Release Info:
Released in May 28,1991 by Caroline Records. Re-released and remastered in July 1994 by
Hut Recordings/Virgin Records. Available on cd, tape,and 12" vinyl.
Notable Names:
All songs written by Billy Corgan except "I am One" by Billy Corgan and James Iha.
Produced by Billy Corgan and Butch Vig. Layout for cover by D'arcy. Cover photos by
Robert Knapp and inner photo ("Bugg Superstar") by Mike Lavine.
Recorded(When and Where):
Recorded from Dec. 1990-Mar. 1991 at Smart Studios in Madison, Wisconsin.
Milestones:
Gish was the debut album of the Smashing Pumpkins. Gish was overshadowed by Nirvana's
Nevermind, and Gish sold about 500,000 copies. In 1992, they were featured on the
Singles Soundtrack with their 8 min. long song, Drown. They opened for the Red Hot Chili
Peppers during there tour. They performed at the 1992 Reading Festival, and to coincide
with it released "I am One" which reached number 73(the first time they made into the UK
Top 100). The Gish tour had its problems: the band was not getting along very
well at times, and Billy through a tantrum on stage at the Reading Festival. During this
tantrum, Billy smashed his guitar at the stage mics.
Singles:
Siva
Rhinoceros
I am One
Other Info:
The original cover, designed by D'arcy was supposed to be a collage of pictures, but
the record company said it looked too much like a Jane's Addiction album that was out
that year, and the middle of the collage ended up being the cover for Gish. Originally
thought to be named after the silent film star, Lilian Gish. Billy said in response to a
caller's question about the validity of this on the radio show,Rockline on July 13,1998, he
said that they were originally going to call the album Fish. They changed it to Gish since
there was a band named Phish, and even with the different spelling, they didn't want to be
compared to them. In the liner notes of th original copies of the album its says that all the
songs are under copyright control since this was prior to the band received a publishing
deal.
