i of the mourning

ZEITGEIST

2007-02-09T21:20:00.001-08:00

Up Dharma Down Fansite

2006-06-19T13:04:00.000-08:00

Please visit http://updharmadown.t83.net

i of the mourning

2006-06-07T01:08:00.000-08:00

Reliable source "Charlie NYC" and the POLARBEAR website mention Eric Avery will be working with the smashing pumpkins. Eric writes - "i am slowly closing in on a finish line with a few songs. should be done in a couple of weeks. i will absolutely keep you abreast of anything i do. ive been distracted by a real job. it looks like i will be working with the smashing pumpkins. "

Wikipedia: Eric Avery Source: Charlie NYC / Netphoria Thanks: Charlie

Billy to play with Courtney Love

2006-05-02T16:54:00.000-08:00

Courtney Love makes shock live appearance'You could have heard a pin drop' she tells NME.COMCourtney Love made her live comeback in Los Angeles this weekend(April 29), with a little help from her famous friends.Love was joined by Smashing Pumpkins singer Billy Corgan andsongwriting guru Linda Perry, formerly of the 4 Non Blondes, both ofwhom are collaborators on her upcoming solo record.The unlikely threesome teamed up for the Gay and Lesbian CommunityCentre benefit at the Henry Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles, andCourtney took the opportunity to give a live airing to newsongs 'Sunset Marquis' and 'Pacific Coast Highway'.Talking exclusively to NME.COM, Love said: "Billy and me have neverbeen onstage before and it was intense. His guitar parts are hauntingand beautiful. It was me, him, Linda and 2000 lesbians and the songsare dramatically different from the demos. It was fucking historic,Billy played 'Can't Find My Way Home' by Blind Faith and Lindaplayed 'Beautiful' and 'What's Going On'. It was such a cool livingroom vibe. The songs are smashing now. I wouldn't fuck around here,this is the best shit I've done since the 'Live Through This' period."She continued: "It's hard to sell six-minute new songs and you couldhave heard a pin drop although apparently there was speculation aboutwhether I was wearing underwear. Look I've been wearing short skirtsonstage forever and and obviously I wear panties. Christ!"Courtney Love is currently working on songs for her second soloalbum, which carries the working title 'How Dirty Girls Get Clean'.The comeback process is being filmed for a Channel 4 documentary.

I read a news today oh boy!

2006-04-23T19:41:00.000-08:00

Smashing Pumpkins' Reunion?

2006-02-15T06:55:00.000-08:00

Rumors of a Smashing Pumpkins reunion have been rife ever since bandleader Billy Corgan took out a full-page ad in a Chicago newspaper saying he wants the group to re-form. And according to onetime Pumpkins bassist Melissa Auf Der Maur as well as a

source close to the situation, the rumors are true.

In fact, Auf Der Maur said Corgan has been working on material that will, at some point, surface in the form of a new Smashing Pumpkins album.

"From what I understand, Billy [will be] making a Pumpkins record over the next little while," Auf Der Maur told MTV News last week. "Everyone knows Billy doesn't need too many people to make a Pumpkins record, other than Jimmy [Chamberlin, longtime Pumpkins drummer] — who he has [on board]."

A spokesperson for Azoff Management confirmed Thursday (February 2) that Corgan and Chamberlin have signed on with the firm as Smashing Pumpkins, and that the two are writing new music. A source close to the situation told MTV News that the duo plan to record over the summer and that the new Pumpkins could surface before the end of the year — however, no definitive plans are set.

Auf Der Maur said she's not sure whether Corgan has reached out to guitarist James Iha or bassist D'Arcy Wretzky to complete the band's original lineup, but she said she's told Corgan that she'd be happy to pitch in if he needs her; Auf Der Maur replaced Wretzky in 1999 and worked with the group until it disbanded in 2000 (see "Pumpkins Circus Folds Up With Epic Show").

"My services are there for him whenever he needs them," she said. "Assuming I'm not on tour — but even then, we can cross paths. I love the Pumpkins, and to play those songs again would be nothing but fun for me. It was a big part of my life."

Still, Auf Der Maur said it wouldn't be a true Pumpkins reunion without D'Arcy's bass. "The coolest thing would be if D'Arcy was around, but I don't know where she's at and I don't think [Corgan or Chamberlin] do either," she said. "But I feel very comfortable being second best."

The bassist worked with Corgan several months ago on a track called "Took Me Apart" that's slated to appear on her forthcoming, as-yet-untitled second solo disc, which is tentatively scheduled to come out late this year. Since Corgan's proclamation in June that he'd re-form the group (see "Billy Corgan Says He Wants To Re-Form Smashing Pumpkins"), there's been little in the way of actual confirmed news. But that hasn't stopped the rumor mill from cranking, nor has it deterred the dissemination of misinformation.

Last week, for instance, a Web site popped up that claimed the band's forthcoming disc would be out in April, that it would be called Drawn and would feature backing vocals from Death Cab for Cutie's Ben Gibbard. Of course, the site was a hoax — and its timing couldn't have been better, coming after weeks of online speculation that had the Pumpkins reuniting for a headlining spot on this year's Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

Speculation that Corgan's seminal rock troupe would be taking Coachella's stage in late April was at least partially quashed on Wednesday, when the event's organizers released the two-day concert's Pumpkin-less official bill (see "Tool And Franz Ferdinand Will Rock Coachella"). That same afternoon, rumors began circulating that the Pumpkins would be headlining Lollapalooza this summer. However, according to the source, if Lolla does come back, "You can take it to the bank [that the Pumpkins] won't be on it."

Chamberlin responded enthusiastically to Corgan's announcement in June (see "Smashing Pumpkins Drummer On Reunion: 'I'm In, And I'm Excited' "), but no further details followed. The drummer has also had an uneasy relationship with Corgan at times, having left the band in the wake of his heroin addiction before rejoining in 1999. Chamberlin also played in Corgan's post-Pumpkins unit Zwan.

Corgan's reunion plans were first revealed in June via an ad printed in his hometown's newspaper, the Chicago Tribune, which contained no information on what form the band would take or which members would be involved; his relationships with Iha and Wretzky have been reported as strained. Corgan has remained mum since taking out the ad, posting only occasional (and nebulous) messages on his MySpace blog. The last, dated December 12, promised, "The surprise I have in store for you all will be announced soon enough. Hold on to your horses. After all, good things surely come to those who wait. Don't you just love the suspense?"

Whether or not she's involved, Auf Der Maur says she just wants the band's reunion to be done right. "I hope they don't rush it, 'cause the record should be the absolute best it can be. [And they should] then strategize, because as we know, grunge is about to come back: The '80s trend is almost done and we're about to hit 1990 again. It's scary to think, but very true."

Corgan, Chamberlin, Iha and Wretzky could not be reached for comment at press time.

Tear

2006-01-15T01:53:00.000-08:00

i of the mourning

2006-01-15T01:35:00.000-08:00

2006-01-13T03:57:00.000-08:00

2006-01-13T03:55:00.000-08:00

2006-01-13T03:52:00.000-08:00

speech...speech...

2006-01-01T02:40:00.000-08:00

Long Way To The Top

2006-01-01T02:38:00.000-08:00

Glynis

2005-12-31T00:01:00.000-08:00

Smiley

2005-12-30T23:59:00.000-08:00

Wooohooo!!!! Billy ROCKS!!!!

2005-12-30T23:51:00.000-08:00

The World's Fair

2005-12-23T23:22:00.000-08:00

MySpace Message from Billy

2005-12-12T00:18:00.000-08:00

Patience, Patience....

The surprise I have in store for you all will be announced soon enough....hold on to your horses. Afterall, good things surely comes to those who wait....Don't you just love the suspense?

