smashingpumpkins.com

[molul]

Eran el 10, pero las retrasaron al 14.

[Juanchu]

La pagina esta petada, se ve que smashing tiene aun muchos fans expectantes xD pero alguien ha pegado en netphoria lo que puso billy en su blog:

Alerta, SPOILER! de asunto desconocido:

Message from Billy

April 9, 2009 | 186 views

Hello from sunny California, where I'm currently working with some of my friends on new SP songs. The mood here is relaxed, serene, and studious as my pals are helping me with some TLC to zero-in on the new direction that I'm trying to take the music. I've made many, many mistakes through the years, and one of them is that I often rush headlong into my next album without really taking the time to reflect on what I've just done, and test my resolve a little on where I'm going. One small detail that I think was beneficial to the band in the early years was we practiced a lot. It wasn't uncommon to have weeks where we practiced 30+ hours, which may not sound like a lot but at high volume this was very fatiguing, and of course exciting too. Through all that playing you would easily come into contact with the emotional value of whether or not a song 'worked', so to speak. Add to that another 20-30 hours per week at home writing music and lyrics, and you can see I was very immersed in that process of checking my ideas between head, home, heart, and practice.

Right now we are just focused on about 5 or 6 songs, using them to try out some new feels to try to find a consistent foundation upon which to build this large multimedia project I have in mind. 44 seems to be the magic #, so let's say I'm shooting for 44 songs on this one. I'll get to how I plan to release them later. Because the work will be conceptual in nature planning it all out also I think will help keep me from losing my way in the evil forest.

I'm going to step right into the heat of the matter now and address the infamous 'why?' question. The why being 'why' I have chosen to continue on under the Smashing Pumpkins banner considering I am the only remaining original member? The simple answer is that when I decided to write and record again under the name The Smashing Pumpkins in 2005, I committed myself 100 pct. 100pct of my mind-body-soul to come back and make the band really be great again, and I feel in tune to SP in a way I haven't felt in tune probably since 1995 or 1996. As they say in No Limit Poker, I'm 'all in'. I'm not going to back out of the challenge in front of me now. I'm absolutely exhilarated by what I see and feel the future to be for SP. There is a difference in how I think and approach a body of work for the Pumpkins then say I would as a solo artist or under any other name. Being the near lone songwriter for the Pumpkins has always made me want to put all the diverse harmonic fragments in my mind together, and it has been an incredible musical journey so far to keep trying to match up to the size of that idea. I truly am not focused on where I've been now as much as where I am going, and I haven't felt that way for a very long time.

I appreciate that for many fans, the public part of my musical journey has often been quite confusing. I've tried to explain many times in both public and private venues that it's really not so different than a character on tv who embodies the role they are in. I don't think there is anything inauthentic about my play-acting within those created personas (zero, the whyte spider, the sad guy, the vampyre, etc) and acting them out on the grand stage in front of the glare of whoever cares. That to me IS what rock and roll is about. But many lack the sophistication to appreciate that just because I play a baby-faced killa upon the darkened stage that it doesn't come close to who I really am. I would point very gently to the diversity and complexity of my artistic work to give you some sense of who Billy Corgan really is (that is a joking 3rd person by the way). Part-alien, part-human, part-robot, part-star-crossed lover and part-mercury filled apparently if one was to read the songs in that way. I am a sensitive soul and I make no apologies for that. As Popeye said, "I yam who I yam". Or in my case maybe it's "I am who I ain't."

I am at peace now with the idea that SP is worth bringing to life again and again, because the challenge of the band's shadow has inspired some great work. It's also just a name, THE Smashing Pumpkins (it just rolls off the tongue, don't it??). It's a dumb name, but I choose it cause I thought it was funny (yes, funny in 1987 ha ha). All that aside, what the band represents to me and obviously to so many fans SYMBOLICALLY is what is really important in my opinion moving forward. I think the energy in the Pumpkins community is fantastic right now. I love the diversity of opinion and perspective. There is nothing to argue about there. But at least there is something to argue over! Meaning SP is substantive once again; there are new songs, questionable decisions, abject failures, and unique triumphs to dissect over and over. Enjoy!

