So what's this about? It's already been said that this isn't going to be a "story" type album, so heaven forbid I suggest anything of that sort... but no record can go without at least some small theme. It doesn't have to hold true over the whole album, but knowing billy's penchant for symbolism... what can we read into what the music and lyrics are likely to be like from the title "Zeitgeist"?

Well, as has been pointed out... this is german for "Spirit of the Age" or more literally Time-Ghost I suppose. It's mostly used however in the sense of the general conscious feeling of a group of people over a time (thus the nazi germany figure googled up) and has nationalistic ties in most usage.

With the black and white american flag with 13 stars... one could think that this is refering to something like the "Spirit of '76" for instance... as was a popular phrase around the bicentenniel.

The 13 original colonies, and the 13 original stars on the american flag, nationalism, and Zeitgeist... all seem to have one idea in common to me.

REVOLUTION.

So, and this is obviously just a guess... and i doubt billy's going all political, it's prolly more along the idea of spiritual revolution if anything... I think we can look forward to several Revolution type references or themes out of it.

In this political climate, and with the addition of the SP heart (Love) to the black and white (divided) flag... if there's any reference to revolution I think you'll find it to be in the spirit of Lennon (not Lenin)'s Revolution... full of love and peace.

What kind of music would fit that? Well... Revolution was one of the more guitar jazzy openings to a beatles song... so "peace and love" doesn't mean somber and flowers.

I feel good about it so far. It just remains to be seen how it's pulled off.

But I definitely think there's some weaving of the idea of "Revolution" in all of this...

zeitgeist sounds rocking to me!

it sounds like 30 guitars sandwiched between 10 drum sets and it's called zeitgeist.

metal sandwich amirite?

Someone leak this now. I refuse to wait till July.

Spank, I think you've nailed it.

the time we're living in now is akin to the sixties. social revolutions, wars, drug epidemics. its taking on a certain personae that time period did. i think this album is going to be a period peice for this decade a lot of albums then were

There is a huge difference between a drug epidemic (now) and drug exploration and enlightenment

yeah whatever

Your sister's ass

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f178/sail2moon/unclesamshow.jpg

If it's meant to be a reflection of the current "age" in music, I'm predicting the worst album ever.

Don't let me down.

Don't let me down.
BRUCE!!!

78 fucking people in this board? OUTRAGEOUS!

what's more outrageous are the retards on who wants to be a millionaire

From wikipedia:

A comparison is introduced here between the status of an individual and that of a nation's spirit. In the process of his formation the individual undergoes various changes without, however, losing his identity.

So the Zeitgeist contains the idea of a person, a nation, or a band, changing over time.


As a part of world history, a nation plays its part in the total process of world history. But once it contributes its share to world history it can no longer play a role in the process of world history. The submersion in the total process prevents a people's cultural rebirth, because it has exhausted its creativity in the historical growth of its guiding spirit.

And the idea that previous incarnations of people, nations, or bands, cannot be recreated, but must become something new.

From wikipedia:



So the Zeitgeist contains the idea of a person, a nation, or a band, changing over time.



And the idea that previous incarnations of people, nations, or bands, cannot be recreated, but must become something new.

I think the title is supposed to be more of a reflection on the band, as this suggests. But yeah this is Billy so a double meaning works and it could be about the timing of the album too. But it will only fly as an outwardly thing IF the album is good and thus widlely successful.

Spark mentioned Spirit of 76 and all that. Anyone remember the Zwan t shirts? Billy's tried to push that imagery already, so what Spark says ain't off too much.

spiritual revolution is what those deadbeats hand out t shirts about in georgetown

spank, so glad to see you back posting again

If any of you know your german philosophers, the concept of 'Zeitgeist' was made most popular by Hegel and is concerned with the description of the so called 'spirit' of the time' encapsulating the intellectual and cultural climate of an era... many of you will have known this or hit up wikipedia etc..

It would seem odd that BC who has always veered from current trends in thought, and presents songs written from the point of view of the alienated or outsider of society would move towards calling a new work 'Zeitgeist'

Does this mean he is turning his back on songs with the attitude of Zero, or even the charachter of Zero himself? These to me seem opposed to what has come before and makes me wonder if this album is a statement of intent...

or perhaps he wants to create something new, no longer from the bottom.. but leading from the top..

And the idea that previous incarnations of people, nations, or bands, cannot be recreated, but must become something new.

that simply means a new pumpkins, no james and no d'arcy.
it's a heads up so we all don't hate him for getting his band back without the original band members. that's why he's releasing the album title so early so we have time to calm down before we don't see james or d'arcy ever again.

I think the title is supposed to be more of a reflection on the band, as this suggests.

The title can apply to the band, but let's not fall into the trap of thinking that it's about the band. As Corgan said during the Machina era, he has better things to write about than his career.

This sounds like broad cultural commentary put across in such a way that it can easily appear to be about the band. This was the same trick they did with Machina.

Zeitgeist: spirit of the (emo) age.

It's going to be a commentary on "the intellectual and cultural climate of an era." And how it sucks.

ask the same question about gish, siamese dream, pisces iscariot, adore, machina even mcis to a certain degree, and you soon see what a lame fucking question you just asked.

This sounds like broad cultural commentary put across in such a way that it can easily appear to be about the band. This was the same trick they did with Machina.
I think you're right.. for the reasons already pointed out & recalling what TPQ said about the title making sense given the current climate of the world, etc.

The Album is about the German Rescue Mission.

somewhere out of ashes spread
you gather up all the hope and spill it into regrets
and it still doesn't matter what color they are
all i can see are the dark skies and your arms closed
doesn't it feel better us being here togther
when our plans have disappeared
and all we have is this year
as the call rings out from the captain to the passengers
then your eyes close
doesn't it feel better us going down together

since these threads are all overlapping, i'll just post links to what i've said already.

http://forums.netphoria.org/showpost.php?p=2506342&postcount=20
http://forums.netphoria.org/showpost.php?p=2506342&postcount=25

pavlo r u from dc?

What if Billy saw the demise in bands after they hit their peak, not being able to recapture their magic. So he recorded an albums worth of songs in the PI/SD/MCIS era and kept them locked away to be updated and released in 2007.

Zeitgeist is all about a vision...

Freedom, that's what it ought to be about.

freedom ain't what it used to be... ;)

Why are there three separate threads on Zeitgeist?

I would agree that we are losing certain freedoms as time goes by.


The album could be about a lot of things.

what the fuck is the spirit of our times ?

Nobody gives a shit about anything anymore.

exc3pt maybe teh tr00 pumk1ns f4ns !!!11! :eek:

Why are there three separate threads on Zeitgeist?

Because people are idiots. Case closed.