Rewind and React Music Video Podcast

Smashing Pumpkins: 30 Years of Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness

Feb 25, 2025

About This Episode

Rewind & React jumps into the nostalgic, transformative era of Smashing Pumpkins with this week’s episode! Adam and Rob break down the 30th-anniversary legacy of the iconic double album, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. In this episode, they reminisce about their first encounters with the album, discuss how its mix of grunge, alternative, and raw emotion defined the ’90s, and share quirky behind-the-scenes stories from the early days of alternative rock.

Here’s what we’re covering:

Bullet with Butterfly Wings – A dystopian, mud-soaked vision featuring laborers trapped in a brutal mining pit while the band, in stark contrast, performs in bright glam-rock attire. Plus, how this video influenced Welcome to the Black Parade.

1979 – A dreamy, nostalgic look at teenage rebellion, featuring house parties, joyrides, and one of the most memorable coming-of-age music videos of the ‘90s.

Zero – Smashing Pumpkins’ Gen X anthem is in full force as the band plays to an oddly aristocratic crowd.

Tonight, Tonight – The Pumpkins’ grand, cinematic masterpiece, inspired by A Trip to the Moon. We explore its stunning visuals, orchestral sound, and why it remains one of the greatest music videos ever made.

Thirty-Three – A poetic, stop-motion time capsule of the band’s career and the end of an era, filmed with a nostalgic softness that gives it a dreamlike quality.

You’ll also hear behind-the-scenes stories about guerrilla-style filming, lost footage mishaps, and how Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness shaped a generation.

Ready to relive the golden age of alternative rock? Stream this episode now and dive into the enduring legacy of Smashing Pumpkins! Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review to keep the nostalgia alive.

Episode Transcript

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