Corgan, Pumpkins bring pro musicianship to NBC’s “Tonight Show” 9:48 pm // Thursday, August 23, 2012
Posted by susan in news, television.comments closed
Kirsten Dunst, Chris Matthews, and other rabid fans of Jay Leno looked on earlier this evening as the Smashing Pumpkins, fronted by notable zero Billy Corgan, performed their quasi-single “The Celestials” at a taping of NBC’s “Tonight Show.” HU reader EW was in the audience and has shared his impressions of the event in a comment on another post. The broadcast begins at 11:35pm EDT (less than an hour from this writing), so feel free to discuss in the comments on this post.
UPDATE (8/24): Watch the “Tonight Show” episode here; the Pumpkins perform after the last break.
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Smashing Pumpkins get Thursday “Tonight Show” music slot 9:29 am // Monday, August 20, 2012
Posted by jjb in news, television.comments closed
The Smashing Pumpkins will have a chance to play music from their new album Oceania on network television this week when they appear Thursday on NBC’s “Tonight Show with Jay Leno.”
The Pumpkins haven’t performed on U.S. TV since their last “Tonight Show” appearance in April 2010.
On CNN, Corgan laments absence of “vigorous democracy” 9:31 am // Thursday, June 21, 2012
Posted by apm in billy corgan, interview, television.comments closed
A previously recorded interview of Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan conducted by CNN talker and Salon “Hack List” denizen Piers Morgan was aired last night on the cable network. Below is a full transcript.
Piers Morgan: On next tonight, he’s got strong opinions on American politics, he’s written some of the great rock songs of the 90’s, Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan. He’s not happy with President Obama.
[clip of "Tonight, Tonight" video, commercials, clip of "1979" video]
PM: That’s 1979, a killer song from the Smashing Pumpkins, a band that’s been churning out hits for years selling 30 million albums achieving worldwide fame. Their new album O-Cee-Ana, Oceania, I knew I’d get it wrong.
Billy Corgan: They actually said you’d get it wrong. (more…)
Billy Corgan to make Chicago media rounds Thursday morning 10:08 pm // Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Posted by susan in billy corgan, news, radio, resistance pro, television.comments closed
According to the website of Resistance Pro, the fledgling wrestling promotion for which Billy Corgan serves as creative director, Corgan will be visiting several Chicagoland media outlets tomorrow morning. Via Twitter, the company promises that Corgan will be “talking about all things Resistance Pro!” Presumably, the hosts may also query him about the the Smashing Pumpkins’ current tour–which hits Chicago on Friday–and new alb
um, Oceania.
Corgan is to visit WGN-TV Morning News around 7:50 AM CDT. He’ll then stop by FOX 32′s Morning Show around 9:25 AM. His final guest spot of the morning will be on ESPN Radio, AM 1000 around 10:00 AM. UPDATE (10/13): Listen to Corgan’s appearances on FOX, WGN, and ESPN Radio.
“He’s brand new at this telethon stuff” 2:46 pm // Monday, September 5, 2011
Posted by susan in billy corgan, charity, television.comments closed
Billy Corgan took a break from recording Oceania and stopped by the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s telethon on WGN-TV last night to take pledges from Chicagoland donors. The broadcast was the local Chicago outpost of a national telethon now in its 46th year, and which raised $61.5 million dollars during the six-hour broadcast last night, despite the notable absence of longtime host Jerry Lewis.
In video footage of the event, Corgan recalled watching the telethon in his youth and participating in backyard carnivals to raise money for the organization. Host Dean Richards stated that Corgan asked to be part of the telethon during his recent visit to WGN’s morning show and gave Corgan strong direction to “have a seat, get your headphones on, get to work.” The Chicago effort raised around $1.7 million locally. This morning, Corgan tweeted that “the telethon has inspired me to find more compassion and charity in my life.”
Video: Fox TV’s opening credits, theme song for “Chicago Code” 3:17 pm // Monday, February 14, 2011
Posted by jjb in billy corgan, news, television, video.comments closed
Watch the titles roll by as Billy Corgan sings a tune composed by Robert Duncan. This version of the credits will air for the first time tonight, at the 8pm CT start of the new series’ second episode.
Corgan to sing theme song for Fox TV cop drama 5:44 pm // Thursday, February 3, 2011
Posted by apm in billy corgan, news, television.comments closed
A lead vocal from Billy Corgan will grace the theme song of Fox Broadcasting’s new television drama “The Chicago Code.” The theme is written and otherwise performed by Robert Duncan.
