Billy Corgan announced during a Chicago television interview that Zwan [ tickets ]--the group he formed after Smashing Pumpkins [ tickets ] split--has disbanded.

"A couple of people asked me, 'Why didn't you tell anybody?' I'm sort of out of the period of my life when I run around trying to generate news," Corgan told WGN-TV's Morning News on Monday (9/15).

Zwan released just one album, this year's "Mary Star of the Sea," which entered the Billboard 200 chart at No. 3 before quickly fading.

In the interview, Corgan said he didn't feel the same connection with Zwan that he did with Smashing Pumpkins.

"I really enjoyed my experience with Zwan, but at the end of the day, without that sense of deeper family loyalty, it just becomes like anything else," he said. "Our attitude in the Pumpkins was, it was a do-or-die proposition, and that got us through all the hard times we went through, particularly with the Pumpkins where we had two members with serious drug problems."

Earlier this year, Zwan cited "family matters" as the reason for canceling a summer tour. The group featured singer-guitarist Corgan, bassist Paz Lenchantin, drummer Jimmy Chamberlin (also formerly of Smashing Pumpkins) and guitarists David Pajo and Tim Harrington.

Lenchantin recently announced her departure from Zwan to co-found a band with Pajo.

On Wednesday (9/17), Corgan will kick off the 31st season of readings sponsored by The Poetry Center in Chicago. Corgan's performance, which a press release says will "incorporate numerous artistic elements to create a first-of-its-kind interactive poetry experience," takes place at The Art Institute of Chicago's Rubloff Auditorium.