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COVER STORY : SMASHING PUMPKINS
The Smashing Pumpkins are pushing parameters again with the ambitious double album CYR , and its slew of inspired anthems , like the handclap-buttressed “ Wrath ,” a propulsive “ The Colour of Love ,” the ethereal tumbler “ Birch Grove ,” and the sinister synthrocking title track , all complemented by a dystopian animated series called “ In Ashes .” Toss in the fact that the band ’ s last two-disc experiment , Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness , is celebrating its ( gasp !) 25th anniversary this year ( with a truly stunning line of promotional HUF merchandise available ), and you ’ ve got a full-blown Corgan Renaissance kicking off — the last things his fans might have expected from him this year . But , at 53 , he is — just by despising the universally-loved “ Walk of Life ” alone — still good at unveiling against-the-grain surprises . Tom Lanham spoke to WPC ( Billy Corgan ).
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HELLO MY NAME IS DON McLEAN
Twas was a time when renowned New York composer Don McLean was surprised by the enduring appeal of his work . Like that moment in 2003 when he happened to catch a Simpsons episode called “ Scuse Me While I Miss the Sky ” that charted Lisa ’ s new love of astronomy and prominently featured his 1971 Van-Gogh-inspired single “ Vincent ( Starry Starry Night )” in the soundtrack . He laughed out loud as his tune played and the animated family watched a meteor shower ; “ This is even better than our screen saver — and I LOVE our screen saver !” An awestruck Marge Simpson noted , while Homer thoughtfully added , “ I wish God were alive to see this .” The gentle jangler had also been covered by a young Josh Groban on his 2001 debut disc , and was reportedly one of late rapper Tupac Shakur ’ s all-time favorites . It ’ s also in regular soundtrack rotation at Amsterdam ’ s Vincent Van Gogh museum , and in July of this convoluted coronavirus year , its original handwritten lyrics sold for $ 1.5 million . “ And I think that ’ s how that kid in England , Jake Bugg , first heard me ,” recalls McLean , now 75 and reflecting quite contentedly on his five-decade career . ( In countless interviews , Bugg has confirmed the crucial influence that “ Vincent ” had on the sound Tom Lanham talked to Mr . " American Pie ".
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File
Our interview with Don McLean .
Cinemascopes
Wonder Woman appears on Christmas .
Media
In Memorium .
Spins
U2 , Love Coma , McCartney , The Stones and more .
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Publisher John Vernon
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illinoisentertainer . com december 2020 |
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- Sweet Home Rick Kaempfer - Media
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David C . Eldredge - East Coast
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