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Biography
Infobox musical artist | name = '''D'arcy Wretzky | image = D_Arcy_Wretzky_32.jpg| caption = D'arcy Wretzky performing with the Smashing Pumpkins in April 1992.| image_size =| alt =| background = solo_singer| birth_name =| alias = D'arcy D'arcy Wretzky-Brown| birth_date = Birth date and age|1968|5|1|birth_place = South Haven, Michigan|South Haven , Michigan , United States|U.S. | death_date =| instrument = Bass guitar , vocals , violin , piano , oboe , double bass | genre = Alternative rock | occupation = Musician | years_active = 1988–1999| label =| associated_acts = The Smashing Pumpkins , Filter (band)|Filter , Catherine (alternative rock band)|Catherine | website =| notable_instruments = Fender Jazz Bass '''D'arcy Elizabeth Wretzky (born May 1, 1968 in South Haven, Michigan|South Haven , Michigan ) is an American musician. She is best known for her work as the original bassist|bass player of the alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins . During her tenure with the band, Wretzky played almost exclusively a Fender Jazz Bass , occasionally playing a Fender Precision Bass .
Biography
Early life
Wretzky was born and raised in Michigan, where her mother, a musician working as a lounge singer , IMDB biography page for http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0942155/bio D'arcy Wretzky. encouraged D'arcy and her sisters to perform music. Growing up, she played the violin and oboe , and performed in choirs.Goldberg, Michael. " http://web.archive.org/web/19970616040711/www.addict.com/issues/1.12/Features/D'Arcy/page2.html Smashing Pumpkin D'arcy Dares to be Happy." Addicted to Noise , December 1995. Retrieved on 2007/09/23. She also performed gymnastics .Marks, Craig. " http://blamo.org/newsarchive.php? id=1526 Zero Worship." Spin Magazine : June 1996.Dead link|date=June 2011 She would later refer to her father, a pipefitter with a love of horseback riding , as "a very strange man." The young Wretzky was a self-described " tomboy ", and had a contentious relationship with her sister." http://www.starla.org/articles/madm.htm A Babe in Boyland." Mademoiselle , December 1995. Retrieved on 2007/09/23 She attended South Haven's L.C. Mohr High School, where she grew interested in post-punk and played in cover bands. After 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 living with friends and attending concerts.Pullen, Doug. " http://www.starla.org/articles/flint.htm Michigan Native D'arcy Ready For More Successes." The Flint Journal : 1996/06/26. Retrieved on 2007/09/23.
The Smashing Pumpkins
After a concert at a local rock club, Wretzky overheard Billy Corgan criticizing the band that had performed. An argument and discussion followed, and Corgan recruited her into his band, the nascent Smashing Pumpkins , which, at the time, was merely Corgan, James Iha , and a drum machine . Wretzky accepted, and Jimmy Chamberlin completed the lineup a few months later, after Joe Shanahan encouraged Corgan to add a live drummer.
Wretzky is the credited bassist on the Smashing Pumpkins' first five studio albums: Gish , Siamese Dream , Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness , Adore (The Smashing Pumpkins album)|Adore , and Machina/The Machines of God . It was confirmed by both her and Corgan, however, that Corgan played the bass tracks for Siamese Dream because he could complete them in far fewer takes.Chamberlin, Jimmy; Corgan, Billy (interview subjects). Inside the Zeitgeist (Reprise Records, 2007). Michael Azerrad|Azerrad, Michael . "Smashing Pumpkins' Sudden Impact". Rolling Stone . October 1993. Wretzky often contributed backing vocals in concert, and on studio albums. She contributes vocally in some Smashing Pumpkins songs including " Daydream (Smashing Pumpkins song)|Daydream " from Gish , many songs on Siamese Dream , " 1979 (song)|1979 ", "Cupid De Locke", "Farewell and Goodnight", "Beautiful"; "Where Boys Fear To Tread" from Mellon Collie , and " Dreaming (Blondie song)|Dreaming " and "The Bells" from The Aeroplane Flies High . Wretzky also co-wrote one Smashing Pumpkins song, " Daughter (Smashing Pumpkins song)|Daughter ".
Wretzky's time in the band was marked by alternating periods of happiness and discomfort. Corgan considered her the "moral authority" and "moral conscience" of the band.cite news | last = Blashill | first = Pat | title = Out on a Limb | publisher = Details Magazine |date=October 1996 In the aftermath of the success of 1995's Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness , Corgan said she began an "apparent slow descent into insanity and/or drugs (take your pick)."Corgan, Billy. " http://billycorgan.livejournal.com/2005/04/13/ Way Out in Outpost Canyon." The Confessions of Billy Corgan . 2005/04/13. In 1999, Wretzky left the band to pursue an acting career.Citation needed|date=November 2009 Shortly after leaving the group, she was arrested for possession of crack cocaine .cite web|last=Johnson |first=Tina |url= http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1434166/20000215/smashing_pumpkins.jhtml |title=News - Articles - 1434166 |publisher=Mtv.com |date=2000-02-15 |accessdate=2011-03-10 Corgan later said she was "fired for being a mean spirited drug addict who refused to get help." http://billycorgan.livejournal.com/2004/02/17/ Billy Corgan's Personal Blog. Written February 17, 2004 She was replaced on 2000's Machina tour by former Hole (band)|Hole bassist Melissa Auf der Maur .
