The Smashing Pumpkins announce departure of guitarist Jeff Schroeder
The Smashing Pumpkins have announced the departure of their long-term guitarist, Jeff Shroeder, who spent more than 15 years with the band.
In a statement posted to the band’s social media, Schroeder wrote: “It’s easy to say now that when I joined The Smashing Pumpkins in 2007 I had no idea what I was getting into. The opportunity seemed to have come out of nowhere. I was at UCLA working on my doctorate in comparative literature when a close friend messaged me and said The Smashing Pumpkins were looking for a guitar player.”
He continued: “Being a huge fan of the band, the audition was something I threw myself into. It was one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life. The amount of incredible memories created over the last 16 years with the band are almost too numerous to quantify.”
The message continues: “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. I want to thank Billy, Jimmy, James, and Jack for being both wonderful bandmates and even better friends. I will absolutely miss sharing the stage with you. I wish the band all the success in the future. I will be watching and listening.”
In 2007, Schroeder became a part of The Smashing Pumpkins during their comeback tour, initially taking over from co-founder and guitarist James Iha.
Meanwhile, in celebration of the 30th anniversary of their seminal album Siamese Dream, The Smashing Pumpkins recently joined forces with Tower Records to replicate their momentous album launch event from 1993.
The band performed two acoustic sets, mirroring the exact setlist they played at Tower Records on July 27th, 1993, coinciding with the album’s release date. Before the event, Tower Records’ president Danny Zeijdel said: “The Smashing Pumpkins played an unforgettable in-store performance at Tower Records, Chicago.”
Zeijdel added: “We’re excited to celebrate Siamese Dream once again, 30 years after hosting the original album release party. In the future, we intend to provide the same platform for young, emerging artists. We will continue with this at Tower in Brooklyn, and new online experiences forthcoming.”
Read the band’s full statement on Schoreder’s departure below.
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