"For years now, I have walked around with a secret, a secret I chose to keep. But now I want you to be among the first to know that I have made plans to renew and revive the Smashing Pumpkins. I want my band back, and my songs, and my dreams."

It was just over three years ago when Billy Corgan took out full-page ads in a couple Chicago newspapers with that silly statement. What was most surprising wasn’t that he wanted "his" band to reunite, it was that Corgan, a person who I considered intelligent, exhibited absolutely no tact, no common sense, no cool.

One album (Zeitgeist), one EP (American Gothic), and one song ("Superchrist") for a Guitar Center compilation later, The Smashing Pumpkins are still celebrating themselves with their newly confirmed 20th anniversary tour (minus James Iha and D’arcy). For five weeks, the band will play a bunch of new and old tracks, with several two-night dates in the bigger cities (first night is "Black Sunshine," second is "White Crosses" — can’t make this shit up). Pumpkins promise no overlap for those consecutive shows.

Meanwhile, The Smashing Pumpkins will play Neil Young’s Bridge School Benefit October 26, a live DVD (If All Goes Wrong) comes out November 11, and a new song, "G.L.O.W.," will make its debut exclusively on Guitar Hero: World Tour.

Whatever happened to the "Gish tour" anyway?

11.11.08 - Cleveland, OH - The Palace Theatre 11.13.08 - Toronto, ONT - Massey Hall 11.14.08 - Toronto, ONT - Massey Hall 11.06.08 - New York, NY - United Palace Theatre 11.07.08 - New York, NY - United Palace Theatre 11.08.08 - Atlantic City, NJ - Borgata 11.11.08 - Washington, DC - DAR Constitution Hall 11.12.08 - Washington, DC - DAR Constitution Hall 11.14.08 - Boston, MA - The Wang Center 11.15.08 - Boston, MA - The Wang Center 11.16.08 - Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun Arena 11.18.08 - Chicago, IL - Chicago Theatre 11.19.08 - Chicago, IL - Chicago Theatre 11.21.08 - Chicago, IL - Chicago Theatre 11.22.08 - Chicago, IL - Auditorium Theatre 11.26.08 - St. Louis, MO - Fox Theatre 11.30.08 - San Diego, CA - RIMAC Arena 12.02.08 - Los Angeles, CA - Gibson Amphitheatre 12.03.08 - Los Angeles, CA - Gibson Amphitheatre