We caught up with Billy Corgan on the Gibson Brands Alternative Press Music Awards – fueled by Monster Energy red carpet to congratulate him on, well, everything, and chat about the new Smashing Pumpkins album.
Former Smashing Pumpkins/Zwan leader Billy Corgan has begun work on his solo debut, according to posts by the artist on his official Web site (http://www.billycorgan.com). “I am excited to work on this music, because for the first time in my life it will be my tunes with no compromises to anyone or anything,” he writes. “It’s gonna be loud and beautiful and poetic and dumb. Just the way I like it.” While Corgan will be guiding the project, he alluded to participation from other artists. “I come in with no songs but maybe one or two, no lyrics, no band… Read more »
Well, we can’t say we’re surprised. Billy Corgan has reportedly broken up his new alt.rock supergroup Zwan after releasing only one album. Corgan appeared on Chicago’s WGN-Channel 9 news program this morning (September 15) to chat with the talking heads and announce that he’s closed the door on Zwan. He claimed that he just wasn’t feeling the Zwan passion in the same way he did with his old band The Smashing Pumpkins. “My heart was in Smashing Pumpkins,” a surprisingly jovial looking Corgan said. “I really enjoyed my experience with Zwan, but at the end of the day, without that… Read more »
Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins has been added to the bill for the fourth annual Waltz benefit concert taking place in Chicago Saturday night (March 23). Corgan joins previously announced performers Steve Earle, Ronnie Spector, Wilco’s John Stirratt, former Pumpkins drummer Jimmy Chamberlin (who now drums for Corgan’s new band Zwan), Sonia Dada, Alejandro Escovedo, Graham Parker, Ivan Neville, Sonny Landreth, Kelly Hogan, the Mekons’s Jon Langford, Ken Nordine, David Amram, and Nicholas Tremulis and his band at the Chicago club Metro. Ronnie Spector revealed she’s looking forward to being on the bill with such a wide array of… Read more »
‘I think if people knew her like I knew her, they would love her like I do,’ Corgan tells Rolling Stone.
Kelly Osbourne stoked hostilities between the Osbourne family and former Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan at the New York City area radio show, Claus Fest, in Uniondale, New York on Thursday night (December 12). Corgan and Sharon Osbourne had a tiff several years ago, after she quit as the Pumpkins manager. The feud came alive again at the Almost Acoustic Christmas in Los Angeles on December 7. At that show, Kelly’s boyfriend, Bert McCracken of the Used, allegedly tried to trip Corgan, who performed with his new band Zwan. Corgan allegedly struck back by kicking McCracken in the stomach, according… Read more »
Billy Corgan’s post-Smashing Pumpkins group Zwan has signed to Reprise and will release its debut album in late January or early February, a spokesperson confirms. The group features Corgan on guitar and vocals, former Pumpkins drummer Jimmy Chamberlin, former Chavez guitarist Matt Sweeney, ex-Slint guitarist David Pajo, and bassist Paz Lenchantin, previously a member of A Perfect Circle. Before the release of the as-yet-untitled album, Zwan has lined up several performances at radio station-sponsored holiday concerts, as well as a Dec. 5 club date at the Joint in Las Vegas. The group will then play Dec. 11 in Boston with… Read more »
“I’m a pervert, I like watching,” Terri Nunn says, laughing, succinctly explaining Voyeur, the title of Berlin’s first album of new material in sixteen years. “There’s a song that was a bonus track on the live record [Berlin Live: Sacred and Profane] called ‘X Girl’ that had a line, “I’m the one standing on the sidelines/I’m the voyeur on your side,’ and that line really stuck with me.” With that, Nunn and Berlin are back, continuing what they started twenty years ago with the breakout singles “Sex (I’m A…)” and “Metro,” from the gold-selling debut EP Pleasure Victim. They continued… Read more »
“We’ve got Billy Corgan playing with us, we’re doing a lot of old stuff, new songs that nobody knows, and we’re reaching a lot of young people,” New Order bassist Peter Hook says. “It’s got all the recipe for complete disaster, to be honest.” It’s a week before he and reunited band mates Bernard Sumner (vocals) and Stephen Morris (drums), as well as keyboardist Gillian Gilbert and guest guitarist Corgan, join up with Moby’s Area: One tour for a few dates in the U.S. (beginning Tuesday, July 31st in Mountainview, California). And Hook – who says, “The excitement in Get… Read more »
After 15 years of playing guitar with the ‘90s rock band, Jeff Schroeder is officially leaving The Smashing Pumpkins. Known as the second-longest-serving member of the band after Billy Corgan, Schroeder’s contributions to the band’s sound will continue to be admired for years to come. In a statement posted on social media, Schroeder shares the news and thanks his former bandmates for their friendship over the last decade. “It’s easy to say now that when I joined The Smashing Pumpkins in 2007, I had no idea what I was getting into,” he begins. “The opportunity seemed to have come out… Read more »
