Pumpkins, Offspring surprise industry
Like a quick one-two combination from a championship boxer, the recording industry was left stunned the past two weeks. First, The Smashing Pumpkins unleashed its final album on an unsuspecting public Sept. 5, but don't start scouring record stores for Machina II/The Friends and Enemies of Modern Music. The album was pressed onto two vinyl LPs and three 10-inch singles and given to 25 friends of the band, with the intention of distributing it for free on the Internet.