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Jimmy Chamberlin Biography
Jimmy Chamberlin has seen it all. As drummer for both Smashing Pumpkins and Zwan, there were few places he hadn’t traveled, magazines he hadn’t been in, and stadiums he hadn’t filled. After being part of not one, but two great bands, Jimmy Chamberlin was ready to do something all for himself. Throughout his decade with the Pumpkins, thoughts of a solo career drifted in and out of Jimmy’s daydreams. Although he may have occasionally mentioned the idea to his band mates, part of him never actually believed that those dreams would turn to reality—at least not as quickly as his solo bow has evolved from casual conversation to finished product. Through 10 long days in the summer of 2004, he morphed his dream into 11 cinematic, sometimes dark and jagged-edged songs composing Life Begins Again, the debut effort from Jimmy Chamberlin Complex.
With the floodgates open, Chamberlin’s life, at least professionally and creatively, quite literally began anew. His new label gave him the one thing that Life Begins Again is all about—freedom, the freedom to harness musical inspiration as it hits, and preventing it from being diluted by bottom-line concerns. With that freedom, Chamberlin and a cast of trusted friends and peers bounded into an L.A. studio and cranked out his first solo statement in record pace.
“I’m amazed that we did it. There was a lot of internal laughing going on while we were making it, just because we were thrilled at the progress we were making and we were actually pulling it off,” Chamberlin says.
Ranging from the sweet and lush (the ethereal “Loki Cat”) to the moody and mean (“Cranes of Prey”), Life Begins Again is the brainchild of both Chamberlin and friend, colleague and multi-instrumentalist Billy Mohler, an L.A.-based songwriter who has worked with everyone from Macy Gray to Fred Durst. The two first met when Mohler, who sings lead on “Newerwaves,” auditioned for Zwan. While he wasn’t hired for the gig, Mohler and Chamberlin became quick friends. It was him who Chamberlin called first after securing a record deal.
The two proved perfect collaborators: “It was kind of like, ‘Oh, I got this riff,’ or ‘Oh, I got this idea,’ and we would kind of talk through the parts and write the songs together,” Chamberlin notes. “His strength melodically kind of tied into my strength as far as “tunesmithery.” He’s a good part writer, and I’m a good song assembler. So I think in that respect our relationship really complements each other.”
The two built the disc’s rhythm tracks first. “Once the bass and drums were done, you could kind of hear the songs finished,” Chamberlin notes. “It was just a matter of waiting for God to drop the guitar player or piano player in your lap.” That heaven-sent duo wound up being Sean Woolstenhulme and Adam Benjamin, respectively. The latter came in at the 11th hour, lathering the trademark Rhodes organ sound over several Chamberlin and Mohler creations. Woolstenhulme’s participation, meanwhile, was sort of a last-minute addition, as well: “Originally, I didn’t want any guitar on the record,” Chamberlin says. “I just sort of wanted all this distorted Fender Rhodes all over it. And when Sean came in, he immediately started playing me stuff that sounded exactly like distorted Fender Rhodes. I thought, “This is exactly what I want—it sounds nothing like guitar.’”
The varying influences drifting in and out of Life Begins Again are rooted in a childhood spent being virtually bombarded by music. Growing up in Joliet, Illinois, an old steel town on Chicago’s Southside, Chamberlin was weaned on both the Duke Ellington and Count Basie swing records favored by his father (a clarinet player), as well as the classic rock beloved by his siblings (one of which was a drummer): Steely Dan, Rickie Lee Jones, Hendrix, John Mayall, Alvin Lee, Led Zeppelin.
With a musical style landing somewhere between Gene Krupa and Mitch Mitchell, Chamberlin would alter the alt-rock landscape as a member of the massively successful Smashing Pumpkins, who he linked up with through mutual friends/acquaintances. While the last to join the band, his musical relationship with Billy Corgan would outlast the band itself, as the two would go on to co-found Zwan, their first post-Pumpkins project in 2001.
“For me, everything is cyclical,” Chamberlin says. “If you look at nature, the universe, everything is in circles. In any person’s life, they can kind of point to where it starts again. I think Life Begins Again is just the start of another cycle for me musically.”
