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09-23-2010, 05:52 PM | #1 |
Minion of Satan
Location: up a tree
Posts: 7,510
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New Corgan interview, talks a bit more about Jimmy
The Pumpkins, peeled
AN OUTSIDER could feasibly argue there is something inherently tragic about Billy Corgan in 2010. As the bandleader and chief songwriter of the Smashing Pumpkins, Corgan was a seminal 1990s figure during the most vital period of modern rock. Yet although the grunge era produced many great records, much of it was underpinned by a slacker ethos that sits uncomfortably with Corgan. He was, and remains, an obsessive control freak and workaholic with an outlandishly deep-seated self-belief in his music. But the abuse and neglect in his lyrics came from a place of truth. He was abandoned by his mother as a five-year-old and grew up in a home with an abusive step-parent. That he became the man responsible for a cluster of rock songs that can, without exaggeration, be called classics is no small triumph. In the US, Today, Disarm and Tonight, Tonight still dominate rock radio 15 years on. But Corgan also earned a reputation — fairly or not — as rock's tyrant-in-chief. And today, aged 43, he remains the most polarising of figures. He has shunned major labels and plans to release 44 songs over four years on smashing pumpkins.com for free. He will compile them into an epic, self-released album called Teargarden by Kaleidy-scope to be released by 2013. Corgan unapologetically sold the rights to his breakthrough rock-radio hit Today for a Visa TV commercial to finance a decadent private recording studio. He continues to tour and perform most of his greatest hits each night with a group comprising no original band members. The "Smashing Pumpkins" tour Australia next month. He is also dating a Veronicas twin and writing a book about the New Age spirituality he thinks saved his sanity. And, perhaps most disappointingly for long-suffering fans, an increasingly tawdry and embarrassing war of words with Courtney Love still festers after Corgan co-wrote much of this year's failed Hole album. "I'll never work with Courtney again," Corgan told EG last week. "She has a long history of betraying every good thing that's ever happened to her. I put my whole heart and soul into trying to help her. I think she's a brilliant artist but she is a terrible human being. "I have stood by her publicly and defended her but if you look at her set list, a third of what she plays live are songs I wrote. It's a great irony to have somebody publicly criticise me but then play my songs every night. If I'm going to be criticised you shouldn't play the songs I wrote. As a person, she is the worst." He pauses for a moment. "She is the worst human being I ever met." Unlike Love, his current Pumpkins line-up is generating the most goodwill since 1996, when his mother passed away, he battled depression and panic attacks and his band began to spiral out of control. Back then, the Pumpkins's double-album masterpiece, 1995's Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness was proving difficult to follow up. The failure to do so began a period of decline for Corgan, symbolised by three successive flop albums. Worse was Corgan's ill-fated experimental solo album, TheFutureEmb-race. He was confounded by the reviews of the 2005 release. "It was treated completely different than a Pumpkins record, which was like a psychological trick," he says. "If it's a solo record, it's like it can't be as good as a Pumpkins record. It made me realise the whole thing was bullshit and gave me the power to go back to Pumpkins. It's all my music, anyway." While the departure of core members, bassist D'arcy Wretzky and guitarist James Iha, during the band's decline was jarring but ultimately unsurprising, the loss of drummer Jimmy Chamberlin — the final member standing from the "classic" Pumpkins line-up — in March 2009 stung most. Although Corgan says he hasn't used illicit drugs in a decade, they are a pervasive presence in his life. The Pumpkins lost touring keyboardist Jonathan Melvoin to an overdose in 1996, and a. year before Chamberlin's departure, Corgan's father, William snr, an addict most of Billy's life, was found unconscious by police with a needle in his arm. Chamberlin was seven years clean from his heroin addiction, had married and become a father. But the mistrust from Corgan related to his time as an addict seemingly never dissipated. He'd been a musical partner and confidant for Corgan and his departure was a huge blow. "I don't talk about it much," Corgan says, carefully. "But it was a serious decision for both of us, we had invested a lot of energy bringing the band back. There was a point where we couldn't see eye to eye. It was pretty simple after that." Have you spoken to him since? "No, it was not a happy thing for both of us," he says. "I wish him the best. He's an incredible musician. But the way I play music has a specific high standard. I make no apologies for that. If somebody doesn't want to be there, oh well." Corgan then had to make a decision whether to continue the band. Zeitgeist, the Pumpkins album Chamberlin and Corgan had recorded together in 2006-07, had sold OK and generated a successful world tour in 2007-08. Corgan sensed a solid enough mandate to persist. "Fans understand that most bands don't last," he says. "It's a very volatile situation that involves a lot of pressure. People change." Corgan drafted 20-year-old Mike Byrne as replacement drummer through auditions before unearthing guitarist Jeff Schroeder and bassist Nicole Fiorentino. Their first gig was in this year's US summer at the Viper Room in LA. "If you look at what the original Pumpkins members are doing now, none are playing music or making records," Corgan says. "The stuff they have done is off the radar from the general public. This incarnation is energetic. "The band has a future again. It doesn't feel old or stale. So if you want to miss that party it's fine. Go on YouTube and watch old videos. Live in the past. But I don't." Pressed further