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Anyone Can Play Guitar

Nick Kindelsperger and Austin Diaz

Listen along as writers in Chicago and Switzerland learn to play songs from The Smashing Pumpkins on guitar. To prove they've put the time in, they're forcing themselves to record versions of each track to play for all to judge. Armed with this knowledge, they'll discuss each song, while simultaneously admitting to potentially embarrassing personal stories from more than 20 years of fandom.

In the first season, Nick and Austin learned every officially released Radiohead song. For season two, they are making their way through The Smashing Pumpkins from 1991 to 2000. While we'd love to learn every one of the band's songs on guitar, Billy Corgan is simply too prolific. We apologize.

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S2 · E10
July 28 · 47 min
The Smashing Pumpkins - Pisces Iscariot (Pt. 3)
It's time to wrap up Pisces Iscariot. Austin braves a monstrous psychedelic meltdown, while Nick tries to remember Pearl Jam's "Hey Foxymophandlemama." The two discuss classic rock guitar solos, Natalie Imbruglia, and how much Elvis belongs in "Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space." They wrap up the episode with their picks for the album's best song, solo, and riff. And, as is becoming a tradition, they try to quantify the Corgan-iest moment. Thanks for listening! 2:20 - "Starla" 14:35 - "Blue" 21:26 - "A Girl Named Sandoz" 28:15 - "La Dolly Vita" 33:30 - "Spaced" Best Song Austin - "Hello Kitty Kat" Nick - "Whir" Best Solo Nick - "Starla" Austin - "Starla" Best Riff Austin - "Pissant" Nick - "Frail and Bedazzled" Corgan-iest Moment Nick - "Soothe" Austin - "Whir" Olivia Rodrigo - "You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love" Lynyrd Skynyrd - "Free Bird" Eagles - "Hotel California" Dad Rock "Blue (Acoustic)" Natalie Imbruglia - "Torn" The Animals - "A Girl Named Sandoz" The Animals - "House Of The Rising Sun" Spiritualized - "Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space" (Less Elvis Version) Spiritualized - "Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space" (More Elvis Version) Pearl Jam - "Hey Foxymophandlemama, That's Me (Stupid Mop)"
S2 · E9
July 22 · 45 min
The Smashing Pumpkins - Pisces Iscariot (Pt. 2)
It’s a weird week. Nick and Austin kick things off with a James Iha track before diving into the loudest songs on the record. After a quick pause for some psych-rock—which one host loves a lot more than the other—it turns into an unofficial Fleetwood Mac episode as they finally get to "Landslide." Nick gushes about Tusk, and Austin goes on yet another Taylor Swift rant. 1:37 - "Blew Away" 8:03 - "Pissant" 13:45 - "Hello Kitty Kat" 21:49 - "Obscured" 29:00 - "Landslide" "Pissant" whelp Rats in the Cage Tour "Blew Away" liner notes by Billy Corgan PopMatters on Hello Kitty Kat "Hello Kitty Kat" liner notes Fleetwood Mac "Landslide" Billy Corgan on "Landslide" Time (Fleetwood Mac album) Fleetwood Mac "I Don't Want to Know" Fleetwood Mac Dreams on TikTok Fleetwood Mac Tusk Joshua Burnside Pitchfork's Pisces Iscariot Album Review
S2 · E8
July 14 · 44 min
The Smashing Pumpkins - Pisces Iscariot (Pt. 1)
Instead of skipping straight to Mellon Collie, Nick is forcing Austin to wrestle with the band's 1994 b-side album, Pisces Iscariot. Does it, as Nick suggests, transcend its b-side album status and deserve to be a regular album? Or is this a wasteful diversion that sours Austin on the band? Nick begins with a thorough lesson on the history of the b-side album. They split on Plume, and then ponder important stuff like why Phish fans are so nice. Thanks for listening. 13:20 - "Soothe" 22:15 - "Frail and Bedazzled" 27:30 - "Plume" 33:45 - "Whir" Smashing Pumpkins at Lollapalooza Billy Corgan joins Lyric Opera board Alien: Earth episode 5 ending song (The Smashing Pumpkins - Cherub Rock) A-side and B-side CD Singles Pearl Jam - Lost Dogs Nirvana - Incesticide Oasis - The Masterplan (album) Mitski Smashing Pumpkins - Mashed Potatoes Bob Dylan discography Phish discography Ian Cohen's Pitchfork review of Pisces Iscariot "The Everlasting Gaze" Bush - "Swallowed" R.E.M. - Dead Letter Office