The first episode of the TV series — airing Monday at 9pm ET — will probably be promoted throughout Fox’s telecast of Super Bowl XLV.
UPDATE: Further tweets from series creator Shawn Ryan reveal the theme song will not be heard until the second episode on February 14 because of the extended length of the first episode (90 seconds longer than normal). Also, future episodes will incorporate Smashing Pumpkins songs, in particular, “A Song for a Son” will close Episode 7.
Wrestling news site: Corgan “transcends” as cultural ambassador 8:14 pm // Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Posted by jjb in billy corgan, criticism, interview, live, television, wrestling.comments closed
In a new interview with Mike Johnson of PWInsider.com, Smashing Pumpkins leader Billy Corgan talks about his band’s Mexico City midconcert stunt with wrestlers from la Asistencia Asesoría y Administración and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. Corgan reveals that the skit (or “angle”) was carried out without its details having been shared beforehand with MTV, which was recording the concert for a future telecast:
I was concerned because I didn’t really tell them what we were going to do. If I had told them [TNA wrestler] Hernandez was going to jack me up in the air, I know they would have said no. So, we just went ahead and did it. Afterward, I had to go and meet with all the MTV brass and do a press conference and whatnot. So, you know, you are kind of walking down the hallway going, “OK, here it comes” but they were all, “Oh, we loved it. That was so cool” and everyone was totally happy.
Corgan also gives a defense of professional wrestling as “high art form” and explains his advocacy on its behalf:
I don’t want to say wrestling’s the underdog. Vince McMahon runs a billion dollar company so he’s hardly an underdog, but I like the rebellious attitude of wrestling. The nature of it. I like that it makes fun of things in the way that it does. It takes on all sorts of things in a very interesting way. Wrestling is at the forefront of a lot of cultural tension and that’s sort of sociological stuff. At the end of the day, it’s just a lot of fun. I couldn’t give a fuck. I just wanted to have fun. I’ve really enjoyed my connection to wrestling and I’ve done everything in my power to bring glory and more respect to something I really love, passionately.
Pumpkins’ “Fellowship” joins soundtrack for TV’s “Vampire Diaries” 10:47 am // Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Posted by jjb in news, releases, television.comments closed
Above: Thursdays this fall, the CW asks: “Are you with us or against us, tonight…at 8/7 Central?”
“The Fellowship,” a new song from the Smashing Pumpkins, will appear on a soundtrack album being issued on October 12 for “The Vampire Diaries,” a television program returning in the fall for its second season on the CW network. A listing on Amazon.com also implies that music from the track could be used in upcoming episodes:
The ORIGINAL TELEVISION SOUNDTRACK: THE VAMPIRE DIARIES features exclusive fan favorites from Season One + new tracks that will be featured in Season Two.
Pumpkins songwriter Billy Corgan has performed “The Fellowship” in concert before, specifically when he toured southern California in 2009 as part of Spirits in the Sky.
Smashing Pumpkins confirmed for Mexican date on MTV World Stage 8:43 pm // Monday, July 12, 2010
Posted by chris in mexico, television, tour.comments closed
While the Pumpkins have been touring, their management team has been busy. From a press release on the official website:
MTV Latin America announced today that rock icons, The Smashing Pumpkins, are set to perform at MTV World Stage Mexico. The international event will be taped on August 26th at the Auditorio Nacional in Mexico City. The show will air Friday, September 17th on MTV Latin America during Mexico’s week long Bicentennial celebration and on Friday, October 8th on more than 64 MTV channels in over 155 territories around the globe.
Those of us outside Latin America can tune in on October 8th for the rare Smashing Pumpkins performance broadcasted in high definition, although in past airings of MTV World Stage from other locations the concerts have been edited down. Regardless, we’ll finally be able to say the Billy Corgan has something in common with Lady Gaga and Ke$ha.
HU Podcast #60: Leno and Courtney 5:17 pm // Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Posted by chris in courtney love, podcast, television.comments closed
We’re between Teargarden songs, but that doesn’t leave us short of things to talk about. From the Strawberry Choir to the Ultimate-Guitar.com interview, with a bit of Courtney Love talk in the middle to the chagrin of Jill, we took a look at the news of the past two weeks.
