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The Smashing Pumpkins

Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (Virgin)

NightNight Gets Mellon Collie: Alt-electronic act NightNight, aka Yasmin Maryam Haddad, told us about her love for a Pumpkins classic.

NightNight: I’ll start off by saying (as I’m sure many do) – I cannot truly choose a favorite album. So, for my dear friends at LA Weekly – I chose an album that I would be able to listen to forever, if left with only one. 

The Smashing Pumpkins Mellon Collie And The infinite Sadness

(Virgin)

“Why this one?” you might ask. Mellon Collie was a little before my time – I was way too young to be into the Pumpkins when it was new. I found the Smashing Pumpkins around 2003 by checking out their Machina/The Machines of God album from the public library out of curiosity. I loved it so much that I never returned it (Sorry, Clark County Libraries). I was later told by my older co-workers at Hot Topic (lol) that it wasn’t their best album – that I should go back and listen to Melloncollie and the Infinite Sadness. I bought a used copy at the mall I worked in and was so excited to get two CDs for less than $10. I played the album straight through so many times that I can still sing it in order.

While I don’t really agree that one album is “better” than the other – Melloncollie and the Infinite Sadness covers an amazing amount of musical ground. From heavy rock anthems like “Zero” and “Muzzle” to really beautiful ballads like “Thirty-Three” and “Tonight, Tonight”. I was inspired by all the diversity. I know that “Tonight, Tonight” made me want to incorporate strings in my own music and keep some of my orchestral training in what I did in the future. 

The drama and grandeur of the music on Melloncollie continues to inspire me to bring listeners on the emotional journey with me. In times like ours today – where a 10 second clip on TikTok can make a hit song – I’m reminded that what inspired me to make music when I was a kid was an album that comes in at 2 hours and 2 minutes long. 

NightNight Gets Mellon Collie: NightNight’s new single “Leaves” is out now.

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