D'arcy Wretzky

At 55 years old, D'arcy Wretzky has this physical status:

D'arcy Elizabeth Wretzky-Brown (born May 1, 1968) is an American singer.

She is the original bass player of the Smashing Pumpkins, and she has been featured on their first five studio albums.

In 1999, she left the band.

Early life

Wretzky was born and raised in South Haven, Michigan, where her mother, Vikke Anderson, a working musician, encouraged D'arcy and her sisters to perform music. She performed in choirs as a child and enjoyed the violin and oboe. She also did gymnastics. Since she was ten years old, Wretzky wanted to start a musical career. Jerry Wretzky, a pipefitter with a passion for horseback riding, would later be described as "a very strange guy." The teen Wretzky, a self-described "tomboy," had a turbulent relationship with her sister. Wretzky's childhood was plagued by intense stage fright.

She appeared in the L.C. of South Haven. Mohr High School, where she became interested in post-punk and participated in cover bands, where she grew interested in post-punk. Following 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 with colleagues and attending concerts. Wretzky said she is a self-taught bass player.

"Wretzky-Brown," Wretzky's legal name, comes from her being married to musician Kerry Brown from 1993 to 1999. She had a miscarriage in 1999, according to Wretzky.

Wretzky overheard Billy Corgan's narrating of the band that had appeared at a local rock club. Corgan recruited her into his band, the nascent Smashing Pumpkins, which, at the time, were simply Corgan, James Iha, and a drum machine. After Joe Shanahan advised Corgan to add a live drummer, Wretzky accepted and Jimmy Chamberlin completed the lineup a few months later.

Wretzky is the credited bassist on Smashing Pumpkins' first five albums: Gish, Siamese Dream, Mellon Collie, and Infinite Sadness, Adore, and Machina/The Machines of God. Both she and Corgan had reported that Corgan played the bass tracks on Gish and Siamese Dream because he could complete them in much fewer takes. In concert and studio albums, Wretzky has performed backing vocals. "Daydream" by Gish, "Beautiful" by Mellon Collie; "Where Boys Fear to Tread" by Mellon Collie; "Where Boys Fear To Tread" by Mellon Collie; "Where Boys Fear to Tread" by Mellon Collie; "Where Boys Fear To Tread" by Mellon Collie; and "The Bells" by The Aeroplane Flies High." "Daughter," Wretzky co-wrote one Smashing Pumpkins song.

Wretzky and Iha established Scratchie Records in 1995, releasing artists such as The Frogs.

Wretzky's time in the band was marked by periods of happiness and apprehension. Corgan regarded her as the band's "moral king" and "moral conscience." Corgan said she began a "apparent slow descent into alcoholism and/or drugs" following her success with 1995's Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. (Take your pick). The Arising" was a short, nine-date drama. Wretzky left the band in April 1999, when the four original members appeared together for the first time since 1996, but she had hoped to pursue an acting career. At the time, Machina/The Machines of God and Machina II/The Friends and Enemies of Modern Music were recording, but there were few bass parts on the album, and she had only performed a few bass parts on the album. Corgan himself handled the majority of the bass parts. She was arrested shortly after leaving the company for being arrested for possession of crack cocaine. Corgan later said she had been "sentenced for being a mean-spirited heroin user who refused to seek assistance." Melissa Auf der Maur, a former Hole bassist, was swapped for her on 2000's Machina tours.

Wretzky did not participate in the Smashing Pumpkins' reunion. She and her late boyfriend and bandmate James Iha filed a lawsuit against Virgin Records in 2008 for offering ringtones of Smashing Pumpkins songs without their knowledge.

After many years out of the spotlight, Wretzky resurfaced in July 2009 by calling in unexpectedly on Chicago's Q101 FM with Ryan Manno. During the interview, she said she was not well enough to be a singer, and she had often expressed her admiration for Monkee frontman Davy Jones, who was reported to be a potential romantic rival of Wretzky's. She also shared her admiration for the band Silversun Pickups, who have a sound influenced by the Smashing Pumpkins' early Gish period. She also said she lived on a farm in Michigan, that she had briefly lived in Austin, Texas, sometime in the last decade, and that her ex fiancé Wendell Green had died.

On February 1, 2011, Wretzky was sentenced to four court dates for failing to control her wild horses, allowing them to freely roam the streets at night, causing disruption to local people and farmers, trespassing on public property, and looping vegetables from the local farmer's market storage. She was sentenced to six days in prison for six days. She was arrested in South Haven, Michigan, on February 7, 2011, the following day after being released from jail, on a misdemeanor drunken-driving road rage charge. She was taken back to prison.

Wretzky's relationship with Corgan remained tense in 2013, with both sides claiming that they were not speaking. She attempted to reestablish contact with him in September 2014, but Corgan had changed his phone number.