All of the lyrics on Life Begins Again were written by Chamberlin (with the exception of “Lullabye” written by Mohler and Becca Popkin), who makes his debut as a lyricist. While Mohler sings "Newerwaves," ex-Catherine Wheel front man Rob Dickinson is the voice behind the title track and "Love Is Real," while Rock n’ Roll Hall of Famer Bill Medley (one-half of the Righteous Brothers) takes the mic on "Lullabye.” Corgan teams up with Chamberlin for "Loki Cat.” Chamberlin says, "I played the CD for Billy and when he heard that song, he immediately asked if I had lyrics. I told him, ‘No, the song is an instrumental.’ He said," I would love to sing on that song! Write me some lyrics and a melody.” So after a couple of attempts at lyrics, I hit on something we both liked." The chemistry and love between these two friends makes for one of the strongest tracks on the record.
The album’s lyrical concept, Chamberlin says, is freedom of the spirit: “I think that love and spirituality - and this cosmic vibration that runs through everybody - is a real thing. For me, music is a testament that if you acknowledge the vibrations going on around you, it’s possible to reproduce that in to an art form. To me, this CD is an acknowledgement of the natural vibrations running through me. It was just a period of my life where I was able to channel those into music because I was given the freedom to do so.”
"The song 'Love Is Real' has a lyric that goes, 'I walked outside tonight with the stars as my guide, knowing where to go/ it’s my heart that tells me so.' To me, that line sums up the whole record right there. It was more of a heartfelt musical adventure than it was a thought-out process. This whole project was based on intuition and not over-thinking anything, just knowing that when something comes to you, it’s in its most natural form, and that’s how it needs to be translated musically... When something comes to you, use that power to make it great.”
With the floodgates open, Chamberlin’s life, at least professionally and creatively, quite literally began anew. His new label gave him the one thing that Life Begins Again is all about—freedom, the freedom to harness musical inspiration as it hits, and preventing it from being diluted by bottom-line concerns. With that freedom, Chamberlin and a cast of trusted friends and peers bounded into an L.A. studio and cranked out his first solo statement in record pace.
“I’m amazed that we did it. There was a lot of internal laughing going on while we were making it, just because we were thrilled at the progress we were making and we were actually pulling it off,” Chamberlin says.
Ranging from the sweet and lush (the ethereal “Loki Cat”) to the moody and mean (“Cranes of Prey”), Life Begins Again is the brainchild of both Chamberlin and friend, colleague and multi-instrumentalist Billy Mohler, an L.A.-based songwriter who has worked with everyone from Macy Gray to Fred Durst. The two first met when Mohler, who sings lead on “Newerwaves,” auditioned for Zwan. While he wasn’t hired for the gig, Mohler and Chamberlin became quick friends. It was him who Chamberlin called first after securing a record deal.
The two proved perfect collaborators: “It was kind of like, ‘Oh, I got this riff,’ or ‘Oh, I got this idea,’ and we would kind of talk through the parts and write the songs together,” Chamberlin notes. “His strength melodically kind of tied into my strength as far as “tunesmithery.” He’s a good part writer, and I’m a good song assembler. So I think in that respect our relationship really complements each other.”
The two built the disc’s rhythm tracks first. “Once the bass and drums were done, you could kind of hear the songs finished,” Chamberlin notes. “It was just a matter of waiting for God to drop the guitar player or piano player in your lap.” That heaven-sent duo wound up being Sean Woolstenhulme and Adam Benjamin, respectively. The latter came in at the 11th hour, lathering the trademark Rhodes organ sound over several Chamberlin and Mohler creations. Woolstenhulme’s participation, meanwhile, was sort of a last-minute addition, as well: “Originally, I didn’t want any guitar on the record,” Chamberlin says. “I just sort of wanted all this distorted Fender Rhodes all over it. And when Sean came in, he immediately started playing me stuff that sounded exactly like distorted Fender Rhodes. I thought, “This is exactly what I want—it sounds nothing like guitar.’”
The varying influences drifting in and out of Life Begins Again are rooted in a childhood spent being virtually bombarded by music. Growing up in Joliet, Illinois, an old steel town on Chicago’s Southside, Chamberlin was weaned on both the Duke Ellington and Count Basie swing records favored by his father (a clarinet player), as well as the classic rock beloved by his siblings (one of which was a drummer): Steely Dan, Rickie Lee Jones, Hendrix, John Mayall, Alvin Lee, Led Zeppelin.
