Desolation, yes. Hesitation, no.

The Smashing Pumpkins were the first band I ever loved. Long before my unhealthy Ryan Adams fixation and my unfortunate Dave Matthews Band period (anyone want 150 DMB bootlegs?), this band got me through my angsty, awkward teenage years. Billy Corgan was the only thirty-year-old man that knew what I was going through. To this day, I still contend that Siamese Dream is better than Nevermind and the Pumpkins join Radiohead on the short list of 1990s alternative rock bands that are even worth listening to anymore.

So you'd think the 14-year-old in me would be awkwardly and unalthletically jumping for joy at the recent news that the Pumpkins are officially back together.

I'll admit, it's not bad news. But years of either painfully average (Zwan) or unspeakably bad (The Future Embrace) Billy Corgan post-Pumpkins projects have taught me to approach anything my former hero touches with extreme caution. If this reunion leads to new material, great. If it leads to material that doesn't take itself so seriously and builds on the promising ideas explored on MACHINA and MACHINA II, even better. But all I'm asking for is a tour where they play the old stuff. Not the radio hits, but all of those unappreciated gems on the multi-platinum albums ("Rocket", "Thru The Eyes of Ruby") and the last half of Adore, which is some of the best work they ever released.

For now, I'll believe it when I see it. But to prove how great this band was, here are some stellar B-sides:

Smashing Pumpkins- Never Let Me Down Again (Depeche Mode cover)

Smashing Pumpkins- Glynis (No Alternative Compilation)

Smashing Pumpkins- Speed Kills

Smashing Pumpkins- Set The Ray To Jerry