Other musical work
Wretzky joined the band Catherine (alternative rock band)|Catherine as a second vocalist for their final album Hot Saki and Bedtime Stories . She also appeared in the video for Four Leaf Clover . At the time, Wretzky was married to Catherine member Kerry Brown (musician)|Kerry Brown .
Wretzky contributed vocals to the track "One and Two" on James Iha's 1998 solo album, Let It Come Down (James Iha album)|Let It Come Down .
In 1999, she contributed vocals on two Filter (band)|Filter songs, "Cancer" and "Take A Picture". During this time, she worked with cellist Eric Remschneider , whom she had worked with when he had recorded with the Smashing Pumpkins.
Post-Smashing Pumpkins
Wretzky did not participate in the Smashing Pumpkins' reunion. In 2008, she and her former bandmate James Iha filed a lawsuit against Virgin Records for selling ringtone s of Smashing Pumpkins songs without their consent. http://www.aolcdn.com/tmz_documents/0724_pumpkins.pdf
After many years out of the spotlight, Wretzky resurfaced in July 2009 by calling in unexpectedly on Chicago's WWWN|Q101 FM with Ryan Manno.cite web|url= http://pitchfork.com/news/35930-smashing-pumpkins-darcy-speaks/ |title=Smashing Pumpkins' D'Arcy Speaks& #33; |publisher=Pitchfork |date=2009-07-14 |accessdate=2011-03-10 http://www.q101.com/blogs/manno/blogentry.aspx? BlogEntryID=10042283Dead link|date=June 2011cite web|url= http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=gR-Xyhxdm9s |title=(1 of 2) D'Arcy Wretzky calls some Chicago radio station |publisher=YouTube |date= |accessdate=2011-03-10 During the interview, she stated that she wasn't "healthy" enough to be a musician, and repeatedly professed her admiration for Monkees frontman Davy Jones (actor)|Davy Jones , as well as discussed the Silversun Pickups and Marilyn Manson 's family. In addition, she also mentioned that she now lives on a farm in Michigan, had briefly lived in Austin, Texas sometime during the previous decade, and that former fiancé Wendell Green had died. Several other articles on the internet have stated that Wretzky owns three antique stores.
Wretzky was jailed in February 2011 for missing four court date s related to a ticket she received for failing to control her horses.cite web|url= http://www.tmz.com/2011/02/10/smashing-pumpkins-bassist-darcy-wretzky-jailed-arrested-horses-farm-michigan-ticket-failure-to-appear-bench-warrant/ |title=D'arcy Wretzky Mug Shot - Arrested for Horsing Around |publisher=TMZ.com |date=2010-07-20 |accessdate=2011-03-10 She spent six days in jail.cite web|url= http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2011/09/former_smashing_pumpkins_bassi_2.html |title=Former Smashing Pumpkins bassist D'arcy Wretzky's probation on drunken driving arrest now half over |publisher=MLive.com |date= |accessdate=2012-02-21 She was also arrested on February 7, 2011, on a misdemeanor drunken-driving charge in South Haven, Michigan.cite web|author=Courtesy of the Van Buren County Sheriff's Office |url= http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2011/02/former_smashing_pumpkins_bassi_1.html |title=Former Smashing Pumpkins bassist D'arcy Wretzky arrested on drunken driving charge in South Haven |publisher=MLive.com |date=2011-02-11 |accessdate=2011-03-10
http://www.myspace.com/smashingpumpkins Official Smashing Pumpkins MySpace page
S-startSuccession box| title= The Smashing Pumpkins bassist| before=original| after= Melissa Auf der Maur | years=1988-1999S-endSmashing PumpkinsFilter Persondata|NAME= Wretzky, D'arcy |ALTERNATIVE NAMES= |SHORT DESCRIPTION= Musician |DATE OF BIRTH= 1968-5-1 |PLACE OF BIRTH= South Haven, Michigan|South Haven , Michigan , United States|U.S. |DATE OF DEATH= |PLACE OF DEATH= DEFAULTSORT:Wretzky, Darcy Category:1968 births Category:American alternative rock musicians Category:American expatriates in France Category:American female guitarists Category:American musicians of Polish descent Category:American rock bass guitarists Category:Female bass guitarists Category:Filter members Category:Living people Category:Musicians from Illinois Category:Musicians from Michigan Category:People from Michigan City, Indiana Category:People from Van Buren County, Michigan Category:The Smashing Pumpkins members Category:Alternative rock bass guitarists
