Billy Corgan reformed the Smashing Pumpkins last year for an extremely successful album and tour, but didn’t invite original bass player D’arcy Wretzky or original six-stringer James “Don’t Call Me Jimmy” Iha to join in on the fun. Now comes the long-expected announcement that the Pumpkins will celebrate their 20th anniversary with a handful of shows in August and September.

Billy Corgan told Billboard.com in March the group would hit Chicago, New York and Los Angeles, among other locales, and that guests will appear at some of the anniversary gigs. While the Pumpkins have always been about Billy’s lyrics and music, we hope he doesn’t forget about Wretzky or Iha’s major contributions to the band’s sound. Time heals all wounds or something, so let ‘em play!

• R.E.M. kicks off their tour in Vancouver with a few bust outs
• Look for Tea Leaf Green’s new album, Raise Up The Tent, on 7/22
• Stereogum unveils the Black Kids’ new video for Hurricane Jane
• Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Billy Powell undergoes emergency surgery
• Blame Canada: The CRIA orders a shutdown of torrent sites
• Panic compiles the best of Spring Tour for Driving Songs Vol. III

If you thought Jamband Fans were obsessive compulsive stat geeks, we’ve found a group of dudes who take it to the next level. A few extremely zealous record collectors have spent the last ten years working on The Whitburn Project in an effort to preserve and share high quality recordings of every popular song since 1890’s. Be sure to download this ridiculously complete spreadsheet they’ve come up with to track the chart progress of the tunes they’re collecting.

We’re getting closer and closer to Led Zeppelin’s return, which takes place in London just one week from Monday. The new issue of Rolling Stone contains a terrific feature by David Fricke about the circumstances that led up to the reunion, as well as a report from one of the band’s tightly guarded rehearsals. Jason Bonham got us excited when he described Zeppelin’s first attempt at playing No Quarter: “When the riff came in, there was this look that went around. It was brilliant.” Bring it on fellas, and then bring it to the States next summer.

Let’s see what else is happening on this final day of November:

• Radiohead announced a batch of European tour dates in June and July, leading to speculation they will play the states in May
• moe.’s new album, Sticks and Stones, will be released in January
• John Fogerty never thought hanging out with the Dead and dropping acid was a good idea — silly, John Fogerty
• A Hungarian Zappa freak has compiled a list of Zappa videos on the ‘nets
• The List gives us five reasons to go see Ryan Adams [via LHB]
• We thought we had seen the last of Tay Zonday, but we were wrong
• Former Skynyrd drummer Artimus Pyle got thrown in jail… again
• Our buddy Pete at IckMusic will DJ on Sirius’ Springsteen Channel
• Music Pirates are glad to see EMI will cut funding to trade groups
• Uncle Neddy gathers us ’round the fire to tell about two incredible shows he attended 15 years ago

Finally, we’re glad to see that the owners of Sweetwater have found a new home for the venue. Now they just need our help funding and permitting…

It’s time to mourn the loss of another legendary venue. Ziggy’s, a Winston-Salem tradition for the past 30 years, closes its doors on Sunday. The list of bands that have come through the doors at Ziggy’s is staggering in both size and quality. Perpetual Groove closes the venue down in style on Sunday by hosting A Last Supper featuring a bunch of their close friends.

• With Sly Stone, in 2007, you take what you can get
• Spin interviews Arcade Fire and Bruce Springsteen for their first joint interview
• Donald Fagen let it slip that Steely Dan will return to the road next summer
• Neddy remembers Hampton ‘97 ten years later
• Weezer is gearing up to release its sixth album, Tout Ensemble, on April 22nd
• The fight over James Brown’s estate continues to rage on
• Glen Phillips hits the road early next year

Finally, former Lynyrd Skynryd drummer Artimus Pyle was thrown in jail for failing to register on a sex offender’s list. Gimme three steps towards the cell.

One of the interesting side effects of the upcoming Led Zeppelin reunion gig is that any time Jimmy Page gives an interview people analyze every single detail for clues about what will go down on December 10th. Page yesterday let it slide that the band has been rehearsing a song written between 1968 and 1980 that has never been played before. Jimmy played it cool when pushed for further details, but apparently he mentions they plan to play For Your Life in memory of Ahmet Ertegun in an interview that will run in the next issue of Guitar World.

Speaking of people that can’t keep a secret, Ian Astbury told a stunned crowd in Cincinnati that The Cult will be opening for Led Zeppelin during what’s shaping up to be the biggest tour of 2008. Be sure to save those holiday bonuses, because tickets won’t be cheap. Alright, what else is out there?

• Bruce Springsteen ends one tour and announces another
• Wolfmother is working hard on a new “cinematic, epic” album
• Dweezil Zappa pwns Project Object
• Silversun Pickups book holiday dates across the country
• Japan just says no to Velvet Revolver
• Looking into Skynryd’s motivation behind writing Sweet Home Alabama
• Concert photographers now get much less time to take their shots
• Chris Michetti explains RAQ’s hard driving sound to the Diamondback Online
• Vince Iwinski talks about the business behind Umphrey’s McGee
• The Red Hot Chili Peppers have sued Showtime over the use of the name Californication

Finally congrats to Queen’s Brian May for being named Chancellor of Liverpool John Moores University, paving the way for Rock Star Astrophysicists everywhere.

You may know Dane Cook for his shitty movies and jokes that appeal to the insanely stupid. But now Cook has stepped onto our turf with the release of his first music single, Forward. Worse, it’s not a gag; this is a serious attempt. Our friend Bloo2e points us in the direction of Best Week Ever, who have outdone themselves by creating a fitting video for Forward. This is a horrible tune, which really is just a complete ripoff of Chicago’s Hard To Say I’m Sorry. Dane, if you’re gonna blatantly copy a song, at least pick a good one.

