craveonline

By Johnny Firecloud

You're not likely to see any more full-length albums from the Smashing Pumpkins, according to drummer and founding member Jimmy Chamberlin. The band doesn't expect to release a full-length follow-up to last year's comeback album, "Zeitgeist," but that doesn't mean they're done making music.

After nearly two decades as a group, Chamberlin told spinner.com "I don't think we will make records again. I look at it like the old business model is dead and the music business doesn't know how to move forward. We want to keep things vital and keep things viable and get our music across while remaining relevant. Music has in many ways just become an advertisement for your tour."

The Pumpkins find themselves in the enviable position of being a major band free of any label contracts, which allows them to examine other methods for distributing their music, a la Nine Inch Nails and Radiohead. Billy Corgan and crew plan to begin recording new material later this spring at the band's newly purchased studio in Chicago.

It's just in our best interest to release blocks of songs," said Chamberlin. "And I think what we'll do...is to create the framework where we can release a number of songs and maybe create a title. We can gather three or four songs, but it will all flow up to a larger body of work."

Earlier this year, the Pumpkins issued a four-song acoustic EP called American Gothic through the iTunes store. But Chamberlin said he expects the band's new songs to be "grander," adding, "I'd like to go bigger. And I think the next time the Pumpkins tour, you'll see a big stage presence with eight to 10 people as opposed to just five."

In other Pumpkins news, the band have just filed suit against their former label Virgin Records, claiming that Virgin illegally used their name and music in promotional deals with Pepsi that hurt the band's credibility with fans. Virgin, which released the Pumpkins' music for more than 17 years, only has the right to sell digital downloads of the band's songs. The Pumpkins are seeking an injunction against Virgin using the band's name or music in the future.