John Medina / Stringer / Getty
Fresh off the release of the well-received new Smashing Pumpkins album Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun. frontman Billy Corgan already has his eyes set on the next project: a Christmas album.
During an interview with USA Today, Corgan explained the odd plan when asked about future projects for the newly reunited Smashing Pumpkins. “We’re already talking about tour stuff for next year, so there will be more Pumpkins shows in 2019. But for me, once we get off tour, I’m either going to be doing some writing in LA with some friends or going back to Chicago to start writing new Smashing Pumpkins.” That all sounds fine and dandy and then Billy takes a left turn: “I also have an inkling to try and get us to do a Christmas record one day, so I might try to use the Christmas spirit to put the record together in concept, even if we’re not ready to record it.”
As odd as it may seem to picture Corgan, who invokes images of Jack Skellington rather than St. Nick, singing Christmas carols, it is actually not unprecedented. Back in 1997, at the height of their goth appeal, Smashing Pumpkins released “Christmas Time” on the compilation album A Very Special Christmas Vol. 3
And while the sleigh bell accented song wasn’t terrible as far as Christmas songs go, it didn’t exactly leave fans clamoring for more holiday cheer from one of the most notably moody bands ever. But here we are over 20 years later and Billy has decided to threaten us all again with more Christmas music as he continues to explain his plan.
“It would be probably lean more acoustic. I would think it’s a bit weird (to make) wild Christmas records. Although, I also like “Jingle Bell Rock,” which is basically 1950s rockabilly. But I don’t know. When I think Christmas music, I tend to think something you want to put on and sit around the tree with the kids and not rock out to. I don’t see us doing a rocking-out Christmas album.”
A non-rocking-out Smashing Pumpkins Christmas album…ummm, I’ll take the coal instead, please.