10 Most Underrated Band Members

The Smashing Pumpkins were always known as a group effort, but everyone's attention always went to Billy Corgan. From his off-handed delivery to his otherworldly melodies, Corgan became one of the unofficial spokesmen for Generation X. Though most of the Pumpkins' songs lived and died on the melody, Jimmy Chamberlain's drumminf was what brought the songs the punch they needed.

Much like Corgan, Chamberlain's background on the drums was insanely technical, with him practicing night and day to learn every facet of the kit. When it came time for the band to start writing their own material, Chamberlain's drums cut through the mix just as much as any overdriven guitar could have. It was still within the context of the alternative scene, but the power behind the backbeat felt like something that could have been pulled out of John Bonham's drum techniques.

There is definitely a more fundamental song structure to the band's early work, but Chamberlain's drums turn these tunes from just standard rock songs to great hard rock events. Once he was kicked out of the band's due to drug problems, the initial power behind the band seemed to lose some of its luster. At a time where rock was getting back to basics, Chamberlain's skills behind the kit made sure hard rock never lost its true power.