Rock Show session: Zwan (2003)
The BBC's Rock Show, which started around the beginning of the 00s, which mostly a really bad thing. That annoying editor from Kerrang was on it practically ever week, Mary Anne Hobbes never shut up about doing flyers for fucking Guns N Roses, and bands like Defenestration got radio play. However today I can present you with one of the few good things that got played.
I never got the massive hatred for Zwan. Sure they weren't the Pumpkins, but they still produced a damn lovely summer rock album that I still enjoy today, and all I can think is that if more people had got a chance to see them live they would have realised how dumb they were being with the kneejerk hate. Alas they only played about 3 UK shows, one of which being a London show that was absolutely tremendously great, with some stunning guitar duels between Corgan, Matt Sweeney and Dave Pajo. Soon after of course, some sort of crazy inter-band sex and smack malarkey (or a clash of egos if you listen to anyone but Bolly) led to their demise. A shame.
This session was broadcast on the 19th February 2003. I'm Eighteen is of course an Alice Cooper cover. Enjoy.
Zwan - 01 Riverview (Rock Show session)
Zwan - 02 Settle Down (Rock Show session)
Zwan - 03 Honestly (Rock Show session)
Zwan - 04 I'm Eighteen (Rock Show session)
Zwan - 05 Spilled Milk (Rock Show session)
posted by Jamie Summers at 11:55 pm
6 Comments:
Problem was of course that a lot of the press were waiting for an opportunity to attack Billy Corgan and were unable to do so when he kept bringing out excellent stuff with the Smashing Pumpkins. Cue new band....cue the venom.
I'm not sure if I totally agree with you about the Zwan LP...it's one of theose that I'd give 3/5. But 'Honestly' was agreat single...
I lived in Chicago at the dawn of Zwan and was lucky enough to see the Metro residency and the record release concert at the Museum of Science and Industry... OK, so I did miss the dozens of shows they did at The Hideout (I wasn't that in the know back then). Zwan was the light of day after the bewildering destruction of the Pumpkins. I give the album a 4.9/5. The only ding is for the overly LOUD mixing of the CD. Even the DVD gem "God's Gonna Set This World on Fire" is Billy at his furious, shredding best. And Paz just may be the hottest woman in rock and roll. But it is clear from the DVD "stare blankly into the camera" band member sound bites and their odd JBTV interview, these seasoned, independent spirits had no idea what Billy wanted Zwan to be. Well, they collided for one perfect album. We'll always have that. Here's hoping Billy's next project blazes forward and never looks back.
And huge thanks to the Runout Groove for posting some of the most visceral and important lost gems on the Web.
Love Zwan. Absolutely love it. It always reminds me of the very first days of spring when it's just barely warm enough to wander around without a jacket on.
Thanks for posting these...
I like Zwan, if only because they provided the first and last opportunity for David Pajo to appear on Top of the Pops...
effin great - thanks so much for these - a nice treat while waiting for Zeitgeist tracks to surface!
Thank you so much for posting this. Zwan was a great band, it could have gone far.
Does anyone know if the recording date was also the 19th? Was it the 18th?
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