Smashing Pumpkins: Billy Corgan To Announce New Album Details At SXSW

Smashing Pumpkins main man Billy Corgan is no stranger to dramatic, unorthodox ways to get his music out, and Corgan is reminding fans of that fact this week with an announcement that he will use next week’s South by Southwest as a catalyst to announce the group’s latest album, "Oceania". Moreover, Corgan says the new album will be a "full online experience".

"Our aim is to turn the 'social' into a new way to experience an album," Corgan told Mashable. "By taking the medium one step further we will create an experience with 'Oceania' online and off-line that transcends the single and the single mentality in all ways."

Corgan says he’ll drop details about his vision for the album, as well as the official release date, at a session moderated by Altimeter Group Principal Brian Solis. The Pumpkins, he asserted, hope to "[bring] back the album experience through fan engagement in a whole new way with 'Oceania'." He also said that the group are, "Working closely with Superfans as gatekeepers to help interaction on a fan-to fan level by promoting their Smashing Pumpkins related blogs and enlisting their help in maintaining a few official Smashing Pumpkins social media sites."

"The concept that we’re not releasing this record like normal at all," added Corgan’s publicist. "The key is that when we release the record, we’re not going to release single a viral video. You’re going to take the record a have a full online experience with it."

Thanks for the report to Anne Erickson, Gibson.com.

Comments

[SIEGE312]

Intrigued.

[Fred Bob]

The success of this album will be down on the impact that the songs make... Bjork's interactive album didnt take off because listening to an album ignites your imagination or takes you to a different place... you dont need a computer to interact with it... When ever I hear about these albums I think of the 90's Iron Maiden album Virtual XI album/ CD ROM...

[alestorm666]

To be honest i'm looking forward to the CD release more.

[iommi600]

Smashing Pumpkins, hm... I really like "Siamese Dream" and "Gish", but never had interest of listening their newest records... might be checking this one out, as soon as it gets released.

[alestorm666]

iommi600 wrote:

Smashing Pumpkins, hm... I really like "Siamese Dream" and "Gish", but never had interest of listening their newest records... might be checking this one out, as soon as it gets released.

You should check out 'Mellon Collie' and 'Machina' as well. 2 brilliant records.

[Motorhed95]

By taking the medium one step further we will create an experience with 'Oceania' online and off-line that transcends the single and the single mentality in all ways.

This not just sound like a bunch of words, or is it just me?

[Elderer]

alestorm666 wrote:

iommi600 wrote:

Smashing Pumpkins, hm... I really like "Siamese Dream" and "Gish", but never had interest of listening their newest records... might be checking this one out, as soon as it gets released.

You should check out 'Mellon Collie' and 'Machina' as well. 2 brilliant records.

If anything Mellon Collie is one of the best albums of 90s.Id go as far as to say that its a-must for everyone.

Looking forward to this.But still I want my vinyl.

[rhs5110]

Billy corgan needs to seriously stop with all this social media crap and just needs to concentrate on making some good music like back in the day I don't know what happened to this guy but he used to be so creative now he's like every other artist trying to invent a new way to eat the crap he comes out with

[darkwolf291]

rhs5110 wrote:

Billy corgan needs to seriously stop with all this social media crap and just needs to concentrate on making some good music like back in the day I don't know what happened to this guy but he used to be so creative now he's like every other artist trying to invent a new way to eat the crap he comes out with

Not to mention he is a despicable human being

[goochmaster15]

Billy Corgan looks like Voldemort with a nose.

[crazysam23_Atax]

Elderer wrote:

alestorm666 wrote:

iommi600 wrote:

Smashing Pumpkins, hm... I really like "Siamese Dream" and "Gish", but never had interest of listening their newest records... might be checking this one out, as soon as it gets released.

You should check out 'Mellon Collie' and 'Machina' as well. 2 brilliant records.

If anything Mellon Collie is one of the best albums of 90s.Id go as far as to say that its a-must for everyone.

I actually didn't like Mellon Collie as much.

I'm looking forward to this.

[Hetfield47]

I would love to hear this CD. I hope they have some song constructs like the song Zero has. Love this band and admire Billy's no quit attitude!

[pinheadslts75]

The fan involvement:

He's gonna ask them to build guitar pedals for him, and then he'll slander them on Twitter while making death threats over private messages.

[khakiapple]

Hetfield47 wrote:

I would love to hear this CD. I hope they have some song constructs like the song Zero has. Love this band and admire Billy's no quit attitude!

you are either a troll or have not been paying attention to corgan for the last few years. if you don't hate him now, wait until he tells you you're a dipshit fanboy for not fully liking this transmedia album experience. because it will happen.

[BradTheBluefish]

People listen to your stuff, it's just that nobody pays to listen to it.

