This past Saturday, aka Record Store Day, aka The Day Independent Record Stores Sold $20 Vinyls That Go for $150+ Dollars Online Now, the new and re-assembled Smashing Pumpkins performed at Space 15 Twenty in Los Angeles, and to a crowd of 250 fans, all of whom ordered the group’s newly minted EP, Teargarden by Kaleidoscope: Vol. 1 Songs for a Sailor. These days he may be lonesome, but on-stage, he brought along familiar faces Jeff Schroeder and Mike Byrne, in addition to Mark Tulin and Kerry Brown (no telling if this is the actual new lineup, most likely not). He also brought his “charming” jealousy, too.

“I think the Gorrilaz are bigger than the Smashing Pumpkins,” frontman Billy Corgan spits out from under a sly smile, alluding to the nearby festival’s bill.”That’s what I hear. Thom Yorke solo? Bigger than the Pumpkins.”

Before heading into 2008′s one-off single, “G.L.O.W.”, the gloomy patriarch held an amusing, if not mildly awkward conversation with Schroeder — something about Gene Simmons, Twitter, and someone’s phallus. No idea, but as usual, Corgan and his cronies sound good. But it’s “good” in the same way the currently touring Beach Boys sound “good.”

Still…