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.

MESSAGE FROM BILLY CORGAN REGARDING SMASHINGPUMPKINS.COM

Recently I read a post by another famed alt-rocker from my generation lamenting the negative cultures of the internet…how its inherent narcissism ruins a lot of good fun for everyone because those that shout the loudest and are the most obsessive are able to control a dialogue over things that in the normal discourse of real life wouldn’t be that big a deal…I have watched with great interest over the last 15 or so years the rise of the web and how it has given form to new social dynamics and single-handedly helped to blow up the music business that I think I used to belong to…as a interested observer, let me say then that I am fully aware that nothing I say here will change anything as it pertains to any negativity lingering proudly in the human soul, because that is a decision that only comes thru and from the collective; when a majority of us are tired of such constant poison that we’ll scream ‘enough’ at the top of our lungs and the idiots get drowned out by those who have sat silently waiting till they can take it no more…I am more silent these days than not, an ironic fact of which I am criticized by fans for not feeding them with enough vacant info to their liking, but nicely applauded with apathy by those that don’t care should I live or die…after all, aren’t I a horrible, detestable creature that would dare go his own way in life?…shame on me for not being one of the sheeple!!
I have tried in vain to create a positive, loving website that takes into great effect those that would use it most…I hear quite often not to let the bad apples in this bunch that do visit the site far too often ruin it for the rest of those that aren’t so destructive and are capable to see the forest from the trees…the point being ‘hey Billy, its just the way of the world, don’t be so sensitive’…
That’s a similar logic I heard when I first started in music and I was told certain things were not possible with my band or my tunes…my point to you is just because everyone accepts something dumb doesn’t make it good or whole or essential…in essence their point is, yes, the website is a reflection on the larger culture as a whole, and I am powerless to stop it… Todays laughter was me being criticized for a post that had info about a charity that was offering (to the highest bidder) a lunch with me. Unfortunately, unknown to me, the info stated that lunch was on the person who won the auction. Having never offered myself for a charity lunch date before, I was curious to see what fans might say about it. I was surprised to see a minor detail I was unaware of that said the winner must pay the bill at lunch turn into an attack on me and my supposed fortune. What an asshole I am to not want to buy lunch?
I bring this to your attention because this is exactly what’s to be expected in a mean and bitter world. Every act, no matter how kind or caring must be viewed thru the dim lens of ambition, greed, power, and ultimately selfishness. There must be an ulterior motive to all of this, right?? A charity lunch just can’t be as simple as that. The awareness raised for the charity means nothing against what its going to do for my career…and what a career its been! And thank God someone gets to fit the bill for my meal!
Yes I’m being sarcastic but the sad part is someone out there will read this and think the worst, never seeing the darkness and avarice in their own heart…
I’ve made a pledge to lead a different kind of business, and it must begin with this website, which stands as the public face of Smashing Pumpkins World Domination Corp.
What do I wish to dominate with? Love and good music…did he just say love and good music? Now I know he’s insane…
Love means nothing against someone with something to say.
So I’ll get to my point. This website is going to change. It is going to transform into something that is consistent with the concepts of love, grace, and community. We are not looking backwards anymore, only forward. I for one am willing to stand for something good here, in this little corner of the blogosphere, and say it’s time.
What makes the things I’m saying here even more real to me is the passing of my dear friend Sky Sunlight Saxon. Sky lived everyday with the concept of LOVE as his guide, and he walked the talk. He was a spiritual warrior who would tell me that Yahowa knew the beauty of our hearts, and that musicians were the living prophets of the world. So in Sky’s memory I am going to re-dedicate this website to represent the things he cared about most; love, life, music, his spiritual family, and the protection of all God’s creatures, big and small.

—Nikki Turner

Just in case going to concerts wasn’t enough for you, here’s another opportunity to give Billy Corgan money in exchange for the chance to witness his sparkling attitude and charming personality: fans can now pay to subscribe to video updates of the Smashing Pumpkins in the studio as they record.

The 12-week subscription will cost you $40, with the promise of at least 25 minutes of video update footage each week, according to the site.