and asked how he feels about those claiming his use of the Smashing Pumpkins name is illegitimate, Corgan is combative. "What the f--- does it matter what I call it?" he says. "It doesn't, it's my music. You come to the show and all you hear is Pumpkins songs. Why not call it that? There's bands going around now with their original line-ups and nobody gives a shit. It's not about the original line-up. It's about making good music." The critics argue Corgan's present cannot be as good as his past. Naturally, he vehemently disagrees. "Come back in 10 years or five years and tell me this version of SP was a waste of time and you will be wrong." His decision to leave Warner was similarly straightforward, in his mind. "On Warner, we were doing big shows in Australia and there were no reps [at shows]," he says. "So you know they don't give a f---. And you're getting no feedback from the local market. So when you're in that system, and you know the record company cares more about other bands who sell less than you, what you supposed to do?" Go it alone? "Yes! I don't want to be a part of it now," he says. "Artists are no longer in charge of their careers. Young bands are being asked to turn over their T-shirt money, music money and concert revenue. So when you see a young band play now, you're putting money in a major label's pocket. And I don't want to have my life in the hands of some jerk in an office." With this mantra, his live show becomes fundamental to longevity. "We cover every era of the long history of the band," he says of next month's Australian shows. "We play a lot of new stuff but not too much. I'm willing to take criticism. I wouldn't have had this career if I was too worried about that. Yes, I'm sensitive but sometimes criticism is fair." Having reportedly "dated" actor-singer Jessica Simpson and reality TV star Tila Tequila in the past two years, and now in a relatively long-term relationship with Jessica Origliasso from the Veronicas, Corgan is also getting used to the critiquing of his personal life. "I've been in this situation before," he says. "The beautiful thing about it all is having Jess in my life is a good thing. And you don't mind [the intrusion] so much if it's for a good thing, put it that way." Far from tragic then, ask Billy Corgan how he is in 2010 and he'll tell you he is thriving. "I'm a free person," he says. "I do what I want to do. A lot of people like me for that and a lot of people scratch their heads. But I just want to play music." |
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09-23-2010, 06:04 PM | #2 |
Apocalyptic Poster
Posts: 2,359
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More down to earth than most interviews.
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09-23-2010, 06:15 PM | #3 |
Minion of Satan
Location: up a tree
Posts: 7,510
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reading this i'm thinking he lied in the rs interview about firing jimmy.
here's the scenario: jimmy wasn't feeling the negative vibes of the anniversary tour, wasn't 100% into the idea of being a smashing pumpkin anymore, told corgan he wanted out to pursue other musical interests and spend more time with his family, corgan gets super pissed and decides to take a public position that it's for the best that he leaves because, ultimately, chamberlin was an addict 15 years ago, and all along it still bothered him that he used to be an addict even though he put up a front that they were the best of friends and their musical lives together would never die. chamberlin left and corgan felt rejected, corgan decides to act bitter about it. this is classic corgan when it comes to his relationships. and i'm not buying the 'i have a high standard of quality' bull shit. the quality has gone down hill drastically since chamberlin left.. not that it was up to par before but it's sunk even lower. ever consider chamberlin left because his quality standards were not met? who wants to drum behind a shitty song? oh yeah, byrne. |
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09-23-2010, 06:21 PM | #4 |
Braindead
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 15,132
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09-23-2010, 06:29 PM | #5 | |
Immortal
Location: helllllloooooo!!
Posts: 20,823
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09-23-2010, 06:33 PM | #6 |
Apocalyptic Poster
Posts: 2,359
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Billy if it's about making good music then what's your excuse?
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09-23-2010, 06:36 PM | #7 |
Netphorian of the Decade
Location: Waiting in line for his geranium kiss
Posts: 15,474
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First, he never trusted chamberlain fully because he used to use drugs. Corgan used to use drugs too. Not to jims level but still. Bill can change and become more "god loving" and thats ok, people SHOULD trust him but someone who is a reformed drug user and now a devoted father and husband. Keep an eye on him. He holds people to such rediculous standards.
Second, his argument about other bands and them still having all the orginal members and no one giving a shit is fucking stupid. Who even gives a fuck about other bands. He's the last of the founding members and no one gives a shit about him. Hell, his fanbase just keeps getting smaller and smaller. If he had so much confident in himself, he'd sell another hit to Visa and finance the gish boxset his fucking set. Finally, constantly putting out music is not good. Keep your 40 teargarden songs, if he even has that fucking many, focus on the very best bunch and shit out an album. Send the others to b-side hell where they belong. |
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09-23-2010, 06:57 PM | #8 | |
Apocalyptic Poster
Location: Asturias
Posts: 1,104
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09-23-2010, 06:57 PM | #9 |
Minion of Satan
Location: up a tree
Posts: 7,510
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Ihaguitar, was that supposed to be a neg or + rep? cause it's grey.
