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CL Sound Bites: Smashing Pumpkins, Hole, Leonard Cohen, and more

By Joel Weiss on Thu, Jul 16, 2009 at 8:51 pm

Uh i just hear that a former guitar player is saying i cant use my name for MY band, hes out of his MIND, he may want to check the trademark

Blur confused and panicked fans due to their illness-shortened T in The Park set last Sunday when Damon Albarn said, "This is our last gig," despite earlier reports about the band writing new music. It was the final stop of their reunion tour, at the very least.

Mike Ness (left) told a Russian music blog that Social Distortion will hit the studio either in late '09 or early '10. The last new record came out in 2004, with 1992's Somewhere Between Heaven & Hell being the last time Social D fans waited less than four years for a new LP.

Mission of Burma continues their post-reunion output on October 6 with a four-part concept album, The Sound, The Speed, The Light. Matador Records says the LP "explores a set of moods or colors, across the usual dizzying array of lyrical topics, from alcoholism to fleshly concerns."

Wax, of infamous man-on-fire "California" video fame (see below), will reunite for Riot Fest 2009 in Chicago. Will Wax's return motivate diehard fan Rivers Cuomo of Weezer to make better music? I guess we'll have to wait and see.

Leonard Cohen is tired of hearing "Hallelujah" everywhere.

"I was reading a review of a movie called Watchmen that uses it, and the reviewer said, 'Can we please have a moratorium on 'Hallelujah' in movies and television shows?' And I kind of feel the same way. I think it's a good song, but too many people sing it."

Might I suggest Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds' "Hallelujah" instead?

Finally, I'm glad former Faith No More and (very brief) Bad Brains frontman Chuck Mosley re-surfacedfrom obscurity -- if only to share with us the title of his solo debut LP: Will Rap Over Hard Rock For Food (out August 11).

Wax "California"

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Faith No More "We Care A Lot"

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When Billy Corgan first announced his intention to resurrect The Smashing Pumpkins, longtime fans crossed out the names of uninvolved former members (except Jimmy Chamberlain) one by one. We knew there would be no James Iha (now in that silly supergroup Tinted Windows) and no D'Arcy Wretzky (right). Only now do we finally hear what's up with the silvery-haired bassist! D'Arcy randomly called Chicago alt-rock station Q101 to let us know she left the rock 'n' roll lifestyle behind in favor of passing her days on a horse farm in rural Michigan. Oh, and she loves Silversun Pickups, who don't at all sound like The Smashing Pumpkins.

Last month, I reported on Courtney Love and her similar intention to resurrect Hole with minimal involvement from former bandmates. Former Hole guitarist and co-conspirator Eric Erlandson took time out from Buddhism and marketing vegan food for a Spin Q&A. When asked about his feelings on Hole's return, he responded:

We have a contract. She signed a contract with me when we decided to break up the band, which was like 2002 or something, so I really don't have a comment on it except that I know my part in that band. The way I look at it, there is no Hole without me. [Laughs] To put it blunt. Just on a business level... I'm open to discussions regarding the real Hole, and if she has a solo album together, I think that's great.

What did Mrs. Cobain have to say about this? Find out after the jump!