Love,
bc

Billy Corgan in Masters Of Horror

2005-09-10T00:28:00.000-08:00

Former Smashing Pumpkins singer and guitarist Billy Corgan will score an episode of the upcoming Showtime series, Masters Of Horror, according to Fangoria.com. Corgan will compose the music for a segment titled "Dance Of The Dead," which is being directed by Tobe Hooper, director of the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Poltergeist. Series creator Mick Garris said, "It's a very extreme episode, and I expect the music will be pretty hard-hitting."

"Dance Of The Dead," based on a 1954 short story by Richard Matheson, is set in a post-apocalyptic future where reanimated corpses are used to entertain the living.

Corgan has previously contributed music to the 1999 film, Stigmata. His first solo album, TheFutureEmbrace, came out this past June.

Masters Of Horror, an anthology of 13 one-hour episodes each directed by a renowned horror filmmaker, will debut on the Showtime cable network on October 28th.

A soundtrack album featuring System Of A Down singer Serj Tankian, Mudvayne, Rise Against, Thursday, Shadows Fall and others arrives on October 18th.

You can see the series' Showtime trailer at www.mastersofhorror.net

TheFutureEmbrace

2005-06-28T13:02:00.000-08:00

TheFutureEmbraceby BillyCorgan

Walking Shadebilly corgan, TheFutureEmbrace

Billy Corgan: The Future Embrace (2005)Nifty songlets, trippy visuals, heavy-duty narration--Billy jumpstarts the rock opera with one fell swoop. Well, actually there are a number of swoops in this soaring 18-minute collage/montage of rock and electronica, techno-gizmo fascination and Victorian wonder. It's a distillation of his new solo disk and a thing unto itself. And did we mention that Billy's superhottie queen bee is back?

POLL QUESTION

2005-06-24T10:26:00.000-08:00

A MESSAGE TO CHICAGO FROM BILLY CORGAN

2005-06-21T08:53:00.000-08:00

Today is a special day in my life as it marks the release of my very first solo album 'TheFutureEmbrace.' For over 17 years I have been proud to represent Chicago as an artist through my words and music, and am continually humbled by the undying love that I have been shown from this city as one of its native sons. I'd like to take this moment to address all that is going on in my musical life, from the new album and the current tour, to the future of The Smashing Pumpkins.

I had the opportunity to record 'TheFutureEmbrace' CD here in Chicago, and its embers bear witness to this town's unique soul. I have done my very best to create something fresh and exciting to listen to, and hope you get the chance to check it out. Having just returned from a tour of Europe, I am now set to play 18 additional dates in North America, beginning tomorrow in Atlanta. After that we head to Japan, and then Australia and New Zealand for the first time since 1998.

'TheFutureEmbrace' is an album of hope, and represents fully my desire to make music to stand and to fight for. Encouraged by the musical progress of the record, I have already begun writing new songs for a subsequent solo album I hope to start by the end of this year. Plans are still in the works to finish my 'ChicagoSongs' DVD, a group of songs about the city. I'm also in the progress of writing my life story on-line, updated almost daily and not so ironically entitled 'The Confessions of Billy Corgan.' It truly has been a creative time for me, with many new revelations.

Many have assumed that the decisions that I have made over the last few years have been to try to get away from something. But what I have been really trying to do is find that same kid again, the one who believed he could change the world with a song. There is an old saying that goes "you can't go home again," but I believe that your home is wherever your heart lies.

When I played the final Smashing Pumpkins show on the night of December 2, 2000, I walked off the Metro stage believing that I was forever leaving a piece of my life behind. I naively tried to start a new band, but found that my heart wasn't in it. I moved away to pursue a love that I once had but got lost. So I moved back home to heal what was broken in me, and to my surprise I found what I was looking for. I found that my heart is in Chicago, and that my heart is in The Smashing Pumpkins.

For a year now I have walked around with secret, a secret I chose to keep. But now I want you to be among the first to know that I have made plans to renew and revive The Smashing Pumpkins. I want my band back, and my songs, and my dreams. In this desire I feel I have come home again.

'TheFutureEmbrace' represents a new beginning, not an ending. It picks up the thread of the as-yet-unfinished work and charter of The Smashing Pumpkins. I know this city gave me the gift of my music, and it is my honor to share this love that I have with you from the bottom of my heart. There is still so much work to do, and as always, so little time!

Rock on and may God bless you!
Billy Corgan

BillyCorgan.com
SmashingPumpkins.com
mySpace.com/BillyCorgan

HisSpace on MySpace

2005-06-20T12:17:00.000-08:00

What people are saying about TheFutureEmbrace...

2005-06-20T07:21:00.000-08:00

"Anyone who polarises opinion to the degree that Corgan manages is worth a listen and on 'TheFutureEmbrace' the case is made convincingly. Commercial and uncommercial, this features some of the finest songs ('All Things Change', 'Walking Shade') Corgan has penned for years. It's an album that deserves to be heard: the work of a man who has managed to grow and to avoid the categorisations that have haunted others of the grunge generation." -- Ian Winwood, NME

"This is the record Corgan should have written after the demise of the Pumpkins... an extensively layered wash of contoured, majestic, paranoid and strangely beautiful sound -- dense and claustrophobic in construction but not in scope." -- Tom Bryant, Kerrang

"[TheFutureEmbrace] is cloaked in reverb and flange, a bit industrial and compressed like a smashed aluminum can, blown up again with studio fireworks..." -- Julianne Shepherd, Pitchforkmedia

"An often bracing extension of the sweeping, striving rock and emotional vulnerability that made Corgan a beacon of alternative rock in the '90s…Corgan summons a liturgical grandeur that makes this an almost religious embrace." -- Richard Cromelin, Los Angeles Times (three stars)

"He has crafted his most distinctive and consistent music...[he is]...just an artist expressing what all of us feel, and doing it better than most." --Jim DeRogatis, Chicago Sun Times (three and a half stars)
"Among his strongest works… He's taken yet another bold step toward establishing a solo career as intriguing as his once-Smashing life." -- Ben Wener, Orange County Register (Grade: B+)

"Trading in his '70s-metal-guitar onslaught for something more subdued but no less forceful. The highlight is an odd, electronically bent cover of the Bee Gees' ‘To Love Somebody.’" --Aidin Vazira, San Francisco Chronicle

“Nowhere is Corgan's one-foot-in-the-past, one-in-the-future posture more apparent than when he reprises the Bee Gees' ‘To Love Somebody’ in duet with the Cure's Robert Smith. The pair retooled this tune with minor-key sadness." -- Dan Aquilante, New York Post (three stars)

"...some deliciously dark rockers..." -- Sandra Barrera, Los Angeles Daily News (three stars)

“The mostly upbeat songs, highlighted by ‘All Things Change,’ ‘Mina Loy (M.O.H.)’ and ‘A100’ effortlessly flow together.” -- Katy Kroll, Billboard

“The album is a strangely beautiful electro-rock detour from the massed guitars of the Pumpkins and Zwan…” -- Greg Kot, Chicago Tribune

“You don’t merely hear TheFutureEmbrace , you touch it as well. Your senses tingle alive on ‘All Things Change,’ a watery cascade of keyboards that washes over the listener to a metallic synthdrum backbeat.” -- Tom Lanham, Illinois Entertainer

...more coming soon!

More Pics!!!!

2005-06-16T01:36:00.000-08:00

Say Cheese! Enjoy!

