tired?" (released on ''Earphoria'')

★ "Jesus Loves His Babies" (Never officially released, does appear on Mashed Potatoes (bootleg), a five disc set assembled by Billy Corgan and given to band and staff as a gift for Christmas 1994)

★ "La Dolly Vita" (originally the B-side to "Tristessa", rereleased on ''Pisces Iscariot'')

Chart positions

Album

Year	Chart	Position
1991	Top Heatseekers	6
1991	The Billboard 200	195

Singles

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1991	"Rhinoceros"	Modern Rock Tracks	27
1992	"I Am One"	UK Singles Chart	73

Personnel

★ Billy Corgan – vocals, guitar, producer

★ D'arcy – bass, vocals on "Daydream," layout

★ James Iha – guitar, vocals

★ Jimmy Chamberlin – drums

★ Butch Vig – producer, engineer

★ Howie Weinberg – mastering

★ Bob Knapp – photography

★ Michael Lavine – photography

★ Chris Wagner – violin and viola on "Daydream"

★ Mary Gaines – cello on "Daydream"
''Gish'' also features an uncredited flutist on "Suffer".

Footnotes

1. Caro, Mark. "Smashing Pumpkins Finds a New Home at Caroline Records". ''Chicago Tribune''. Friday, December 28 1990.
2.