Pitchfork

Surely many of you have heard about Billy Corgan's new post-Smashing Pumpkins band Zwan. Rumors have been circulating for some time about a new Corgan project, but earlier this week the hair-deficient rocker made it official. What makes this particularly newsworthy is that, along with ex-Pumpkins drummer Jimmy Chamberlain, the band features some high-profile indie rockers. Chavez guitarist Matt Sweeney is already confirmed as an official member, but the mystery lies with Zwan's bassist, known only as "Skullfisher."

Over the course of the past week, rumors have popped up on message boards proclaiming that Skullfisher is really ex-Slint guitarist David Pajo, whose latest solo album as Papa M, Whatever, Mortal, was recently released on Drag City. If Skullfisher is indeed David Pajo, all we can say is, he's got some explaining to do. Zwan will play the first of four California dates tonight at the Glass House in Pomona. More dates are below. You can also check "The True Poets of Zwan" website for confirmation if you're like us and can't believe any of this is really happening.

In other Pumpkins-related news, ex-Whiskeytown frontman Ryan Adams has joined forces with former Smashing Pumpkins James Iha and Melissa Auf Der Mar, as well as walking punchline Evan Dando. Each artist will form one essential part of a larger, more powerful being known as The Virgins, which either denotes the megastore for whose bargain bins the album is destined, or is just a really dumb band name. If nothing else, the Virgins should produce some good conversations during set breaks, as Adams and Dando are said to swap Winona Ryder stories, and Iha and Auf Der Mar try to determine whether Billy Corgan or Courtney Love look better in a skirt. They will record their debut album at Iha's Manhattan studio, though they haven't yet announced whether they will tour to support whatever results.

Remember when Ryan Adams used to play with people like Gillian Welch, David Rawlings, and Emmylou Harris? You know, the halcyon days of one freakin' year ago? That was enjoyable. I guess Welch and Rawlings were too busy this year making a new album that crushes Gold like a grape to be bothered.

Anyway, here are the dates and locations at which the True Poets of Zwan will appear, by moonlight. Consult ancient spell tome for latitude and longitude coordinates, moon phases and Pajo invokation:

11-16 Pomona, CA - Glass House
11-18 Santa Ana, CA - Galaxy Theatre
11-20 San Diego - Canes
11-21 Los Angeles - Roxy