Pitchfork

Photo by Matt Ziegler

Their synthpop phase was more than a decade ago now, so maybe it's time for the Smashing Pumpkins to indulge in another time-honored aging-rocker career cliche: Going retro! Or maybe not. But in the next few months, the reconstituted 90s alt-pop heroes will make a couple of moves that smack of PBS respectability.

For one thing, Billy Corgan will soon put in work to benefit public broadcasting in his hometown of Chicago. On April 17 at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, the Chicago public TV station WTTW and the listener-supported classical radio station WFMT will present a  concert celebrating the 25th anniversary of the "Chicago Tonight" TV show . Soul legend Mavis Staples will perform with her band, and Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan will show up for what WTTW promises will be "a once-in-a-lifetime collaboration." It's anyone's guess how Corgan's nasal snarl will match up with Staples' full-throated bellow, but we're at least interested to hear it. (Via Hipsters United.)

And as the L.A. Times reports, the Pumpkins have already linked up with another old-school entertainer: rockabilly revivalist smoothie Chris Isaak. Tonight, February 26, the Biography Channel premieres a new show, "The Chris Isaak Hour", in which host Isaak sings and talks music with a wide range of guests. (Tonight's guest: Trisha Yearwood!) On every episode, guests play five or six songs, and Isaak joins in on one or two.

Stereogum points out this clip of the Pumpkins' appearance on the show, which reveals that at least some of the Isaak interview will revolve around Corgan's always-entertaining persecution complex. Choice Corgan quote: "Yeah, [our fans] really don't like us, that's the funny part." Gee, we wonder why? Should be a party!