The Smashing Pumpkins Receive Over 10,000 Submissions For New Guitarist Position
The amount of submissions has been so overwhelming that they have “eight people working full-time to review each and every one” of them.
The Smashing Pumpkins @ Hordern Pavilion (Credit: Peter Dovgan)
Two weeks ago, The Smashing Pumpkins launched open auditions to fill the vacant guitarist spot in the band.
Since then, they’ve been inundated with over 10,000 submissions from guitar players from across the globe. The amount of submissions has been so overwhelming that they have “eight people working full-time to review each and every one” of them, according to a new Instagram statement.
The Bullet With Butterfly Wings rockers announced they were looking for a replacement for Jeff Schroeder, who departed the band in October, via social media.
“The Smashing Pumpkins are in search of an additional guitarist,” the group wrote on Instagram earlier this month. “The application process is open to anyone who might be interested. Applicants may submit a resume and related material to SPGuitar@redlightmanagement.com.”
Schroeder’s departure was a shock blow to fans of The Smashing Pumpkins. After joining the band for their 2006 reunion, Schroeder left after 15 years.
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 account, “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.”
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Billy Corgan, James Iha and Jimmy Chamberlain wrote in response, “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.”
Smashing Pumpkins toured Australia in support of their latest album, the rock opera ATUM, last year, bringing the first-ever The World Is A Vampire festival down under. The US rockers were joined by Jane’s Addiction and Aussie stars Amyl & The Sniffers, RedHook and Battlesnake, and local openers at each show.
In a The Music live review of the band’s concert at Kryal Castle, writer Andy Hazel concluded, “The world, for a little while at least, seemed a lot less vampiric.”
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