Smashing Pumpkins' guitarist/singer/songwriter/dictator, Billy Corgan, has just announced that Fender will be releasing the Billy Corgan signature Stratocaster. It's tailor made to suit Billy's "buzzsaw" sound. It's actually kind of a big deal. You've gotta be pretty fucking rad at guitar to get a Fender sponsorship. Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Richie Sambora--the only difference between Billy and these guys is that he didn't spend the Sixties, Seventies and Eighties blowing loads on tons of hot trim. And in terms of Billy's virtuosity, how many dudes do you know today that can play the solo in "Cherub Rock" note for note? I mean I can, but I'm not sweating it. SB