With a musical style landing somewhere between Gene Krupa and Mitch Mitchell, Chamberlin would alter the alt-rock landscape as a member of the massively successful Smashing Pumpkins, who he linked up with through mutual friends/acquaintances. While the last to join the band, his musical relationship with Billy Corgan would outlast the band itself, as the two would go on to co-found Zwan, their first post-Pumpkins project in 2001.
“For me, everything is cyclical,” Chamberlin says. “If you look at nature, the universe, everything is in circles. In any person’s life, they can kind of point to where it starts again. I think Life Begins Again is just the start of another cycle for me musically.”
All of the lyrics on Life Begins Again were written by Chamberlin (with the exception of “Lullabye” written by Mohler and Becca Popkin), who makes his debut as a lyricist. While Mohler sings "Newerwaves," ex-Catherine Wheel front man Rob Dickinson is the voice behind the title track and "Love Is Real," while Rock n’ Roll Hall of Famer Bill Medley (one-half of the Righteous Brothers) takes the mic on "Lullabye.” Corgan teams up with Chamberlin for "Loki Cat.” Chamberlin says, "I played the CD for Billy and when he heard that song, he immediately asked if I had lyrics. I told him, ‘No, the song is an instrumental.’ He said," I would love to sing on that song! Write me some lyrics and a melody.” So after a couple of attempts at lyrics, I hit on something we both liked." The chemistry and love between these two friends makes for one of the strongest tracks on the record.
The album’s lyrical concept, Chamberlin says, is freedom of the spirit: “I think that love and spirituality - and this cosmic vibration that runs through everybody - is a real thing. For me, music is a testament that if you acknowledge the vibrations going on around you, it’s possible to reproduce that in to an art form. To me, this CD is an acknowledgement of the natural vibrations running through me. It was just a period of my life where I was able to channel those into music because I was given the freedom to do so.”
"The song 'Love Is Real' has a lyric that goes, 'I walked outside tonight with the stars as my guide, knowing where to go/ it’s my heart that tells me so.' To me, that line sums up the whole record right there. It was more of a heartfelt musical adventure than it was a thought-out process. This whole project was based on intuition and not over-thinking anything, just knowing that when something comes to you, it’s in its most natural form, and that’s how it needs to be translated musically... When something comes to you, use that power to make it great.”
Jimmy Chamberlin All Music Guide Biography
As the propulsive engine driving the Smashing Pumpkins, Jimmy Chamberlin earned respect as one of the most popular, influential drummers of the '90s. Although it certainly helped to have a singer/songwriter of Billy Corgan's caliber fronting the group, the importance of Chamberlin's drumming on the Pumpkins' music cannot be understated. His extraordinarily quick hands, furious snare rolls, and crackling rimshots recalled the likes of Ian Paice and Dennis Chambers, and yet equally important to the band was his tasteful, understated playing on their quieter numbers. This oft-overlooked side of his ability revealed a musician of considerable depth and creativity with a keen ear for nuance, which made him a glove-like fit for the wide range of material the Pumpkins produced in their existence.
Jimmy Chamberlin was born on June 10, 1964 in Joliet, IL. Receiving musical inspiration early on from his father and older brother (who both played in local jazz groups), he soon began taking lessons himself under the tutelage of future Yanni drummer Charles Adams; this instruction provided the nine-year-old Chamberlin with an understanding of the basic fundamentals and rudiments of drumming. Through his teenage years, he went on to study under several other teachers, learning Latin, Brazilian, and big band technique.
After high school, Chamberlin spent the next few years alternating between gigging locally in area bands and working as a carpenter to pay the bills. In August 1988, he witnessed a show at the Chicago Avalon by a fledgling band known as the Smashing Pumpkins. The band, then consisting of singer/guitarist Billy Corgan, guitarist James Iha, and bassist D'Arcy Wretzky, were still utilizing a drum machine on stage, and while Chamberlin thought there was much room for improvement, he saw potential in Corgan's songwriting. Local nightclub owner Joe Shanahan was also in attendance, and he informed the trio that they could play a show at his Cabaret Metro venue with just one stipulation: they must replace the drum machine with an actual drummer. Through a mutual acquaintance, Chamberlin was introduced to the group and quickly taken on board; they soon played their first show as a quartet on October 5 at the Metro.
