The Smashing Pumpkins-Teargarden By Kaleidyscope updates

Hugh Freaking Dillon

I would say in the face of the obliteration of the business model of the music industry we've known for decades, he's actually a visionary. he doesn't care about money, he just wants his music to be heard. most people hear one single on the radio and buy the one single off iTunes and dismiss the rest of the album. it's a singles market now. and he's giving them away for free in hopes that people who would normally not bother will give it a listen and maybe come to a show. I say he's right up there with Radiohead and Trent Reznor with running with the evolution of the industry and coming up with new ways to get your music heard.

Kilgore_Trout wrote:

Bushleaguer28 wrote:

I thought Song for A Son was great. Since then . . . meh

same

not even a fan of the whole one song at a time concept... how do you go from sprawling ALBUMS like mellon collie and siamese dream to this single-centric nonsense??

great for impatient fan boys... terrible for people that still believe in the sanctity of the album as a whole body of work

and without that kind of focus i think billy is floundering a bit

Kilgore_Trout

Paul David wrote:

I would say in the face of the obliteration of the business model of the music industry we've known for decades, he's actually a visionary. he doesn't care about money, he just wants his music to be heard. most people hear one single on the radio and buy the one single off iTunes and dismiss the rest of the album. it's a singles market now. and he's giving them away for free in hopes that people who would normally not bother will give it a listen and maybe come to a show. I say he's right up there with Radiohead and Trent Reznor with running with the evolution of the industry and coming up with new ways to get your music heard.

definitely wouldn't put him in the same category as NIN and radiohead

i havent really heard any positive buzz surrounding teargarden... or any buzz at all... theres too much time between singles... the songs are pretty disappointing... and all over the place thematically...

its just got kindof a defeated attitude to it IMO... whereas NIN and radiohead genuinely seemed to be starting something new... maybe its just billy's attitude that makes it seem whiney... "no ones buying music anymore... shame on my fans... maybe my musics not worth buying... BOO HOO"

Kilgore_Trout

also... BULLSHIT to the singles mentality

legitimate music fans are still interested in complete albums

lets stop pandering to the itunes generation and mentality... thats more of a pop music thing anyway

Hugh Freaking Dillon

it USED to be. the legitimate fan is slowly becoming extinct. why not put him in the same category as NIN or RH? He's trying something compltely different, very risky, etc. Maybe you don't like the music (I'm not a huge fan of it so far either), but you have to admit, it's quite creative.

Kilgore_Trout wrote:

also... BULLSHIT to the singles mentality

legitimate music fans are still interested in complete albums

lets stop pandering to the itunes generation and mentality... thats more of a pop music thing anyway

Hugh Freaking Dillon

that's just it. people dismiss him because they don't like his personality. if Trent did it this way he'd be a fucking genius. BC does it and he's a whiny bitch.

Kilgore_Trout wrote:

Paul David wrote:

I would say in the face of the obliteration of the business model of the music industry we've known for decades, he's actually a visionary. he doesn't care about money, he just wants his music to be heard. most people hear one single on the radio and buy the one single off iTunes and dismiss the rest of the album. it's a singles market now. and he's giving them away for free in hopes that people who would normally not bother will give it a listen and maybe come to a show. I say he's right up there with Radiohead and Trent Reznor with running with the evolution of the industry and coming up with new ways to get your music heard.

definitely wouldn't put him in the same category as NIN and radiohead

i havent really heard any positive buzz surrounding teargarden... or any buzz at all... theres too much time between singles... the songs are pretty disappointing... and all over the place thematically...

its just got kindof a defeated attitude to it IMO... whereas NIN and radiohead genuinely seemed to be starting something new... maybe its just billy's attitude that makes it seem whiney... "no ones buying music anymore... shame on my fans... maybe my musics not worth buying... BOO HOO"

2-feign-reluctance

Paul David wrote:

that's just it. people dismiss him because they don't like his personality. if Trent did it this way he'd be a fucking genius. BC does it and he's a whiny bitch.

Kilgore_Trout wrote:

Paul David wrote:

I would say in the face of the obliteration of the business model of the music industry we've known for decades, he's actually a visionary. he doesn't care about money, he just wants his music to be heard. most people hear one single on the radio and buy the one single off iTunes and dismiss the rest of the album. it's a singles market now. and he's giving them away for free in hopes that people who would normally not bother will give it a listen and maybe come to a show. I say he's right up there with Radiohead and Trent Reznor with running with the evolution of the industry and coming up with new ways to get your music heard.

definitely wouldn't put him in the same category as NIN and radiohead

i havent really heard any positive buzz surrounding teargarden... or any buzz at all... theres too much time between singles... the songs are pretty disappointing... and all over the place thematically...

its just got kindof a defeated attitude to it IMO... whereas NIN and radiohead genuinely seemed to be starting something new... maybe its just billy's attitude that makes it seem whiney... "no ones buying music anymore... shame on my fans... maybe my musics not worth buying... BOO HOO"

I agree with both of your points. BC is flesh and blood and as imperfect as anybody, and as is the business he's navigating. I am thankful that one of my favorite artists is still doing music, even if I have to wait through whatever.