S2 · E7
February 3 · 42 min
The Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream (Pt. 4)
In the last Siamese Dream episode, Nick and Austin finally answer the question you've all been wondering: What moon songs do you sing your babies? Nick crushes on a riff, talks about hobbits, and brings up Courtney Love again. Meanwhile, Austin learns a song in a day and exposes the connection between the band and Garth Brooks. It's a wild ride. Thanks for listening. 5:48 - "Silverfuck" 17:39 - "Sweet Sweet" 22:40 - "Luna" Best Song: Nick and Austin - "Cherub Rock" Best Riff: Nick and Austin - "Hummer" Best Solo: Austin - "Mayonaise" Nick - "Soma Corganiest Moment: Nick and Austin - "Silverfuck Hail to the Thief (Live Recordings 2003–2009) Hamlet Hail to the Thief Machina/The Machines of God Garth Brooks I BOUGHT THE NEW SEVEN-CD GARTH BROOKS BOX SET FROM BASS PRO SHOPS (A TRUE STORY) The Smashing Pumpkins - Vieuphoria - Silverfuck // Jackboot Smashing Pumpkins - Silverfuck starting at 6:45 The Smashing Pumpkins 2000-12-02 Rick Beato - Jimmy Chamberlin: The Drummer Behind The Smashing Pumpkins' Iconic Sound Smashing Pumpkast Podcast - Siamese Dream Billy Corgan's notes on Luna
S2 · E6
January 27 · 41 min
The Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream (Pt. 3)
Who is ready to misspell some common household condiments? We're back with three very different songs, starting with one of the Pumpkins' most raucous songs, "Geek U.S.A." For "Mayonaise," Austin geeks out on pinch harmonics, before digging into Beef. Both pick out their favorite David Bowie albums, before once again splitting on the merits of Pink Floyd. 1:40 - "Geek U.S.A." 18:00 - "Mayonaise" 34:50 - "Spaceboy" Radiohead - Just music video Smashing Pumpkins - Geek USA live (clowns) Beef (TV series) Ali Wong Burning (2018 film) Pinch Harmonics Tutorial: Super Easy And In Less Than 2 Minutes! (Guitar Lesson) 60 Songs that Explain the 90s The Summer I Turned Pretty The 20 greatest Smashing Pumpkins songs – ranked by Kerrang Rolling Stone Readers' Poll of the Best Smashing Pumpkins Songs Every Smashing Pumpkins Song, Ranked by Spin Days of the New Pink Floyd Animals David Bowie - Space Oddity (Official Video) David Bowie's Berlin Trilogy
S2 · E5
January 19 · 43 min
The Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream (Pt. 2)
Life's not a bummer when you're discussing the first side of Siamese Dream. This episode, Nick and Austin dig into two epics and two singles — one saturated in Big Muff and the other with string. Along the way, Austin discusses proper guitarist handwear, while Nick finds a way to bring up Paul McCartney again. Special thanks to Eric Evans, who recorded bass on these tracks and orchestrated "Disarm." 3:45 - "Hummer" 16:30 - "Rocket" 25:58 - "Disarm" 35:30 - "Soma" Miloš Karadaglić Stephen Malkmus Loveless (album) Siamese Dream review by Jim Derogits "Listen to What the Man Said" by Paul McCartney and Wings Smashing Pumpkins Rocket music video Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris Jane’s Addiction Boston 9-13-2024 Eric Evans and Hinterfolk Smashing Pumpkins Disarm music video Pearl Jam - Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town Most Of Siamese Dream Is About Courtney Love, Says Courtney Love The Soma Delay Sound - Siamese Dream (The Smashing Pumpkins) Soma - The Smashing Pumpkins (Instrumental Cover) by Eddie Clark Rolling Stone: The Best Smashing Pumpkins Songs The Best Smashing Pumpkins Songs, Ranked by Steven Hyden Viewphoria Smashing Pumpkins "Soma" "A Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley
S2 · E4
January 12 · 50 min
The Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream (Pt. 1)
Drum roll, please. We are back with Smashing Pumpkin's second album, Siamese Dream. Besides being one of the most intense guitar albums of all time, it's also one of the best and most distinctive sounding albums of the 1990s. Can Nick and Austin even come close to replicating it, or will they give up at the start? Plus, Nick admits to listening to a bunch of Rush, while Austin recounts his time with Boston. 18:35 - "Cherub Rock" 29:35 - "Quiet" 34:00 - "Today" Big Muff Pedal OP AMP BIG MUFF PI The Artist's Way Bach BWV 932 Pitchfork review of Siamese Dream Alan Moulder Boston (album) Black Sabbath - Master of Reality Rush Smashing Pumpkins Tower Records Cherub Rock Acoustic Live 1993 The Smashing Pumpkins - Cherub Rock music video Rick Beato The Smashing Pumpkins: The Billy Corgan Interview High Fidelity Mixtape Rules The Smashing Pumpkins - Today music video Pixies - Where Is My Mind? The Beatles - "A Day in the Life"
S2 · E3
Apr 22, 2025 · 58 min
The Smashing Pumpkins - Gish (Pt. 3)
Are you going crazy, yet? We finish the Smashing Pumpkins' debut album by discussing the last three tracks, or four if you want to get technical. Then we make time for three extra tracks, including one that Nick said he'd trade for all of Gish. Austin breaks down two solos while also getting in a Guns N' Roses reference. Then they recap their favorite moments from Gish. 3:00 - "Tristessa" 9:42 - "Window Paine" 18:45 - "Daydream" 25:04 - "I'm Going Crazy" 31:40 - "Drown" 41:22 - "Glynis" 46:20 - "Bye June" Billy Corgan's Gish "Album Deep Dive" from May 29, 2020 Smashing Pumpkins with Pearl Jam - Window Paine 3-28-1992 All By Myself (Hidden Track) Green Day Singles (soundtrack) Smashing Pumpkins - Drown (extended version) No Alternative Glynis (2012 Mix) The Smashing Pumpkins - Glynis (live acoustic Halloween 1993)
S2 · E2
Apr 15, 2025 · 41 min
The Smashing Pumpkins - Gish (Pt. 2)
This week we dig into the murky middle of Gish. The songs veer from riffy monsters like "Bury Me" to Indian-inspired mood pieces like "Suffer." Nick admits to a botched high school performance of "Crush," while Austin digs into the many solos of "Snail." 3:50 - "Bury Me" 15:01 - "Crush" 21:35 - "Suffer" 29:50 - "Snail" How Gish got its name Bandsplain: Smashing Pumpkins: Part 1 with Rob Harvilla R.E.M. "Murmur" The Beatles in India Pennywhistle Chino Moreno with Smashing Pumpkins performing "Snail" Black metal cover of "Street Spirit" Anyone Can Play Guitar - Radiohead - My Iron Lung EP
S2 · E1
Apr 8, 2025 · 49 min
The Smashing Pumpkins - Gish (Pt. 1)
And we're back. Welcome to the next season of Anyone Can Play Guitar. After learning every Radiohead song on guitar (and maybe promising to repeat the process) this time we are digging into another mainstay of 90s alternative rock, The Smashing Pumpkins. Hope you're ready for some riffs because they are relentless on the band's debut album, Gish. Why The Smashing Pumpkins? Nick lays out why he believes the band deserves the deep dive, from the astonishing drumming of Jimmy Chamberlin to the guitar heroics of Billy Corgan. But can he convince Austin? Get ready for a ludicrous number of solos and an examination of Corgan's unique voice. 23:50 - "I Am One" 34:00 - "Siva" 40:02 - "Rhinoceros" J. S. Bach: Sonata No. 4 in E Minor BWV 528 | Pedal Clavichord Smashing Pumpkast Pitchfork's review of William Patrick Corgan's Ogilala The Discographers The Smashing Pumpkins "Siva" music video The Smashing Pumpkins - Siva (Outtakes & Commentary) The Smashing Pumpkins - Rhinoceros (Official Music Video)