I do plan on doing other things coming up though. I have notions to start 2 other bands and also release some more solo work. I would love to get into more details on those projects but I would like to secure the domain names first because I don't want to have to fight to get them back later. It's bad enough that I have someone posing as me on Twitter LOL...the general idea is the work of the other groups and solo may intertwine with the SP album as far as a release schedule would go. But I'm all ready ahead of myself there.

So let's get down to business and talk about what the plans are ahead. First up is/are the drum tryouts on the 14th/April. We've received a staggering amount of submissions so far (over 1,000!), so let me say to everyone who has submitted thank you and God Bless you for having the courage to throw your name out there. The auditions on the 14th are just the first round of trying people out. There is no 'hurry' at the moment, as I'm not quite ready to record yet, and it's possible I may need more than one drummer for what my plans are. So for someone who may think they would never get a chance there is still time in the months ahead to keep trying. I view it as a process to find the right person(s) and it's important that the right consideration is given. Jeff and I will be holding the first round of auditions, with me on bass (lookout!).

As I stated earlier in this post we've just been rocking amongst friends, so for the moment Kerry Brown, my best man and co-producer is manning the skins. The past few days we had Daxx Nielsen in to play on a few things, who is a great drummer himself. Lord forbid I would want 44 different drummers on 44 different tracks, but I suppose anything is possible.

Ok, album plans: first off, I still plan on making an album. I know this may contradict with what I've said publicly but I think I just didn't state what I meant clearly. I meant I don't think I'm going to make albums in the old-fashioned way, meaning 12-15 songs, etc in one small package. My desire at this point would be to release one song at a time, over a period of 2-3 years, with it all adding up to a box set/album of sorts that would also ******* an art movie of the album. (Sounds like a lot of work, don't it??) My thinking is that if I focus on one song at a time I would approach them as beautiful, distinct paintings that would each require the attention they deserve. This would also mean I would choose what I am recording quite carefully as there would be tremendous internal pressure to get it just right, and that is the kind of pressure I like, which is to make the most beautiful thing possible. I've gotten lost many times during the long haul of making a record and have overlooked some great songs because of that. The new standard for an SP song would that it be excellent and fantastic and most importantly essential or it's not coming out. I will do my best to meet that intention fully. So soon I will announce (hopefully) that I've begun the process, May being the most likely 'start' date. I will continue on from 'there' until whatever date it all seems finished. That would probably be marked by the release of the final artwork package and the movie. So lots of details to be worked out as you can see. I plan on the first actual song release coming in September. For the new SP I don't think I would be interested in a subscription model unless it was something where enough people wanted a daily access to the work (in progress). I guess we as a community could throw out how many people would be interested in that as an idea. It would definitely have to be something that would be worth the effort on all sides.

Speaking of subscription models, I think Frank Quinto is doing a great job so far as Archive Czar keeping all of us in the loop on his progress. I can say from my end right now the biggest hurdle is sorting out the business side with our former label EMI (once Virgin). As some of you know, there are currently 3 lawsuits; the band is suing EMI, 2 of my former band mates are suing EMI, and EMI is suing me because of the ex-bandmember lawsuit. Thankfully EMI has shown a willingness to try to sort this out and God willing it will be resolved soon. My hope is to have access to all of the unreleased materials (with the contractual rights clearly worked out) so that I can set a plan in motion to get it all out over the next decade. That would be the best way, but sometimes that is not the way it works out. I do have all the Gish unreleased rights, but I don't want to kick start that and by the time we get to Siamese have a whole legal mess on our hands and then have to stop our momentum. It's all or nothing with the archives. Those with a positive attitude can see that as a blessing because it means if stuff starts to come out it's all coming out.

It is really important for me to re-state first and foremost that the band will remain now and forever about making new music. This is where most of our energy over here belongs. That doesn't say or mean to say anything negative about the past. In fact my posture on it is consistent with the original band vision, which was to always push forward. I'm not about to change that now. That doesn't mean we can't be smart and live in the world of 2009 and approach opportunities with a fresh mindset. Together we can find the right balance.

