Billy Corgan went live on his Substack May 19 to tell fans that Smashing Pumpkins recently recorded their first song with producer Butch Vig since the Siamese Dream sessions over 33 years ago.
“We’ve just recorded one song,” Corgan said. “It’s for a specific purpose, which I can’t give that part out … I haven’t come up with a title yet, honestly. The plan is the song will be released this year. I can’t say exactly when. There’s reasons for that … The song is really cool. It’s basically done recording. I’d say there’s a couple little things left. I’d say it’s 98 percent done.”
Appearing on camera alongside his 10-year-old son Augustus Juppiter, Corgan spent the few minutes teasing something mysterious. “This is a 10 out of 10 announcement,” he said. “If this isn’t a 10 out of 10 announcement, I don’t know what is. This may be an 11 out of 10 announcement. This news isn’t anywhere. You’re hearing this first. What would you say if I told you that the Smashing Pumpkins had been in the studio again recording? I know that’s not a 10 out of 10. This would be our first recording since Aghori [Mhori Mei]. I say that’s a solid eight. Me being in the studio is meaningless since I’m always in the studio.”
Vig was behind the board when the Pumpkins recorded their 1991 debut LP Gish, and the 1993 followup Siamese Dream. Between those two releases, he produced Nirvana’s Nevermind. “We were in the studio the day that he got the call to do Nevermind,” Corgan told Rolling Stone in 2021. “I was literally in the next room. I could hear him talking. He came in and said, ‘I’ve been offered this job.’ We were there as all these things were happening not only for us, but for the scene in general, and then Butch by extension. It’s one thing to look back at history and go, ‘Oh, how fantastic.’ But at the time, it was very insecure. None of us were guaranteed anything.”
Earlier this week, the Pumpkins announced plans for a North American arena tour that’ll spotlight their 1995 double LP Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. The first half of the show will focus entirely on Mellon Collie songs in a “highly theatrical setting,” and the second set will spotlight songs from their other albums.
“I presume we’re going to play some Siamese Dream for all you Siamese Zombies,” Corgan said in the Substack video. “I think it’s pretty cool. It’s a full circle week for us. It’s in the stars. Pretty good week in Pumpkin Land.”
Augustus Juppiter was a bright, spirited presence throughout the announcement video, occasionally adding things like “Jimmy Chamberlin always leaves the car door open.”
The current lineup of the Pumpkins features Corgan, Chamberlin, guitarists James Iha and Kiki Wong, and bassist Jack Bates. They played a small hall show May 17 at the Legion Theater in Los Angeles that was heavy on Mellon Collie songs, including the first live performance of “Here Is No Why” since 1997. They’re talking the stage against July 31 at Lollapalooza in Chicago. The Mellon Collie tour kicks off Sept. 30 in Columbus, Ohio.
