Billy Corgan is currently embroiled in a lengthy acoustic tour, but as soon as that ends he’ll embark on the Smashing Pumpkins’ full-band dates with Marilyn Manson. There have been rumors about what form the group will take, but this morning, in an interview with USA Today, Corgan has announced that original Pumpkins drummer Jimmy Chamberlin will be rejoining the alt-rock legends.
“You can’t just grab somebody and say, ‘Play drums on this Smashing Pumpkins song,'” Corgan explained. “Jimmy’s drum parts are so incredibly technical and nuanced that it’s a very rare class of people that can step in and play.”
So despite their occasionally contentious relationship, Chamberlin will get back behind the kit to, in his words, “celebrate the music,” and “to celebrate the friendship and the legacy.” That said, the future of their union is unclear. After leaving the band in 2009, Chamberlin started working with a tech company called LiveOne, which he says “remains [his] priority right now.”
After these dates, Corgan and guitarist Jeff Schroeder will head back into the studio, where they’ll continue work on a new album they hope to have out early next year.