Many of the old indie-world values that people throw about without context were BS back in the day, and I said so back then too. I am no poster boy for alt-nation because alt-nation found its heroes elsewhere. You can have those heroes now. I am my own man from this day forward. The day SP gets proper credit for what it got right is the day that this can be a different conversation about what I may or may not be entitled to. The funny thing about being left out in the cold is you get used to the temperature.

I want to be quite candid here and say some things I don't think I've ever shared. For many years I've been really unhappy with the stupidity of the music business (that's no secret!). But now I am free from corporate meddling. No contracts, no deadlines to meet, nothing but rainbows ha ha... My wish is that from this day forward this group will represent nothing but love and light. If you see BC out there griping, it is only because I have failed to set the proper conditions to be in the love and light with you. The fan is NOT responsible in any way, shape, or form for my happiness or the my ability to do my job. (Nor have they ever been) If I have given that impression to any of you through the years I am sorry about that. That was an error on my part. When a fan comes to an SP show we owe it to you to put on the best show possible, rain or shine. I believe the days of standing on a stage somewhere in the world feeling torn about why I am up there are over. SP will be about peace from this day forward as well. The music WILL also reflect this shift in devotion and humble gratitude. You shall see!

I would like to end by saying thank you to those who pray for me, and send me well wishes and support. It means a lot to me that there are fans out there who see me as the humble human I truly am. Public life is a brutal, weird game that I have chosen to play for my own convoluted reasons my OWN way. I wish it was as simple as being about the trappings normally associated with fame! If only life were so simple. But it ain't...but that too shall change. SP can and will represent a new kind of way of connecting my music with you in a way that leaves both parties feeling better for it. You have my personal promise on that.

Que esta trabajando en las nuevas canciones, 5 o 6, y que piensa grabar 44 canciones para su nuevo "multimedial project" O_o y que piensa sacarlas todas. Tambien dice que siguió bajo el nombre de sp aunque estuviera el solo porque era lo que le apetecia, vaya xD porque esta comprometido al 100 % con su banda y es lo que mas siente y blah blah. Para la audicion del bateria estaran jeff y el (al bajo y a la guitarra xD) despues de que hagan una bonita reduccion de los participantes xD

Vuelve a decir lo de que no sacara un album al viejo estilo, sino que sacara canciones sueltas durante 2 o 3 años y luego las juntara todas en un album/box set y que les pondra video a todo, en plan peli :_S y! lo que mas me ha rallado ha sido esto:

I do plan on doing other things coming up though. I have notions to start 2 other bands and also release some more solo work. I would love to get into more details on those projects but I would like to secure the domain names first because I don't want to have to fight to get them back later. It's bad enough that I have someone posing as me on Twitter LOL...the general idea is the work of the other groups and solo may intertwine with the SP album as far as a release schedule would go. But I'm all ready ahead of myself there.

Eso es coña, ¿no? xD

[sadie_yellow]

Pues no sé si será coña o no, pero el tío se contradice que da gusto xDDDDD Vamos, que primero nos viene con que sigue con SP porque está metido en ello al 100%, y lo siente al 100% y bla bla bla, y luego te suelta que va a empezar dos grupos nuevos aparte de más cosas en solitario o__O

Y respecto a lo de sacar discos y tal, pues yo me quedo como estaba :/ No es que diga nada nuevo tampoco, y no sé vosotros, pero como a mí me saque un boxset de esos lleno de GLOWs, FOLs y camons... Sólo queda esperar que lo que saque a partir de ahora sea mínimamente decente... :/

En fin, que a ver que pasa, si al fin y al cabo estamos igual que siempre... xDDDDDD

[Franob]

Bueno, los GLOWs, FOLs y eso, son eso, decentes, pero poco más. Si sigue sacando y después un disquito, pues de lujo. En fin, a ver el puto calvo con qué nos viene... yo quiero un disco, joder.

