Ringer Article with Billy, James, and Jimmy

[johncg]

Originally Posted by MplsTaper

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/vEInzwdnGOQ/maxresdefault.jpg

“I’ll show those indie motherfuckers what a REAL white van looks like.”

[Zer0 Hour]

Originally Posted by johncg

And when he insults Alternative Nation it’s on the grounds of them being “third tier” which just translates to how big they are. It’s like when he told Jimmy to go back to driving in a white van forever. Everything with Billy is about status and appearance and being seen as better than others.

Yeah, seriously. He's so painfully insecure. I'd feel sorry for him if he didn't make it impossible to give a damn about his well being.

[Slurpee]

Originally Posted by Reyngel

This quote from the interview was the first time I've ever known him to acknowledge that Pumpkins 2.0 was, in his mind, never as good as Pumpkins 1.0, just like most fans have always said:

"Because, of course, at times I had to rationalize it like, ‘Well, this is just as good,’ or ‘It’s just as good but in a different way.’ Or ‘I’m trying to move on with my life. Everybody else should move on.’ Whatever you say to just get yourself down the road."

Thus, the truth comes out: the guy has been all talk for some time now. It's never been "the best lineup we've ever had!" nor "the best music we've ever been making!" He only claimed that over the years to lie to himself so that he didn't lose his mind over losing the original lineup. Finally, straight from his mouth.

Good catch. He is coming a lot closer to saying the Byrne years weren't worth it. That's the sad part about this interview, it is more generous and honest than the stuff that he was saying in, like, 2011. At least he's talking about the real band now, and not his weird solo project called SP.

[Mals Marola]

Originally Posted by soniclovenoize

You can either choose to believe, or not.

I believe it. Sounds comically close to that story from Stefan Oldsal of Placebo where Billy stormed off after he asked him if shaving his head had affected his songwriting

[Zer0 Hour]

That seems like such a silly overreaction. Like, I get that he's probably sensitive about going bald, but he OBVIOUSLY shaves his head. So a question about the razors he uses is just a bit of fun but isn't even really poking fun at him. If they had asked him, "Have you ever thought about letting your hair grow back in so we can see where the bald spots are?", then I could understand getting pissed. But throwing a temper tantrum over a question about razors? What the hell, does he want people to believe all of his hair just fell out one day like Lex Luthor?

[WeilandFan]

Originally Posted by johncg

And when he insults Alternative Nation it’s on the grounds of them being “third tier” which just translates to how big they are. It’s like when he told Jimmy to go back to driving in a white van forever. Everything with Billy is about status and appearance and being seen as better than others.

What's funny is in 2014 Billy tweeted a couple Alternative Nation articles, and a few AN articles were posted on the Pumpkins site around the time I interviewed him. The Smashing Pumpkins Twitter account followed AN around then as well. Back then, the site had 1/4 of the traffic it has now. So I guess he did the interview on the site and had it promoted on the SP site when it was like, a sixth tier website?

He's just butthurt about the D'arcy interview/texts/comments on the site, so I don't take the dig seriously, I actually cracked up when I read it. I gave him, James, and Jimmy an open invite on social media back in February to share their side, and nobody took me up on it. Billy knows how to get in touch with me, and I'd be happy to get his side. I'm just collateral damage though ultimately, but Billy needs to learn the term 'don't shoot the messenger.'

Was I supposed to tell D'arcy: 'You can't say that about Billy, I don't want to upset him, I'm not posting that.' That's not my job, I'm not on Billy's payroll. All of Billy's releases have always gotten a fair shake on the site, I wrote a very fair Monuments review in 2014, we named Ogilala one of the top albums of 2017, and a writer on AN posted a very positive review of Shiny. I've even been accused of being a Billy ass kisser over the years, just because I've never taken the snide hipster type shots at him that sites like Consequence of Sound have. Literally my only criticism of him this year on the site has been how he handled the D'arcy negotiations based on the information that is out there.

