D'arcy Wretzky

D'arcy Wretzky
D'arcy Wretzky performing with the Smashing Pumpkins in April 1992.
Background information
Also known as	D'arcy
Born	May 1, 1968 (1968-05-01) (age 43) South Haven, Michigan, U.S.
Genres	Alternative rock
Occupations	Musician
Instruments	Bass guitar, vocals, violin, piano, oboe, double bass
Years active	1988–1999
Associated acts	The Smashing Pumpkins Filter Catherine

D'arcy Elizabeth Wretzky (born May 1, 1968 in South Haven, Michigan) is an American musician. She is best known for her work as the original bass player of the alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins. During her tenure with the band, Wretzky played almost exclusively a Fender Jazz Bass.

Biography

Early life

Wretzky was born and raised in Michigan, where her mother, a musician working as a lounge singer,^[1] encouraged D'arcy and her sisters to perform music. Growing up, she played the violin and oboe, and performed in choirs.^[2] She also performed gymnastics.^[3] She would later refer to her father, a pipefitter with a love of horseback riding, as "a very strange man."^[3] The young Wretzky was a self-described "tomboy", and had a contentious relationship with her sister.^[4] She attended South Haven's L.C. Mohr High School, where she grew interested in post-punk and played in cover bands. After high school, she moved to France to join a band, but the band had already disbanded upon her arrival, prompting her to return to the United States. She then moved to Chicago and spent the summer living with friends and attending concerts.^[5]

The Smashing Pumpkins

After a concert at a local rock club, Wretzky overheard Billy Corgan criticizing the band that had performed. An argument and discussion followed, and Corgan recruited her into his band, the nascent Smashing Pumpkins, which, at the time, was merely Corgan, James Iha, and a drum machine. Wretzky accepted, and Jimmy Chamberlin completed the lineup a few months later, after Joe Shanahan encouraged Corgan to add a live drummer.

Wretzky is the credited bassist on the Smashing Pumpkins' first five studio albums: Gish, Siamese Dream, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, Adore, and Machina/The Machines of God. It was confirmed by both her and Corgan, however, that Corgan played the bass tracks for Siamese Dream because he could complete them in far fewer takes.^[6][7] Wretzky often contributed backing vocals in concert, and on studio albums. She contributes vocally in some Smashing Pumpkins songs including "Daydream" from Gish, many songs on Siamese Dream, "1979", "Cupid De Locke", "Farewell and Goodnight", "Beautiful"; "Where Boys Fear To Tread" from Mellon Collie, and "Dreaming" and "The Bells" from The Aeroplane Flies High'. Wretzky also co-wrote one Smashing Pumpkins song, "Daughter".

Wretzky playing bass guitar with the Smashing Pumpkins during the Adore era (circa 1998).

Wretzky's time in the band was marked by alternating periods of happiness and discomfort. Corgan considered her the "moral authority" and "moral conscience" of the band.^[8] In the aftermath of the success of 1995's Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, Corgan said she began an "apparent slow descent into insanity and/or drugs (take your pick)."^[9] In 1999, Wretzky left the band to pursue an acting career.^{[citation needed]} Shortly after leaving the group, she was arrested for possession of crack cocaine.^[10] Corgan later said she was "fired for being a mean spirited drug addict who refused to get help."^[11] She was replaced on 2000's Machina tour by former Hole bassist Melissa Auf der Maur.

Other musical work

Wretzky joined the band Catherine as a second vocalist for their final album Hot Saki and Bedtime Stories. She also appeared in the video for Four Leaf Clover. At the time, Wretzky was married to Catherine member Kerry Brown.

Wretzky contributed vocals to the track "One and Two" on James Iha's 1998 solo album, Let It Come Down.

In 1999, she contributed vocals on two Filter songs, "Cancer" and "Take A Picture". During this time, she worked with cellist Eric Remschneider, whom she had worked with when he had recorded with the Smashing Pumpkins.

