The Smashing Pumpkins name Nicole Fiorentino new bassist

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The Smashing Pumpkins have named Nicole Fiorentino as their new bass player. Which means just one thing: all you bassists out there hoping for a spot in the band are out of luck.

Billy Corgan and new Smashing Pumpkins bassist Nicole Fiorentino. Image: ©Kristin Burns 2010 courtesy of Smashing Pumpkins.com

Back in March, head Pumpkin Billy Corgan announced an online search for a new bassist and keyboardist. So if you're a budding pro-rocker who plays in the style of Jon Lord or Rick Wakeman (two keyboadists Corgan cited in his posting), you've apparently still got a shot.

As for Fiorentino, she will be joining Corgan, guitarist Jeff Schroeder and drummer Mike Byrne in new lineup

Prior to joining the Pumpkins, the Los Angeles-based musician has been in such bands as Veruca Salt, Spinerette, Radio Vago, Twilight Sleep and Light FM. The latter group appeared at a Los Angeles benefit concert last November headlined by the Corgan-led band Backwards Clock Society. (Proceeds from that show went to Laura Masura, the former head of The Smashing Pumpkins' fan club who was injured in a motorcycle crash).

It is said that Fiorentino will perform with the Pumpkins on their world tour later this year, a jaunt that will include headline performances at two Summersonic festivals in Japan: 7 August in Tokyo (Marine Stadium) and 8 August in Osaka (Maishima).

Recently, The Smashing Pumpkins released - online and for free - the song Astral Planes, the final track to be issued for the EP Teargarden By Kaleidyscore Vol 1: Songs For A Sailor, the first of what will eventually be 11 EPs to be sold in record stores.

Teargarden is set for an official release on 25 May through Martha's Music/Rocket Science Ventures as a limited-editon collector's EP.

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Joe Bosso
Joe Bosso

Joe is a freelance journalist who has, over the past few decades, interviewed hundreds of guitarists for Guitar World, Guitar Player, MusicRadar and Classic Rock. He is also a former editor of Guitar World, contributing writer for Guitar Aficionado and VP of A&R for Island Records. He’s an enthusiastic guitarist, but he’s nowhere near the likes of the people he interviews. Surprisingly, his skills are more suited to the drums. If you need a drummer for your Beatles tribute band, look him up.