Released April 2000 Language English Artist The Smashing Pumpkins Producer Billy Corgan | Length 61:01 Label Self-released Release date April 2000 Genre Alternative rock | |
The Friends & Enemies of Modern Music
(2000) Machina II/The Friends & Enemies of Modern Music
(2000) Similar The Smashing Pumpkins albums, Alternative rock albums | ||
The Friends & Enemies of Modern Music is a compilation album by American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins. It is a collection of previously unreleased demos and two live tracks which was originally created as a mix tape by Billy Corgan and passed to a fan with instructions to distribute the songs to other fans.
Contents
Composition and distribution
In April 2000 while touring in support of the first Machina album, Billy Corgan gave Smashing Pumpkins Fan Collaborative creator Eric Agnew a 60-minute cassette with explicit instructions to circulate the recordings. The songs overran the end of each side of the cassette, so "Here's to the Atom Bomb" and an untitled instrumental are cut short. The tape was received without a verified track list labeled, so Eric was forced to form one himself based on his knowledge of previous releases and performances.
The online distribution was so successful that when Virgin Records refused to release the follow-up to Machina due to that album's poor sales, Corgan made the decision to follow the previous route of the original Friends & Enemies and released Machina II in a similar manner.
Compilation
With the exception of "The Everlasting Gaze", alternate versions of the songs from the entire first side of the tape would surface on Machina II. "The Everlasting Gaze" is an alternate version of the song that appeared on Machina. "Le Deux Machina" was used in portions in the middle section of "Glass and the Ghost Children" from Machina. A full-length and uncut version of "Here's to the Atom Bomb" would appear as a B-side to the "Try, Try, Try" single. "Real Love" would appear on Machina II and Rotten Apples. "X.Y.U" and "Where Boys Fear to Tread" are live performances of the songs that appeared on Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. "The Ethers Tragic" is a live performance of the song that appeared as a B-side to "The End Is the Beginning Is the End" single. "Once Upon a Time" and "Crestfallen" are demo versions of the songs that appeared on Adore.
"Money (That's What I Want)" and "Never Say Never" are the only songs that have not appeared on any other releases in any form.
Track listing
All tracks written by Billy Corgan, except where noted.
Songs
1Glass' Theme1:57
2The Everlasting Gaze (Disco King)4:33
3Dross3:24