May - 2014

THE PANOPTICON

DRUMMMMSSSS/SP ALBUM UPDATE

DRUMMMMSSSS/SP ALBUM UPDATE

A quick update from sunny Los Angeles: visa vie the Herculean efforts of one T Lee, drum tracking on 3 songs has been traversed; with ANAISE (pts 1 + 2), MONUMENTS, and ANTI-HERO now all in the fold, and TIBERIUS on deck. And though the art of this sort of recording leaves little to report on (“let’s try that one again, if you please”), I can attest to a number of smashed heads and imploding snares, unlike anything this reporter has ever seen. This includes the fracture of un

CALLING THE STARCHILD IN ALL OF US / SP ALBUM UPDATE

CALLING THE STARCHILD IN ALL OF US / SP ALBUM UPDATE

No, that is not 3 men sitting around a tribal fire. That would be a snare destroyed by T Lee, the lugs literally disemboweling from within. Sounds like the true definition of heavy drum vibes, no? I’ve found by experience that when true rockers play, things melt, splinter, shatter; and people cry. Oh yeah: and poseurs perish. So what are we really doing? Technically speaking, tracking drums against the last of the demos, and which when done will be re-adorned with: guitars, b

ROCK AND ROLL TEA TIME!

It's that time again kids!! Smashing drums, guitars, faces,eardrums, Pumpkins and hearts! @SmashingP

BLIZZARD KINGS OF OZ / SP ALBUM UPDATE

BLIZZARD KINGS OF OZ / SP ALBUM UPDATE

Well folks, it's that time: LA, drums a'fire, the Sunset Strip. "I am the lizard king!" Sang the rest. Now it's up to the rock gods to provide favour. Are you ready? We are. 4 months of pre-production, a year and a half in ideas and cast-offs. Beginning or the end? A new era of the same 'ol strange? For one I'm stoked like a fatalist. The other half of my day was in transfer of the flawed 'Musique Concrete' performance (more on that later). Looked for baby deer too; little th

A DOE, A DEER IN THE DRIVE / SP ALBUM UPDATE

A DOE, A DEER IN THE DRIVE / SP ALBUM UPDATE

I begin this post with events of today, which featured what I thought for a moment was a dead baby deer; so inert was this poor creature in the drive. Calling 911 I was told to call 411: “We don’t handle animal emergencies. Click.” And just as the right number was sought the babe staggered to his feet and made his way meekly to the forest. So against that I have no transition; work irrelevant against those small windows of humanity where we mustn’t consider the consequences o

DANCING WITH THE STAIRWAY TO THE HEAVENS / SP ALBUM UPDATE

Gosh, I wish I had something more interesting to report than ‘did the same thing today as yesterday.’ But it’s true! Hence you might see that making an album is a bit like that groundhog day concept: die, repeat, die, repeat, pro tool. Reportage-wise the tracks are a blur now, as I’ve laced them all with guitars and the occasional non-techno synth (SP joke alert). “Hey Bill, did anything funny happen today?” Bill: “Sure. Jeff and I suggested Howard would be happier if he had

CHICAGO TRIBUNE: Billy Corgan featured on PAWS cover with his cats

MACHINA REISSUE UPDATE

MACHINA REISSUE UPDATE

Looking forward to the eventual reissue of a restored and recompiled MACHINA, work has begun on transfers from the original 24 track tapes, as well as a host of select live shows. The effort will be unprecedented for Smashing Pumpkins et al, as Billy Corgan has indicated plans to put the album not only in it’s original and intended double/triple album sequence, but has designs on commissioning new remixes of all materials as well. The intention he says is clear: to present MA

THUNDERBIRD / SP ALBUM UPDATE

THUNDERBIRD / SP ALBUM UPDATE

Lots of bassin’ today, as all 9 tracks were covered, and then a continued trawl back through (in the same order) with rhythm guitar. So not much to report other than it’s a bit of an assembly line. The exciting part is within essentially 2 weeks time we’ll have everything set to go: lyrics, arrangements, drums, most guitar parts with only overdubs to write (visa vie guitars and keys). This means we’re essentially on point to be finished with recording on schedule; a rarity! B

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