Zero (The Smashing Pumpkins song)

"Zero"
Single by The Smashing Pumpkins
from the album Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
Released	April 23, 1996
Format	CD, Cassette
Recorded	1995
Genre	Alternative metal grunge[1]
Length	2:41 EP length: 40:53
Label	Virgin
Writer(s)	Billy Corgan
Producer(s)	Flood Alan Moulder Billy Corgan
Certification	Gold (RIAA)
The Smashing Pumpkins singles chronology
"1979" (1996) "Zero" (1996) "Tonight, Tonight" (1996)

"Zero" is a song by American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins. It was the third single from their third album, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. "Zero" was written by Billy Corgan and was the first song recorded for Mellon Collie. The song has six rhythm guitars, with two line-in twelve string acoustics.^[2]

The cover artwork features photography by Corgan's girlfriend at the time, Yelena Yemchuk, who also directed the music video.^[3]

Music video

The music video was directed by Yelena Yemchuk and described by NME as "very cinematic and creepy at times".^[4] The concept of it was to set it in a Roman mansion, with lounging guests, while the band acts as their entertainment. The band predominantly wears black, which contrasts the room's vibrant wine-stained colors that are associated with the Roman period.

B-sides

Unlike most singles, "Zero" was released as an EP and included "Pastichio Medley", a medley of parts of songs from the Mellon Collie sessions that mostly remain unreleased. The medley runs over 23 minutes and features over 70 songs.^[5] The medley also features snippets of songs that actually were released; the snippet of the song "Disconnected" is a riff from an early version of "The Aeroplane Flies High (Turns Left, Looks Right)" (originally B-side from the "Thirty-Three" single)^[6] and the riff called "Rachel" ended up being worked into the album track "X.Y.U." Eventually, 2012's reissue of Mellon Collie saw a number of tracks from the "Medley" released in full versions.^[7]

The track "Tribute to Johnny" is an instrumental, a homage to guitarist Johnny Winter.^[8]

EP track listing

All songs written by Billy Corgan unless noted.

1. "Zero" – 2:39
2. "God" – 3:09
3. "Mouths of Babes" – 3:46
4. "Tribute to Johnny" (Corgan/James Iha) – 2:34
5. "Marquis in Spades" – 3:17
6. "Pennies" – 2:28
7. "Pastichio Medley" (Corgan/Iha/D'arcy Wretzky/Jimmy Chamberlin)^[9] – 23:00

Chart performance

Chart (1996)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard 200[10] (as an EP)	46
U.S. Billboard Modern Rock Tracks[11]	9
U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks[11]	15
New Zealand Singles Chart[12]	3

References

1. 1001 Albums: You Must Hear Before You Die. Hachette; 2011. Print.
2. Guitar World — January 1997
3. "Yelena Yemchuk Video | Interviews". OVGuide. Retrieved 2015-10-25.
4. "Free Music Videos, Video Interviews, Music Video News, Live Sessions and Clips". Nme.com. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
5. "Pastichio Medley". Personal.umich.edu. Retrieved 2011-09-27.
6. Corgan, Billy (January 1997). "King B's". Guitar World.
7. "Smashing Pumpkins 'Mellon Collie' Reissue Is a Fan's Dream Come True | Antiquiet". Antiquiet. Retrieved 2015-10-25.
8. "I Need a Hero: In honor of Smashing Pumpkins' twentieth anniversary, a list of Billy Corgan's top ten guitar heroes". Riverfront Times. Retrieved 2015-10-25.
9. "PASTICHIO (Legal Title)". Repertoire.bmi.com. Retrieved 2014-09-19.
10. "Zero - Smashing Pumpkins | Awards | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 2015-10-25.
11. "Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness - Smashing Pumpkins | Awards | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 2015-10-25.
12. "THE SMASHING PUMPKINS - ZERO (SONG)". Charts.org.nz. Retrieved 2014-09-19.