Post-Smashing Pumpkins

Wretzky did not participate in the Smashing Pumpkins' reunion. In 2008, she and her former bandmate James Iha filed a lawsuit against Virgin Records for selling ringtones of Smashing Pumpkins songs without their consent.^[12]

After many years out of the spotlight, Wretzky resurfaced in July 2009 by calling in unexpectedly on Chicago's Q101 FM with Ryan Manno.^[13][14][15] During the interview, she stated that she wasn't "healthy" enough to be a musician, and repeatedly professed her admiration for Monkees frontman Davy Jones, as well as discussed the Silversun Pickups and Marilyn Manson's family. In addition, she also mentioned that she now lives on a farm in Michigan, had briefly lived in Austin, Texas sometime during the previous decade, and that former fiancé Wendell Green had died.^[13] Several other articles on the internet have stated that Wretzky owns three antique stores.

Wretzky was jailed in February 2011 for missing four court dates related to a ticket she received for failing to control her horses.^[16] She was also arrested on February 7, 2011, on a misdemeanor drunken-driving charge.^[17]

References

1. ^ IMDB biography page for D'arcy Wretzky.
2. ^ Goldberg, Michael. "Smashing Pumpkin D'arcy Dares to be Happy." Addicted to Noise, December 1995. Retrieved on 2007/09/23.
3. ^ ^{a b} Marks, Craig. "Zero Worship." Spin Magazine: June 1996.^{[dead link]}
4. ^ "A Babe in Boyland." Mademoiselle, December 1995. Retrieved on 2007/09/23
5. ^ Pullen, Doug. "Michigan Native D'arcy Ready For More Successes." The Flint Journal: 1996/06/26. Retrieved on 2007/09/23.
6. ^ Chamberlin, Jimmy; Corgan, Billy (interview subjects). Inside the Zeitgeist (Reprise Records, 2007).
7. ^ Azerrad, Michael. "Smashing Pumpkins' Sudden Impact". Rolling Stone. October 1993.
8. ^ Blashill, Pat (October 1996). "Out on a Limb". Details Magazine. 
9. ^ Corgan, Billy. "Way Out in Outpost Canyon." The Confessions of Billy Corgan. 2005/04/13.
10. ^ Johnson, Tina (2000-02-15). "News - Articles - 1434166". Mtv.com. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1434166/20000215/smashing_pumpkins.jhtml. Retrieved 2011-03-10. 
11. ^ Billy Corgan's Personal Blog. Written February 17, 2004
12. ^ http://www.aolcdn.com/tmz_documents/0724_pumpkins.pdf
13. ^ ^{a b} "Smashing Pumpkins' D'Arcy Speaks!". Pitchfork. 2009-07-14. http://pitchfork.com/news/35930-smashing-pumpkins-darcy-speaks/. Retrieved 2011-03-10. 
14. ^ http://www.q101.com/blogs/manno/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10042283^{[dead link]}
15. ^ "(1 of 2) D'Arcy Wretzky calls some Chicago radio station". YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gR-Xyhxdm9s. Retrieved 2011-03-10. 
16. ^ "D'arcy Wretzky Mug Shot - Arrested for Horsing Around". TMZ.com. 2010-07-20. http://www.tmz.com/2011/02/10/smashing-pumpkins-bassist-darcy-wretzky-jailed-arrested-horses-farm-michigan-ticket-failure-to-appear-bench-warrant/. Retrieved 2011-03-10. 
17. ^ Courtesy of the Van Buren County Sheriff's Office (2011-02-11). "Former Smashing Pumpkins bassist D'arcy Wretzky arrested on drunken driving charge in South Haven". MLive.com. http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2011/02/former_smashing_pumpkins_bassi_1.html. Retrieved 2011-03-10. 

External links

• Smashing Pumpkins.com
• Official Smashing Pumpkins MySpace Page

Preceded by original

The Smashing Pumpkins bassist 1988-1999

Succeeded by Melissa Auf der Maur

Persondata
Name	Wretzky, D'arcy
Alternative names
Short description	Musician
Date of birth	1968-5-1
Place of birth	South Haven, Michigan, U.S.
Date of death
Place of death