It's been almost three years since Corgan was promoting an album or doing extensive touring. Instead of releasing sprawling double albums like 1995's magnum opus Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, Corgan's new-age Pumpkins put out songs independently and one at a time through the band's Web site. The project, titled Teargarden by Kaleidyscope, flashes a new psychedelic side to the Pumpkins' signature sound.
After such a long time in the music business, Corgan has plenty to say, and a few dire warnings for an industry that he sees as less worried about artists' maturation than crass marketing and social-media wrangling.
Chatter: We're surprised you're doing press this time around.
Billy Corgan: To be honest, the reason I didn't want to do press before was because I already knew what the questions were going to be, and I didn't want to answer them. I felt confident that I was going to have a future, and so I felt if I could at least indicate the future I was working on, then I could at least talk about the future and not the past. That's the case now, and it's really refreshing.
C: It's harder for you to use newer tactics in marketing and social networking than it is for newer artists. When you do it, you get called a sellout.
BC: I'm not okay with being called a sellout, but I'm okay with the fact that in our paradigm I am around to challenge those things. You have an enlightened opinion about it, and most people don't. The funny thing is that as time goes on, it just becomes so comical that the argument solves itself.
The other day I was discussing with someone why I continued the band name and just didn't start another band. And I said, "Look, I'm still here. I'm still on the cutting edge of new paradigms. I'm still making somewhat challenging music at times." I'm a living testament that this integrity system still has different things to say.
The people who shake their head at me, their value system isn't at all reflective of mine. It doesn't have anything to do with music. They are much more concerned about Web pages and blogs, and more of their social-networking world. Meanwhile, I'm still here, chucking songs out.
C: What bands are exciting to you right now?
BC: I like the band that we are playing with on tour right now, Bad City. They have a go-for-it kind of quality like Journey or Def Leppard did. It has an overt need to please. They are into it, and that's the best part. It's not some sort of hipster Vice magazine pose.
When I listen to a lot of alternative bands these days, I just hear the pressure that they are under and the way it is constricting their music, and it breaks my heart. When I listened to Dinosaur Jr., I felt like J [Mascis] was inviting me into his weird, wacky basement world.
Now it feels like there is too much of an awareness of trying to be in the basement. There is a great irony when you know a band is using ProTools and plug-ins to sound more like Pavement.
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NEWS FEED
Houston raggle-taggle gypsies the Sideshow Tramps, who freely admit they are "known for spilt beer, debauchery and young women in the front row," have entered themselves into the "Chevy Dad Band" sweepstakes for a chance to play in the "Battle of the Dad Bands" at the upcoming State Fair of Texas in Dallas. To vote, go to www.chevydadbands.com and click the Facebook "Like" button under the Tramps' picture. About 50 other groups from across Texas have also entered, including Houston's quanda, Traffic Jam, Jersey Creek Band, KISS lovers Gene's Addiction, Alvin's Stevin Marsh and Katy's The Silverado Band. Voting runs through September 27, and the Battle of the Bands lineup will be announced October 4. The Tramps, meanwhile, have completed a new album, Revelator, with Grammy-winning engineer Steve Christensen (Steve Earle's Townes) and play Fitzgerald's Saturday, October 2. Fitzgerald's reopens under the Free Press Summer Fest management team of Omar Afra and Jagi Katial next Thursday; the club's new Web site, www.fitzlivemusic.com, went live last week.
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LOCAL MOTION
Top Sellers
Sound Exchange
1836 Richmond, 713-666-5555
www.soundexchangehouston.com
1. Serge Gainsbourg & Jane Birkin, Je T'Aime... (LP/CD)
2. Various Artists, Field Recordings from Alan Lomax's Southern Journey (5XLP)
3. Various Artists, Where Birdmen Flew (LP)
4. Boris, Absolutego (LP)
5. Boris, Amplifier Worship (LP)
6. Friedhof, Friedhof (LP)
7. Mercyful Fate, B Sides (LP)
8. Nurse With Wound, Huffin' Rag Blues (2XLP)
9. Lich King, World Gone Dead (CD)
10. Speed, Glue & Shinki, Speed, Glue & Shinki (2XLP)
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AIRWAVES
The New Hot 95.7
KKHH (95.7 FM), hothits957.radio.com
Top songs, September 10
Data from www.yes.com.
1. Katy Perry, "Teenage Dream"
2. Taio Cruz, "Dynamite"
3. Enrique Iglesias, "I Like It"
4. Ke$ha, "Take It Off"
5. Eminem feat. Rihanna, "Love the Way You Lie"
6. Bruno Mars, "Just the Way You Are"
7. Far East Movement feat. The Cataracs & Dec, "Like a G6"
8. Mike Posner feat. Big Sean, "Cooler Than Me"
9. B.o.B. feat. Rivers Cuomo, "Magic"
10. Usher feat. Pitbull, "DJ Got Us Fallin' In Love"
(lists compiled by Chris Gray)
