G.L.O.W.

"G.L.O.W." is a single by The Smashing Pumpkins that premiered on Chicago alternative rock station Q101 on September 29, 2008. This song was the last recorded Smashing Pumpkins song to feature drummer Jimmy Chamberlin, who left the band in March 2009, and before he rejoined in 2018. The Mellon Collie-era demo song "Zoom" has a similar riff to "G.L.O.W." may have originated from it.

As for the title, Billy Corgan has said he simply wanted to call the song "Glow" but stylized it with full stops as part of an inside joke, possibly in reference to the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling.

Corgan has reflected back as "G.L.O.W." being an example of where the band was headed had Chamberlin not left.

Background
Sometime in early 2008, Guitar Hero approached The Smashing Pumpkins about including a new original song in their upcoming game, Guitar Hero World Tour. Corgan agreed and wrote and recorded "G.L.O.W." for the occasion. He later recalled that his bad posture is accurately captured in the video game, as he himself acted for the animated figure.

In July 2008 it was announced on the band's official website that the recording of this song was complete. Bjorn Thorsrud was confirmed as a co-producer of the track, stating: "'G.L.O.W.' has me glowing all over". Later that month the band's website reported that the track had entered the mixing stage, with mixing by Chris Lord-Alge, and that it was still slated for a September release. The article also featured a photo of Billy Corgan and Jimmy Chamberlin among others at Ardent Studios in Memphis, Tennessee where "G.L.O.W." was recorded.

In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Billy Corgan stated that, with American Gothic and "G.L.O.W.", the band "finally turned the corner... where it’s starting to feel like our music again, and not theirs, whoever 'they' might be," referring to the band's choice to continue making music without a record label.

"G.L.O.W." was released as iTunes first "digital 45" on November 4, 2008. It was also released as a downloadable track for Guitar Hero World Tour on November 15, 2008, along with "1979" and "The Everlasting Gaze". The band worked on a music video with Justin Coloma for the song, which premiered on MySpace on December 2, 2008.

The cover art was created by artist Kateri Forbes.