Smash Hits!

Man, I really liked Gish on its release; I still do: great album, with some great tunes.
What happened to the Smashing Pumpkins?

It didn't last long for me.
I found Siamese Twin disappointing; Mellon Collie, boring.
What happened to Billy Corgan?

Before the pretension, and whatever else, the Pumpkins recorded some fine music; nowhere more evident than their first e.p. releases.

Both recorded in 91, they capture the band brimming with energy and enthusiasm.
'Rhinoceros' reflects the sound of Gish, with its steady build into a crescendo saturated in squealing feedback; a squall also used to great effect in 'Siva' and the tremendous Burdon & Weider penned 'Girl Named Sandoz'.

I've also included the sampler release for The Aeroplane Flies High from a little later in the band's weird career; mainly for the title track (gutsy piece of grindcore), and just in case, like me, you were unwilling to pay whatever extortionate amount your local record store was forced to charge for Corgan's extended venture that resulted in, what was it, a five CD release. O yeah, and a book.
Mind you, everyone's at it now, aren't they?
Radiohead, Floyd, Beach Boys, et al. they're all bringing out these products that cost around a ton.
Maybe Corgan was a true innovator after all....

Smashing Pumpkins - Lull (1991)

Rhinoceros
Blue
Slunk
Bye June

Smashing Pumpkins - Peel Sessions (1992)

Siva
Girl Named Sandoz
Smiley

Smashing Pumpkins - The Aeroplane Flies High Sampler (1996)

The Last Song
The Aeroplane Flies High (Turns Left, Looks Right)
Transformer
Destination Unknown*

All ripped from CD to mp3s
Art included
Pumpkin stew here

*written by Dale & Terry Bozzio & Warren Cuccurullo (just in case there's any interested Zappaphiles out there).

I have a couple of rare Smashing Pumpkins' albums that I will be posting over the course of this week - so if you're keen: keep 'em peeled.