[Waznei]

Mmmm... si van a ser 44 canciones, tampoco me voy a rasgar las vestiduras si se saca 12 o 15 FOLescas o GLOWescas. Aún tiene mucho margen, para mí xD

Lo que no me mola es perder la emoción de escuchar 10 o 12 canciones nuevas del tirón. Pero parece que habrá que resignarse.

Lo de las otras bandas.... bueno, si necesita canalizar su lado cristiano-zwanero, me parece bien que lo haga con otro nombre.

Amor y luz para todos

[molul]

Pego mi post en radar musical con lo más destacado del artículo y mi opinión al respective:

-Ahora mismo está trabajando con unos amigos en cinco temas nuevos de Smashing Pumpkins, y que quiere tomarse un tiempo para encontrar la dirección correcta a donde quiere que vaya este nuevo material.

-Sobre el tema de seguir solo como SP, dice que cuando en 2005 dijo que quería retomar la banda se comprometió al 100% en cuerpo y alma, y que aunque sólo sea un nombre, para él es una forma de concentrarse en un forma de percibir la música.

-Aparte de SP, va a comenzar otras dos bandas (cuyos nombres no menciona porque no quiere tener problemas para conseguir los dominios para las webs) y retomar también su carrera en solitario. Tela!

-La agenda de momento pasa por las audiciones para el nuevo batería (que serán el próximo día 14), y que se tomará su tiempo para elegir al sustituto de Jimmy, y que de hecho quizás necesitará más de un batería para el próximo proyecto (??). Las audiciones serán atendidas por Jeff y Billy, que tocará el bajo.

-En un momento del post dice que planea manejar unas 44 canciones.

-Quiere publicar un álbum, aunque suene contradictorio con lo que declaró hace un tiempo en una entrevista en la televisión canadiense (que hoy día el álbum no tenía valor y que a lo mejor tenía más sentido sacar canciones sueltas). El plan real es sacar canciones sueltas durante dos o tres años (buf!) y luego recopilarlas en un bo-set con una película sobre el proyecto. Es decir, será un álbum como colección de canciones, pero no con el ciclo normal de single de presentación-disco-singles promocionales, sino un trabajo lanzado en cuentagotas y finalmente recopilado (imagino que cada canción se podrá descargar gratis mientras se hace esa caja). El motivo es que quiere trabajar en sólo una canción a la vez para darle la atención y el acabado que se merece (esto me parece una grandísima idea), y añade que eso supondrá una selección más cuidadosa, ya que la presión para él será mucho mayor a la hora de lanzar el nuevo material. Dice que en otras ocasiones ha estado demasiado enfocado al álbum en lugar de a las canciones, lo que le ha llevado a pasar por alto muchos grandes temas que necesitaban más atención. La intención es que el estándar de las próximas canciones de SP sean excelentes o esenciales, o si no, no se publicarán, y que hará todo lo posible para conseguirlo.

-La primera nueva canción será publicada por Septiembre.

-Cambiamos de tema: el archivo de Smashing Pumpkins. No hace mucho nos enviaron un mail a los usuarios de smashingpumpkins.com para avisarnos de que se iba a publicar material archivado de SP, y que un tío se encrgaría de seleccionarlo y gestionar la distribución. En un principio pensé que serían descargas gratuitas, pero hace poco me enteré de que estaban manejando un modelo de suscripción mediante el cual se pagaría X y te podrías descargar Y. Lo que no está claro es el producto final a vender, si serán paquetes de canciones de distintas eras o serán pedidos a la carta con temas sueltos de todas partes. Sobre esto, comenta que ahora mismo la banda está metida en tres demandas: una de SP a EMI (la que tiene actualmente los derechos de las canciones, que antes era Virgin), otra de los exmiembros James Iha y Darcy Wretzky a EMI por royalties, y una de EMI a Billy por la demanda de Iha y Darcy a EMI (qué lío). Parece que por fin se empieza a ver el final de todo esto y que pronto habrá un acuerdo entre todas las partes. El objetivo de Billy es tener acceso al material no publicado de la banda, con los derechos de autor bien claritos, e ir publicándolo a lo largo de la próxima década (buf... Billy y planes a largo plazo, mala combinación). Ahora mismo tiene todos los derechos del material sobrante de las sesiones de Gish, pero no quiere empezar a publicar ya y luego enfrentarse a problemas legales al llegar al SD. Quiero pensar que Billy planea una reedición de la discografía pumpkin con este material no publicado sobre el que aún no tiene todos los derechos.

