Sunday, July 03, 2005
Billy F'n Corgan "wants his band back"
This is unreal. It's been just under five years since the Smashing Pumpkins played last -- December 2, 2000 to be exact. Now singer/guitarist/song writer Billy Corgan wants to reform the Smashing Pumpkins. Jimmy Chamberlin, the band's drummer and long-time best friend to Corgan, has already signed-on to the idea.
This has me thinking. This really reminds me of the great 1980 movie, "The Blues Brothers."
Jake and Elwood, played by Jimmy and Billy, go around Chicago to the band back together. This time they'll only have to recruit two members, guitarist James Iha and bassist D'Arcy Wretzky.
But getting the band back together could be tougher than going around getting Mr. Fabulous, Matt Murphy, and a one-night-only gig. Corgan has publically criticized Iha for breaking up the band. Now he is playing with A Perfect Circle. D'Arcy quit/forced out in 1999, right after recording TSP's final album, MACHINA/The Machines of God. Speculation has it that she couldn't control her addiction to drugs and was asked to leave. No one knows whether she is clean, and Chamberlin has said that either he or Corgan have talked since 1999.
So what will happen? Who knows. But I hope this happens...and soon. Music needs TSP. Now more than ever.
Labels: Greatness
Note: For days, I've been mulling over how I feel about Wisconsin budget, the UW budget and the cost of tuition next fall. It's to a point where I'm torn -- between state-wide fiscal responsibility and my personal out-of-pocket expenses. The easy answer is simple: sell-out my personal beliefs and join the "spending more is the answer" crowd. But its not that easy, here is a take on what the right thing to do.
The solution: pass a state constitutional amendment to impose a taxpayers' bill of rights, along with a permanent three percent cap, or the cost of inflation, on all fees -- whether it's UW tuition, vehicle registration fees, hunting fees, etc.
Now of course the left, including RINOs (Republican In Name Only), would have you believe that a cap on taxes and fees would hurt the people of Wisconsin, its government entities (namely public education, the UW and other bureaucratic hogs) and more importantly their platform of higher taxes, higher fees and making Wisconsin No. 1 in the country in both income taxes and property taxes.
Let's face it, in Wisconsin -- especially in Madison -- we get spin, half-truths and talk without any action. We saw it this week in the state Senate. Everyone talks about spending less, making cuts and being fiscally responsible. We all know what the truth is, the evidence is what they did to AB 100, the 2005-07 state budget.
If the governor signs this bill, spending will increase, about 10 percent by recent estimates. Why 10 percent? Any more and I think common citizens would catch on when they have to renew their vehicle registrations and are slapped with a $200 renewal fee. $200 may sound extreme right now, but it could happen if spending isn't limited.
How does this affect the UW budget this time around? I think it's about time the UW re-examine its budget and how it goes about spending. Imposing a permanent cap on tuition is the solution for stability within the university, not to mention less whining from top UW officials.
If the UW did less whining and more work, just maybe, definitely maybe, the students wouldn't have to suffer for two more years. university system.
Labels: Strategery, UW System
