Possibly coinciding with the upcoming remastered reissues of Gish, Siamese Dream and Pisces Iscariot, Smashing Pumpkins have dug deep into their back catalog mining rarely played tunes while embarking on their current tour that stopped on the Las Vegas strip at The Cosmopolitan. The Pumpkins also will be releasing an “album within an album” Oceania as part of their ambitious Teargarden by Kaleidyscope project. Fancy Space People and Light FM provided support.

Read More...

Much as Billy Corgan has made a sport of testing Smashing Pumpkins fans’ limits this past year, last night’s benefit for one-time Smashing Pumpkins Fan Club chief Laura Ann Marusa is a reminder that he really does appreciate those that appreciate him. Of course Laura isn’t just your average Pumpkin lover; in addition to making delicious artisanal jams, Masura is a musician in her own right, a Chicago scene drummer and founding member of the bands Evil Beaver, the Prescriptions and Motorhome. A ghastly motorcycle accident shattered her leg, and her health care doesn’t cover much of the fallout. True to his beneficial mode of 2009, Billy anchored last night’s benefit show at the Echoplex, creating the band Backwards Clock Society for the event, featuring Mark Tulin of the Electric Prunes on bass along with longtime Pumpkin associate Kerry Brown, ex-Catherine drummer and ex-Mr. D’arcy Wretzky (who has recently been found, btw).

Read More...