Corgan provides details on album reissues, archives 12:51 pm // Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Posted by chris in b-sides, gish, pisces iscariot, siamese dream.trackback
As promised in a tweet last night, Billy Corgan provided a status update on the both the progress of and ideas behind the Archive Project. While he gave a brief mention to the current work being done, which he described as taking ”any materials from 1985-1994 that are relevant to the Gish, Siamese Dream, or Pisces Iscariot albums and get them into a stable, 96k format,” Billy also spent quite a bit of time describing a new potential method for releasing work that isn’t worthy of mainstream commercial treatment.
If I had to make a choice today, it would probably be something along the lines of outline the project, and see who might want to buy in with a guarantee that they are assured a limited edition pressing. We all know the songs will be bootlegged, there is no mystery in that anymore, but I feel that because of what these ideas are, in essence a real peek under the covers of how these albums came together, that there will be enough fans who would want to own a physical copy. Putting them together for digital consumption is easy, but probably not going to excite enough people. I know I get motivated when I think about a 20 album vinyl set of my demos from 1985-1994, even if only 500 fans wanted every one, because it means together we get to make something permanent that requires love, and a cover photo, and some liner notes, etc. In essence it is motivating to share more than just a digital file; to make art.
Corgan also offered some possibilities for reissue bonus material beyond the obvious b-sides:
So for example, for ‘Drown’, we may release an alternate version with has a completely different take of the long end guitar solo, mixed by Butch Vig in 1992. With ‘Starla’, we’ve talked about a completely new Kerry Brown mix 2011 style, with the original mix still being available on the ‘Pisces Iscariot’ record.
Finally, Billy offered another alternative for material that never even saw proper demo treatment:
But I also found on that same tape 2 unknown songs which are half-written, with me kind of faking lyrics as I often do when I’m writing a song. I never had any intention for anyone to ever hear these versions, and in their raw form are probably not release worthy, at least not commercially. But what I might do is ‘finish’ the songs now; record a final version after all these years with me on guitar and voice alone, and provide those half-baked versions on the SP facebook page for everyone to enjoy a lost moment in time.
For those wondering about a timetable, as previously announced the plan is still Christmas of this year for Gish, Siamese Dream, and Pisces Iscariot.
I would love to hear a Kerry Brown SP 2011 studio Starla, and those incomplete songs sound fascinating.
For the unfinished songs, I think it would be interesting for him to release the unfinished demo simultaneously with the finished demo, just to see what kind of stylistic changes he makes after coming back to the song 15+ years later. The idea is intriguingly weird to me, in that we’d be getting in essence SD-era music with 2011 lyrics.
color me stoked
Do not wish to hear any Kerry Brown remixes or new versions of old songs. Just the old full band songs – we have not heard / live shows – as is… Don’t Francis Bacon that shit. So sign-me up; as long as you properly detail what you’re releasing (unlike last time when you detailed the $, but not the goods) … THANKX
Would personally much prefer a finished, produced new song made from old bits than just the old scraps themselves. And, I’m a big fan of Kerry Brown and the directions he pushes things in… namely, psychedelic with a capital P!
And, as Corgan says, the original songs will always be there, so why not spruce things up or reinterpret things?
I mean, not many people are asking this, but why remaster the old albums? SD and Adore, in particular, I would consider ‘reference’ quality recordings in terms of the production, mix, and mastering. The only need for remastering is really updating the sonics for the younger listeners of today who are very unlikely to be listening on a good stereo and very very likely to be listening via earbuds, laptop speakers, or, at best, some okay headphones. The production on Zeitgeist and TbK seems geared towards this new reality, very punchy, compressed, and in-your-face. And, if this is what it takes to expose younger fans to one of the finest back catalogs in rock music, I’m all for it. All us cranky oldsters can listen to our 90s pressed Siamese Dream vinyl and still be blown away by an album that has still yet to be outdone.
^ Adore has some particularly bad moments (due to aggressive mastering) where it clips, so I don’t know about it being a good “reference” quality recording, although I do agree it is overall a nice sounding album.
It’s highly likely they’ll just crunch it up even more on the remaster, tho.
I am infinitely more interested in hearing newly finished versions of those unheard things than the old 8-track scraps with nonsense lyrics…. though the prospect of hearing BOTH, as he’s suggesting is a fantastic idea.
its like crack…i need more sp songs
HU why you gotta put a negative spin on things
jkkkkkkkk
The Machina’s are in serious need of remastering, though, even if some of the other albums aren’t.
Agreed on that point. Especially if you’re mixing the two Machinas together. I would hope that they shoot for a kind of balanced approach… make Machina 1 songs sound more like a real band and less processed, and make Machina 2 more produced and textural. Very excited at the prospect of a real double album there. Though, I should note that I actually am quite happy with the sound of the first Machina, that’s an unpopular view, but I do think the sound is quite unique and fits the overall mood and themes of the music. Just my 2 cents!
so… kerry is going to get a chance to ruin starla… awesome.
i think the idea of releasing both the old brainstorm demo’s and completion of these old songs would be great. I think it would be a real insight into Billy’s songwriting process.. something i’m sure alot of musicians and fans would be fascinated to hear. The incongruity of peace and contentness 2011 billy lyrics on top of pissed of and angsty early 90′s Billy melody and riff’s would be a real kick.
^
Agree. It would be neat to finish the old half written, half recorded demos using both the original recording and new parts, i.e the Beatles “free as a bird”. It would kind of be a pseudo old pumpkins/new pumpkins reunion. This all reminds me a lot of the Beatles Anthology from the 90′s. There were a lot of really good alternate versions of songs on those records…the acoustic “while my guitar gently weeps, slower version of helter skelter. Good stuff.
I’ll be satisfied when I hear the full versions of the obscure songs on Pastichio Medley – most notably Zoom.. Once that is done anything additional will be a bonus..
I’d be into buying a 20 album vinyl set of demos. I’m actually quite looking forward to everything coming out again in vinyl. Not having grown up in the vinyl era, I’ve never had many records. (Mostly my dad’s old Bowie collection *smile*.) I tell you getting into Bowie thru vinyl was the right way to go! So I’ll get the digital stuff for portability and the vinyl to listen to all the details at home, super loud.
I wonder if any of Billy’s The Marked solo stuff will be included with this repackage deal? I’d love to hear “Fade on Violet” from the 85-87 Demos again. It’s probably just Pumpkins stuff tho.
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