Smashing Pumpkins' Billy Corgan has announced plans for the groups' new album, and it looks like he's following Trent Reznor's Nine Inch Nails' example.

According to Corgan, the album will be free and massive:

Recording began yesterday, September 15th, 2009 on the new record which will be entitled 'Teargarden by Kaleidyscope'. The album will feature 44 songs, 4 of which are now being recorded. My desire is to release a song at a time beginning around Halloween of this year, with each new release coming shortly after until all 44 are out. Each song will be made available absolutely for free, to anyone anywhere. There will be no strings attached. Free will mean free, which means you won't have to sign up for anything, give an email address, or jump through a hoop. You will be able to go and take the song or songs as you wish, as many times as you wish.

Corgan's trying out a "freemium" approach, offering his music for free, but also offering a premium version for dedicated fans:

We will however sell highly limited edition EP's (of 4 songs each times 11), and details of how those EP's will be made available are still being worked out. Because the songs themselves will be free, the EP's will be more like collectors items for the discerning fan who will want the art itself, along with the highest possible audio quality available.

Corgan adds that the new album is based on the concept of 'The Fool's Journey', breaking down the journey of life into four phases as made by characters of the tarot; the Child, the Fool, the Skeptic, and the Mystic.

Image: Andra Veraart

Link:

• Smashing Pumpkins

James Lewin
Twitter @podcasting_news