"Zwan Call It Quits

Corgan announces dissolution of second band in three years




Zwan song



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Billy Corgan announced this morning that Zwan, the band he started two years ago, have broken up.
"I think my heart was in Smashing Pumpkins," Corgan told a local news affiliate in Chicago this morning. "I think it was naive of me to think that I could find something that would mean as much to me. I enjoyed my experience in Zwan, but at the end of the day, without that sense of deeper family and loyalty, it becomes like anything else. In some cases I felt that the band members viewed it as something they could decide to do or not to do."

Corgan started the band after the December 2000 breakup of the Pumpkins. He enlisted Pumpkins drummer Jimmy Chamberlin, guitarists Matt Sweeney and David Pajo, and bassist Paz Lenchantin in late 2001 and the band released its debut, Mary Star of the Sea in January 2003.

Corgan's comments about band loyalty might center around Pajo, who fronted his own band, Papa M, in addition to Zwan duty. In early August, Lenchantin left Zwan to dedicate more time to Pajo's band.

With Zwan's demise, so goes Djali Zwan, an acoustic incarnation of the same band. In March, Corgan told Rolling Stone that he was going to film and record the band this fall for a CD and DVD due next year, but those plans have presumably been scrapped.

And though Corgan said in March that he "love[s] the romance and safety of a band," when asked this if he would be starting a new group, Corgan responded, "I'm thirty-six, I'm ready for a solo career."

Before that, though, Corgan plans to immerse himself in a non-musical venture. On Wednesday, he'll present some of his poetry as part of a multi-media presentation at the thirty-first annual Reading Series for the Poetry Center of Chicago. Corgan has also been shopping a collection of poetry around to publishers."

-Rolling Stone

I personally think that Mr.Corgan screwed himself with comments he made whilst in the pumpkins so it kinda looks good on him

dayum!

that was quick.

they had a silly name anyway

I really loved their album. Too bad they didn't get to develop.

Smashing Pumpkins reunion anyone? I really thought the stuff I heard from Zwan was terrible. 3rd rate Pumpkins. Kind of made it seem like Corgan wasn't the mega talent everyone thought he was. Then again, I didn't hear the whole record so I shouldn't judge. But did anyone else think Zwan sucked.

VinnyM27 said:

i thought the single, "honestly" was crap. didn't hear the rest of the album either, though. i suspect it probably sucked, though.

wow, that didn't take long

endorphin74 said:

when they announced the band i knew it wouldnt last..

Billy Corgan is the JLo of bands...

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[This message was edited Tue Dec 16 3:22:06 PST 2003 by hectim]

I personally, am looking forward to hearing some of that solo work from Billy. He is an amazing songwriter. Can't deny that.

sosgemini said:

@ 'the JLo of bands'.

VinnyM27 said:

Personally, I think Corgan doesn't really need anyone. He certainly doesn't need James Iha or D'arcy. I reckon Billy should just do his solo thang. Let's face it, all the great Pumpkins albums were great coz of Billy. The rest just turned up and played what they were told.

"Honestly" was the only SmashingPumpkinsLite song on there...the rest was beautiful, especially Lyric, Declarations of Faith, Ride a Black Swan, Endless Summer and of course the epic Jesus, I/Mary Star of the Sea.

I'm especially glad now that I drove to Chicago to pick up Anx and dragged him to Normal, Illinois to see Zwan with me last winter. Billy's a guitar god, and I know some people have an allergic reaction to his voice, but to me it's a heavenly siren.

this man you call with lover's draw
so coarse in kind it can't be sought
for leaving is what i do

The stuff he did for the Spun movie was achingly beautiful, too. There was a brief snippet of him doing an acoustic cover of "Motherless Child" and I MUST hear the full song. Please, Billy, please.