The Smashing Pumpkins’ Jeff Schroeder teases “forward-leaning” ‘Mellon Collie’ & ‘Machina’ sequel album

Credit: Jonathan Weiner

The Smashing Pumpkins have been working on a new album, which has been described as a “sequel” to 1995’s Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness and 2000’s Machina. Speaking with ABC Audio, guitarist Jeff Schroeder shares a bit more about the record, and its massive scope.

“This Pumpkins thing is such a big project,” Schroeder reveals. “It’s gonna be 33 songs.”

Working on the record, Schroeder says, has so far been the “deepest musical journey” he’s taken in his career.

“I mean, 33 songs is a lot,” he muses. “That’s a lot of tunes.”

The ambition of the forthcoming project is also influenced by the way the Pumpkins have come to approach making records.

“We are not a band that goes in the studio and jams it out and is gonna do an album in a few days,” Schroeder explains. “Like, these are painstakingly worked-over albums where every second of the record is thought about.”

As for progress on the album, Schroeder says he’s about “halfway done” with his parts. Production-wise, he likens the music to the most recent Pumpkins record, last November’s CYR.

“It’s more of a forward-leaning album in production, not very four guys, five guys in a room jamming-type of record,” Schroeder says. “It’s a very produced album, so far.”

He adds, “But…things could change.”

Meanwhile, Schroeder just released his debut solo song, “Haenim.”

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