2005-06-13T21:03:00.000-08:00

June 13th: Amsterdam

June 9th: Belgium

Billy Corgan's Band Members

2005-05-30T18:43:00.000-08:00

The Fellowship of Broken Toys is: Matt Walker, Brian Liesegang, Linda Strawberry, Billy Corgan

Hear a sneak preview from Billy Corgan's TheFutureEmbrace

2005-05-25T06:05:00.000-08:00

WORLD TOUR

2005-05-10T23:15:00.000-08:00

News bits are everywhere, with energy ramping up for the release of Billy Corgan's first solo album TheFutureEmbrace on June 20th internationally and June 21st in the US. The album was produced by Corgan along with Bjorn Thorsrud and Bon Harris, mixed by Alan Moulder, and recorded in Chicago. The album contains 11 Corgan originals plus a cover of the early Bee Gees classic "To Love Somebody," which dovetails with Corgan's own themes of devotion and features Robert Smith of the Cure on backing vocals. Elsewhere, former Smashing Pumpkins drummer Jimmy Chamberlin plays on "DIA."

Dates for the supporting world tour are coming together, with European dates currently on sale and the public on sale for the US dates starting May 21st for most shows. Fans who are members of this mailing list will receive first crack at a limited number of tickets for each US show starting May 18th... more information will be announced soon. The currently confirmed dates are as follows:

Wed 6/1 - Lisbon, Portugal - Aula Magna
Sat 6/4 - Barcelona, Spain - Apolo
Mon 6/6 - Milan, Italy - Alcatraz Club
Wed 6/8 - Gent, Belgium - Vooruit
Thu 6/9 - Amsterdam, Holland - Paradiso
Fri 6/10 - Paris, France - La Cigale
Sat 6/11 - Cologne, Germany - Live Music Hall
Wed 6/15 - London, England - Forum
Thu 6/16 - London, England - Forum
Fri 6/17 - Dublin, Ireland -The Ambassador

Wed 6/22 - Atlanta, GA - Earthlink
Fri 6/24 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
Sat 6/25 - Philadelphia, PA - Electric Factory
Mon 6/27 - New York, NY - Webster Hall
Tue 6/28 - New York, NY - Webster Hall
Thu 6/30 - Boston, MA - Avalon
Sat 7/2 - Toronto, ON - The Carlu
Tue 7/5 - Chicago, IL - Vic Theatre
Wed 7/6 - Chicago, IL - Vic Theatre
Thu 7/7 - St. Louis, MO - The Pageant
Fri 7/8 - Dallas, TX - Gypsy Tea Room
Mon 7/11 - San Diego, CA - Soma
Tue 7/12 - Los Angeles, CA - Henry Fonda Theatre
Wed 7/13 - Los Angeles, CA - Henry Fonda Theatre
Fri 7/15 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
Sat 7/16 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
Mon 7/18 - Seattle, WA - Moore Theatre
Tue 7/19 - Vancouver, BC - Commodore Ballroom

Those looking to hear a song from the new album can watch the video for the first single "Walking Shade," which premiers today on the Yahoo! Launch music page... http://music.yahoo.com. Mini-vignettes from the long form version of the video will also be released soon in various places across the internet, complete with original soundtrack recordings available nowhere else. Keep your eyes and ears and minds open.....

For the latest happenings, please check both http://www.billycorgan.com and http://www.myspace.com/billycorgan. In addition to news updates and tour information, Billy has been busy writing his autobiography and posting pieces almost daily. Signup to be his friend on MySpace to receive impromptu fan meet up information and access to ticket giveaways for the coming shows... http://www.myspace.com/billycorgan

www.billycorgan.com

MTV Pick Of The Week 2005-05-09

2005-05-10T00:50:00.000-08:00

BILLY CORGAN: WALKING SHADE

Walking Shadebilly corgan, TheFutureEmbrace

look at you now
look at you torn estates
took forever couldn’t wait on words, on sound

I just want you so
you’re everything, so cold
the perfume of your rose in bloom
I just want you so
anywhere I go
the chase, the bells below
taken from my soul

on the 9th day God created shame

I’m out walking shade
to brush these fires aside
to calm the rising fight
to build you a new life

should you choose
I’ve picked the best for you
it’s your turn and my time to test
I’ll second guess the rest

look at you now
look at you nothin’s faced
took advantage of my faith and called me out

I just want you so
you’re everything I’m told
dumb enough to scold this tongue
I just want you so
anywhere I go
a kingdom for your rain
a pocket for your soul
I just want you so
you’re everything although
the risk is getting close to you

I’m out walking shade
the sun is going out
the word is getting round
that I just want you so

MTV PICK OF THE WEEK 2005-05-09
Every week, we here at MTV sit down and decide what's hot, and what's not. If you've ever been watching the screen and noticed a little green bar in top left corner, that reads Fresh - it means it's FRESH. MTV's Pick Of The Week is played once an hour during music hours, and all other interesting info about the current Pick Of The Week can be found right here.

Artist: Billy Corgan
Video: Walking Shade
Director: P.R Brown
Album: The Future Embrace

Story: In this artistic video directed by P.R Brown we finally get Billy Corgan solo. We have seen him concur the world with massive success in 90's band Smashing Pumpkins and later a shorter project with not long lasting Zwan. Now it is just Billy. The video is beautifully directed with Billy wearing very old-fashioned outfits. Paper birds, flower tears and Billy also ride one of those pre-historic bicycles with one huge wheel and one really small. P.R Brown has worked with Billy and Smashing Pumpkins before and also Marilyn Manson and Nine Inch Nails. This is a wonderful video and a fantastic comeback from Billy Corgan. Enjoy!

What else: Billy Corgan and friends started up Smashing Pumpkins, an alternative rock group with no boundaries. Smashing Pumpkins went straight to the heart of most alternative rockers in the 90's. Billy Corgan is the son of jazz guitarist. He grew up in Chicago, USA. By the age of 19 he went down to Florida to try out his luck with band The Marked. Billy has also worked in a used records store in Chicago, after returning from failing with The Marked. When being the guest at Swedish Television show "Studio Pop", Billy revealed that since he doesn't want his intellectual mind take over in his creative process, some of the songs on the new album where made in just a couple of hours. First taste of "The Future Embrace" comes here. Go ahead and enjoy the walking shade of Billy Corgan!

MTV NEWS

2005-05-04T06:49:00.000-08:00

Billy Corgan Tries To Sound Un-Pumpkins, But Not Totally, Just A
Bit,Maybe
05.03.2005 4:50 PM EDT

Ex-Smashing Pumpkins boss chuckles at idea of the band reuniting.

Billy Corgan Photo: MTV News

Billy Corgan thinks the whole "musicians going solo" thing is nothing if not egoistic. He's of the mind that bands, in general, work much better as wholes than they do as individual parts. Still, that certainly didn't stop the alt-rock giant from building TheFutureEmbrace, the first collection from a band-less Billy.

But Corgan says he was very careful, creatively, in his overall approach to the project.

"I tried to be conscious of what makes most solo records not that listenable," he said. "If you listen to a solo record by someone in a band you really like, you end up kind of listening for the band. So my thing was to sort of avoid that. If I do alternative guitar rock — what you would expect — it sounds like Smashing Pumpkins. So let's not pretend. I tried to really just do something very different. Of course, it's still reminiscent of some of my past work with Pumpkins, like '1979.' It's got those kinds of feelings in it, but I certainly think the guitar work and the lyrics and stuff, it kind of moves in this whole other direction."

Corgan recorded TheFutureEmbrace, the album he says he's always wanted to make, in his hometown of Chicago. The LP features contributions from longtime musical associate Bjorn Thorsrud as well as Bon Harris of Nitzer Ebb fame, ex-Filter member Brian Liesegang, former Pumpkins drummers Jimmy Chamberlin and Matt Walker, and the Cure's Robert Smith, who appears on "To Love Somebody," a cover of the classic Bee Gees track.