On the site, Corgan had the following to say about the “project”:

The goal is to create a working model that is not profit motivated but rather information and access motivated. In exchange for a fixed resource base fans will be let inside in an unprecedented way to the creative process of preparing to make the next SP album while also inspiring an inter-active dialogue that will help shape the work. Because of the open window, further efforts will be made to provide content so that anyone participating can more readily follow the arc over the 12 weeks, with unprecedented access to lyrical and musical content.

Despite the non-profit, charitable, warm-fuzzy nature of this whole thing, it still all depends on subscribers. If not enough fans are interested, the project gets scrapped. Nonetheless, Billy would like to leave you with this, a hug in word form:

I am excited to make this offer to anyone who might be interested what goes on behind the wizard’s curtain. It is my goal to far exceed the normal docmentary process and use the moment to create something that invokes synchronicity, electricity, and faith into a moment that is ever unfolding.

Admittedly, The Tripwire, as of late, is wont to sensationalist stories, especially with anything to do with Billy Corgan. But this, takes the fucking cake.

With absolutely no shred or morsel of irony, Billy Corgan sings “Bullet With Butterfly Wings” acappella for TNT Wrestling. The lyrics of the first verse remain the same, with one notably absurd amendment: “Despite all your rage, you’re still just a rat in the six sides of steel cage.” Good Help Us All. Oh, and Corgan has Twitter now and will likely be writing all sorts of crazy solipsistic shit there. [Via Stereogum]

Nearly four years ago now, Edmonton quintet Faunts came out of nowhere with an album of blistering, mercurial post-rock/shoegaze that ranked right up with greats like Young Team and Nowhere, that left pink-pop/noise aficionados slack-jawed and awed in its wake. They’d taken the baton of The Lassie Foundation and sped off at light speed, carrying the same natural influences (MBV, Hum and Smashing Pumpkins) towards new sonic vistas that combined their raging-yet-angelic bombast with a soft pink underbelly of gooey pop thrills. But four years is eons in terms of a band, and echoing the changes of the world around them, Faunts’ second full-length record is, in terms of pure sound, a vast departure from their debut.

The sonic transformation that Feel.Love.Thinking.Of. documents will undoubtedly inspire mixed feelings, and, depending on your personal tastes, will either be viewed as a cause for celebration that finds them moving in a bold new direction, or a cause for alarm that they’ve ditched their slow-burning shoegaze persona (i.e. heavy phasing, feedback maelstroms and loping rhythms) for seemingly ineffectual electro-pop. To their credit, their reinvention never sounds forced or awkward, nor does it reek of bandwagoneering, rather, it seems a natural progression towards more pop-based songwriting and an insistence that no longer shall they hide their stellar melodies and worldly chops behind walls of static and noise. Still, one can’t help but wonder what the title-track or “I Think I’ll Start a Fire” would sound like given the full-blown-out treatment that the Faunts of old were so fond of.

As someone who greatly enjoyed the shimmering, pedal-damaged bombast of High Expectations/Low Results, this album feels a bit flat and lacking anything truly dynamic, but with full realization that puts me in the minority, it’s not out of line to say that Faunts’ brand of synth-bedecked electro-pop is head and shoulders above that of their peers. And in that regard, even if old guard fans aren’t happy with the results, Feel.Love.Thinking.Of. is a rousing success that should land them at the top of their newly chosen heap.

Friendly Fire Recordings

Ever wanted to be in a band with a 90s alt-rock icon who lashes out against fans and has an inflated view of his place in music history? Well, now’s your chance, and you don’t even have to pretend while playing Guitar Hero.

A week after Jimmy Chamberlain quit Smashing Pumpkins this was posted on the Smashing Pumpkins website:

Billy Corgan is currently searching for talented musicians to join him. If you have an exceptional drumming ability and a desire to be part of a massive creative and progressive musical project with a rich 20-year history, then continue reading below.

The Smashing Pumpkins are continuing to make music after the departure of original member Jimmy Chamberlin. When Jimmy originally auditioned for The Smashing Pumpkins, he was playing in a locally touring jazz band that was playing weddings and street fairs. It just goes to show that you never know where the next big talent will come from.

So get out your drum sticks, boys and girls. The site says The Smashing Pumpkins — and by The Smashing Pumpkins we mean the only remaining member, his Corgan-ness — will be accepting submissions for recording and touring drummers. If you want the gig, you’ll need to submit a resume, a photo/headshot and any music or audio files you have showcasing your ability (digital file links or video links) to pumpkinsdrummer@gmail.com.