Listen to the whole show (42:49)
(download)(iTunes)
This week’s topics:
Panelists
-Chris, Jason, Jill, and Andrew
-The band performs on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Everybody was talking about the choir instead of the performance, why would Billy bring in such a distracting element? Plus, we comment on Mark Tulin’s haberdashery and touch on the fascination with the supporting players that Billy surrounds himself with. (16:13)
-Billy and Courtney Love sharpen their knives and take their fight public. Why does Billy keep making public comments that tarnish his image? (13:19)
-Billy is interviewed by ultimate-guitar.com, and he’s already plugging the next Teargarden EP before the first goes on sale. (8:28)
Song of the Week
-Widow Wake My Mind, Burbank, CA April 20, 2010
Backstage with Billy Corgan at The Tonight Show 10:31 am // Thursday, April 22, 2010
Posted by Jill in television, video.comments closed
Though neither Billy Corgan nor any other member of the Smashing Pumpkins was interviewed on Tuesday night during The Tonight Show, backstage video has surfaced thanks to staff member Bryan who’s also huge fan! Thanks to HU reader Josh who tipped us off. Check out the video (and a veritable Pumpkins parade) below on The Tonight Show website here.
Video of the Smashing Pumpkins on The Tonight Show 10:47 am // Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Posted by Jill in teargarden by kaleidyscope, television, video.comments closed
As our tipster hinted yesterday, there were indeed children performing with the Smashing Pumpkins on the The Tonight Show with Jay Leno last night, but that was only part of the story. The choir was indeed Linda Strawberry’s family, in town from Utah to do the show. The blogosphere has been less than forgiving about their contribution, while commenters here at HU have voiced mixed reactions.
Check out the video above (or on Hulu or NBC.com) to make up your own mind and a take a gander at the new EP boxset, which if I had to agree with Leno on ANYTHING last night during his show [miss u Coco], does look pretty cool.
Children help Corgan sing “Widow Wake My Mind” on Leno 8:14 pm // Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Posted by jjb in live, television.comments closed
(Photo of “the lonely spot” by Kristin Burns)
Billy Corgan won’t be the only Smashing Pumpkins singer on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” according to an HU correspondent who witnessed this evening’s taping:
Very pregnant Linda [Strawberry] on keyboards. Children’s choir on backup vocals.
The NBC program airs at 11:35pm ET.
Smashing Pumpkins to play “Tonight Show” next Tuesday 10:06 pm // Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Posted by jjb in news, television, tour.comments closed
Bane of hipsterdom Jay Leno will welcome his colleague Billy Corgan to the airwaves of NBC next Tuesday, as the Smashing Pumpkins are to deliver a “Performance from the CD ‘Teargarden By Kaleidyscope 1: Songs for a Sailor’” on the “Tonight Show.”
In Corgan’s backing band for this performance will be…uhm…even we don’t really know yet, but we are likely to have a better idea after Saturday’s concert for EP buyers in Los Angeles.
UPDATE (4/15): According to a ticker on the homepage of the Pumpkins’ label Rocket Science, the band will be playing the song “Widow Wake My Mind.” ALSO: Related press release here.
Corgan co-writes new Jessica Simpson TV theme song 9:43 am // Friday, February 26, 2010
Posted by jjb in billy corgan, interview, jessica simpson, news, television, video.comments closed
Before playing out on February 18 with Matt Walker, Billy Corgan ‘did some media’ including a brief chat with Chicago Tribune nightlife writer Luis Arroyave, who asked Corgan about his recent studio work with Jessica Simpson:
“She asked me to help her out on the theme song for her new TV show,” Corgan said. “[The show] has an interesting concept. She goes around the world to show how different people perceive beauty. In some cultures, bigger is better. In some, smaller is better. It’s interesting.”
“I ended up writing part of [the theme song]. It has a little bit of an alternative rock edge, but it’s still very pop-y.”
Simpson’s program, “The Price of Beauty,” will air Mondays at 10pm ET on VH1, debuting March 15. A promotional video clip appeared Wednesday on VH1.com, and fan-operated Twitter account @PoBNews suggests that the music heard at the start of the clip is from the theme song in question.
Below: It does sound a bit Corganesque to me (YouTube)
“The Pulse” moves from local cable to the Internet 1:12 pm // Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Posted by jjb in jimmy chamberlin, television, video.comments closed
It’s 1980s video week here on HU! This time, we find the website (!) of The Pulse, once a Chicagoland cable program (we think) that some of you will remember for its having aired a Smashing Pumpkins performance in 1988. I’m not seeing any footage from that performance on the Pulse site, but there are a few Pumpkins-related videos in the Pulse “TV Archives” and “Hall of Fame” including one of someone who’s very proud of their vinyl copy of Light Into Dark.
