The Smashing Pumpkins Guitarist Jeff Schroeder Leaves The Band After 15 Years

Jeff Schroeder has left the Smashing Pumpkins after over 15 years in the band, making him the second-longest serving member of the US rock outfit post-reunion beside frontman Billy Corgan.

Since joining the band upon their reunion in the mid-2000s – Schroeder initially acted as a replacement for James Iha, who eventually returned to the Smashing Pumpkins – Schroeder remained an integral part of the band.

While Schroeder didn’t record with the band on 2007’s Zeitgeist, he went on the road with the group during that tour and ended up recording guitar parts for 2012’s Oceania, 2014’s Monuments To An Elegy, 2018’s Shiny And Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun, 2020’s Cyr, and this year’s ATUM.

Citing a need to leave the Smashing Pumpkins to “explore a slightly different path”, Schroeder wrote in a joint statement with the band – who farewelled the guitarist alongside his statement:

“It's easy to say now that when I joined The Smashing Pumpkins in 2007 I had no idea what I was getting into. The opportunity seemed to have come out of nowhere. I was at UCLA working on my doctorate in comparative literature when a close friend messaged me and said The Smashing Pumpkins were looking for a guitar player. Being a huge fan of the band, the audition was something I threw myself into. It was one of the best decisions I've made in my life.

“The amount of incredible memories created over the last 16 years with the band are almost too numerous to quantify. Although it was a very difficult decision to make, I've decided to leave the band to make some space to explore a slightly different path. I want to thank Billy, Jimmy, James, and Jack [Bates] for being both wonderful bandmates and even better friends. I will absolutely miss sharing the stage with you. I wish the band all the success in the future. I will be watching and listening.”

Schroeder’s fellow bandmates, Billy Corgan, James Iha and Jimmy Chamberlain, wrote, “We thank Jeff for his ceaseless dedication to the band and our great fans. Words can not express our gratitude and appreciation for the friend he is, and being there for SP in the good times and the tough times, too.”