Pumpkins' Single to Debut on Guitar Hero

(NEWSER) - After the departure of longtime—well, come-and-go—Smashing Pumpkin Jimmy Chamberlin and the audition of 1,000 hopefuls, frontman Billy Corgan has named a new drummer, the Chicago Tribune reports. And the kid’s 19. Oregon native Mike Byrne played with local groups before receiving the honor from the Chicago-based Pumpkins. “Dream come true, man,” he says on the band’s site. More»

Corgan hopes to be seen as more than a 'reunion band'

(NEWSER) - The re-formed Smashing Pumpkins start their 20th-anniversary tour next month, shrugging off the blasé reception that met their 2006 tour. Frontman Billy Corgan—who admits the group's breakup in 2000 was "a total mistake"—tells Rolling Stone that fans who attend multiple shows in some cities will be rewarded with a different set each night. "It's like putting on a spacesuit again," he said of playing some songs for the first time in years. More»

Gig is over for former hit game

(NEWSER) - Activision's former smash hit has gone from hero to zero. The company says Guitar Hero—which earned it more than $1 billion just 2 years ago—is being discontinued. Members of the Guitar Hero team will be among some 500 Activision employees to be laid off, the Los Angeles Times reports. Activision is also axing the True Crime: Hong Kong game that was in development. The company plans to focus on World of Warcraft and future Call of Duty titles. More»

Yes, Smashing Pumpkins frontman and the one who married a boy-bander

(NEWSER) - Jessica Simpson has finally moved on from her breakup with Tony Romo, and is now dating…Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins fame. Yes, sources confirm that the bald rocker and the pop-starlet-turned-country-singer are indeed an item, difficult as that may be to believe. “She has fallen hard and is smitten,” a source tells E! , but another adds that Simpson’s friends and family think 42-year-old Corgan is “too old for her.” More»

(NEWSER) - Two of the biggest names in rap are on board with Guitar Hero’s latest spin-off, USA Today reports. When DJ Hero launches this fall, its celebrity lineup will include Jay-Z and Eminem. Both are working with manufacturer Activision and developer FreeStyleGames to finalize their playlists. “I have a ton of content, I just need the pipeline,” says Jay-Z, whose contributions will include Dirt Off Your Shoulder. More»