[houseofglass11]

I think what's funnier is that the guys boss obviously knew that it would piss Billy off and deliberately put it as the first question to sabotage the whole thing.

[johncg]

Originally Posted by WeilandFan

What's funny is in 2014 Billy tweeted a couple Alternative Nation articles, and a few AN articles were posted on the Pumpkins site around the time I interviewed him. The Smashing Pumpkins Twitter account followed AN around then as well. Back then, the site had 1/4 of the traffic it has now. So I guess he did the interview on the site and had it promoted on the SP site when it was like, a sixth tier website?

He's just butthurt about the D'arcy interview/texts/comments on the site, so I don't take the dig seriously, I actually cracked up when I read it. I gave him, James, and Jimmy an open invite on social media back in February to share their side, and nobody took me up on it. Billy knows how to get in touch with me, and I'd be happy to get his side. I'm just collateral damage though ultimately, but Billy needs to learn the term 'don't shoot the messenger.'

Was I supposed to tell D'arcy: 'You can't say that about Billy, I don't want to upset him, I'm not posting that.' That's not my job, I'm not on Billy's payroll. All of Billy's releases have always gotten a fair shake on the site, I wrote a very fair Monuments review in 2014, we named Ogilala one of the top albums of 2017, and a writer on AN posted a very positive review of Shiny. I've even been accused of being a Billy ass kisser over the years, just because I've never taken the snide hipster type shots at him that sites like Consequence of Sound have. Literally my only criticism of him this year on the site has been how he handled the D'arcy negotiations based on the information that is out there.

It’s “tow the party line or you’re out” with old Bill. He’s taking a page from the KISS book of PR there.

[Zer0 Hour]

Originally Posted by WeilandFan

we named Ogilala one of the top albums of 2017

I'm sorry friend, but this just knocked you down to about an eighth tier website.

[MonumentsRocks]

Originally Posted by houseofglass11

I think what's funnier is that the guys boss obviously knew that it would piss Billy off and deliberately put it as the first question to sabotage the whole thing.

It's a insult presented as a question. According to this tale, someone who was supposed to be behaving in a professional capacity just blatantly insulted him immediately, right out of the gate. Even a professional troll like Tom Green would open with some softballs to get the subject's guard down first. The only way this would be plausible if it happened on Between Two Ferns.

[soniclovenoize]

Originally Posted by MonumentsRocks

It's a insult presented as a question. According to this tale, someone who was supposed to be behaving in a professional capacity just blatantly insulted him immediately, right out of the gate. Even a professional troll like Tom Green would open with some softballs to get the subject's guard down first. The only way this would be plausible if it happened on Between Two Ferns.

I don't believe you're a real poster. You're a sock account.

[MonumentsRocks]

Originally Posted by soniclovenoize

I don't believe you're a real poster. You're a sock account.

That doesn't make sense. Even if I were a "sock account", that "sock account" would still be a "real poster".

[soniclovenoize]

Originally Posted by MonumentsRocks

That doesn't make sense. Even if I were a "sock account", that "sock account" would still be a "real poster".

Thanks for the confirmation.

Who are you really?

[WeilandFan]

Originally Posted by Zer0 Hour

I'm sorry friend, but this just knocked you down to about an eighth tier website.

STILL IN THE TOP TEN!

[FoolofaTook]

ur no1 to me brett

[johncg]

Brett is cool. Definitely at least third tier.

[FoolofaTook]

great avatar brah.

brett is awesome. no netphorian has fucked with billy as hard as brett has. and he is an ally of darcy, the coolest pumpkin who got kicked to the curb by those dickwads.

more power to you buttcannon!

[run2pee]

Man i’ll never forget that whirlwind night on netpho that bart buttcanon dropped his darcy interview. So many emotions

[johncg]

Netphoria was on fire for weeks. It was amazing. Remember the t shirts?

[FoolofaTook]

Originally Posted by Run To Me

So many emotions

for me it was mainly glee/lust.