James Iha is set to release his first solo album since 1998′s Let It Come Down.
Since the dissolution of the The Smashing Pumpkins in 2000, Iha has been no slouch. He’s worked on film scores, set up Scratchie Records, and put in time with alt.rock dream team A Perfect Circle alongside Tool’s Maynard James Keenan. He was also a notable non-participant in the Pumpkins’ recent reunion(s). Now, Iha will be striking out on his own with Look To The Sky, his first solo record in almost a decade and a half.
Although no news has been forthcoming from Iha directly, the album is being listed on Amazon Japan for release on March 14, courtesy of EMI. The record will follow hot on the heels of a remastered and expanded edition of Let It Come Down, slated for release in February. That first record eschewed the pricklier elements of the Pumpkins’ work in favour of lush, swooning guitar-pop. If that same melodic sensibility is intact on the new album, it should be well worth a listen.
Tracklist:
1. Make Believe
2. Summer Days
3. To Who Knows Where
4. Till Next Tuesday
5. Dream Tonight
6. Dark Star
7. Appetite
8. Gemini
9. Waves
10. Speed of Love
11. 4th of July
12. A String of Words
13. Diamond Eyes
14. Stay Lost
Taken from Factmag
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Taken from HipstersUnited.com
Over a series of several tweets this afternoon, Smashing Pumpkins head Billy Corgan has tipped fans to some much-awaited news. Corgan reports that he is signing a record deal for the Pumpkins’ new album Oceania. Sessions for the album finished back in September; the band has been shopping the album to record labels since that time. Corgan promises a release date announcement “in the next few weeks.”
Regarding the Pumpkins’ impending reissue of 1994′s Pisces Iscariot, Corgan reports that the bonus CD will include a “recreation” of the band’s original 1988 demo tape and a new remix of “Glynis” made from the original master tapes. For DVD component of the Pisces reissue, Corgan promises “a full UN-EDITED performance (1988) on local cable access w/ false starts, dialogue (shot at Roselle Music!).” That would be the November 19, 1988 show, recorded live for the Pulse cable access program in Chicago. Last we heard, the Pisces reissue is set to drop on April 21 in conjunction with Record Store Day.
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Few days ago on Twitter, Billy replied to a fan who asked if Glynis will be remixed for the 2012 reissue.
You can see their conversation below:
Watch this live performance of Glynis taken from the No Alternative video:
Jessica and William.
(Source: jessicaveronica, via iheartsp)
Australian band The Dysfunctions cover 'Whir' for the Pumpkins.net 'Early SP cover song contest' -
Entries for the Pumpkins.net ‘Early SP cover song contest’ are coming in already, here is a link to the first Australian entry. The Dysfunctions blend 90s grunge & alt rock w 2000s electro edge, check out their take on the Smashing Pumpkins classic - Whir.
Hear the other submissions so far on ThePumpkins.net
More information on The Dysfunctions can be found here: www.thedysfunctions.com
Happy Holidays from the Smashing Pumpkins!
The Smashing Pumpkins have released a special holiday song titled “Have Faithe, Be Merrie” featuring just Billy and his acoustic guitar.
Download: Have Faithe, Be Merrie
In an email sent from the SPRC out to fans there was a reminder of all the exciting things happening in 2012 for fans, from the release of Oceania, the EMI/Virgin reissues and other SPRC releases.
The email from the Pumpkins also made mention of a very special tour planned for 2012. In a recent interview Billy said they were toying with the idea of touring Oceania by performing the entire album beginning to end before finishing the set with ‘classic’ Smashing Pumpkins songs, perhaps this is what they might mean by ‘special tour’ or something entirely different.
Also, a massive happy holidays to all the supporters of Ozphoria! We look forward to 2012, it’s a special year for us … we turn 10 years old.
- Simon & Bree
A news update on JamesIha.com has given us the following exciting news about what 2012 holds for James:
Happy holidays everyone! James is ending 2011 with some good news: aside from (finally) finishing his solo album (it’s only been, like, forever!!), EMI Japan will be releasing his first solo record, Let It Come Down. It’s been remastered and contains 2 bonus tracks not included on the original album. Additionally, the Japanese label has signed on to release the new solo record in 2012. We’ll keep you posted on this, as well as the album’s release worldwide, in the new year.
Four years ago, Act IV and ThePumpkins.net collaborated on the successful Zeitgest Cover Song Contest, where fans were asked to submit covers of their favorite Zeitgeist era tracks to win some cool Smashing Pumpkins-related prizes. Now, with the recent re-issues of the first two classic Smashing Pumpkins albums, Gish and Siamese Dream, Act IV and ThePumpkins.net are collaborating to once again bring the fans another special contest.
The SP: THE EARLY YEARS COVER SONG CONTEST will be along similar lines to the Zeitgeist cover song contest. But this time around, fans are asked to submit covers of their favorite Pumpkins originals spanning the early part of The Smashing Pumpkins’ career (1988-1994), from the earliest pre-Gish demos to Pisces Iscariot and Vieuphoria. In addition to winning some great Pumpkins-related merch, the winners of the contest will earn a spot on an extended version of Ghost Children/Machines of God, a digital EP being given away as a free incentive with the Ghost Children 2/Friends and Enemies charity compilation. Two spots are up for grabs, with the ‘Best Cover Song’ being awarded by selection committee, and the ‘Fan Favorite Cover’ being selected by you, the fans!
The winners of both the ‘Best Cover Song’ and ‘Fan Favorite Cover’ selections will receive:
1) A copy of the Deluxe CD/DVD re-issues of both Gish and Siamese Dream
2) A spot on the extended version of the Ghost Children/Machines of God digital EP.
3) A copy of the Ghost Children 2/Friends and Enemies charity CD, the Ghost Children/Machines of God digital EP, and a recently unearthed original CD copy of the Ghost Children compilation, not available to the public for nearly 10 years!
For the contest, organizers have reached to out all corners of The Smashing Pumpkins Fan Community for help. We are pleased to announce exciting partnerships with our Pumpkins fan site sponsors, Blamo.org/Siva, Crestfallen.com, Ozphoria, SPFreaks, and Starla.org, who will be celebrating their 15th anniversary in 2012. Act IV also would like to welcome back, Neil Main, the creator of the popular, original Ghost Children charity compilation, to the fold. Neil was also an integral participant and collaborator with the Act IV organizers during the two Act IV charity concerts at the legendary Metro in Chicago in 2001 and 2002. The organizers also welcome, Ashley Fahey, former webmaster of the Smashing Pumpkins UK fan group.
In addition, we have developed a special partnership with Tranquilizer Records, an online record store specializing in indie music and its sister organization, Tranquilizer Radio, an online radio station and fan community. All contest entrants are invited to join their fan community and contact Tranquilizer to explore the possibility of having your cover and your original music featured on the radio (where applicable), being interviewed on air, and much more!
Depending on the success of the contest, organizers will consider the possibility of future contests and digital releases. So keep CD quality versions of your covers available, just in case! Please note that covers of songs the Pumpkins covered themselves will not be accepted. Before uploading your cover, please carefully review the Contest Rules.
Submissions will be accepted starting on December 21, 2011 and the contest will run until February 21, 2012. After the submission deadline passes, voting will commence. The winners are tentatively set to be announced on March 17, 2012.
For more information about the contest, please visit ThePumpkins.net. If you wish to know more about the Ghost Children 2charity compilation and all things Act IV, please visit the Act IV website. Act IV is currently celebrating its 10th anniversary.