Smashing Pumpkins Tour Announced

Billy Corgan will tour Australia with a new version of Smashing Pumpkins in October.  Of course Corgan always was the creative focus of the original Smashing Pumpkins and clearly is the person most identified with the name of the band but I cant help but think he could tour under the name “Billy Corgan” these days.

The all-new band features drummer Mike Byrne, bassist Nicole Fiorentino and guitarist Jeff Shroeder. Whatever name it goes by, this promises to be an interesting show, as a couple of media outlets have noticed.

‘The Pumpkins’s new lineup showed it may be the best since the original version in the ’90s made the band icons of the alternative scene. The musical interaction between the four was excellent, breathing new energy…’- Spinner.com

‘By and large, Smashing Pumpkins are what they were: Mr. Corgan’s platform for tormented thoughts and invincible guitar…The new Smashing Pumpkins share Mr. Corgan’s sense of dynamics.’ – The New York Times

I love the way the New York Times still uses salutations like Mr.!

The Smashing Pumpkins have created one of the most acclaimed bodies of work in alternative rock history and sold over 30 million albums. Formed in Chicago in 1988, they released Gish, their influential (and platinum) debut in 1991, which was followed by more platinum and multi-platinum albums including the nine-time platinum Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness and the four-time platinum Siamese Dream as well as the platinum certified 1998 album Adore (which was a lot better than is generally recognised).

Their most recent work is Teargarden by Kaleidyscope–an in-progress 44-song work, with songs being issued online one at a time for free (4-song physical EPs will be made available as the songs are released).

Smashing Pumpkins Dates:

October 12, Perth, Riverside Theatre
October 13, Adelaide, AEC The Theatre
October 15, Melbourne, Festival Hall
October 16, Sydney, Big Top
October 17, Brisbane, The Tivoli

Violent Soho

Brisbane four piece Violent Soho are making a big splash internationally being signed to the label run by Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth. Their self titled album is out on Moore’s Ecstatic Peace label in the US and they have been touring there strongly since the release.

The band line-up is  Luke Boerdam on guitar/vocals, James Tidswell on guitar/vocals, Luke Henery on bass and Michael Richards on drums.

There’s been much made of the fact that the band wear flannel shirts and many commentators have labelled them the first band in the second coming of grunge but to me they sound a lot more like Smashing Pumpkins than Nirvana, Soundgarden or Mudhoney. Some may argue that that’s not a huge distinction but to these ears the structure of the songs and Boerdam’s vocal style scream Billy Corgan.

But the bottom line  – regardless who they sound like – is that they are a really good heavy rock band. The rhythm section drives with the power of a sledgehammer, the guitars snarl and Boerdam’s lyrics are an authentic statement of  suburban white boy angst. The album was produced by the venerable Gil Norton who has the band sounding great (no surprises there) and all in all they have offered up a superior album.

Highlights of the disc include the attention grabbing opener Here Be Dragons, the single Jesus Stole My Girlfriend, Generation, Muscle Junkie (with the obligatory “fuck you” refrain) and the very punk rock Love Is A Heavy Word. The more reflective Outsider shows a different side to the band and especially to Boerdam’s vocal.

Violent Soho may not be the most original sounding band but they are a welcome addition to a family of bands that produced some pretty essential music in their day. There could be a lot worse influences to have. I like ‘em.

To celebrate the release in Australia, the boys will embark on an East Coast tour during July, which will also coincide with their appearance at this year’s Splendour In The Grass.

Thursday, July 22: Northcote Social Club, Melbourne
Friday, July 23: Annandale Hotel, Sydney
Saturday, July 24: The Zoo, Brisbane