S1 · E38
Oct 1, 2024 · 2 hr 1 min
Ranking the Best Radiohead Songs, Albums, and B-Sides
It's the big one. After more than three years of learning every Radiohead song on guitar, Nick and Austin spend a few hours ranking their favorite albums, b-sides, and songs. They even find time to pick out the worst songs in the catalog, in case you want to know how they both feel about "I'm A Wicked Child." Along the way, Nick mentions the unconscious more than he should, and Austin talks trash about "Optimistic" again. Thanks for listening. But is this the end? 1:32 - A discussion about learning each album on guitar 12:50 - The Best Radiohead Albums 34:00 - The Worst Radiohead Songs 47:10 - A concise history of Radiohead b-sides 50:25 - The Best Radiohead B-Sides 1:01:40 - The Best Radiohead Songs
S1 · E37
Jul 9, 2024 · 37 min
Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool B-Sides
With the main album out of the way, Nick and Austin dig into the meager leftovers of A Moon Shaped Pool. Austin geeks out about 90s movie soundtracks, before bringing up the inspirational American football movie, Rudy. For some reason, Nick talks about the charity single, "We Are The World." Then they both debate the fundamental nature of the b-side, and whether one song released without a single can even qualify. 1:00 - "Ill Wind" 7:45 - "Spectre" "True Love Waits" original version from Brussels "Spectre" time signature? James Bond "Spectre" "Nobody Does It Better" by Carly Simon Radiohead cover of "Nobody Does It Better" Rudy The Sandlot Hoosiers "Big Boots (Man of War)" by Radiohead in "Meeting People is Easy" Sam Smith "Writing's On The Wall" (from Spectre) Michael Jackson "Earth Song" Did Sam Smith copy 'Earth Song' in 'Writing's On The Wall'? The Greatest Night in Pop Songs in the Key of X: Music from and Inspired by the X-Files The "Creep" Award: The Best Song, Begrudgingly or Not Austin - “Identikit” Nick - “Daydreaming” The "Blow Out" Award: Our Personal Favorite Song Nick - “Daydreaming" Austin - “Present Tense" The "I Can't" Award: Most Improved Song Austin - “Decks Dark” Nick - “Present Tense"
S1 · E36
Jul 2, 2024 · 51 min
Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool (Pt. 3)
They've reached the end of A Moon Shaped Pool. Will Nick convince Austin that this is an underappreciated classic, or will Austin spend the whole time saying negative things about "The Numbers?" Nick brings up The Beatles again, before pledging his love for Paul McCartney. Finally, the two spend a good twenty minutes discussing "True Love Waits." 1:50 - "The Numbers" 11:45 - "Present Tense" 19:40 - "Tinker Tailor Soldier Sailor Rich Man Poor Man Beggar Man Thief" 27:30 - "True Love Waits" Radiohead - "The Numbers" Jonny, Thom & a CR78 Learn to play "Stairway to Heaven"'s interlude section Beyoncé with Jack White - "Don't Hurt Yourself" John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band - "Power to the People" Paul McCartney - "Long Haired Lady" Radiohead - "Present Tense" Jonny, Thom & a CR78 Tinker Tailor nursery rhyme Radiohead - "True Love Waits" 12/5/95 Luna Theatre, Belgium Drum heavy version of "True Love Waits" from OK Computer sessions AI version of a theoretical full-band version from around 1996 Nearly two hours of different versions of "True Love Waits" Radiohead - "True Love Piano" tape loop version from OK Computer sessions Pulk/Pull (True Love Waits Version) from Kid A Mnesia Acoustic version of "True Love Waits" from I Might Be Wrong News story that was supposedly the inspiration for "True Love Waits" "I Might Be Wrong: Every Radiohead Song, Ranked" from Vulture Radiohead acoustic guitar version of "True Love Waits" from 2018
