Nineties harbingers of doom and gloom The Smashing Pumpkins perplexed viewers across the country on Sunday with a performance on The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration. The primetime special filmed at Disney World aired on ABC and witnessed the alt-rock legacy act perform an unreleased Christmas song “Evergreen” and the Bing Crosby classic “Silver Bells”.
It was a bit odd to see the group responsible for a sizable amount of Prozac prescriptions at the turn of the century perform at the Happiest Place on Earth. In front of Cinderella Castle, frontman Billy Corgan led the partially reunited lineup of drummer Jimmy Chamberlin and guitarist James Iha alongside temporary bassist Sierra Swan as fans online expressed their disbelief.
@jamesmgivens Disney#holidayspecial#smashingpumpkins#silverbells ♬ original sound – James Matthew Givens
I still can’t believe I am seeing The Smashing Pumpkins on a Disney Holiday special. Just wild pic.twitter.com/nok4P9YHiU
— Have Yourself a Barry Christmas (@culturenthrills) November 27, 2023
What in the f&@k of all f&@ks is happening here?
The plastic i don’t know what their talent is (don’t tell me dancing. 382 Million ppl around the world can dance) Hough kids just introduced Smashing Pumpkins doing this..
I love Disney history..and Christmas..but i’ma need a drink pic.twitter.com/YLUygPcIJY— Chris Dimino (@chrisdimino) November 27, 2023
Ahead of the appearance, Corgan explained in a promotional interview that he is a lifelong fan of Disney and first visited the park in the early 1970s. That childhood trip formed the bedrock of Corgan’s origin story and turned him into a Disney adult who frequently returns to the park with his family. The performance also connects to Corgan’s affinity for the holidays as he revealed he puts up seven Christmas trees in his house each year.
“I work in the world of professional wrestling, and when you’re a big fan of professional wrestling, they call you a mark. So I’m a Disney mark,” he said. “I collect old Disneyland items. I have stuff from back on the opening day in 1955. So when they called me to come play Disney, I’m like, whatever you need.”
Billy Corgan from The Smashing Pumpkins uses seven Christmas trees to celebrate the season!
This is not the first time Corgan’s love for Disney has crept into public view. Back in 2015, a photo of a dour Corgan riding the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad went viral and was even skewered on Family Guy. Shortly thereafter, the musician candidly responded to his reported lack of enthusiasm while at Disney, “What the f–k do you want from me?”
The Disney Magical Holiday Celebration is available to stream on demand via Hulu and Disney+. The Smashing Pumpkins will hit the road next year as part of Green Day‘s 2024 stadium tour of North America alongside Rancid and The Linda Lindas. Visit the band’s website for tickets and a full list of tour dates.
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