The Smashing Pumpkins eventually went on to become one of the biggest alternative rock groups of the '90s, releasing their acclaimed debut Gish in 1991, and then rocketing to superstardom with 1993's Siamese Dream. During the recording of the latter, Chamberlin's troubles with substance abuse (dating back to the Gish era) first came to light, leading him to briefly leave the band on "vacation"; after returning to the studio to complete the album, Chamberlin entered a drug rehabilitation program.
With Siamese Dream selling by the millions, the Pumpkins capitalized on their newfound success with a long touring schedule that included a headlining position on the 1994 Lollapalooza festival. Chamberlin's playing had begun to turn many a drummer on their ear, which soon led to a feature story in the respected publication Modern Drummer. He was again featured in the magazine shortly before the 1995 release of the monumental double album Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, an album that revealed many new facets of his playing and showcased his abilities like never before. The band was at the absolute zenith of their popularity, and the album was a huge seller, eventually becoming the biggest-selling double CD of all time.
However, on the ensuing Mellon Collie world tour, Chamberlin's substance abuse problems resurfaced, as he and touring keyboardist Jonathan Melvoin had two separate drug-related incidents at tour stops in Thailand and Portugal. After being threatened with dismissal from the band, the Pumpkins opted to go forward with their American tour under the strict promise that the substance abuse would cease. Nevertheless, on July 12, 1996, Chamberlin and Melvoin both overdosed on heroin in a New York hotel room, resulting in Melvoin's death. The other Pumpkins were stunned by the tragedy, and shortly thereafter decided to fire Chamberlin from the band; he was soon replaced by ex-Filter drummer Matt Walker. Chamberlin was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, and immediately entered rehab once again. He eventually pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of disorderly conduct and avoided serving jail time by successfully completing his rehab program.
In late 1996, Chamberlin collaborated with Skid Row frontman Sebastian Bach, Breeders guitarist Kelley Deal, and Jimmy Flemion from the Frogs in a project dubbed the Last Hard Men. The group recorded a cover of Alice Cooper's "School's Out" that found its way onto the soundtrack for Wes Craven's Scream; their independently released, self-titled album eventually surfaced (albeit in extremely limited quantities) in 1998. In early 1999, Chamberlin met up with Billy Corgan to discuss and resolve their lingering issues; soon after, Chamberlin was welcomed back into the Pumpkins. The band immediately began working upon new material, much of which would end up on their next album, MACHINA/The Machines of God. In May 2000, Corgan publicly revealed his decision to disband the group by the year's end; the Smashing Pumpkins played their final show on December 2, 2000 at the Metro in Chicago.
Following the demise of the Pumpkins, Jimmy Chamberlin continued his musical partnership with Billy Corgan in a new project dubbed Zwan, a quartet rounded out with guitarist Matt Sweeney (formerly of Chavez and Skunk) and guitarist/bassist David Pajo (Papa M/Slint). The quartet soon morphed into a quintet with the addition of former A Perfect Circle bassist Paz Lenchantin. Zwan went on to release its sole album, Mary Star of the Sea, in January 2003 before disbanding later in the year under somewhat cloudy circumstances.
In 2004, both Corgan and Chamberlin decided to finally embark on solo careers; Chamberlin's project, known as the Jimmy Chamberlin Complex, featured contributions from such musicians as Rob Dickinson, Billy Mohler, and Sean Woolstenhulme. In 2005 he released his Sanctuary debut, Life Begins Again. ~ Steve Bekkala, All Music Guide
Jimmy Chamberlin was born on June 10, 1964 in Joliet, IL. Receiving musical inspiration early on from his father and older brother (who both played in local jazz groups), he soon began taking lessons himself under the tutelage of future Yanni drummer Charles Adams; this instruction provided the nine-year-old Chamberlin with an understanding of the basic fundamentals and rudiments of drumming. Through his teenage years, he went on to study under several other teachers, learning Latin, Brazilian, and big band technique.