[kurtshapedbox]

"Corgan says he’ll drop acid, details about his vision for the album, as well as the official release date, at a session moderated by Altimeter Group Principal Brian Solis."

[hugh20]

[quote]Fred Bob wrote:Bjork's interactive album didnt take off because listening to an album ignites your imagination or takes you to a different place.../quote]
That album did really well, and had some amazing music on it. It's not a very good example. But of course the quality dictates how well it will do.

[Alice2Mudgarden]

Billy Corgan: Billy Corgan to announce new Billy Corgan album at SXSW. (He's such an innovator releasing on the internet OoOoOoOoOoO! No one's done that!)

[iommi600]

alestorm666 wrote:

iommi600 wrote:

Smashing Pumpkins, hm... I really like "Siamese Dream" and "Gish", but never had interest of listening their newest records... might be checking this one out, as soon as it gets released.

You should check out 'Mellon Collie' and 'Machina' as well. 2 brilliant records.

Yeah, I forgot to mention, MCatIS is pretty good, too. I'll check out 'Machina', thanks

[Sundb3rg]

When I read the comments, it almost feels like im the only one who really loves Adore. Also, I have really big hopes for this album and i hope he will use that dreamy distortion he used on Siamese Dream on this record.

[Maestro1600]

Alice2Mudgarden wrote:

Billy Corgan: Billy Corgan to announce new Billy Corgan album at SXSW. (He's such an innovator releasing on the internet OoOoOoOoOoO! No one's done that!)

You're absolutely right. He should invent a new format or not bother with a new album at all. Same goes for everyone else.
What exactly are you expecting? I mean, I know he's pretty up himself, but at least give him a chance and see if there will be anything interesting alongside the music. Maybe there will be, maybe there won't be, lets wait and see, eh?

[conor-figgy]

Teargarden by Kaleidyscope take two?

[Here_is_no_why]

Alice2Mudgarden wrote:

Billy Corgan: Billy Corgan to announce new Billy Corgan album at SXSW. (He's such an innovator releasing on the internet OoOoOoOoOoO! No one's done that!)

The Smashing Pumpkins gave an album to their fans to distribute online for free in 2000. You're right, it's been done.

[salazar]

for all those people who have heard his latest music since a song for a son, you might feel like me.. I will buy the album, but if it is what ive been hearing the past couple years, then the smashing pumpkins will be dead to me. their first 3 albums were excellent, then they had some good stuff here and there but now i have lost almost all hope. Hoping for something good

[Steinzilla]

My philosophy on the Pumpkins is pretty easy. No Iha=No interest in the Pumpkins. Not that he was some phenomenal musician but I haven't like anything Billy has done since.

[Like I Is]

As a dedicated Pumpkinhead, I'm excited for this new material. But casual listeners need to understand that he has moved past the Siamese Dream and Mellon Collie sound. The man is almost 45, no longer angry at the world, can't reach those screams or falsettos of yore, and is surrounded by a new group of fresh faces.

It's going to sound different, and he knows that. This entire Oceania experience is either going to be a watershed moment or a humiliating failure, of which I'm pretty sure they won't be able to reconcile. The stakes are pretty high.

And for the people who have been complaining incessantly about the departure of the original members, you need to understand that Iha and Wretzky had very little influence on sound or quality of the band (with the exception of Jimmy Chamberlin)as a whole. Their chemistry was volatile. All the fans have those fond memories of the original lineup, but the Pumpkins have always been the Billy Corgan Show.

However, I couldn't care less about "online experiences" or whatever. Just hand me the CD and let me blast it.

[KerNeL_KLuTcH]

goochmaster15 wrote:

Billy Corgan looks like Voldemort with a nose.

nah that's joe satriani

[NakedInTheRain]

darkwolf291 wrote:
Not to mention he is a despicable human being

this. i love old pumpkins, but their new stuff and what happened with him and devi ever has really put me off anything he releases now.

[zmark12]

Sundb3rg wrote:

When I read the comments, it almost feels like im the only one who really loves Adore. Also, I have really big hopes for this album and i hope he will use that dreamy distortion he used on Siamese Dream on this record.

Adore is my favorite pumpkins record!!

[hyper5]

My ears are still bleeding from Zeitgeist. Hopefully this isnt a massive pile of shit.

[sinterpol]

Machina was/is very underrated in my opinion. This coming from not a huge SP fan.

[Pumpkinsfan88]

I wouldn't mind some type of hybrid sound. New AND old if you will. I hope they don't get a away from the "psychedelic" aspect that many of their songs have had. That sound is what has always attracted me to their music. His voice in combination with the electric guitar(s)(sad sounding or happy sounding) is auditorily pleasing and there's nothing else quite like it.