The Smashing Pumpkins may not exactly be The Smashing Pumpkins anymore. They are sort of a new model with the same old cooky smooth-headed driver. But at least you’ll get to test drive this new model 44 times before you decide if you want to buy it! Corgan has kept the old moniker, but is embacing the Internet medium as his main means of introduction to their new sound for the upcoming Teargarden By Kaleidyscope LP, which as it turns out might end up taking the physical form of 11 different, 4-song EPs. Corgan refers to this new plan as a “44-song free for all” that will be released one at a time starting just after Halloween. After being dropped from his major label, Corgan granted this might not be his wisest economic decision. But he went pretty deep on some things that may be more important than that. “I can’t afford it!!” he says. “But I would rather be free than rich. The [major] labels are dead ghosts walking, and they know it. They never should have left this mystic free, because I am way more of a pied piper than they could ever fathom.” (Via: Rolling Stone)

Pack your things and start heading out west, because Billy Corgan announced six tour dates in Southern California. You can catch Monsiuer Pumpkin as part of newly minted supergroup Spirits In the Sky between August 26th and August 31st. Exact deets such as cities and venues are coming soon so keep on the look-out.

While playing with newly-minted supergroup Spirit In the Sky over the weekend in LA, Billy Corgan rolled out a new song as well as new Pumpkins drummer, 19-year-old drummer Mike Byrne. Check the kid and the track in the video above. (YouTube via Stereogum)

Talk about a blast from the past! D’Arcy Wretzky, formerly of the Smashing Pumpkins, put in a call to Chicago’s Q101 radio station and had an impromptu chat with radio host Ryan Manno. Manno has since posted the entire conversation online, in which the bassist discusses life on her horse farm in Michigan, Marilyn Manson’s parents, her admiration of Davy Jones and Silversun Pickups, amongst other topics. Definitely worth a listen. (via P4k)

A fan essay regarding the Smashing Pumpkins’ musical chair-like lineup over the years inspired Billy Corgan to respond on the site in a similarly long-winded entreaty about who the current incarnation of Smashing Pumpkins includes. Corgan doesn’t give anything away about other members, but instead restates how he’s always been the heart of SP (”In the center of any of it has been for me, speaking personally, my music. Yes, MY music”) and seems enthused about the new band’s progress (”I am 100pct committed to the future of SP. I can tell you that. 100pct!! I’ve never been happier about being in SP, or a part of SP, than I am now.”) but we still have no clue who we’ll see standing onstage beside him when the tour rolls around. Read between the lines for yourself here.