Enough about Dane Cook, let’s check out the best of the rest of the ‘nets:

• It didn’t take long for rumors of future Led Zeppelin gigs to emerge
• A new billboard in New Zealand sums up the Flight of the Conchords
• First there was Beatallica; now there are the string-y sounds of Harptallica
• It’s about time: Alabama finally uses Skynyrd’s anthem to boost tourism
• You gotta love it when a anti-piracy group gets hacked
• Interpol couldn’t hide their enthusiasm to be playing at MSG
• What does the U.S. Immigration Service have against UK bands?
• Dave Grohl discusses the dark days after Nirvana broke up
• Project/Object is touring with legendary Zappa alum Napoleon Murphy Brock
• Michael Stipe reveals the last decade has been difficult for R.E.M.
• Rolling Stone has some kind words about the Genesis tour
• The Sea and Cake performed at the Minnesota Public Radio studios
• Bands That Jam has some exclusive RAQ video and MP3s from Buffalo

Now it’s time to do your part…leave a message below if we missed anything.

As we mentioned last week in Vol. I, soundchecks are a touring band’s chance to work out new material, get comfortable with a stage and, sometimes, let loose with each other (non-sexually). This week’s B List concludes a two-part series in which we’re featuring the best soundcheck videos out there on The YouTube. Some are hilarious, some rock, and others are simply…bizarre.

So make sure to read on after the jump for 10 awesome soundcheck videos, including Genesis, Skynyrd, Floyd, The Misfits, Zappa and many more…

Life on the road is tough, so it’s no surprise that many songwriters have used the concept of home as a theme throughout their songs. If I were living with 10 other dudes in a small van, I’d be homesick too. The word ‘home’ may conjure up different images to different people, but it seems the connection is a feeling of security and safety.

In the first six months of this column we’ve tried to focus squarely on the music. But today, this B List takes a look at the lyrics as we check out the 20 best songs about home (in no particular order). As usual, we did our best to find a YouTube video or audio clip to illustrate the songs listed:

1. Sing Me Back Home - Merle Haggard: This death-row tale was written in the late ’60s. As you see in the video, Merle used to play this song at a quick tempo, while the Grateful Dead slowed it down to a funeral dirge in their version. I favor the Dead’s version — nobody was better at emoting that sad soulful feeling like JerBear.

“Sing me back home with a song I used to hear”

2. Home Sweet Home - Motley Crue: Leave it to Motley Crue to write a tearjerker that can be classified as kickass. The number one Hair Metal Power Ballad returns to the B List due to its heartfelt lyrics by Nikki Sixx. I guess between shots of adrenaline and pussy, Sixx got a bit homesick.

“I had to run away high So I wouldn’t come home low”

3. Can’t Find My Way Home - Blind Faith: Blind Faith’s gift to the world is possibly the best song ever written about home. Pre MTV Unplugged Eric Clapton rarely picked up an acoustic. But on the version of Can’t Find May Way Home from Blind Faith’s eponoymous album, Clapton delivers one of his most beautiful performances of his career. To me, Can’t Find My Way Home is about being caught up in the excesses of life so much so that you lose vision of what’s important.

If this was an ordered list I’d have to say this song would probably be number one. My friend Hadley hit the nail on the head when he said “If there is a more hauntingly beautiful tune than this, either the standard acoustic version or the electric one, then I’ve never heard it.”

“And I’m wasted and I can’t find my way home”

Read on for the 17 remaining tunes on this week’s B List…

This week’s edition of The B List takes a look at the 10 best songs that feature double-lead guitar harmonies. Rock artists in the ’60s perfected the use of vocal harmonies, but as the ’70s began, bands started to use their instruments to provide distinct harmonies. The Allman Brothers Band was the first to use the double-lead technique in songs such as Hotlanta, Les Brers, and In Memory of Elizabeth Reed. Other bands quickly followed the Allmans’ trailblazing, and soon artists from many different genres employed the double lead. So check out the list, and make sure to watch the accompanying YouTube video for each entry.

10. Bodhisattva — Steely Dan: When I came up with the idea for this list, my partner Ace Cowboy was thrilled Bodhisattva made the cut. In fact he called the Dan’s masterpiece “one of the most underrated songs in music history.” The guitar interplay on the album is terrific, and any tune with lyrics like “Can you show me, The shine of your Japan, The sparkle of your china” is okay by us.

[Video: In 2002 Toto began playing Bodhisattva with terrific success -- check out this video from a recent show]

9. Miss Tinkle’s Overture — Umphrey’s McGee: In September 2004, my friend decided to throw on the studio version of Miss Tinkle’s Overture from Anchor Drops. I hadn’t heard the album — or anything the band had done since 2001 for that matter — and my ears immediately perked up. I’m a huge fan of the double-lead, and it was terrific to see a new band create such incredible harmonies.

[Video: Langerado late-night show from Ft. Lauderdale's Revolution]

8. Rebubula — moe.: Written by bass player Rob Derhak in 1994, Rebubula has since become the most popular piece in the band’s repertoire. It’s no wonder the song is popular with its quirky lyrics and incredible double-lead guitar harmonies. One of the most important features of a double-lead guitar riff is a great bassline to play underneath, and Derhak’s slap line really accentuates what guitarists Chuck Garvey and Al Schnier play throughout the song. For years the song was a staple of the band’s set, playing it nearly every night. More recently the band has shown some restraint, hitting it every third show or so. I must admit, I wouldn’t mind hearing Rebubula at every show.

[Video: Footage from moe.'s set at Vegoose]

Read on for the rest of Scotty’s double-lead favorites from Television, Iron Maiden, the Allmans, Skynyrd as The B List continues…