I was just searching MySpace music and just by a freak accident came across James Iha playing with America on America's MySpace page! I can hardly believe it! I guess America just came out with a new album as well! Here's the info:


"In the midst of their fourth decade of music making, America have been perennials on the concert circuit for 34 years, pleasing their loyal fan base and attracting new generations of followers. The band's new 2-CD set, "Here & Now" is a spectacular distillation of the group's signature sound past and present, comprising one studio record of all new material and a second live disc taped at XM Radio featuring renditions of songs found on the group's multi-platinum greatest hits album, "History".

Their new studio album is a fresh blast of classic Americana shaped by the contemporary sensibilities of producers Adam Schlesinger (Fountains Of Wayne) and James Iha (Smashing Pumpkins) and features guests, Ryan Adams, Ben Kweller, Ira Elliot and Matthew Caws (Nada Surf) and Jim James and Patrick Hallahan (My Morning Jacket),Stephen Bishop and Mark Rozzo (Maplewood). "One of the main attractions for Adam (Schlesinger) and James (Iha) was their initial love of the America sound," explains Gerry Beckley. "We have intentionally tried to keep that being the main focus. We're not trying to emulate or go backwards but the initial ingredients have always remained common to us, which were an abundance of acoustic instrument sounds, a lot of vocal harmony and interesting melodies and lyrics in the forefront." Dewey adds, "Adam and James are terrific to work with. We've tried to maintain the elements of our own traditions so those things haven't changed. We're not moving into electronic music but there are a few quirky things on the album. We're doing a few outside tracks including "Always Love" by Nada Surf." "

~ P.S. There's a picture of him as well! So does this mean James isn't with the Pumpkins? If he's working with America, I doubt it.

profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction...p;friendID=118256739

Maybe some of you will not believe this, but after seeing that James is working with America I find it hard to believe that he is in the Smashing Pumpkins as well. The basic fact that James lives in New York and that the band America is also in New York is proof enough to me. How could he be working in Chicago and New York at the same time? Also, his two companies are based in New York.

This is all my own opinion of course, so feel free to disagree and express it openly. I'd like to hear what you all think! McMurderson?

The Pumpkins are recording in Los Angeles which doesn't help either.

Really? I did not know that. But as you said, that just adds to the whole thing. New York City and L.A. are a little far apart.

we'll see.

They all traveled for the Adore album, didn't they?

mmm james looks niiice in this
well, he could be flying back and forward every day just for billy...

I really think that he only produced for America and will not be joining the band. It's entirely possible that they're recording in "shifts." It would make sense because this past summer, when Vanessa and the O's were touring in Europe, James was mysteriously absent. It was around that same time that The Pumpkins' site announced that "the band" was recording with Roy Thomas Baker. So he could be returning every so often to do his recording duties, then get back to New York to do his day to day stuff. Wealthy people who are used to flying might see no problem in doing this.

mysteriously absent?
ooo! james is very... mysterious.
it could be that james recorded his parts back then, and is now with the america band thing. aanndd jimmy was just trying to put us off track by saying they have only finished the drums.
though that is very far fetched.

Yeah - I don't see Jimmy lying and I don't think they would record James first just simply because he usually does stuff to accent the songs. The drums definitely have to be layed first - no doubt about that....maybe Jimmy and Billy are laying their stuff and James will come in and add his parts towards the end of recording. Isn't that how it worked in the past anyway??? (not sure)

This is definitely not good news for those of us who hope James is back but I will keep praying until I see the official line-up. It would definitely be a miracle if James is back.

James has been spotted in Chicago periodically, but yeah that means nothing in terms of SP, since SP is in LA. It doesn't necessarily exclude him but it makes it less likely. A good friend of mine that I implicitly trust saw him at Metro in the past month or two. James said he was there to check out a band he was interested in signing to Scratchie Records.

It seems to me that if I was in a band I wouldn't want a band so "seperated" if you know what I mean. It would be too difficult to collaborate and make the music exactly how you would want it if your band was literally flying all over the country on a day-to-day basis. I think the Pumpkins are in the music, energy, and thought of the idea, not necessarily who's in the band.

[This is all my own opinion!]

Once again I can't remember where but I swear that they said that James and Darcy were not comming back.

Nobody has said anything, and if they have they're only speculating because no one knows anything yet. As for the "separation" issue, James and the rest of the members of Vanessa and the O's are a continent apart, and they still managed to collaborate. James traveled to France and Sweden to record and tour with them, so I don't see why potentially working with his old bandmates in this way would be any different.