-Por último, quiere dejar claro que SP no dejará de existir (hasta que él la palme, claro xD).


Bueno, a mí me parece un texto bastante honesto. No creo que ningún fan tuviese derecho a exigirle dejar un proyecto al que ha dedicado toda su vida, incluso pese a la salida de Chamberlin. El hecho de que vaya a empezar otros dos grupos y retomar su carrera en solitario (supongo que para darle salida a los temas que no vea adecuados para SP), junto con el rollo éste de trabajar y publicar canciones una por una y luego recopilarlas en un álbum, y el verle tan comprometido y autoexigente con el próximo material (para cualquier fan de SP no es un secreto que Billy no es muy bueno eligiendo las canciones que van a formar parte del próximo disco) me da muchas esperanzas de cara al nuevo material. Así que bien por Billy, me ha devuelto la confianza en su carrera. Ahora a ver si todas estas promesas se hacen realidad y vuelvo a disfrutar de SP a los máximos niveles ^^

Por cierto, yo no veo contradicción entre estar al 100% con SP y sacar tres proyectos paralelos. Para mí eso significa que lo que haga para SP va a estar muy meditado, y con los otros dos grupos y su carrera en solitario supongo que sacará el material que no sea 100% SP. Vamos, todo lo expuesto me parece muy bien pensado y espero que estas buenas intenciones lleven a unas canciones muy distintas de Superchrist, GLOW o FOL.

Lo que sí he echado MUY en falta ha sido una mención a Jimmy. Eso ha sido muy raro :S

[Dagger]

A mí me ha encantado el post. Es Billy hablando claro, sin adornos. Está claro que de nuevo se flipa con planes que jamás va a cumplir, pero me ha gustado mucho como vende la idea de centrarse en cada canción por separado para sacar lo máximo de cada una. Vamos, espero que eso no signifique más sobreproducción aún. xD Está claro que necesita amigos cerca que le aconsejen bien.

Sólo aclara por qué sigue con el nombre del grupo, que no necesitaba aclaración, pero a Jimmy ni lo menciona. Es el único punto negativo. Creo que vamos a tardar en enterarnos bien de lo que ha pasado.

Por lo demás nada, Billy con muchas ganas de trabajar, y centradete, parece. Lo de Tila Tequila es sólo sexo bizarro, que con suerte le servirá para componer alguna canción (...and coil my tongue around a bumblebee mouth...). 

[Jetfil]

¿Os creeis lo de las 44 canciones? Me suena a los mil y un proyectos inacabados de Corgan

Pero si que hay algo interesante, es lo de sacar el archivo pumpkins. Creo que deberíamos petar el mail del tal Frank Quinto pidiendo el concierto del Calderón, tal vez si ve que lo piden unos cuantos lo tiene en cuenta

Alerta, SPOILER! de asunto desconocido:

frank@smashingpumpkins.com

[sadie_yellow]

Pues el martes fue la primera ronda de castings para batería y han colgado algunas fotillos en SP.com. Dicen q ha sido una experiencia muy positiva, que en mayo seguramente habrá otra ronda de castings y que entre los candidatos del otro día se encontraban, entre otros, John Dolmayan de SOAD

Alerta, SPOILER! de asunto desconocido:

y un ex compañero de Jeff en The Lassie Foundation, Frank Lenz.

Alerta, SPOILER! de asunto desconocido:

LINK: http://www.smashingpumpkins.com/pages/news/update-from-drummer-auditions

[Zwanatic]

Q grande el de SOAD!! sería un gran fichaje. Por cierto, ya no existen SOAD o q???

[Fabito]

OT

Q grande el de SOAD!! sería un gran fichaje. Por cierto, ya no existen SOAD o q???

