Billy Corgan threatens to, er, let it be.

Billy Corgan has replaced his former group, the Smashing Pumpkins, with not one but two new bands: the electric Zwan, currently touring the U.S., and Djali Zwan, featuring the same lineup -- guitarists Matt Sweeney and David Pajo, bassist Paz Lenchantin and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin -- but playing different, acoustic material. And the singer-guitarist plans to film Djali Zwan in the studio this fall, with an album and DVD to be issued early next year.
"We're going to do it Let It Be style," Corgan says, referring to the documentary about the 1970 Beatles album. "The album would be recorded live, with the cameras rolling. When you get the DVD, you can watch the takes on the album being done."

I don't know if I'd be making that comparison myself. I mean, really, what does it mean? Will we get to see David Pajo have a tantrum and say to Billy he'll play whatever Billy wants him to play and if Billy doesn't want him to play then he won't? Will guest musician Anna Lenchantin turn out to be the Yoko Ono figure? Will there be long medleys of 50s rock and roll? Will the whole thing end in a concert on the studio roof and Phil Spector being sprung from jail to finish the album? I've got a feeling, a feeling deep inside, oh no...

posted by James Russell | 6:17 PM