“I think trying to resurrect the name Smashing Pumpkins ………its all a bit corporate for me.” says Trent Reznor in NME about the Smashing Pumpkins’ reunion.
It’s an interesting statement. Billy Corgan has put out some very cool, critically acclaimed albums with Zwan and his solo record, The Future Embrace, but they didn’t quite have the success of the Smashing Pumpkins. The new Smashing Pumpkins album is also a really excellent album, but it could have easily been a Billy Corgan album, since he is the band’s songwriter. With Zeitgeist he proved he doesn’t need the other Pumpkins to make a Pumpkins album. Jimmy Chamberlain, the only other Pumpkin involved in this “reunion,” had already proven to to not be instrumental to the band’s sound, when he was fired in 1996, and wasn’t part of the Adore and Machina recordings.
So, why call this a reunion when the long-term, core members aren’t part of it? I would have to agree with Trent Reznor, and speculate that the Smashing Pumpkins are resurrected because Corgan’s name alone can’t sell records. Billy Corgan is an excellent songwriter, creative musician and a visionary (take that Jack White). It’s a shame that he had to bring back the Smashing Pumpking to sell records.
Go to iTunes and get your self some of Billy’s music!
Smashing Pumpkins on 
Zwan on