This week we pondered the idea of the Pumpkins as a “collective”, speculated on whether the band will have another mainstream hit, and reviewed last year’s acoustic Berlin secret show.  See the end of the show notes for a chance to take part in a future episode of the podcast.

Listen to the whole show (1:00:49)

(download)(iTunes)

This week’s topics:

Panelists
-Chris, Jason, Jill, and Andrew

News
-In yet another post-RockWalk interview, Billy and Jimmy introduced the possibility of the Smashing Pumpkins as a collective of rotating band members.  We discuss how that may affect future plans.  Plus, Jason starts the drum circle and Andrew clues us in on the lifestyles of the rich and the German.  (13:59)

In-Depth Discussion
-Could the highest-charting Pumpkins single still be yet to come?  Jason has some compelling reasons why while Andrew maps out a plan to make it so.  Plus, Jill groups the Pumpkins in with Boyz II Men and Celine Dion, and I realize that I definitely do not have my finger on the pulse of mainstream youth.  (20:26)

Concert Review - Zitadelle Spanau; Berlin, DE June 5th, 2007
-We review this very special acoustic show.  Jason fires me from the podcast, Jill gives us the fangirl perspective, and if you listen carefully you can hear the 10:00 PM trucks slithering by.  (16:28)

This Week in Pumpkins History
-Andrew brings us down on the 12th anniversary of the unfortunate death of Bernadette O’Brien, and I attempt to cheer everyone up with a call for audience participation.  (3:38)(

Song of the Week
-Tarantula, June 5th, 2007

As I mentioned at the end of this week’s show, in honor of the upcoming 10th anniversary of the release of Adore we are planning an entirely Adore-centric show for the end of May.  If you would like to be part of the show, record yourself giving your thoughts on the Adore album or tour and email the audio file to (chris at hipstersunited dot com).  Please keep the file less than 60 seconds and limit background noise as much as possible.  You can be pro- or anti-Adore, but I will pick my favorite questions and comments to play and discuss during the show.

The second multipart YouTube extravaganza to feature Billy Corgan and Uli Jon Roth — together — has arrived, and yes, it is the full and professionally edited “Durch die Nacht mit…” man date program. After bouncing around for a few days on sketchy torrent sitez, today it showed up in six parts on the well-known Google-owned streamin’ behemoth:

Part 1 (below) / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4 / Part 5 / Part 6

Billy. Uli. “[A]nd a big dinner in the Au Quai on the harbor of Hamburg”. It’s even fancier than we thought.

The band’s official site has more, or you can simply tune in:

May 1st, 2008 at 11:50 PM on TV Station Arte in Germany and France.

(Looking at this post, and looking back to March 31, it’s hard to be sure when April Fool’s Day began and when it ended…)

Blabbermouth reports:

German/French TV channel Arte has taped a program featuring Billy Corgan (SMASHING PUMPKINS) and Uli Jon Roth (ex-SCORPIONS) for its long-standing, critically acclaimed TV series “Durch Die Nacht - Au Coeur de la Nuit”. Two camera teams followed Billy and Uli for an entire evening through various locations in the city of Hamburg, recording a series of free-ranging conversations, as well as jam sessions. The 55-minute long program will be broadcast on May 1 and can be received all over Europe via satellite.

Our benefactor InnaLee from YouTube has poured out several more video clips of Billy Corgan and Uli Jon Roth tentatively poking at their guitars on Tuesday in Hamburg, incorporating her previous releases into what is now a nine-part telenovela:

Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3* / Part 4* / Part 5…is he teasing “Siva” here?…Billy, not Uli…

… / Part 6 / Part 7 / Part 8 / Part 9

* previously linked by HU

A mustachioed Jeff Schroeder looks on in Hamburg at the Colorline Arena.
[Photo courtesy of Flickr user qnibert00]

A review from Natascha on the official website jokes:

Funny how Jeff fooled the photographers. Who´s the mustache-guy? Urgh…( please don´t do this for real, Jeff )! He looked like the bass-guy from Spinal Tap (This show went up to eleven!!!). The Pumpkins rocked Hamburg and the fans gave everything, we got everything back…i have never seen a band play so long. I was home at 0:30, so they maybe played nearly three hours! They also played Uriah Heeps “Easy Living”, this is not on the setlist. When Rudolf Schenker and Uli Jon Roth came to the stage, the party was perfect. It was really fun to see the band and espeacially Billy so happy.

Oh, man. I love this guy.

Above: Uh, Billy Corgan and Uli Jon Roth stand there and noodle (YouTube)

Sometimes stuff shows up online and, despite its uploader’s effort to provide context, you still don’t completely understand what you’re looking at.

About This Video

Billy Corgan and Ex Scorpions Guitarrist are having a little jam session at the Laeisz Music Hall in Hamburg on the 25th of February 2008. In this very hall the Scorpions guy has seen Jimi Hendrix live in the 1960’s

Okay, cool, but…the Pumpkins aren’t playing the Music Hall (they are playing Color Line Arena in Hamburg tonight, the 26th). So why is there one group of people moving some big gear around…and why is another group filming the action? Seems like something else was taking place there other than this little jam session.

Oh, and don’t try to tell me the “something else” was this second, longer, funnier clip. :)