In a Reddit Q&A, mastering engineer Howie Weinberg revealed that the Smashing Pumpkins’ 1997 release Adore will be the next in a chain of re-masters/re-issues. For better or for worse. I’m going to go with the prior because of what has usually been attached with these remastered albums. The reissues of earlier releases (Aeroplane Flies High, Gish, Siamese Dream, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness) have been loaded with b-sides, live recordings, alternate versions, and video footage. For the super-Pumpkins fan, there’s nothing better. 

And to be honest, the remasters sound quite awesome.

But Adore needing remastering? That’s certainly in the newer realm of record production techniques, and sounds unnecessary. As Howie put it on Reddit:

“Not sure why it has to be remastered because the original is perfect:) All marketing decisions… how do (sic) sell a record twice – remaster it:) They will be releasing the mono versions and 5 extra CDs of unreleased material, live stuff etc… Not sure when.”

Billy Corgan, later via twitter, added that there would be 4 (four) CDs of material and a DVD. Certainly a step up from the infestation of “remaster + 2 bonus songs” releases.

(article photo by Clay Lancaster)