"I've been in contact with D'arcy for the first time in 16 or 17 years, it's wonderful to have my friend back," Corgan said in a Facebook post in August 2016. Corgan said that this did not mean the band was getting back to school, but that "my primary concern in the old band was us having good experiences again."

Wretzky's first interview in nearly 20 years took place on February 14, 2018. She was highly critical of Corgan and their history in it.

Wretzky said she had been given a contract to return to the band on the Shiny and Oh So Bright tour, but that Corgan withdrew the offer shortly after. "Ms. Wretzky has consistently been invited out to play, participate in demo sessions, or, in the rare case, meet face-to-face," Corgan said. Wretzky posted screenshots of a text message chat with Corgan that seemed to support her version of the tale.

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

Wretzky performed vocals on James Iha's 1998 solo album, Let It Come Down.

Eric Remschneider, a cellist who had worked with her cellist Eric Remschneider when she first heard him with the Smashing Pumpkins, was a 1999 girl. She also sang of "Cancer" by Title of Record in that year.

Richard Patrick, the lead singer of Filter, talked about a personal friendship with Wretzky in May 2016, which was also on Title of Record.

Grave Next Door, a Michigan doom-sludge metal band, said on Twitter that they were jamming with D'arcy in her house, with one band member releasing a snapshot of himself with a prop from "Tonight Tonight" when making no promise that she would perform or make any meaningful contribution.

Life After the Smashing Pumpkins '99-2004: The Smashing Pumpkins' life continues today.

Wretzky did not attend the Smashing Pumpkins' reunion. She and her late boyfriend and bandmate James Iha brought a lawsuit against Virgin Records for offering ringtones of Smashing Pumpkins songs without their permission in 2008.

Wretzky resurfaced in July 2009, after many years out of the spotlight, as he appeared on Chicago's Q101 FM with Ryan Manno. During the interview, she said she was not well enough to be a singer and expressed her admiration for Monkee frontman Davy Jones, who was reported to be an early romantic crush of Wretzky's. She also spoke out about her admiration for the band Silversun Pickups, who have a sound influenced by the early Gish era of the Smashing Pumpkins. She also stated that she lived on a farm in Michigan, that she had briefly lived in Austin, Texas, sometime during the previous decade, and that her ex fiancé Wendell Green had died.

On February 1, 2011, Wretzky was sentenced to four court dates for failing to control her wild horses, allowing them to freely roam the streets at night, causing disruption to local traffic and farmers, trespassing on public property, and looling vegetables from the local farmer's market storage. She was sentenced to six days in prison. She was arrested in South Haven, Michigan, the following day after being released from prison, on a misdemeanor drunken-driving road rage charge. She was sent back to prison.

In 2013, Wretzky's friendship with Corgan remained tense, with both sides claiming that they were not talking. She attempted to re-establish contact with him in September 2014, but Corgan had changed his phone number.

"I've been in touch with D'arcy for the first time in 16 or 17 years, it's awesome to have my friend back," Corgan said in a video on Facebook. Corgan said that this did not mean the band was getting back to work, but that "our primary concern in the old band was us having positive friendships again."

Wretzky's first interview in almost 20 years was held on February 14, 2018. She was remarkably critical of Corgan and their history in the book.

Wretzky said she had been offered a contract to return to the band on the Shiny and Oh So Bright tour, but that Corgan withdrew the contract soon after. "Ms. Wretzky has consistently been welcomed to participate in demo sessions, or at least, meet face to face," Corgan said in a statement, "Ms. Wretzky has been invited out to play with the group, take part in demo sessions, or in the worst-case scenario, she has always deferred." Later, Wretzky posted screenshots of a text message exchange with Corgan that seemed to support her version of the tale.

For Catherine's final album, Hot Saki and Bedtime Stories, she performed as a second vocalist. She appeared in the film for Four Leaf Clover. Wretzky was married to Catherine Brown at the time, but Kerry Brown of Catherine was married at the time.

On James Iha's 1998 solo album, Let It Come Down, Wretzky performed vocals on "One and Two."

Eric Remschneider, a cellist who had collaborated with the Smashing Pumpkins when she first heard them on tape in 1999, she worked with him in 1999. She appeared on "Cancer" from Title of Record as a performer that year.

Richard Patrick, the lead singer of Filter, opened an interview with Loudwire in May 2016 about a personal friendship with Wretzky, who said she was the subject of a song he wrote named "Miss Blue," which was also on Title of Record.

Grave Next Door, a Michigan doom-sludge metal band, said on Twitter that they were jamming with D'arcy in her house, with one band member sharing a snapshot of himself with a prop from "Tonight Tonight" despite saying she had no intention to perform or make a meaningful contribution.

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