Posts Tagged ‘smashing-pumpkins’

James Iha on Smashing Pumpkins Reunion: ‘Never Say Never’

Astrid Stawiarz, Getty Images Things haven’t exactly been warm and fuzzy between onetime Smashing Pumpkins bandmates  Billy Corgan and James Iha after the dissolution of the original lineup, but Iha says he’s never one to rule out anything where his old band is concerned. Iha told the Chicago Sun Times that it’s been “eight or nine years” since he spoke with Corgan. During that period, there have been a few occasions for the singer to lambaste him publicly. But even with the animosity, Iha says he still gets questions about a potential reunion someday. To that constantly-asked question, he says, “Never say never, but as I said, we haven’t talked in a really long time. I haven’t heard the new [Pumpkins] record.” While Corgan remains the only original member in the Pumpkins, these days Iha is putting the emphasis on his own music. Iha returned earlier this year with the new album ‘Look to the Sky,’ which was his first new release since his 1998 solo debut ‘Let It Come Down.’ Speaking about the lengthy delay between his solo records, the guitarist says, “After the Pumpkins broke up, I got into the other side of this, producing and writing and starting my studio, and the record label. I did a lot of other things for a while, and it wasn’t until three or four years ago that I started getting inspired to do my own thing again. When you’re not signed and don’t have a manager constantly asking for a record, I took my time.” Iha has also been busy with numerous side projects. He says he expects a second Tinted Windows album to arrive someday, but none of the members have written material for it yet. The guitarist also lent his skills to a new Courtney Love song called ‘This Is War’ that he calls “a work in progress.” [button href=”http://loudwire.com/james-iha-to-release-new-solo-album-streams-new-song/” title=”Next: Listen to James Iha’s Song ‘To Who Knows Where'” align=”center”]

Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan: ‘Life Did Not Turn Out the Way I’d Planned It, Not Even Close’

Kevin Winter, Getty Images We’re beginning to think that Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan may have a grudge against some of his former bandmates. Additionally, and this might be a bit of a stretch, but Corgan seems to also enjoy the occasional trash-talking session. Finally, and by all means correct us if we’re wrong, it seems possible that Billy Corgan may possess some sort of internal turmoil. We developed this hypothesis after reading a recent statement from Corgan, where he threw some ill will at some former Smashing Pumpkins members, while analyzing his personal life as well. Injecting a bit of positivity into his recent interview with SFweekly.com , Corgan described his relationships with the new Pumpkins members and how it has affected him creatively. “When you actually like each other,” Corgan explains, “it translates to the music. The difference with Oceania is, I’ve found harmony again.” This seems to be a welcome change for the iconic frontman, who compared the current lineup to various ‘classic’ Pumpkins configurations. “There’s no way to properly convey what it was like to be in that band,” Corgan says about the original lineup. “And the f—ed up stuff is 10 times more f—ed up than what the world knows. I was in love with the Smashing Pumpkins,” he says, sounding wistful. “I really believed in what we were doing. But I idealized the band — which overlooked their incredibly flawed human personas, and which now bites me in the ass, as they rear their heads for lawsuits.” He then waxes philosophically on his personal life, stating, “If somebody would have told me 15 years ago that at 45 I’d be living in a big house with two dogs and two cats, with no wife and no girlfriend, I wouldn’t have believed them. My life did not turn out the way I’d planned it. Not even close … Maybe this was the way it was meant to be all along.” The Smashing Pumpkins are currently on a North American tour in support of their 2012 album, ‘Oceania.’ [button href=”http://loudwire.com/smashing-pumpkins-the-celestials-best-rock-songs-of-2012/” title=”The Smashing Pumpkins: Best Rock Songs of 2012″ align=”center”]

Win a Smashing Pumpkins ‘Pisces Iscariot’ Deluxe Reissue Prize Pack

Attention, Smashing Pumpkins fans: Loudwire is teaming up with Diffuser.fm to give one lucky reader a copy of the deluxe reissue of the Smashing Pumpkins compilation album ‘Pisces Iscariot.’ Originally put out in 1994, the album contained 14 B-sides and outtakes. We are giving away a prize pack consisting of a deluxe CD reissue of ‘Pisces Iscariot’ along with the recent deluxe reissues of the Pumpkins albums ‘Gish’ and ‘Siamese Dream.’