"When the Cure were in Chicago for their Curiosa Tour, Robert had come by my house and we sat up all night playing guitars and shooting the whatever and so the idea came up about stuff we wanted to work on together," Corgan explained. "One thing was about working on my solo record. So when we finished all the songs, as I listened to every song, I was thinking, 'OK, what could Robert do?' The only song that seemed really right was this [Bee Gees] cover — and my version kind of sounds like the Cure anyway. So I called him up and had to talk him into it. But he did an amazing job and it's pretty cool. When we sing together, it's weird. You can't really hear my voice, and you can't really hear his. It's sort of this other voice, which you wouldn't have figured because our voices are so distinctive."

TheFutureEmbrace, slated for release on June 21, is awash with futuristic, electronica components that, oftentimes, overwhelm Corgan's still-impressive guitar work. The disc sounds very much like an intentional homage to the bleak bands Corgan says helped pave the way for his own success — bands like the Cure, Joy Division and Echo and the Bunnymen.

"I've gone off on these massive Easter egg hunts, of trying to come up with a new sound," he said. "Having kind of walked away from the Pumpkins and now, Zwan, this is my way of sort of trying to get reinvigorated with guitar music. This is not a move against rock and roll. It's actually a move toward rock and roll, because I feel like I'm very excited about rock again. [With this record, I] just completely dove into the ocean and I'm saying, 'OK, I'm willing to take on whatever, but whatever I'm going to do, it's going to be new.' I can't go back to just doing what I used to do. So in a weird way, I tied one arm behind my back, and I've tried to figure out how to fight my way out of a corner."

Corgan's scheduled to play 10 dates in Europe next month, and says he'll do the same Stateside. The shows will be very specific, he says, "very future-leaning," technologically advanced productions that will incorporate, in some manner, elements from cabaret theater: "It will either be a smashing success or a complete car crash, but either way, it'll be interesting," he said.

In the meantime, Corgan said he's been writing his autobiography, which he's spent the last month or so posting to his blog in bits and pieces. He also said he's been helping Courtney Love with the material for her forthcoming album; the pair have spent a few days in both Los Angeles and Chicago "writing songs" that Love recorded with a tape recorder. "I don't know how that's going to sound, but I've been getting reports that it's going really well."

When asked about the possibility of a Smashing Pumpkins reunion somewhere down the road, Corgan chuckled to himself. He smiled for a minute as he contemplated the whole crazy idea, but quickly turned serious.

"When people ask me about a Smashing Pumpkins reunion, to me, they're asking two things," he responded. "One, 'Will we ever see the Smashing Pumpkins as we remember them onstage?' And two, 'Gee, it's probably going to sound like we remember, right?' And the answer to both questions is no. You won't see the four Smashing Pumpkins onstage again. That's not going to happen. Secondarily, even if you saw the Smashing Pumpkins, it would continue to pick up where we left off, which is an extremely progressive, aggressive and not easy to understand unit."

— Chris Harris

Billy Corgan in Stockholm

2005-05-03T10:33:00.000-08:00

This is a sum-up of BC:s visit to Sweden in april 2005.

It includes:

*Full transcript of the article in Aftonbladet (the biggest newspaper in Sweden)

*Info about the "yellow room" interview (Studio Pop)

*Link to the interview from "Kulturnyheterna" ("society news")

To begin with we have a Billy Interview from "Kulturnyheterna

":rtsp://qstream-rm.qbrick.com/00928/nyheter/2005/050427/knintervju.rm

The interview was broadcasted 000427 and runs approx. for 17 min's. You will need to download RealPlayer to play this file.(When downloaded, copy the link above and paste in the address field, hit enter)

Onto STUDIO POP:

The Swedish TV-host Per Sinding-Larsen interviewed Billy Corgan in a show called "Studio Pop" on april 27:th - 05.This is known as "the yellow room" interview. It has not (to my knowledge) yet been uploaded on the net. If it's still not available within the two weeks to come, I will make sure it will be, just wait and see :)

Snippets:

Corgan said he was feeling paranoid about the world we lived in, that being one of the thoughts in his head when writing songs for "TheFutureEmbrace".He thought Jimmy was the one that contributed the most to The Pumpkins (with him), and that there was no surprise they still were friends."If I break the rules (of alternative rock) again, do I get to sit here in this yellow room with you again?" "When i was singing "I'm just a rat in a cage" I was singing about how I enslaved myself, cause noone else was".Billy seemed a bit shy and laughed after they showed the world premier (parts only) of "Walking Shade"

....and finally the transcript of the Aftonbladet article: (free translation)

Name: Billy Corgan

Age: 38

Background: Engine, songwriter and singer in the trendsetting alternative rock band Smashing Pumpkins that was divided in 2000.Took the drummer Jimmy Chamberlin with him and built Zwan, along with three other musicians. Also that band was divided, only two years later.

Currently: Releases the solo debut "TheFutureEmbrace" june 21:th."

Burned out and disappointed"After the failure with The Zwan, Corgan has decided to stay away from bands. "Now it's me and two kittens. It's very simple: I feed them - they are loyal".

Billy Corgan from Smashing Pumpkins aims for a solo carrer.

Today they are enemies.

Matt Sweeney and Billy Corgan in Zwan before the band collapsed totally. Today Corgan feels ashamed for being involved with his former band mates."They were playing really bad and did stupid things, like bringing drugs over the borders when we played."

Drugs, sex scandals and lies.

After Billy Corgans latest band Zwan totally collapsed, the Smashing Pumpkins legend aims for a solo career."I feel completly decieved" he says to Aftonbladet.

The problems in Zwan began early. In the middle of the recording of the bands record debut, Billy Corgan discovered that the guitarist David Pajo was having sex with the producers girlfriend."It was crazy! The producer is my friend and then you've got a band member who's sleeping with his girlfriend.I threathened to fire him - he kept sleeping with her", says Billy Corgan.The sex drama was only the beginning. When Zwan didn't achieve immedieatly commercial success, the newcomers lived the rock myth instead."They began to play bad and did stupid things like bringing drugs over the borders when we was on tour. They didn't care about the music, me or the band, he says.- Didn't you realize it was untenable? "My brain didn't want to understand. My friends told me they were using me, but I didn't want to listen. These were my band members".But Billy became more and more unsatisfied and after two messy years with Zwan he had enough."I woke up and understood I was in the same situation as in Smashing Pumpkins, but with people I didn't love." In the loge (?) after the final concert on the european tour, Billy made an ultimatum."I told them they didn't seem to care a shit about the band and that they had to prove it, if they thought I was wrong", he says.Since then he's heard nothing from them."A year later I got a mail from Matt. The subject line was: "send me money", says Billy Corgan.Today Billy feels ashamed over being involved with the members of Zwan, with the exception of his inseperable friend Jimmy Chamberlin."It was a nightmare that I had created myself. I had invested my heart, money and my credibility. But I really thought that I had put together a good band that would last for long."On his solo debut he has for the first time moved away from the alarming rock and instead aimed for a bare and synth-oriented sound."If I do more guitarbased alternative rock it would sound as Smashing Pumpkins. It was the same problem with Zwan, so I felt it was important to do something different".

Corgan about:

The Argues in the Pumpkins

"The time in Zwan actually made me appreciate Pumpkins. It made a lot of those problems seem small. In the Pumpkins we argued about things like intergrity, focus and personal problems.But there was always commitment to the band. No matter how much we argued we still trusted each other".

Reunions

"I don't talk to James Iha or D'arcy anymore. Those relations are all gone. Smashing Pumpkins will never reunite, not with those members. But it's my band - I own the name and it's my songs. So if I want to play under that name I will".

The lies in Zwan

"Paz Lenchantin said she was playing on the first A perfect circle record - not true. She said that she and Billy Howerdel built the band - not true. She said that she got fired by Maynard and Howerdel - not true. With these people you wonder if they have been stealing from your house".

