Auditioning for The Smashing Pumpkins: A Comedy of Errors.

Out of more than 10,000 contenders, I made it to the final 8. Rolling with the punches, I committed to go all in. Spoiler alert: I didn’t get the job. But it makes for a good story...

A few months ago, amid a desperate hunt for gigs in an increasingly challenging music industry, I found myself in a position I never expected: vying for the chance to join The Smashing Pumpkins.

It all began when a friend forwarded me the band's Instagram post about an open audition for a new guitarist. As a self-taught musician, I've always harbored a b…