Smashing Pumpkins announce new album will be free

[Crybaby Bunting]

I'm happy to finally announce the plans for the new Smashing Pumpkins album.

Recording began yesterday, September 15th, 2009 on the new record which will be entitled 'Teargarden by Kaleidyscope'. The album will feature 44 songs, 4 of which are now being recorded. My desire is to release a song at a time beginning around Halloween of this year, with each new release coming shortly after until all 44 are out. Each song will be made available absolutely for free, to anyone anywhere. There will be no strings attached. Free will mean free, which means you won't have to sign up for anything, give an email address, or jump through a hoop. You will be able to go and take the song or songs as you wish, as many times as you wish.

We will however sell highly limited edition EP's (of 4 songs each times 11), and details of how those EP's will be made available are still being worked out. Because the songs themselves will be free, the EP's will be more like collectors items for the discerning fan who will want the art itself, along with the highest possible audio quality available. The EP's will be more like mini-box sets rather than your normal cd single. We may also offer other variations for sale, say for example a digital single with a demo version of a song. The commitment that is most important is the one I'm making to you: that the music of 'Teargarden by Kaleidyscope' will be available for free to everyone. All 44 songs: free for ALL.

When the entire album is finished, it will be compiled into a deluxe box set which will also be made available for sale. Those who have bought the EP's need not worry, as the box set will not be a recompilation of the limited edition pieces.

The story of the album is based on 'The Fool's Journey', as signified in the progress of the Tarot. It is my intention to approach this by breaking down the journey of our life here into four phases as made by these different characters; the Child, the Fool, the Skeptic, and the Mystic.

The music of 'Teargarden by Kaleidyscope' harkens back to the original psychedelic roots of The Smashing Pumpkins: atmospheric, melodic, heavy, and pretty.

I already have 53 songs written for the record, so I am quite confident that I already have much of the material that I would need to undertake such an extensive project. I am very committed to seeing this album through to its completion and very, very excited about the prospect of delivering new Smashing Pumpkins music to you in a unique and exciting way.

http://www.smashingpumpkins.com/pages/news/announcement-from-billy-corgan-about-new-smashing-pumpkins-album

Even if it does take about 2 months for it to start coming out it'll be worth it

...surely?

Edited September 16, 2009 by The General

[METALMAN]

Despite the name Smashing Pumpkins is this a Billy Corgan only project? Jimmy Chamberlain left didn't he?

[Crybaby Bunting]

Yeah he left shortly after Zeitgeist and they replaced him with a 18 year old or something like that.

This really has the potential to be either a TheFutureEmbrace, a Machina II, Zwan or an actual return to form of Pumpkins-esque material

[tristy]

I didn't have a problem with "Zeitgeist" like alot of other people. I thought it was a solid record. Yeah, it's not classic Pumpkins, but he's evolved as a singer and songwriter. Whether that's a positive or negative thing is up for debate, but I like songs like "Doomsday Clock" or "United States" just as much, or more, than songs like "Soma" or "Rhinoceros". I don't think this new album will be a return to their roots, personally, but I'm okay with that. This isn't 1993 anymore, it's 2009. I wouldn't want Corgan to limit hiself just to please the old-school fans. I'm psyched for this album, it'll comfort me until a new NIN song is released.

This is pretty much the exact business model everyone should adapt in the music industry, in my opinion. Yeah, you wouldn't sell 1.5 million copies in the first week, but since when did music and expressing yourself artistically become a giant dollar sign? People are going to steal music 50 years from now, everyone needs to adapt to the new climate and we'll all be better for it.

EDIT: I wonder if he'll tour for this album, and if so, will it be the "Spirits in the Sky" touring band? Corgan and Dave Navarro? Yes please.

[lari]

This is pretty much the exact business model everyone should adapt in the music industry, in my opinion.

Yeah, that'll work fine.

Oh yeah, except for those bands that aren't already millionaires so they cannot afford to record, produce and master 44 songs in a studio. Or for bands that don't already have a worldwide audience of tens of millions due to being promoted by their label for two decades and are sure to sell good quantities of anything they put out at this point in their career.

But yeah, it will be good for bands that have those things.