So fancy is the search, they’ve even gone and gotten themselves a real-life Gmail address! When Corgan means business, he means business. The auditions will be held next Friday, April 10, in Los Angeles. We’re interested to see how this plays out, particularly because we want to know exactly how many musicians are left in America still willing to play with Billy Corgan.

If you would’ve told me when I started doing all of this, that one day I’d be interviewing Taylor Hanson, I probably would’ve laughed. No offense to him or his brothers, but Hanson was not on my radar for bands I should be covering. But as fate would have it, the stars have aligned — literally — as Taylor is now the front man for the infamous WTF supergroup Tinted Windows.

Hanson, along with former Smashing Pumpkins guitarist James Iha, Cheap Trick drummer Bun E. Carlos and Adam Schlesinger from Fountains of Wayne made their official debut at the Levi’s®/FADER Fort in Austin last week, and my guess would be this was also their first time facing the media. The answers were primed as they all seemed to be well prepared to handle the onslaught of curiosity that surrounds them. There were so many questions I wanted to ask — some I did, others I was asked not to — but all in all, who could complain about spending 20 minutes with a few iconic musicians? And now I can say I interviewed Taylor Hanson.

Never to shy away from posting what feels like a Smashing Pumpkins news-related item every week, The Tripwire (via HipstersUnited.com) reports that Jimmy Chamberlain has officially quit the Smashing Pumpkins.

Suspiciously undetailed, the announcement says “Corgan will continue to write and record as Smashing Pumpkins with plans to head into the studio this spring.” What has become a depressing sideshow of a band, the Smashing Pumpkins genuinely amazing legacy has devolved into a laughable 20th Anniversary Tour that saw Corgan lambasting perceived disloyal fans, defend the Ticketmaster/Live Nation merger, and now: Billy Corgan assuming the role as the only remaining member of the Smashing Pumpkins.

Sigh.

Full text:

“THE SMASHING PUMPKINS’ BILLY CORGAN ANNOUNCES THE DEPARTURE OF JIMMY CHAMBERLIN FROM THE GROUP. CORGAN SET TO HEAD INTO THE STUDIO TO CREATE NEW SMASHING PUMPKINS MUSIC
The SMASHING PUMPKINS’ guitarist, singer, songwriter and founding member Billy Corgan has announced that drummer Jimmy Chamberlin has left the group. Chamberlin joined the band Corgan founded in Chicago in 1988 and played on all their albums except Adore (1998). Corgan will continue to write and record as SMASHING PUMPKINS with plans to head into the studio this spring.”

The career of Billy Corgan, and by extension The Smashing Pumpkins, did not exactly take a turn for the better in 2008. Whether it was a feeling of post-malaise from 2007’s disastrous Zeitgeist album, or the fact that their absurdly-named Black Sunshine & White Crosses tour was roundly condemned by anyone outside the Cult of Corgan. However, with hubris formerly in tact, Corgan sold (the-somehow-even-worse-than-most-songs-on-Zeitgeist) “G.L.O.W.” and all was well in the capitalist world.

Now, he’s taken the legendary “Today” and stamped a Visa brand on it. This becomes particularly suspicious when considering the following quote from a Newsweek interview from 2004: “Last year, I was offered heavy, heavy money to license ["Today"]. I actually turned down two huge, huge, seven-figure-plus deals last year for two songs… At this point in my life, I don’t feel comfortable. Those songs are the reason I’m alive. If your music is not sacred to the point where it’s a really, really, really heavy decision about whether or not you would allow somebody else to exploit it, then what’s not for sale?”

But as one YouTube user said: “It’s not that he sold out, it’s that he has condemned others for doing what he has just done with the Hyundai and Visa Commercials. I guess his so called principles had a sudden change, which had nothing to do with his MISERABLE RECORD SALES.”

Couldn’t have said it better myself.

With no rhyme or reason, our editorial staff chooses the top 10 biggest music-related news stories of 2008. Coming in at #5: Billy Corgan Is Pissing People Off.

Billy Corgan gave new meaning to the term “audience participation” in 2008 on the Smashing Pumpkins’ 20th anniversary tour, leaving a mess of disappointed, confused fans in its wake. You can read about, and see the video evidence here.