Guitarist Jeff Schroeder Departs Smashing Pumpkins

Since Billy Corgan revived Smashing Pumpkins in 2007, Jeff Schroeder has been at his side as the band’s guitarist. Today (Oct. 24), Schroeder announced that he is leaving the band “to explore a slightly different path.”

The guitarist appeared on five Pumpkins albums between 2007 and 2021. In a statement shared on the band’s Instagram, Schroeder thanked Corgan, drummer Jimmy Chamberlin, guitarist James Iha, and bassist Jack Hook being for “wonderful bandmates and even better friends.”

Schroeder said that he “was at UCLA working on my doctorate in comparative literature” when he received a message from a friend that the reformed Smashing Pumpkins were looking for a guitarist and auditioned. After getting the gig, he said that joining the band was “one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life. The amount of incredible memories created over the last 16 years with the band are almost too numerous to quantify.”

“We thank Jeff for his ceaseless dedication to the band and our great fans,” his former bandmates said. “Words can not express our gratitude and appreciation for the friend he is, and being there for SP in the good times and the tough times, too.”

See Schroeder’s full statement below.