The article recaps the Record Club’s activities so far and provides some information about plans for 2012. Laurel reports that the Pumpkins will utilize a “pre-sale” model for any non-digital releases from the Record Club. As tipped by Billy Corgan in his video introduction to the SPRC, the band will solicit fans to subscribe to various musical offerings before putting them into production. Laurel says, “We will offer the product at a specific price that guarantees a specific amount of product to be manufactured. So, for example let’s say that for $50 one can purchase a limited series of live concerts from 1992 in a specifically packaged piece. Let’s say we need 75 fans to purchase it in order to pay for the physical manufacturing, shipping, and our time. We put it online and if 75 fans want it we will make it.” According to Sandbox, such purchasers would receive an immediate download of the music to tide them over until the product is manufactured and shipped, but there is no guarantee that a download-only option would be available for others to buy later.

The article also suggests that for the Pumpkins’ 2012 reissues (these being, as previously reported: Pisces Iscariot, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, The Aeroplane Flies High, and Adore) some “configurations” may be available only through the band’s website.

Laurel, a (former?) business associate of Kerry Brown, has worked with the Pumpkins for at least several months now, accompanying the band on its recent European tour and operating its Twitter account.

@TwitterMusic interviews @Billy Corgan of the @SmashingPumpkin s. fb.me/YXvroVEA—
Smashing Pumpkins (@SmashingPumpkin) January 24, 2012

Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan answered some fan questions today, fed to him by Twitter Inc.’s @TwitterMusic account. Corgan filled us in on what time in history he’d take a time machine ride to, and even suggested baby names for one fan.

As far as his band’s plans for 2012, Corgan didn’t reveal much, but regarding the upcoming album Oceania did say that “a release date is imminent,” and he doesn’t currently anticipate any tracklist changes. He also said he was “open to returning to South America” after the band’s successful 2010 tour there.

The 2012 reissue of @James_Iha's Let It Come Down has popped up for preorder on US Amazon: amzn.to/yyYfvA—
Hipsters United (@HipstersUnited) January 21, 2012

Incentives for pledging range from a digital album download ($10) to dinner with the band in LA ($1000) to a Nicole Fiorentino custom bass ($3600). Or for the risk-takers among us, $75 will get you a “Random Mystery Tote Bag.”

Sign up to be notified when Pisces Iscariot (2011 Remaster) [Deluxe Edition] is available amzn.to/zNbmsI—
Hipsters United (@HipstersUnited) January 20, 2012

isn't it, like, the *2012* remaster??—
Hipsters United (@HipstersUnited) January 20, 2012

In the accompanying albums poll, one Pazz & Jop voter allocated some points to November’s deluxe reissue of the 1993 album Siamese Dream, thereby preventing the Pumpkins from being entirely shut out of the poll for a fourth consecutive year.

“Lightning Strikes,” from the Pumpkins’ Teargarden by Kaleidyscope project, debuted March 17 on the website of Rolling Stone. Another Teargarden song, “Owata,” appeared May 3; the band later promoted the track with a short film and music video.

Wheelchair Sports Camp’s cover of the MC Meals on Wheels freestyle “My Vagina Ain’t Handicapped” is among the 2,225 singles receiving at least one mention in the poll.

Amazon.jp lists an "Untitled" James Iha album with March 14 release date amzn.to/xZGlIq—
Hipsters United (@HipstersUnited) January 18, 2012

This past Friday was the second event for Corgan’s nascent Resistance Pro wrestling company, during which Corgan crowned the company’s first heavyweight champion. Corgan did the media rounds yet again for the promotion, speaking mostly about wrestling and sports. The company has already scheduled its next event on February 17.

On the subject of Corgan’s spiritual memoir, tentatively entitled God is Everywhere From Here to There, we found out that Corgan hired the project research assistant he solicited for on Twitter back in the fall. Pumpkins fan and graduate student Lea Clyburn of Little Rock, Arkansas was hired for the gig, and spoke about her experience in an interview for University of Arkansas-Little Rock PR (Go Trojans!).

Ysanne Spevack, a string instrumentalist who contributed to a few Teargarden by Kaleidyscope songs and was a member of Corgan’s Spirits in the Sky, has been sending some hints to the Pumpkins fan community about her new kickstarter. She says that if she raises enough money for her own album, she’d like to record some songs for her friends.

Finally, Absolute Radio recently (I think?) posted this interview Corgan sat for back in November during the band’s tour of the UK (HT: @B_Wasteland). It appears to have been recorded between the band’s two Brixton shows on November 16 and 17. I particularly enjoyed this one. Though it doesn’t cover a ton of new ground, Corgan is in good spirits and also provides us with the proper pronunciation of “Oceania.”

The pace of news should hopefuly pick up soon; as we know from a post back in December on the website of Pumpkins’ drummer Mike Byrne’s other band, Bearcubbin’, the Smashing Pumpkins plan to reconvene in Lost Angeles sometime around the end of January. Oceania is still slated for a spring release; hopefully we’ll hear some news of that, and of the Pumpkins’ 2012 touring plans, in the next month or so.

Sneak peek of my story in tomorrow's RedEye on @RESISTANCE_Pro wrestling featuring @Billy Corgan and @MelanieCruise77. redeyechicago.com/sports/ct-red-…—
Scott Bolohan (@scottbolohan) January 13, 2012

Which sad songs make @MikeByrneDrums happy? Find out courtesy
@FeelingGloomy bit.ly/x05b6Z—
Hipsters United (@HipstersUnited) January 12, 2012

Don't forget, BILLY CORGAN will be signing at the meet and greet after RISE next Friday – @RESISTANCE_Pro merch ONLY! Get yours NOW:-)—
RESISTANCE (@RESISTANCE_Pro) January 06, 2012