S1 · E35
Jun 25, 2024 · 38 min
Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool (Pt. 2)
35. Radiohead's A Moon Shaped Pool, Part 2 Before realizing that they host a Radiohead podcast, the two give their thoughts on the latest by Taylor Swift. Will Austin check out of this album after the fourth track? Can Nick figure out the proper length of delay to perform the guitar pattern for Identikit? 4:50 - "Desert Island Disk" 13:00 - "Ful Stop" 21:30 - "Glass Eyes" 27:24 - "Identikit" Taylor Swift - The Tortured Poets Department Bjork - "Post" Can - "Future Days" Desert Island Discs Austin's desert island discs: "Apologies to Queen Mary" by Wolf Parade, "Alice" by Tom Waits, "The White Album" by The Beatles, "Vitalogy" by Pearl Jam, "Either, Or" by Eliot Smith. Nick's Desert Island Discs: "Mellon Colland the Infinite Sadness" by Smashing Pumpkins, "In a Silent Way" by Miles Davis, "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" by The Beatles, "Moondance" by Van Morrison, and "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" by Kanye West. "Ful Stop" live
S1 · E34
Jun 18, 2024 · 41 min
Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool (Pt 1.)
It's the last Radiohead album. Is this the last season? Before Nick and Austin contemplate what that means, they discuss why so many metal bands need to cover "Burn the Witch." Nick loses it a bit on "Daydreaming," while Austin gets to pine about Amnesiac again. Thanks for listening. 5:00 - "Burn the Witch" 17:30 - "Daydreaming" 32:40 - "Decks Dark" "Burn the Witch" music video "Burn The Witch" cello cover by Break of Reality "Burn The Witch" cover by London Cello Quartet "Burn the Witch" cover by The Fantasy Orchestra "Burn the Witch" cover by Atomic Tom "Burn the Witch" cover by 5th PROJEKT "Burn the Witch" cover by Johari "Burn the Witch" cover by Leo Moracchioli "Burn The Witch" live at Lollapalooza 29/07/2016 (Chicago) Øyvind Torvund: A Walk into the Future "Daydreaming" music video "Radiohead: The Secrets Of Daydreaming" by Rishi Kaneria
S1 · E33
Mar 5, 2024 · 33 min
Radiohead - Pablo Honey B-Sides
This week, we're stepping back in time. After getting teased for years by Austin, Nick finally learns all the Pablo Honey b-sides. Needless to say, taking up some of their earliest tracks after "The King of Limbs" was quite strange for both. Will they find some hidden gems or spend the whole time trashing "Pop is Dead" again? 2:07 - "Inside My Head" 8:48 - "Million Dollar Question" 13:28 - "Yes I Am" 18:05 - "Faithless the Wonderboy" 22:12 - "Coke Babies" 28:12 - "Pop is Dead" The Pixes - "Tame" Rites Of Spring - "For Want Of" Beefeater "Inside My Head" live at Reading 1994 Live at Astoria 1994 The Offspring - "Come Out And Play" The Cranberries - "Linger" Ride - "Vapour Trail" Radiohead - "Pop is Dead"
S1 · E32
Nov 7, 2023 · 46 min
Radiohead - The King of Limbs B-Sides
"The King of Limbs" might have been a meager album, but there are plenty of b-sides to discuss. Will Austin and Nick create a fantasy version of the album, or admit that these extras don't fit? Nick finally gets to geek out about supercolliders, while Austin goes on about trees. They finish by picking the best songs of the era. Join the discussion on Facebook. 1:23 - "Harry Patch (In Memory Of)" 8:30 - "These Are My Twisted Words" 15:30 - "Supercollider" 19:45 - "The Butcher" 22:20 - "The Daily Mail" 28:40 - "Staircase" Remembrance: Harry Patch recalls the trenches Artwork for "These Are My Twisted Words" Can (band) Large Hadron Collider Fermilab Filter "Take A Picture" Radiohead "Cuttouth" What is Music Podcast The "Creep" Award: The Best Song, Begrudgingly or Not Nick - “Lotus Flower” Austin - “Lotus Flower” The "Blow Out" Award: Our Personal Favorite Song Austin - “Feral" Nick - “Feral" The "I Can't" Award: Most Improved Song Austin - “Bloom” Nick - “Little By Little"
