On this day in music history: July 27, 1993 - “Siamese Dream”, the second album by The Smashing Pumpkins is released. Produced by Butch Vig and Billy Corgan, it is recorded at Triclops Sound Studios in Atlanta, GA from December 1992 - March 1993. In spite of finding success with their debut album “Gish”, The Smashing Pumpkins are consumed by personal and inter band crises. At the time, guitarist James Iha and bassist D'arcy Wretzky once a couple, split acrimoniously. Drummer Jimmy Chamberlin sinks into drug and alcohol addiction, and bandleader Billy Corgan, having suffered from depression for many years, reaches a crisis point with it. Under intense pressure to deliver a strong follow up, they leave their home base of Chicago, to record in Atlanta, GA to avoid outside distractions. Working again with producer Butch Vig, Corgan is determined to achieve perfection. Feeling that D'arcy and James are unable to play what he hears in his head, Billy winds up playing nearly all of those parts himself, adding to the tension. More drama ensues when Jimmy Chamberlin disappears on drug binges, which lead to him entering rehab. Corgan’s depression deepens to the point where he is considering suicide. From that extreme low point, comes one of the album’s best songs. “Today” (#4 Modern Rock, #28 Mainstream Rock) is first song Corgan writes for “Dream”, penning the highly ironic lyric “Today is the greatest day I’ve ever known…”, at the height of his suicidal thoughts. With Virgin Records growing impatient with the band’s progress, back off when Corgan plays them the song. Spending four months in the studio, over $250,000 and six weeks mixing it with engineer Alan Moulder, the record is finally finished. “Cherub Rock” (#7 Modern Rock, #23 Mainstream Rock) is released first, but is just a modest success. “Today” is issued as the follow up, and is supported by a video directed by Stéphane Sednaoui (Red Hot Chili Peppers, U2, Björk), being heavily rotated on MTV. That is followed by “Disarm” (#5 Modern Rock), another song Corgan has written while depressed, is also a hit. Though it has a difficult birth, “Siamese Dream” is a major critical and commercial success. It cements their status as one of the top bands of the 90’s, establishing their own identity, apart from contemporaries like Nirvana and Pearl Jam. The album is remastered and reissued as a two CD + DVD deluxe edition in 2011, featuring the original thirteen song album on disc one. The second CD titled “Lollipop Fun Time” containing eighteen tracks, features demos, rough mixes, instrumentals and a live recording from a BBC radio broadcast. The DVD contains a full live concert filmed at The Metro in Chicago, IL on August 14, 1993. Given a limited vinyl pressing in 1993, it is remastered and reissued as a double vinyl set also in 2011. “Siamese Dream” peaks at number ten on the Billboard Top 200, and is certified 4x Platinum in the US by the RIAA.