Desde que terminó la gira del Hypnotize decidieron darse como un tiempo, pero el Shavo Odadjian ha dicho varias veces que no es ruptura ni nada parecido, que dentro de poco volverán de nuevo pa dar cañica :_D

[molul]

Por lo visto se está perfilando otro modelo de subscripción (por cierto, el del archivo de SP se ha desestimado y están buscando otras alternativas más atractivas para los fans, que ya han dicho que pasan de pagar una cuota por unos mp3), esta vez para participar como observador y también activamente (???). Os dejo el link:

http://www.smashingpumpkins.com/pages/news/information-regarding-upcoming-studio-subscription-model

A mí me parece una tontería pedir 40$ por 12 semanas de noticias, audio y video "secretos" (porque se filtrarán a los blogs enseguida) sobre el nuevo disco, pero weno, el calvo sabrá :S

[molul]

Mensaje de Billy sobre lo que comentaba en el post anterior:

MESSAGE FROM BILLY REGARDING
THE SUBSCRIPTION MODEL

On Monday, SmashingPumpkins.com announced that an online 12-week subscription service will be made available in the near future, that is, if demand is ample for the project. Today Billy has sent a message to those than have shown interest by signing up for updates via an email newsletter.

From Billy:

Hello, thank you for signing up for these updates. Because of the nature of today's post, and how the different ideas interact, I will be touching on both proposed business models; the archive fan-club and the new 'window' into the album songwriting sessions. Around 6,000 of you have shown interest in these updates, so because I am assuming you are on the dedicated side already, I will try to get to the center of the issues without a whole lot of contextual explanation.

Our first concept that we threw out for the archives (300$ for 200 songs) was met by a whole lot of complaining. Because we desire a harmonious relationship with those who would most want a completest approach to the bands history, we have revised this to a 40$ (proposed) fan-club sign up and this has been met much more positively. I think this demonstrates a willingness to work together to find a balance that will sustain over the next decade plus. The average mainstream fan doesn't give two hoots about that gig in Iowa in 1989, so we aren't even going to bother them with this kind of stuff, hence creating the relationships with you. We have enough on our hands to get them (the mainstream) to listen to newly recorded work. As you can see, everyone in the record biz these days is having the same problem, so it not particular to SP.

With that in mind, I have additionally proposed something quite unique as far as a 'window' into my songwriting processes with the idea of 12 weeks of mini-TV (about 25+ minutes a week broken into 5 updates OR 5+ hours of content). This would dwarf the kind of access that was given for example in the 'if all goes wrong' dvd, where one could see me briefly working out some idea. Having seen some of the raw footage from what Kristin shot at that time, there were moments that played out over 5 or 7 minutes that were quite interesting on their own but were definitely too long for a movie that had to hold a plot narrative. One of my favourite moments not shown in the film was the morning I wrote the riff for 'Sunkissed'. You see me playing some bs blues and I stop, take a deep breath, and then the idea comes out fully intact in one crystalline moment. Even I was surprised, and for the next few minutes you see the song just pour out of me. I realize for most this is not interesting at all, but this is interesting for some and that is the point of a project this is an optional, pay-if-you-want to see it deal. You would get to participate in moments essentially as they unfold. Here however is where it indeed does all go wrong...

Pagar por ver los momentos en que a Billy se le ocurren canciones nuevas... En fin, como él dice, lo tomas o lo dejas.

[Legolas-I]

Hice un topic a parte, aclarando los detalles y traduciendo, que dudo que mucha gente se haya leído ese tocho en inglés xD

http://losdientesdeavalon.com/index.php?topic=7787

Yo pienso que por 20 dólares (que en euros serían unos 15) tener 5 horas de material audiovisual y ver cómo trabajan los Pumpkins merece mucho la pena, no en vano hay gente que se gastó bastante más en comprarse la misma edición del Zeitgeist en diferentes colores

En fin, en el subforo de En Portada o en la pág principal del portal se puede leer de qué va todo esto.

[Waznei]

Habéis visto el twitter de billy? el tío está taladrao de la cabeza de verdad... es así siempre o nos espera otro MSOTS?

http://twitter.com/Billy