News bits: Billy Corgan, Imaad Wasif, All Smiles

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Billy Corgan has been holed up in L.A. in recent months, writing new Smashing Pumpkins material, and at the Sky Saxon Tribute on Friday night at the Echoplex, he sprung one on the audience. Fronting a one-night-only band called Spirits in the Sky, which featured members of Strawberry Alarm Clock and the Electric Prunes (as well as new Smashing Pumpkins drummer Mike Byrne), Corgan debuted a pop-leaning number titled “Freak.” And it was good, very good, something that recalled the material on “Mellon Collie,” only fresher. Radio programmers, start your engines. You can’t quite get the full power of the song from this video, but …

‣ Psych-rock guru Imaad Wasif has signed to Tee Pee Records, with a new album, “The Voidist,” set for October release. After releasing one of my favorite albums of 2008, Wasif has been busy, including collaborating with Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Bradford Cox of Deerhunter and Jack Lawrence of the Raconteurs on the score for the Spike Jonze film “Where the Wild Things Are,” also out in October.

Organic: Yes, that’s our own Aaron Embry in Penn & Teller’s crosshairs.

allsmilesGood read, too: All Smiles’ Jim Fairchild, the ex-Grandaddy guitarist now touring with Modest Mouse, guest-blogged for my favorite mag, Under the Radar. His new album, “Oh for the Getting and Not Letting Go” (touted here in its embryonic stages) is finally out, and recommended.

Listen up: The first of MySpace Records “Online [Offline]” monthly series of showcases – a hip-hop show featuring U-N-I and Rootbeer – was a smashing success. The Aug. 13 installment at the Echo will be more rockist, with Burning Brides, Jonneine Zapata, Mary Magdalan and Sabrosa Purr. Just a hunch, but catch Jonneine Zapata while you can. Her album “Cast the Demons Out” will end up on my 2009 favorites list, and there is new material in the pipeline. Oh, and Angie Mattson (the bassist in Sabrosa Purr) will play the showcase’s September date.

Shows and stuff: I wrote about Billy Harvey in the Times in 2004 (can’t find a Web link, sorry), and now the uber-talented songwriter-producer is relocating from Austin to Los Angeles. He’s been playing the Little Room at Largo on Wednesdays this month (one show, tomorrow, remaining), and last week’s installment – during which he was joined by percussionist Dony Wynn and singer-songwriter Blue Sanders, displayed Harvey’s astute songwriting and singular charm. Well worth checking out. … Silversun Pickups are on “Letterman” tonight. Wonder what song they’ll do. … Even absent pedal steel guru Graham Lathrop, last week’s Robert Francis show at the Roxy was great, especially the duet with sister Carla Commagere. If only some of the crowd for Haim would have had the sense to stick around. The release of Francis’ album is in the hands of the Atlantic Records gods, but some are hoping for September. … Nico Vega had to cancel some tour dates this summer because singer Aja Volkman damaged her vocal cords, but the L.A. trio is now back at it. They play the Shore in Hermosa Beach on Aug. 19 and then Aug. 22 at Sunset Junction. … Local Natives have signed a publishing deal with Universal, but no word on a label deal or the possible release of “Gorilla Manor.” … And, yeah, sometimes I feel this way too.