The article (in Swedish, with pictures) can also be found here:http://www.aftonbladet.se/vss/noje/story/0,2789,639070,00.html

*Updated 050502*

by (C)hristian

The Jack of all trades

latest pics

2005-05-01T03:11:00.000-08:00

world tour

2005-04-29T08:05:00.000-08:00

BILLY CORGAN TO EMBARK ON WORLD TOUR JUNE 1ST IN SUPPORT OF HIS UPCOMING DEBUT SOLO ALBUM 'TheFutureEmbrace'

Billy Corgan will embark on a world tour June 1st in Portugal in support of his debut solo album TheFutureEmbrace, due out June 21 on Warner Bros. Records. Over the course of eight weeks, the modern rock pioneer and his band will visit intimate venues in 11 countries--the U.S., Canada, Portugal, England, France, Italy, Germany, Ireland, Holland, Belgium, and Spain--before wrapping at the end of July. The itinerary includes two-night engagements in such cities as London, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago, his hometown. Fans should expect a vibrant aural and visual experience that reflects the panoramic sound and push-and-pull tension of TheFutureEmbrace album, which features the upcoming single and video "Walking Shade."

TheFutureEmbrace was produced by Corgan along with Bjorn Thorsrud and Bon Harris, mixed by Alan Moulder and recorded in Chicago. The album contains 11 Corgan originals plus a cover of the early Bee Gees classic "To Love Somebody," which dovetails with Corgan's own themes of devotion and features Robert Smith of the Cure on backing vocals. Elsewhere, former Smashing Pumpkins drummer Jimmy Chamberlin plays on "DIA."

Some confirmed tour dates are as follows:

Wed 6/1 - Lisbon, Portugal - Aula Magna

Sat 6/4 - Barcelona, Spain - Apolo

Mon 6/6 - Milan, Italy - Alcatraz Club

Wed 6/8 - Gent, Belgium - Vooruit

Thu 6/9 - Amsterdam, Holland - Paradiso

Fri 6/10 - Paris, France - La Cigale

Sat 6/11 - Cologne, Germany - Live Music Hall

Wed 6/15 - London, England - Forum

Thu 6/16 - London, England - Forum

Fri 6/17 - Dublin, Ireland -The Ambassador

album cover

2005-04-27T07:21:00.000-08:00

a new beginning...

2005-04-25T06:18:00.000-08:00

Billy Corgan comes clean, starts over
By Greg Kot
Tribune music critic
Published April 24, 2005

Billy Corgan sits in the back yard of a suburban mansion befitting a rock star, squints into the noonday sun and talks about death.

He is matter-of-factly responding to a question about his workaholic personality, a trait that is at the core of both his considerable successes and his equally epic failures. In the pantheon of Chicago rock artists, few have sold more records (more than 25 million), achieved more critical acclaim (albums such as "Siamese Dream" are routinely cited as benchmarks for '90s alternative rock) or become a bigger lightning rod for criticism ("What would my musical legacy be if I kept my mouth shut?" he muses at one point).

So what's left to accomplish? Corgan answers as if he's running out of time.

"I'm a religious person, and when God decides to push me off a cliff, I don't want to think as I'm going over that I didn't try hard." He offers this explanation at the outset of a conversation a few days ago in which he will also discuss the painful demise of his previous bands, the Smashing Pumpkins and Zwan, and the need to start fresh on his first solo album, "The Future Embrace" (Reprise), due out June 21.

More than an hour into the conversation, Corgan circles back to the same subject. He has already unburdened himself about many things: His attitude toward old bandmates, abusive family members and his reputation as a prima-donna musical dictator. He is doing more unburdening in a blog-like autobiography he is self-publishing on his Web site, billycorgan.com. Names are named, injustices revealed, scores settled. Corgan spares no one, including himself.

"There is a point to making a public confession," he says. "Why wait? I could die tomorrow."

It's disconcerting to hear the 38-year-old artist talk this way. He had a complex relationship with Kurt Cobain, who killed himself in 1994. And Corgan has acknowledged that he contemplated suicide at the height of Pumpkins mania. But Corgan isn't on some goth-rock death trip. He says his health is good, his spirits high, and he looks it.

"I'm just a realist," he says. "A kid e-mailed me last night because he appreciated the blog I was writing. He told me a story how he was at somebody's house when he was growing up, and a guy was showing off a shotgun and pointing it at another kid's head. The kid tried to brush it away, but the gun went off and the kid's head got blown off in front of his friends. That ended their childhood."

But the story doesn't end there. The e-mailer tells Corgan he isn't a Pumpkins fan, but that his late friend loved the Pumpkins' song "1979."

"A few years later, he heard `1979' and it reconnected him to that friend, it healed something in him," Corgan says. "That's why we love rock 'n' roll. Beyond the record sales and major labels and Clear Channels, there is that moment when the music connects, and it's very powerful. It's modern alchemy. I want to keep doing that. That's why it's important for me as an artist to clear the decks."

Corgan's deck-clearing has brought him into the third phase of a career that includes a 13-year tenure as the singer, guitarist and driving force in one of the best-selling bands of the alternative-rock era, the Smashing Pumpkins, with drummer Jimmy Chamberlin, guitarist James Iha and bassist D'Arcy Wretzky. After the Pumpkins fell apart, he and Chamberlin put together the ill-fated guitar-rock quintet Zwan, which imploded in 2003 after recording only one album. As a solo artist, he has dabbled in folk songs loosely arranged around a "Chicago" theme (debuted last year at a one-off concert at Metro), a book of poetry ("Blinking With Fists," published last year), and now "The Future Embrace."

The album is a strangely beautiful electro-rock detour from the massed guitars of the Pumpkins and Zwan; it suggests what the Pumpkins' most-misunderstood album, "Adore" (1998), might've sounded like had Corgan pursued the possibilities suggested by two of its most alluringly personal songs, "To Sheila" and "Shame."

Corgan nods in recognition. "Those were the broken, drive-by moments on `Adore,' and they couldn't be sustained," he says. "We were in the right mood at the right time on the right day, and those songs appeared. On any other day, those songs wouldn't have happened, because making that album was a nightmare. This is the record `Adore' might've been if I had known what I was doing."

The drama drives Corgan as much as it bedevils him. As the interview continues, he acknowledges that sometimes he has been his own worst enemy.

Q. You pulled the plug on Zwan just before you were supposed to tour Europe in 2003, only a few months after your only album came out. Why?

A. It was devastating because I had invested two years of energy setting it up. I didn't want to start over again. But it was a disaster waiting to happen, worse than the Pumpkins. If you come out of something very painful, your natural reaction is I'm not going to do that again. And you wake up, and realize, not only am I doing that again, but it's worse. It's not even as good a band as the Pumpkins were. The record company turned it into a simple explanation: The record didn't sell, so Corgan got pissed off and went home. But the problems got started while the record was being made, and success would've only covered it up. Jimmy [Chamberlin] and I talk often, and we both thank God that it was not successful. Because if it had been, we would have been locked into it longer, and the atom-bomb potential would have been bigger.

Q. You had problems with the other band members [Matt Sweeney, David Pajo, Paz Lenchantin]?

A. The music wasn't the big problem, it was more their attitude: `Why do we have to practice? I'd rather be hanging out at the Rainbo.' Lifestyle stuff. And then you get into what I would call cataclysmic behavioral stuff. Sex acts between band members in public. People carrying drugs across borders. Pajo sleeping with the producer's girlfriend while we were making the record. I just tried to do what I've always done, which is to patch it up and roll it out. You go into a denial state. I got snookered in by really bad people. It's embarrassing to me. But it wised me up to why I play, and who I love, and it made me appreciate my old band even more.
Q. How was making `The Future Embrace' different?

