| One Year After the Zwan Breakup: How are they Coping |
| August 1, 2004, 12:00 am |
Source: Jane Magazine After barking orders to his minions in the Smashing Pumpkins for over a decade, a wealthy and talented Chicagoan named Billy Corgan decided in late 2001 to form a new superband mysteriously titled Zwan. Billy's vision was to stock this endeavor with the Pumpkins' drummer Jimmy Chamberlin, along with the finest indie rockers in the land! Invitations were dispatched on horseback in leather satchels to guitarists Matt Sweeney (Chavez, Will Oldham, Cat Power) and David Pajo (Slint, Tortoise, Papa M) and a female bassist---a historical weakness of Billy's---Paz Lenchantin (A Perfect Circle). When their record, Mary Star of the Sea, was released in January 2003 and didn't catch fire, Billy didn't waste much time canceling tours, disbanding to the group and publicly lashing out at its former member for not emitting a "family"-like vibe and being "immoral". Billy then turned to poetry (his "Blinking With Fists" comes out in October), but not before blaming guitarist James Iha for the Pumpkins demise. Sheesh. In the aftermath, we asked Zwan's ousted stepchildren some questions. IS BILLY NICE? IF HE A CONTROL FREAK? Matt: "It all depends" [Ed's note: No points for being cryptic, Matt.] Paz: "Bill's unflinching disciplinary attributes are what's made him the successful songwriter is is today. So, my opinion on his steadfast vision has no weight after the fact." David: "Yes and yes." WOULD YOU WORK WITH HIM AGAIN? Matt: "It all depends." Paz: "They say to 'put your paddles in the boat and just float.' My paddles are in. I'll let time be the nagivator." David: "No. I think it is fair to say it was a sigh of relief for everyone involved." YOUR CURRENT PROJECTS? Matt: Touring with Will Oldham. Their record, "Matt Sweeney and Bonnie 'Prince' Billy" comes out in October. Matt's also doing an awesome project called Cockfighter with James Lo and on at least one occassion, Andrew W.K. Paz: Recording with Entrance and with Jennifer Herrema from Royal Trux. Also Performing with David in Papa M. David: Touring with Papa M, jamming with people in New York. RANDOM JAMES IHA TIE-INS? Matt and James are both men who play guitar. Paz left A Perfect Circle; James joined A Perfect Circle. David dates model Karen Elson, James dated Karen Elson. |