Click here to listen   We are on Twitter! Get your Rock History Book headlines on our Twitter page! Click Here. Top Stories   Van Halen In the Studio with Producer John Shanks January 25, 2011 – The new Van Halen album is on. The band is in the studio with producer John Shanks to record their first full album with original lead singer David Lee Roth since 1984, released the same year. MORE The Day John Bonham Almost Kicked Sting's Ass January 25, 2011 – Jason Bonham has interesting memories of his dad going backstage and meeting Sting. When the younger Bonham was 13 he convinced his dad to meet the Police. He told Spinner.com, the whole thing happened at a show promoting the band's second album “Reggatta de Blanc” MORE Don Henley Working On Country Covers Album January 24, 2011 – Don Henley is working on, only, his fourth solo album since 1982. The Eagles lead singer is in Nashville with producer/drummer Stan Lynch from Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers fame. MORE Elton John Frustrated with Slow Movement in Gay Rights January 24, 2011 – Elton John is not too happy with how gay rights is moving especially with California's gay marriage ban. The 63-year-old singer says, "In this country, we need more dialogue, We don't need any more stone throwing. We don't need any more vitriol. We need people to say, 'OK. I'm straight. You're gay. Let's get along. I'm Republican. You're Democratic. Let's work together.' I'm sick and tired of people being hateful to each other in this country." MORE Aerosmith Working on New Album Despite American Idol January 23, 2011 – Aerosmith's Tom Hamilton just gave the world an update on the band's new album. The guitarist claims that all members, it seems including Steven Tyler who is busy with American Idol, have some time right now to start working on their latest project. Here is what he told AeroForceOne MORE Clint Eastwood Suffers Blow To The Head and Joins Forces with Beyonce January 22, 2011 – What the hell is Clint Eastwood thinking? The famous actor and director is trying to land the rights to “A Star is Born" and have Beyonce star as the lead. Expect lots of close-ups of the long-legged wonder. Is this the best Clint could do...really? MORE Paul Simon Set to Release “So Beautiful or So What” In April January 22, 2011 – Paul Simon says he's gone back to recording music much like he did in the early seventies by just sitting down with a guitar and seeing what happens. The new project, due in April, “So Beautiful or So What” MORE Despite Facelift American Idol Loses 13%+ of Its Viewers January 21, 2010 – American Idol is not the king it once was. Even though 26.1 million viewers watched Wednesday’s 10th season premiere it was still down 13% from last years opening show. Last night’s New Orleans episode was a bigger drop with the show losing 18% in the key demo 18-49. MORE Robert Plant Reminds Us That Led Zeppelin is Dead January 21, 2011 – A Led Zeppelin reunion sounds like a great idea until you talk to Robert Plant. The singer told Rolling Stones magazine that the famous O2 show in London in 2007 was amazing but “The preparations for it were fraught and intense, but the last rehearsal was really, really good, for all that it represented and all that we were trying to capture,” says Plant. MORE     Get More Music News About Us Volunteer with Us Check out Our Sister site below Join our Facebook Group and get on our mailing list. Here   Custom Search
Billy Corgan Talks about his Lone Existence in Smashing Pumpkins July 14, 2009 – Billy Corgan is blogging again, this time to explain why he is the only original member of Smashing Pumpkins left. “The idea of identity is a strange one to tackle, For many years, I treated the idea of the band named The Smashing Pumpkins as an existential concept that existed away from my being and body. It was sort of 'over there', if you will. Jimmy leaving in 1996 made me deal quite heavily with the concept of loyalty to the 2 members who were left (James and D'arcy) as our relationships at that time were quickly drifting apart. And so on, and so forth, thru the different people coming and going. In the center of any of it has been for me, speaking personally, my music. Yes, MY music. The music that came out of this being and body. I've called the umbrella the songs came out under different names but to me I guess there really wasn't a whole lot of difference. As they say, a song is a song.” Corgan says he loves things in the band now, even though it’s not a band.. “I've never been happier about being in SP, or a part of SP, than I am now. The music I am making sounds like The Smashing Pumpkins. It doesn't sound like solo work, I can assure you of that. …Its been a long journey to get back to where I started. There have been many sad days along the road, but honestly, these are really happy days. I will never say to you what people say to me all the time, which is that 'I am the band'. I am not 'the band', I am just the leader of the band. I only want people around me who respect me and my music. I think that is a healthy thing to want, and is consistent with the ideas of holistic living. What would you say about me if I worked with people who didn't care about me or my music? Isn't that a form of selling out? Love always from one of my 701 personalities, BC!”  - by John Beaudin Billy Corgan Is Having a Good Time at the Top – Alone     April 17, 2009 – Smashing Pumpkins lone member Billy Corgan says he wants to take the band, or his music, in a whole new direction but he doesn’t want to rush things, , “I've made many, many mistakes through the years, and one of them is that I often rush headlong into my next album without really taking the time to reflect on what I've just done and test my resolve a little on where I'm going,” says Corgan. “One small detail that I think was beneficial to the band in the early years was we practiced a lot.” On the official Smashing Pumpkins site Corgan said in the early days of the band they practiced “30+ hours, which may not sound like a lot but at high volume this was very fatiguing, and of course exciting too.” That’s not to say the new Pumpkins album is not well on its way, Corgan is still on the job. “Right now we are just focused on about 5 or 6 songs, using them to try out some new feels to try to find a consistent foundation upon which to build this large multimedia project I have in mind. 44 seems to be the magic #, so let's say I'm shooting for 44 songs on this one. I'll get to how I plan to release them later. Because the work will be conceptual in nature planning it all out also I think will help keep me from losing my way in the evil forest.” As for why he is continuing the band as the last man standing, Corgan says, “The simple answer is that when I decided to write and record again under the name The Smashing Pumpkins in 2005, I committed myself 100 pct. 100pct of my mind-body-soul to come back and make the band really be great again, and I feel in tune to SP in a way I haven't felt in tune probably since 1995 or 1996. As they say in No Limit Poker, I'm 'all in'. I'm not going to back out of the challenge in front of me now. I'm absolutely exhilarated by what I see and feel the future to be for SP. There is a difference in how I think and approach a body of work for the Pumpkins then say I would as a solo artist or under any other name. Being the near lone songwriter for the Pumpkins has always made me want to put all the diverse harmonic fragments in my mind together, and it has been an incredible musical journey so far to keep trying to match up to the size of that idea. I truly am not focused on where I've been now as much as where I am going, and I haven't felt that way for a very long time.” – by Chas Dordie Jimmy Chamberlin Explains his Exit from Smashing Pumpkins     March 26, 2009 – So why did Jimmy Chamberlin leave Smashing Pumkins? The longtime drummer for the band has finally spoken out about his exit. Simply put, he wasn’t into the current sound of the group. Here is what Chamberlin said, “By now you have heard the news of my departure from The Smashing Pumpkins, I will say, without going into any unnecessary details that this represents a positive move forward for me. I can no longer commit all of my energy into something that I don't fully possess. I won't pretend I'm into something I'm not. I won't do it to myself, you the fan, or my former partner. I can't just, 'Cash the check' so to speak." On his blog Chamberlin said, "No drama" or "bad blood" "I can't just, 'Cash the check' so to speak" "There is no drama, bad blood, or anything else but a full commitment to music, My best goes out to Billy and I'm glad he has chosen to continue under the name. It is his right. I will continue to make music with the Jimmy Chamberlin Complex as well as pursuing other musical interests. I feel that I have a long way to go and a lot to give." "Thanks to everyone for your kind words and support through all of this. I am constantly humbled by all of you! It is an honor and a privilege to play music for a living and I don't take it for granted not even for a second. Stay tuned……. JC" Chamberlin has been with the Smashing Pumpkins sine 1988 and has hit the skins on every album except ‘Adore.’ It’s important to note that Chamberlin has left the band before, or rather, he was kicked out in 1996 after a heroin overdose. – by John Beaudin And Then There Was One. Billy Corgan Lone-Squash In Smashing Pumpkins    March 23, 2009 – Billy Corgan might want to take out the “S” at the end of Smashing Pumpkins now that he’s the last Squash-man standing in the band. Corgan announced on the Pumpkins website on Sunday that drummer, Jimmy Chamberlin was gone and no reason was given for his exit. The message said, "Corgan will continue to write and record as Smashing Pumpkins with plans to head into the studio this spring." Chamberlin has been with the Smashing Pumpkins sine 1988 and has hit the skins on every album except ‘Adore.’ It’s important to note that Chamberlin has left the band before, or rather, he was kicked out in 1996 after a heroin overdose. In 2005 he was asked to come back when the band tried to reunite. Unfortunately guitarist James Iha and bassist D’arcy Wretzky wanted no part in the reunion tour or the album ‘Zeitgeist’ from 2007. – by John Beaudin Billy Corgan Fights with Fan at Smashing Pumpkin Show Nov 14, 2008 – Isn’t the name of the new Smashing Pumpkins DVD, ‘If All Goes Wrong?’ It did in New York City on Nov 7th. Turns out the Smashing Pumpkins' 20th Anniversary tour isn’t going well according to some hecklers. The band is trying a more experimental approach with longer more unknown tunes including some Pink Floyd covers but one heckler had decided that he had enough. Billy Corgan, amazingly invited the heckler onstage and he rose to the occasion, "Last night's show fucking sucked, man!" yelled the young man. Corgan, to his credit stayed calm and asked the man if he wanted his money back. As the heckler was escorted off stage Corgan yelled into the mic, "By the way, I liked that song you wrote. I heard it was Number 1. Wasn't it Number 1 in Europe? It's called ‘Take Your Dick Out Of My Ass And Stick It In My Mouth’."  Ouch!  Watch the video below – by Kari Graham Randy Meisner Former Eagles member Randy Meisner tells the truth about his old band //See more Let us Make Sure Everyone Who Visits this Site Knows Who You Are! - Advertise with us. We build the Banners for free and we'll spread you on every page of this site. Contact us now. Retro Review: Linda Ronstadt - The Very Best of -Sept. 24, 2002 - In high school my best buddy John Scott could never understand how I, a rocker, preferred Barbra Streisand over Linda Ronstadt. //See more Retro Review: Bruce Hornsby - Spirit Trail- Oct. 16, 1998 - No one could ever accuse Hornsby of not paying attention. Every lyric on 'Spirit Trail,' his sixth album, describes his unquenchable thirst to understand what were all doing here. //See more