Erstwhile sonic perfectionist turned madcap entrepreneur Billy Corgan has opened a tea shop in Chicago, reports the Chicago Sun-Times.
The Smashing Pumpkins frontman’s new cafe is called Madame ZuZu’s, located in the Highland Park suburb of the city, and was launched yesterday by Corgan playing acoustic sets in-store.
Corgan told the paper that he wants the new establishment to reinvigorate the concept of a "conversational salon", not promoting the "grab-and-go Starbucks experience":
"I’ve always been fascinated with that era, the Jazz Age. There’s a weird connection in my mind between the decadence of a certain era and political unrest. … Today, people are so disconnected from the political process, but they’re updating their Facebook page 27 times a day. There’s a lot going on in the country right now, and local discourse is important. It’s important for people to talk and get beyond the wall of Facebook and social media.”
And what’s next for alternative rock’s very own Joseph Tetley? Watching his wrestling team Resistance Pro in a wrestling match. Of course.