S1 · E31
Oct 31, 2023 · 46 min
Radiohead - The King of Limbs (Pt. 2)
How does everyone feel about Thom's unique dance moves in the "Lotus Flower" music video? Nick and Austin discuss that important topic while briefly touching on 90s-era Christian rock music and Homer's "Odyssey." Will they agree with the consensus that the album's second, slower second half is better than the more rhythmic first half? Or will they find a way to disagree with that narrative? 1:12 - "Lotus Flower" 21:15 - "Codex" 30:12 - "Give Up the Ghost" 38:00 - "Separator" Lotus Flower music video The Thom Yorke Dancing Meme "Lotus Flower" From the Basement "Moon on a Stick" from a Fist of Fun Nelumbo nucifera R.E.M. "Lotus" music video Lotus-eaters Audio Adrenaline "Codex" From the Basement Radiohead - The "Worst Possible Setlist" (r/radiohead) Euclidean rhythm Sunset Rubdown
S1 · E30
Oct 24, 2023 · 48 min
Radiohead - The King of Limbs (Pt. 1)
Austin and Nick finally tackle The King of Limbs, an album that both admit to disliking when it was released in 2011. Will learning all the songs on guitar help them understand the thorny album or will it just be a universal sigh? Nick learns about magpies, while Austin gets into ocean documentaries. Why do they spend an inordinate amount of time discussing the Counting Crows? There's only one way to find out. 7:51 - "Bloom" 19:45 - "Morning Mr Magpie" 33:08 - "Little by Little" 39:30 - "Feral" Radiohead - The King Of Limbs From The Basement (December 2011) Thom Yorke - Bloom (Live from Electric Lady Studios) Planet Earth: Blue Planet II | Radiohead & Hans Zimmer - (ocean) bloom | BBC America Everything in its Right Place: Analyzing Radiohead by Brad Osborn Aleatoric music Why Arthur Schopenhauer thought music was the greatest of all art forms "Morning Mr Magpie" Thom solo acoustic "August and Everything After" by Counting Crows "Round Here" by Counting Crows Magpies And Superstition Little by Little (From the Basement) "Closer" by Nine Inch Nails
S1 · E29
May 16, 2023 · 52 min
Radiohead - In Rainbows B-Sides
With In Rainbows over, Nick and Austin explore the polished leftovers found on the b-side disc. While a huge improvement over the Com Lag EP, the two do wonder why these songs don't stick in your head. Austin swears he'll never order bangers and mash, while Nick finds one of his least favorite songs of the project. Digressions abound, including more discussion about Seal than you'd ever imagine in a Radiohead podcast. Join the discussion on Facebook. Songs Discussed: 2:04 - "Down Is the New Up" 8:45 - "Go Slowly" 13:48 - "Last Flowers" 20:25 - "Up on the Ladder" 24:25 - "Bangers + Mash" 31:50 - "4 Minute Warning" "Down is the New Up" From the Basement performance "Becoming Radiohead" in the New Yorker by Alex Ross "Svefn-g-englar" by Radiohead "Go Slowly" From the Basement performance "Last Flowers" From the Basement performance "Kiss from a Rose" by Seal Switched on Pop podcast Tool "Bangers + Mash" From the Basement performance "4 Minute Warning" live performance The "Creep" Award: The Best Song, Begrudgingly or Not Austin - “15 Step” Nick - “Weird Fishes” The "Blow Out" Award: Our Personal Favorite Song Nick - “Nude" Austin - “Reckoner" The "I Can't" Award: Most Improved Song Austin - “Jigsaw Falling into Place” Nick - “Bodysnatchers"

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