A. Everybody in the studio [primarily co-producers Harris and Bjorn Thorsrud, as well as Brian Liesegang, Matt Walker and Chamberlin] worked as hard as me. There is no conflict. Even if they didn't always produce the results that I envisioned, I knew they were trying. As long as you try, I have tons of patience.

Q. Did you consciously move away from making a guitar-based rock record?

A. I had a mantra: "I just want it to be exciting." I already know how to make alternative guitar rock. So how do I make something new that's exciting? I looked at different periods of music, examined the transitional points where new things come in. The first reaction is, "What the hell is this?" The next reaction is, "Oh, that's kind of interesting." And the third reaction is, everybody wants to do it. Whether I've done that, I don't know. But I wanted to do something where people didn't instantly say, "Oh, that's great!" Because you're probably backdated already. The audience is not necessarily sophisticated enough to always be on the tipping point. And that's not their fault. That's why they pay you the big bucks. You're supposed to be on the tipping point. But new rock 'n' roll tells you to stay in the warm part of the circle, don't go too far out, make sure the choruses are loud, and the verses are mournful and down, i.e., what you used to do.

Q. So you had no preconceived notions about how to make this album?

A. None. I knew what the big pitfall was. You have an intellectual concept of what you want to do, which is exciting. You go to record, but you run out of gas and don't know where you are. When you're in a band, when you get lost, you go back to that sound. This kind of music, if you get lost, you can spin off into infinity, because there are too many possibilities. I needed to find the core elements of the sound, so that if we got lost, we'd have a backup. It took time. It was like starting over in the Pumpkins. There was a lot of back and forth, a lot of false starts, but once it got into focus [snaps fingers]. We built the sound on very simple drums, innovative voicing of the chords, space, and rhythmic dynamics, a la disco, for lack of a better way to put it, or James Brown.

Q. What if nobody cares?

A. A record succeeds on two different levels. It can be liked, loved, pored over, and in some cases it sells. I want it to sell, but I would much rather have people appreciate it. After "Siamese Dream" (1993), "Adore" is the most talked about record the Pumpkins ever made, and that was a disaster when it came out. It about killed my band, and it about killed me. This time I believe I made a really strong record. The fact that somebody might not get it today, I can deal with that. I believe this record has enough juice that people will find it eventually.

Q. You're asking a lot of a short-attention span culture.

A. Well, it's the shortest record I've made since the first one. I don't feel 46 minutes of music is too much to ask of anybody.

Q. Why are you addressing your past now on your Web site?

A. I still live there. I'm not in the Smashing Pumpkins right now, but for me it's an everyday thing, I'm still wrestling with that. Every day I think about, "Where's D'Arcy? Is she OK?" and [exasperated voice] "Frigging James [Iha]." Jimmy [Chamberlin] and I still talk twice a week. The bonds are still there. There is also a lot of [domestic] abuse in my past. Hostile, reactive, self-abusive behavior. People from the outside would look at me, and say, "What's his problem? Why's he such a jerk?" I feel if I tell the whole story, most people will understand why I did what I did. A child protects his parents from what they're doing to the child because he thinks he can fix the parents. It applies to families, bands, relationships. It's taken me 30 years to realize that doesn't work. Telling the truth will open me to criticism that I haven't been open to before. But it will release the black ball that has been sitting in my stomach.

Q. Your bands have imploded. How will you present this music in concert?

A. All options are open. If D'Arcy called me tomorrow and said, "I love you, I've made some mistakes, I figured some things out," I'd be the first guy on the plane to see her. But who knows? I may do some performance . . . thing.

Q. That's pretty vague.

A. Very.

Q. You could come out in a tutu.

A. I may play saxophone versions of all the songs. We're working it out. Don't count it out.

from jimmy

2005-04-22T03:20:00.000-08:00

Greetings and Salutations
...a letter from Jimmy Chamberlin (The Jimmy Chamberlin Complex)

Hello everyone! It's been a while so here's what's going on! We just returned from our West Coast Tour and things were great. We had some truly great moments. Corgan on guitar in LA! My friend Ludwig on violin! It was so fun! Thanks to everyone who came out. You were amazing! I'm enjoying myself so much. I really like the vibe. Small rooms, late shows, crappy hotels, setting my own stuff up,(I really am!), lousy monitors, the whole package! It's been a while since I've done a club tour and I must say it was so nice to be so close to everyone at the shows. The music takes on so many different meanings for me when I can get out and talk to people before the show. It gives me a beautiful conduit from music to person. The energy from everyone really translates and moves the tunes around. It's cool to not live in a protected shell that consists of Four Seasons Hotels, security guards,limos and cold arenas. It's so much nicer to be in the real world where real things happen. It brings the music closer to my heart. As you probably already know, we are about to head east for the remainder of the tour. We are playing some of the same venues that The Pumpkins played on their early tours,( St. Andrews, Trees, etc.). It really gives me a deeper appreciation for everything I have in my life,( and makes me cringe a bit!) But seriously, come out and see The Complex! It's smoking hot! Come and say hi before of after the show............ Maybe we can grab a bite to eat! See you in America! All my Love, JC

digital album

2005-04-15T18:33:00.000-08:00

Smashing Pumpkins Digital Debut

Last April 5, the Smashing Pumpkins made their digital debut. The defunct alt rock band, which has not allowed its songs to be legally downloaded until now, are now releasing 227 tracks for download, including 113 album tracks and 114 rarities and B-sides, according to a spokesperson. The band has also set a deal to offer ringtones for hits such as "Disarm," "1979," "Today" and "Bullet With Butterfly Wings." The songs are nowavailable on all the major download services, including iTunes, Rhapsody, MusicMatch, Napster, Sony Connect, WalMart.com and Musicnet.

the ghost children

2005-04-08T07:12:00.000-08:00

Ghost Children 2-A Call for Demos
Source: David Pukin of Act IV.

With overwhelming support shown for a follow-up to 2001's popular Smashing Pumpkins tribute cd, Ghost Children(http://act4.2007.org/ghostchildren.htm), we are now accepting demos for consideration. Submissions will be accepted online in 256 kbps,44 khz mp3 format or SHN, and by snail mail via CD-r. Please contact us (steve @ 2007.org) to make the proper arrangements.
In addition to new submissions, we will also be considering demos that have been submitted to us in the past for the previous Act IV concerts. However, it is strongly suggested that you email the organizers if you would like one of your demos considered for the cd, as it is difficult to sort through the enormous amount of demos we have received in the past.
Selections for the cd will be made by Act IV staff, including the organizers, as well as the organizer of the original Ghost Children organizer, Neil Main. However, we are calling on all international Pumpkins fan sites, fan clubs and tribute concerts to help to call out to your visitors/members for submissions. We would like this CD to be not only an Act IV release, but one that involves the entire SP fan community. Credit will be given where it is due.
The deadline date for submissions is July 7th, 2005. After thedeadline passes, it will be determined if the quantity and qualityof submissions warrants the release of the cd. The target releasedate for the cd is December 2nd, 2005.
Also, please feel free to email us with suggestions for the name of the new cd, as Ghost Children 2 is only a working title.
Act IV 2002 Videos: Each week up until the release of the long-awaited Act IV 2002 DVD, we will be putting up a new video from the concert up on the site. Be sure to download the videos on the week they are put up, as the videos will be rotated to make room for a new one each week.
The first new video is Semi-Automatic Love Slave's cover of "Medellia of the Grey Skies", which is available at http://act4.2007.org/

true power, true faith

2005-04-08T04:50:00.000-08:00

THEFUTUREEMBRACE

2005-04-05T07:18:00.000-08:00

Corgan embraces the 'Future' on solo debut
By Jonathan Cohen, Reuters

NEW YORK (Billboard) - Former Smashing Pumpkins/Zwan leader Billy Corgan has wrapped work on his solo debut, "THEFUTUREEMBRACE," to be released June 21 via Warner Bros.
The first single to be released to U.S. radio outlets will be "Walking Shade," while Corgan will embark on his first solo tour of intimate venues beginning in July.
The 11-track set includes a cover of the Bee Gees' "To Love Somebody" that features the Cure's Robert Smith on backing vocals. Former Pumpkins drummer Jimmy Chamberlin is behind the kit on "DIA," returning the favor of Corgan's recent appearance on his Sanctuary solo debut, "Life Begins Again."
"Many people assume when I do more progressive work that I am trying to move away from something, when honestly what I am trying to do is get closer to who I really am," Corgan says of the upcoming album. "I tried to sum up all my feelings about my life and the world around me in the most beautiful ways I could dream up. It is easy to be negative, and much harder to find that silver lining behind the clouds of modern society."
While working on the album, Corgan also wrote a volume of poetry, "Blinking With Fists," which reached the New York Times' best-seller list.
Here is the track list for "THEFUTUREEMBRACE":

