Spirits in the Sky

Spirits in the Sky
Spirits in the Sky poster.
Background information
Genres	Alternative rock, psychedelic rock
Years active	2009
Associated acts	The Smashing Pumpkins, Jane's Addiction, The Electric Prunes, Strawberry Alarm Clock
Members	Kerry Brown Mike Byrne Billy Corgan Kevin Dippold Dave Navarro Ysanne Spevack Linda Strawberry Mark Tulin Mark Weitz

Spirits in the Sky is a casual supergroup led by Billy Corgan, frontman of The Smashing Pumpkins. The band convened, initially, in July 2009 to perform at a memorial concert for the late Sky Saxon of The Seeds. The band played three songs - a cover of "Spirit in the Sky" by The Seeds, and a new Smashing Pumpkins song called "Freak". The lineup at that show was Corgan (guitar), Kerry Brown (drums/percussion), Mike Byrne (drums), Kevin Dippold (guitar/vocals), Mark Tulin (bass), and Mark Weitz (keyboards).

In August 2009, the band went on tour, this time adding violinist Ysanne Spevack, singer Linda Strawberry, and Jane's Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro. Dippold switched to primarily playing flute. The band played six shows in California, playing songs Corgan had written for the new Smashing Pumpkins album, Teargarden by Kaleidyscope, as well as covers of songs by The Seeds, Pink Floyd, The Velvet Underground, Jethro Tull, Quicksilver Messenger Service, and others.

In September 2009, work commenced on Teargarden by Kaleidyscope in Chicago, with Corgan joined by Brown, Byrne, Dippold, Spevack, Tulin, and perhaps others. Three of the four songs on the first EP of Teargarden by Kaleidyscope, "Widow Wake My Mind," "A Stitch in Time," and "Astral Planes" were debuted at Spirits in the Sky shows.

In October 2009, a one-off benefit show by a band called Backwards Clock Society, composed of Corgan, Brown, and Tulin, was announced. The performance took place at The Echoplex in Los Angeles on November 8, 2009.

Corgan has said there are demos of Spirits in the Sky songs, but not with the core lineup of musicians, and that rehearsal demos with the full band may exist.

Lineup

• Kerry Brown – percussion, drums
• Mike Byrne – drums
• Billy Corgan – vocals, guitar
• Kevin Dippold – vocals, flute, guitar
• Dave Navarro – guitar
• Ysanne Spevack – violin
• Linda Strawberry – vocals
• Mark Tulin – bass
• Mark Weitz – keyboards

Shows

Date	Venue	Location	Setlist	Photos	Banter
2009-07-24	Echoplex	Los Angeles, CA, US
2009-08-24	Kerry Brown's House	Los Angeles, CA, US
2009-08-26	Cellar Door	Visalia, CA, US
2009-08-27	Muddy Waters	Santa Barbara, CA, US
2009-08-28	Open	Long Beach, CA, US
2009-08-29	Pappy & Harriet's Place (Outdoor Stage)	Pioneertown, CA, US
2009-08-30	Che Cafe	San Diego, CA, US
2009-08-31	The Hotel Cafe	Los Angeles, CA, US

Songs performed

Song	Shows	Cover
Freak	9	(original)
Emerald Green is the Colour	8	(original)
The Trip	8	(original)
Can't Seem to Make You Mine	8	The Seeds
Widow Wake My Mind	8	(original)
A Stitch in Time	8	(original)
The Fellowship	7	(original)
Astral Planes	7	(original)
Circular Change	7	(original)
Lucifer Sam	7	Pink Floyd
Caroline, Yes	6	(original)
A Song for a Son	6	(original)
Morning Dew	6	Bonnie Dobson
West Coast	6	(original)
The Time Has Come	5	Anne Briggs
Femme Fatale	5	The Velvet Underground
Long Haired Lady	3	Quicksilver Messenger Service
A New Day Yesterday	3	Jethro Tull
Spirit in the Sky	1	Norman Greenbaum
900 Million People Daily (All Makin' Love)	1	The Seeds
Wind-Up Toys	1	The Electric Prunes
Pushin' Too Hard	1	The Seeds
Willingly	1	Willie Nelson / Shirley Collie
Femme Fatale	1	Velvet Underground