Hugh Freaking Dillon

update:

THE SMASHING PUMPKINS will release "Teargarden By Kaleidyscope Vol. II: The Solstice Bare" on November 23 via Martha's Music/Rocket Science Ventures. This physical-only four-song EP is a limited-edition, beautifully packaged CD and deluxe 12-inch vinyl picture disc with the four songs — "The Fellowship", "Freak", "Tom Tom" and "Spangled" as well as an unreleased B-side track, "Cottonwood Symphony". The lid covering the 12-inch box is a metallic/foil wallpaper motif, with a 1970s design by The Flavor Paper Co. As with the band's EP "Teargarden By Kaleidyscope Vol. 1: Songs For A Sailor", which was released in May of this year, quantities are limited worldwide.

"Teargarden By Kaleidyscope Vol. II: The Solstice Bare" marks the second EP to emerge from the band's in-progress 44-song project "Teargarden By Kaleidyscope", from which songs are being released online, one at a time for free (with four-song physical EPs being issued along the way). Thus far, two singles have been released from "Vol. II: The Solstice Bare". The first single, "Freak", is quickly ascending the U.S. Alternative radio charts. With a cumulative audience of over 20 million, "Freak" is receiving national airplay at the biggest Alternative rock stations in the country. And the second release, "Spangled" — described by mainman Billy Corgan quite simply as "just a pretty song" — is also earning critical attention.

Hugh Freaking Dillon

just ordered The Solstice Bare through my local indie shop. can't wait!

Hugh Freaking Dillon

anyone else get the new second volume? I really dig it, and the bonus track on the record is good.

prytocorduroy

my interest in the pumpkins has severely declined over the years. i still hang on in vain because of the potential that was present over a decade ago.

DaveyG

Paul David wrote:

anyone else get the new second volume? I really dig it, and the bonus track on the record is good.

I really, really, really, like Tom Tom. I like Freak too, The Fellowship isn't bad, but Spangled is one of the most cringe-worthy pieces of music I've heard in while.

Hugh Freaking Dillon

posted on Facebook today:

The Smashing Pumpkins
Going to have a long announcement soon (probably a long post from yours truly) about a directional change on Teargarden releases. BC

Shouldn't those initials read WC?

12345AGNST1

OP should rename thread "billy corgan to release solo album, and his name is still billy, not william."

Kilgore_Trout

Paul David wrote:

posted on Facebook today:

The Smashing Pumpkins
Going to have a long announcement soon (probably a long post from yours truly) about a directional change on Teargarden releases. BC

Shouldn't those initials read WC?

i hope the new direction is songs that dont suck

Back_Pedal

I hope the new direction is more than one song every few months, so at least if they suck we don't have to wait as long to be disappointed.

thebrig

Back_Pedal wrote:

I hope the new direction is more than one song every few months, so at least if they suck we don't have to wait as long to be disappointed.

Agreed. I feel like this has been a long, slow downward spiral. I'd like to see a standalone album, rather than a smattering of EP's that seem really disjointed.

Hugh Freaking Dillon

but the whole premise of this idea was so that people would have time to actually digest each song, rather than just play the single on their iTunes playlist over and over. That was his main complaint with the cd format in a singles-driven music industry. you can buy one song off iTunes and forget the rest. Why even bother recording a whole cd if no one's going to listen to it?

I think what he's doing is awesome, but my guess is it's not capturing the imagination of fans like he thought it would. I think he should stick with it, unless it's no longer financially viable. Maybe people just aren't buying the deluxe sets like he thought. I bought both. I'm very happy with both. But I wonder if this "direction change" is going to be a complete redo. I mean, he was releasing a new song about every six weeks or so. That has significantly slowed down recently. Either they can't keep up with the schedule (although, I thought all these songs were already written, just not recorded), or he's disappointed in not being seen as a visionary.

Poor William.

Back_Pedal

That's my complaint. They schedule has slowed down greatly. At first it worked fine, and it was fairly regular, but now it's longer and longer between each song, and the songs simply aren't that powerful to hold us over for such long stretches of time. He's planned 44 songs and in about a year and a half he's released 8 (or is it 9?) songs, so at this rate he'll being doing this for the next five years. Honestly, I'd much rather wait two years and get a whole, cohesive album, than a few sporadic song releases. Especially if he were to package the album similarly to the box sets.

Hugh Freaking Dillon

8 tracks so far (plus the two "bonus tracks" that come on the vinyls).

yeah, I'm guessing this is what he means by a change in direction. Something must be going on.

Hugh Freaking Dillon

been a while since I updated this. I'm wondering if the next two tracks for Volume 3 are now in limbo because of Oceania, or if V3 will be released before then?

Who knows. Billy's MO seems to change on a minute to minute basis. Either way, I'm excited for this album. At least he's constantly putting out/working on music. I just wish the bastard would come to Winnipeg!