We're Getting the Band Back Together, Man

By Tankboy in Arts & Entertainment on Jun 21, 2005 1:20PM

Let’s say you’re releasing your first solo album (although many folks have accused your entire recorded output up until this point as basically being solo work.) Let’s say that this album is ostensibly a chance for you to distance yourself from your previous band. Let’s say that this band had a pretty popular signature sound and, after one attempt to follow that sound up with something similar exploded upon takeoff, you’ve decided to regroup, retool and release something largely unexpected.

And then the day you release this step away from your past you decide to tell the world that even after all this the thing you most want is to re-group your old super-popular band!

That’s just what the Great Pumpkin did this morning. On the day of the release of Billy Corgan’s solo album TheFutureEmbrace Corgan has taken a full page as out in The Chicago Tribune stating that he wants his old band back. Badly.

Now Chicagoist was going to review his new disc today (we find it refreshing even if it does drag a bit from time to time, but overall it’s a step in the right direction for a man so obviously obsessed with Depeche Mode and the Cure...that is to say, his past) but in light of Corgan’s recent bout of "honesty" we just can’t bring ourselves to do it.

We admire Corgan’s work ethic. Heck, we even admire Corgan’s recent string of, um, nakedly honest statements. However we find it difficult to expect anyone to read and actually digest any basic music criticism when all this hoopla is surrounding and obscuring the actual work. Kind of like that whole Tom Cruise thing…only taller and balder.

UPDATE: Billy will be at the Adler Planetarium tonight from 6:30 until 10:30 to celebrate the summer solstice and admission is free to anyone who buys his album. He may be batshit but at least he knows how to keep the fans happy.