After high school, Chamberlin spent the next few years alternating between gigging locally in area bands and working as a carpenter to pay the bills. In August 1988, he witnessed a show at the Chicago Avalon by a fledgling band known as the Smashing Pumpkins. The band, then consisting of singer/guitarist Billy Corgan, guitarist James Iha, and bassist D'Arcy Wretzky, were still utilizing a drum machine on stage, and while Chamberlin thought there was much room for improvement, he saw potential in Corgan's songwriting. Local nightclub owner Joe Shanahan was also in attendance, and he informed the trio that they could play a show at his Cabaret Metro venue with just one stipulation: they must replace the drum machine with an actual drummer. Through a mutual acquaintance, Chamberlin was introduced to the group and quickly taken on board; they soon played their first show as a quartet on October 5 at the Metro.
The Smashing Pumpkins eventually went on to become one of the biggest alternative rock groups of the '90s, releasing their acclaimed debut Gish in 1991, and then rocketing to superstardom with 1993's Siamese Dream. During the recording of the latter, Chamberlin's troubles with substance abuse (dating back to the Gish era) first came to light, leading him to briefly leave the band on "vacation"; after returning to the studio to complete the album, Chamberlin entered a drug rehabilitation program.
With Siamese Dream selling by the millions, the Pumpkins capitalized on their newfound success with a long touring schedule that included a headlining position on the 1994 Lollapalooza festival. Chamberlin's playing had begun to turn many a drummer on their ear, which soon led to a feature story in the respected publication Modern Drummer. He was again featured in the magazine shortly before the 1995 release of the monumental double album Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, an album that revealed many new facets of his playing and showcased his abilities like never before. The band was at the absolute zenith of their popularity, and the album was a huge seller, eventually becoming the biggest-selling double CD of all time.
However, on the ensuing Mellon Collie world tour, Chamberlin's substance abuse problems resurfaced, as he and touring keyboardist Jonathan Melvoin had two separate drug-related incidents at tour stops in Thailand and Portugal. After being threatened with dismissal from the band, the Pumpkins opted to go forward with their American tour under the strict promise that the substance abuse would cease. Nevertheless, on July 12, 1996, Chamberlin and Melvoin both overdosed on heroin in a New York hotel room, resulting in Melvoin's death. The other Pumpkins were stunned by the tragedy, and shortly thereafter decided to fire Chamberlin from the band; he was soon replaced by ex-Filter drummer Matt Walker. Chamberlin was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, and immediately entered rehab once again. He eventually pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of disorderly conduct and avoided serving jail time by successfully completing his rehab program.
In late 1996, Chamberlin collaborated with Skid Row frontman Sebastian Bach, Breeders guitarist Kelley Deal, and Jimmy Flemion from the Frogs in a project dubbed the Last Hard Men. The group recorded a cover of Alice Cooper's "School's Out" that found its way onto the soundtrack for Wes Craven's Scream; their independently released, self-titled album eventually surfaced (albeit in extremely limited quantities) in 1998. In early 1999, Chamberlin met up with Billy Corgan to discuss and resolve their lingering issues; soon after, Chamberlin was welcomed back into the Pumpkins. The band immediately began working upon new material, much of which would end up on their next album, MACHINA/The Machines of God. In May 2000, Corgan publicly revealed his decision to disband the group by the year's end; the Smashing Pumpkins played their final show on December 2, 2000 at the Metro in Chicago.
Following the demise of the Pumpkins, Jimmy Chamberlin continued his musical partnership with Billy Corgan in a new project dubbed Zwan, a quartet rounded out with guitarist Matt Sweeney (formerly of Chavez and Skunk) and guitarist/bassist David Pajo (Papa M/Slint). The quartet soon morphed into a quintet with the addition of former A Perfect Circle bassist Paz Lenchantin. Zwan went on to release its sole album, Mary Star of the Sea, in January 2003 before disbanding later in the year under somewhat cloudy circumstances.
In 2004, both Corgan and Chamberlin decided to finally embark on solo careers; Chamberlin's project, known as the Jimmy Chamberlin Complex, featured contributions from such musicians as Rob Dickinson, Billy Mohler, and Sean Woolstenhulme. In 2005 he released his Sanctuary debut, Life Begins Again. ~ Steve Bekkala, All Music Guide
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