The Smashing Pumpkins

Rotten Apples — Greatest Hits (Virgin) Hard to believe it’s only taken six long years to forget, “Despite all my rage I am still just a rat in a cage.” Like U2’s Best Of comp a few years ago, Rotten Apples includes a second disc of B-sides and rarities, which while not nearly as revelatory as U2’s, proves itself on an inspired punctured-lung cover of “Rock On” alone. Better still, the A-sides are solid, despite the fact that after Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness it all was all over; even the requisite unreleased tracks work. Sure could’ve done without hearing that @&#$% song again, though.

This article appears in December 28 • 2001.

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San Francisco native Raoul Hernandez crossed the border into Texas on July 2, 1992, and began writing about music for the Chronicle that fall, debuting with an album review of Keith Richards’ Main Offender. By virtue of local show previews – first “Recommendeds,” now calendar picks – his writing’s appeared in almost every issue since 1993.