"All Things Change"
"Mina Loy (M.O.H.)"
"TheCameraEye"
"To Love Somebody"
"A100"
"DIA"
"Now (And Then)"
"I'm Ready"
"Walking Shade"
"Sorrows (in blue)"
"Pretty, pretty STAR"
"Strayz"

if u like the pumpkins...you would probably gonna like this too...

2005-03-17T03:26:00.000-08:00

I'm Only Happy When It Rainsby GARBAGE

Butch Vig, born Bryan Vigorson, is one of the most famous music producers of the 1990's rock scene. He produced some of the most influential albums of the decade, such as "Nevermind" by Nirvana, and of course, "Gish" and "Siamese Dream" by the Smashing Pumpkins. He also produced the Pumpkins appearance on Sub Pop, with their Tristessa single in 1990. In 1994, Butch formed Garbage along with singer Shirley Manson, guitarist Steve Marker (with whom Butch co-owns Smart Recording Studios), and guitarist/bassist Duke Erikson. Garbage has released two albums, one self-titled, and the second one called "Version 2.0".

AT LONG LAST!!!!!!!!!

2004-10-24T02:42:00.000-08:00

BLINKING WITH FISTS (POETRY)by William Patric "Billy" Corgan is out now!!!! Check out BILLYCORGAN.COM for more info.

biography

2004-07-10T02:23:00.000-08:00

The Smashing Pumpkins Biography
Compiled by Evan Sawdey

"The Pumpkins love rock-and-roll, we absolutely love it, but we also think it's a flatulent, ego-serving kiddie playground. You can have your cake and eat it too."

No Pumpkins biography starts outside of Billy Corgan. This one is no exception.
Son of an Illinois-bred blues-rock guitarist, Corgan went through a childhood that had few ups and many downs. From his parents divorcing at a young age to his very independent young life, Corgan found music as an escape for much of his pains, relying on the extraordinary guitar rock of the likes of Van Halen and Cheap Trick for comfort. Learning to play six-strings by himself, he formed a band in 1985 called The Marked (famously named for Corgan and band’s drummer having birthmarks on their hands). After a nine-month attempt at conquering the South, the band gained little success or notoriety: never making an official recording (though what recordings were available were later heavily sought-after by Corgan-philles).
After the band’s demise, Corgan went back to Illinois and was working at a used record store in Chicago. This is how he happened to meet James Iha, a graphics art student at Loyola University. The two became fast friends and started writing songs very quickly, using a drum machine for a backdrop to their minor two-guitar assaults. At one particular club show, Corgan met D’arcy Wretzky. Arguing over the artistic merits of The Dan Reed Network, they became quick friends, and soon D’arcy’s bass skills were added to the lineup. Making a small following under the name The Smashing Pumpkins, the group became friends with club-owner who housed Jane’s Addiction. They were to open for them one fateful night. On the advice of a friend, Corgan went to see a local jazz band downtown, which happened to contain drummer Jimmy Chamberlin. Chamberlin, also an IL native, had apprenticed drumming under, of all people, Yanni’s drummer Charles Adams. He grew up playing a plethora of styles, including rock n’ roll, big band, jazz-fusion, and tribal rhythms.
These all would come into play later.
After playing their first official gig with the original lineup October 5th at Chicago’s famous Metro, their following was big enough to start releasing singles. "I Am One" was released on the local Limited Potential record label. It sold out very quickly. The band switched labels to release "Tristessa" on the famous Sub Pop label. It also sold very well, and now was drawing the attraction of major labels. Virgin offered the deal most pleasing to the band, but they didn’t want to "sell out" right away. Their contracted was amended so that their first album would be released on a Virgin independent subsidiary (Caroline). Basically put, the strategy worked perfectly.
Produced by the then-unknown Butch Vig, the band scored a massive college radio hit with their debut album, Gish. A majestic mix of heavy metal with strong pop sentiments, the album was warmly embraced by all. Released in May of 1991, the album’s popularity slowly blossomed, riding on the singles "Siva" and "Rhinoceros" (which at #27 on the Modern Rock Chart). Gish peaked at #195 on the albums chart, and (eventually) went platinum.
Touring for Gish was a whole different matter. Opening for the likes of Pearl Jam and the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, their newfound popularity was leading to new tensions. D’arcy and Iha, who had been dating for some time, went through a very messy breakup; Chamberlin was addicted to drugs; and Corgan went headfirst into depression. When the band entered the studio with Vig to record a follow-up, the sessions progressed very sluggishly. Frustrated, Corgan found work to be his release for nearly all of his worries. He wrote dozens upon dozens of songs, and often (unaccredited, of course) played nearly all of the guitar and bass parts on the forthcoming record (which lead to the album’s delay several times).
Finally, on July 27th, 1993, the band came back with Siamese Dream. Critically hailed upon its release, the album was considered by many to be an alternative rock masterpiece. "Cherub Rock" was the lead single, and it did very well (peaking at #7 no the Modern Rock Chart; #23 for Mainstream Rock). While it sold well initially, it was the song "Today" that propelled it into the stratosphere. Aided by a clever color-filled video that became an MTV staple, the biting song (apparently written by Corgan in a more suicidal state of mind) became a minor anthem for many. Peaking at #4 on the Modern Rock, it grew to be the band’s calling card. Relentless touring no doubt aided their success. Further singles fared from decent ("Rocket" - MSR #28) to very well ("Disarm" - MR #8). The album’s popularity swelled, topping many critics’ end-of-the-year polls, peaking at #10 on the album’s chart, and going double-platinum.
The band’s status was large enough to make them headliners at Lollapalooza’s 1994 trek. Shortly thereafter, the band entered the studio again, this time with Alan Moulder and the band’s new frequent collaborator Flood. Fortunately, these sessions were nowhere near as troubling as those for Siamese Dream. Recording everything from heavy metal to string-laden orchestral pop, an astonishing 28 tracks were chosen for the release, no doubt to be a double-album … a rarity in modern rock. Christened Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, Virgin began worrying, wondering if a double-album, much less one with such an absurd title, would do well at all. First single "Bullet With Butterfly Wings" silenced those fears: peaking at #2 on the Modern Rock survey, the album debuted, astonishingly, at #1. The band now had enough profile to tour stadiums, and did so with ease. Further singles yielded more success (the rest being: "1979" - an MTV staple that managed it’s way onto the pop charts up to #12 as well as charting on the Modern Rock, Mainstream Rock, Adult and even Dance surveys; "Tonight, Tonight" - MSR #1, Top 100 #36; "Muzzle" @ MR #8 and MSR #10; "Zero" - their first MR #1; and the blissful "Thirty-Three", peaking at MR #2). The band’s inventive videos won great acclaim ("Tonight, Tonight" winning Video of the Year at MTV’s Video Music Awards) and their music did as well (climaxing with a Grammy Award win for "Bullet With Butterfly Wings" [Best Hard Rock with Vocal Performance]).
Yet, at the peak of their popularity, their world came crashing down.
Just before sold-out performances at Madison Square Garden on July 12th, touring keyboardist Jonathan Melvoin and Jimmy Chamberlin both overdosed on heroin. Melvoin died, and Chamberlin pulled through. The band, in response to the tragedy, temporarily cancelled their remaining tour dates. A decision was eventually made: Chamberlin had to go. Booked for criminal possession of a controlled substance, Chamberlin went into rehab. Matt Walker, former drummer for alt-rock band Filter, filled in for the remainder of the Pumpkins tour dates.
While Mellon Collie still rode high (becoming one of the biggest rock albums of all time selling 4-million copies and going eighttimes platinum [each disc counts for certification … especially since you’re paying for both of them!]), but the band decided to take a break. They recorded two songs for the Batman & Robin soundtrack ("The End is the Beginning is the End" and "The Beginning is the End is the Beginning," the former of which won the band their second Grammy [in the same category]), and Iha released his solo debut, Let It Come Down. After the brief break, leader Corgan, again, went into the studio with D’arcy and Iha to record again. Deciding not to replace Chamberlin, the band did what many alternative band were doing in the late-90’s: embracing electronica. The 16-track album, entitled Adore, was released June 2, 1998. Though the song "Ava Adore" was doing well on the charts (MR #3, Top 100 #42), the album was turned away by the critics who embraced them so lovingly before. These factors and others lead to Adore’s disappointing #2 debut on the albums chart, causing many heads to turn. The follow-up single, "Perfect" (the video for which was a clever update of the one for "1979") did well (MR #3, Hot 100 #54), but that didn’t translate to anything near Mellon Collie’s extraordinary sales. Thusly, those were the only two singles from the LP (a far cry from the six for MCIS).
Soon thereafter, D’arcy left the band in frustration. A little before she left though, the group made amends with Chamberlin, who was re-invited into the drummers seat. In his spare time, Corgan contributed to various soundtracks (primarily Lost Highway, Stigmata, and Ransom). Finally replacing D’arcy with Hole bassist Melissa Auf Der Maur, the band began recording MACHINA/The Machines of God. Released February 29th of 2000, the album was met with the most hostile reviews the band had received to date. The album debuted at #3, a sign of the band’s waning popularity. While the album eventually reached platinum on the success of the singles "The Everlasting Gaze" (MR #4) and "Stand Inside Your Love" (MR #2) (Note: single "Try Try Try" didn’t even chart), but still was disappointing for all involved. During an interview on radio station KROQ on May 23rd, 2000, Corgan announced the termination of the Smashing Pumpkins before the year was out. The announcement shocked many, and fans now scrambled to SP’s final stadium tours, thinking it might be their last (and it was). Wanting to record a "goodbye album" to fans, the group emerged with MACHINA II/The Friends and Enemies of Modern Music. Virgin refused the album. Infuriated, Corgan created 25 copies of the whole album and three respective EP’s entirely on vinyl. Releasing it to only select friends, he ordered recipients to distribute it immediately. Thanks to the millennium-introduction of Napster, the album spread through the Internet, and rightfully so: it was free, and legal. Critics who downloaded it gave it (interestingly enough) rave reviews, some even calling it their best effort to date.
They made one final recording together ("Untitled") as another fan "thank you," finished out their tour dates, and then got ready for December 2nd, 2000 - the final Smashing Pumpkins show ever. Playing at their first-ever venue, Chicago’s Metro, packed with fans lucky enough to get tickets (some were put up on eBay and bought for over $300), the band went out in four hours, 37 songs (a thirty-minute jam of "Silverfuck" closing the show), and vowed never to play their songs again. All attendees received a special CD - the band’s first performance at the Metro, 12 years prior.
Since then, their legacy has grown immensely. Corgan formed Zwan (with Chamberlin in tow), a much happier band that did well (their debut Mart Star of the Sea debuted at #3), but eventually disbanded in 2003. Iha went to record another solo effort, but scrapped the sessions in order to join Tool side-project A Perfect Circle.
No one knows what will ever become of D’arcy’s acting career.

