“Even though we went through some really rough and confusing years, I feel like the band is in a better place than when I joined”: Jeff Schroeder opens up about his departure from the Smashing Pumpkins

Former Smashing Pumpkins guitarist Jeff Schroeder.

On October 23, 2023, Jeff Schroeder, an anchor of the Smashing Pumpkins guitar squad since 2007, announced that he was departing Billy Corgan’s iconic alt-rock outfit, saying, among other things that he planned to "explore a slightly different path."

Fans who witnessed the Pumpkins rise in the '90s often cite Corgan and James Iha as the band's primary guitar talent, but from 2007 onward – especially with Iha out of the band until 2018 – Jeff Schroeder was nothing short of essential.