Probably the most newsworthy item on the Pulse site is the one embedded linked below: a video of Jimmy Chamberlin playing drums with Chicago-based producer/musician Daver sometime in the mid-’80s. The song is called “Secret Life.”
Download: Daver, “Secret Life” (WMV file)
Smashing Pumpkins on “Isaak Hour”: The HU Quasi-Liveblog 7:01 pm // Thursday, April 2, 2009
Posted by chris in chris isaak, television.comments closed
As the only HU staff member with a cable carrier that receives the Biography channel, I will be your host for the liveblog of Billy and Jimmy’s appearance on the Chris Isaak Hour tonight.
Unfortunately my television is in a separate room from my home computer, so in an effort to not miss any of the action I will restrict my liveblogging to the commercial breaks. I’ll leave it as an exercise to the commenters to make the obvious joke about how many performances of Today I’ll miss in doing so, but I do invite you all to fill in my liveblogging gaps via the comments.
9:52pm: Thunder is rumbling outside, but the cable signal is holding. It’s times like this that I’m glad I don’t have a satellite dish. 8 more minutes ’til showtime.
10:01pm: Isaak reps the American Gothic label, and they go right into Owata. The horn section, Gingger, and Mr. Pooley are all in attendance and performing.
10:05pm: After the song ends, right into interview. Immediately we hear about Billy’s childhood, including an amusing story about his father buying him a guitar. I’m trying not to read into Jimmy’s every action knowing what happened a few short months after this interview, but he does seem a bit bored.
10:07pm: Coming up soon: Billy on the Courtney/himself/Kurt love triangle!
10:13pm: Billy plays the main riff of Spiteface on Isaak’s acoustic guitar. Fans everywhere inexplicably swoon.
10:15pm: The story we’ve all heard many times about the band’s formation is once again told, and once again with no reference to co-founder Ron Roesing.
10:18pm: Into 99 Floors. I’m still amazed this song wasn’t on American Gothic.
10:25pm: Billy talks about working with Butch Vig and dating Courtney Love. He didn’t get along with Kurt Cobain, but “he raised our games.”
10:30pm: After an extremely short commercial break, Billy defers to Jimmy to give a more political answer to the question of James and D’Arcy’s contributions.
10:32pm: Jimmy talks about drugs and his father’s death. Billy: “I couldn’t reconcile my ambition against his health.”
10:34pm: Jimmy: “Where I’m at right now is a beautiful place.”
10:35pm: The Rose March.
10:42pm: Billy recites some lyrics from 1979, then teaches Isaak the riff. Chris obviously does not own the Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness official tablature book. More talk about how Billy wrote 1979.
10:44pm: Sunkissed. Not sure how they’re going to fit two more songs in. Teaser implies Nowhere Man is forthcoming.
10:54pm: What’s next for the band? Jimmy: “The plan is to come up with a plan.”
10:56pm: Billy talks about the residencies and Jimmy talks about the difference between being an artist and an entertainer.
10:57pm: Jimmy on the future: “Once we stagnate it’s over for us.” “We think the best albums are ahead of us.”
10:58pm: Nowhere Man with Chris Isaak. It looks like no Song for a Son.
11:00pm: Bio continues their night of music with a show about Motley Crue, which is my cue to post these remaining liveblog entries.
L.A. Times dribbles out more “Isaak Hour” detail 12:26 am // Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Posted by jjb in live, news, television.comments closed
Los Angeles Times blogger Randy Lewis writes:
One of the comments that struck me the most when I looked in on the taping of Smashing Pumpkins’ performance in December for “The Chris Isaak Hour,” now set to air April 2 on A&E’s Biography channel, came from drummer Jimmy Chamberlin as he and singer-guitarist Billy Corgan sat on a sofa talking to the show’s host.
They were discussing the principles that have guided the band through its career. Chamberlin, who is now out of the group (he and Corgan started in the Chicago suburbs nearly 20 years ago) summed it up this way: “Legacy above finances; artistry above fame.” I hope that part of the discussion made the final cut.
Lewis also lists four of the six songs performed by the band (in full nine-piece form!): “99 Floors”, “Owata”, “A Song for a Son”, and Beatles cover “Nowhere Man” (feat. Isaak’s backing vocal).
Airdate set for Smashing Pumpkins on “Chris Isaak Hour” 2:02 am // Sunday, March 1, 2009
Posted by jjb in news, television.comments closed
It’s Thursday, April 2, at 10pm Eastern/9pm Central. (Thanks to HU reader Cris for having kept an eye on Biography.com.)