NOTES ON SPECIAL RELEASES:
* Pisces Iscariot (Oct. 4th, 1994) - To whet fans appetites before the release of the epic Melon Collie, this limited edition collection of B-sides and rarities has preserved it’s name throughout the decade (and also contains one of the best covers of Fleetwood Mac’s "Landslide" ever!). A collector’s item even today. * The Aeroplane Flies High (Nov. 26th, 1996) - The box-set to end all box-sets, this release featured five of Mellon Collie’s six singles (excluding "Muzzle"), all their respective B-sides, new covers, rare material, and more to add up to a 33-song collection with over two-hours of hard-to-get material. Again, highly collectible. * Mashed Potatoes (Approx. 1993-4) - The Holy Grail for any Pumpkins collector.

A special present Corgan gave to band members and select friends, the 5-CD set featured a slew of unreleased live performances, outtakes, demos, covers, and unreleased material. The story is a rock folklore epic in itself, and established minor celebrities in the SP fan community (Simon Coyle being one of the most prominent). These days now fully available in MP3 format (and legally free), this is for the hardcore of most any hardcore Pumpkins fan (any one who ever gets a hold of an original printing can get it sold for over $2,000 easy). * Greatest Hits (Nov. 20th, 2001) - Virgin’s final Pumpkins release collected most of the band’s singles, two new songs (MACHINA II’s "Real Love" and "Untitled") and, in initial printings, a copy of Judas O, a collection of the band’s post-Pisces B-sides. * Earphoria (Nov. 26th, 2002) - A CD culling the band’s live performances from the classic "Vieuphoria" VHS (and re-released DVD) collection, this album contains many favorites as well as a few hard-to-gets ("Sinfony," "Bugg Superstar," etc.).

from the ash of pumpkins comes zwan

2004-07-10T01:31:00.000-08:00

Zwan

LYRICby ZWAN
Zwan was Billy Corgan (vocals/guitar), Matt Sweeney (guitar), David Pajo (guitar), Jimmy Chamberlin (drums) and Paz Lenchantin (bass). Billy Corgan formed his previous band, The Smashing Pumpkins in 1988. Smashing Pumpkins split in 2000, and in 2001 Billy Corgan formed Zwan.

Matt Sweeney led the New Jersey punk group Skunk during the end of the eighties into the early nineties. In the nineties, he formed Chavez with Clay Tarver, Scott Masciarelli, and James Lo.

David Pajo, originally from Kentucky, was a member of Slint (a Steve Albini group). After Slint's breakup, he toured with Stereolab, Royal Trux, King Kong, Palace, and Will Oldham. David Pajo joined Tortoise in 1996. He is currently a member of the band Papa M (previously known as Aerial M) and continues to work with them while in Zwan.

Jimmy Chamberlin was, as mentioned above, also one of the founding members of Smashing Pumpkins. The Smashing Pumpkins was the first rock band he joined. Apart from a brief periode in the late nineties, he played with the Pumpkins until they split in 2000. Following the band's breakup, he collaborated on the album The Last Hard Men with Skid Row's Sebastian Bach, The Breeders' Kelley Deal, and Jimmy Flemion of The Frogs.

Paz Lenchantin, bass player of A Perfect Circle, joined Zwan on their April/May 2002 tour. She left the band in August 2003. More on Paz here.

Zwan realeased it's first, and final, album - Mary Star of the Sea - in January 2003. Singles were Honestly (released in January) and Lyric (released in April).After cancelling their Europe tour due to "family matters", Billy Corgan announced the break-up of Zwan in September 2003.