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09-23-2010, 07:12 PM | #10 |
Brazilian Blouselord
Location: heavy metal pool party
Posts: 35,781
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It's like he's pissed that people still shit on him, but he gets to do what he wants, so fuck it. I can support that.
Keep the funk train, rollin', Billy. |
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09-23-2010, 08:27 PM | #11 |
Braindead
Posts: 15,482
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man... i'm just not a fan of billy corgan anymore. there is so much deflection/denial going on here, it's just sad.
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09-23-2010, 08:39 PM | #12 | ||
Virgo
Posts: 42,781
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Quote:
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09-23-2010, 08:40 PM | #13 | |
Braindead
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 15,132
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09-23-2010, 09:21 PM | #14 |
Pledge
Posts: 65
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jimmy is making new music with "this." james is working on his second solo album and is going to tour in november with apc. what the fuck is billy talking about?
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09-23-2010, 09:58 PM | #15 |
Apocalyptic Poster
Posts: 1,613
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he doesn't know anymore
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09-23-2010, 10:10 PM | #16 |
Apocalyptic Poster
Posts: 1,588
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09-23-2010, 10:24 PM | #17 |
Apocalyptic Poster
Posts: 2,999
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I'm a big fan of vitriol spewing billy..keep it coming.
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09-23-2010, 10:26 PM | #18 |
Immortal
Location: helllllloooooo!!
Posts: 20,823
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he could make the argument that they aren't "writing" music anymore. but by billy's egotistical standards, they never wrote any music while in the smashing pumpkins.
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09-23-2010, 10:27 PM | #19 | |
Minion of Satan
Location: up a tree
Posts: 7,510
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09-23-2010, 10:30 PM | #20 |
Minion of Satan
Location: up a tree
Posts: 7,510
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I don't often praise this site, but I think Hipsters United said it best via their twitter:
"You can't complain that your solo record was ignored because it wasn't "SP" then blame James/Jimmy for their non-SP records being off-radar." |
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09-23-2010, 10:52 PM | #21 |
Minion of Satan
Location: up a tree
Posts: 7,510
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I think that deep down, billy corgan knows that the old band, him, james, darcy and jimmy, is ultimately the best band he's ever been in/will ever be in, and he's extremely hurt and bitter that he can no longer have a relationship with them. Otherwise he'd be grown up enough to let them go and stop TALKING ABOUT THEM.
It's really fucking sad to see where this band ended up. They truly had some magic together that can never be replicated, no matter what kind of personality or talent he puts up on that stage with him. |
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09-23-2010, 11:45 PM | #22 | |
Minion of Satan
Location: Arkansas
Posts: 7,240
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Quote:
As for this article, I don't think it really sheds much new light on the Billy/Jimmy split. It does illustrate that Billy had no small amount of lingering distrust in Jimmy given his history, but I'm not sure why people don't seem to think it's understandable. Let's face it, Jimmy's demons all but destroyed what this band was in 1996 and they never completely recovered from it. If you had a coworker who pretty much fucked your career right at your peak, would you not be a little wary as long as they were around no matter how shaped up they may appear to be? Is it really that strange to fear that the other shoe was always waiting to drop? To me, it makes sense, especially in light of Jimmy acting flaky and clearly not having his heart in the band or music nearly as much as he used to. |
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09-23-2010, 11:55 PM | #23 |
Virgo
Posts: 42,781
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so you think inviting jimmy back in 99 was a mistake?
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09-23-2010, 11:55 PM | #24 | |
Minion of Satan
Location: up a tree
Posts: 7,510
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Quote:
and you can't blame jimmy solely for their 1996 demise.. the rest of that band made some shitty decisions in the after math as well, and you know.. from 1999 on when JC came back him and billy seemed to have moved on from that incident and seemed more positively focused on the music.. so why would it take another 10 years for the other show to drop again? They had some good things going between 1999 and 2009, and they seemed like closer friends. Last edited by paranoid : 09-24-2010 at 12:01 AM. |
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09-24-2010, 12:28 AM | #25 | |
Pledge
Posts: 65
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09-24-2010, 12:37 AM | #26 |
Saturday Night Goth
Location: POLLOS
Posts: 9,207
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it's sick how you degenerates rip on Jimmy, go eat shit and fuck yourselves
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09-24-2010, 12:47 AM | #27 |
Apocalyptic Poster
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
Posts: 3,088
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It's sad and pathetic that Billy Corgan continues to shit on his long-time musical partner Jimmy Chamberlin, albeit in new ways. He's coming off as an inflated, egocentric, and arrogant back-stabber. And implicitly admitting that the split was really due to creative disagreement after all while simultaneously asserting that his drumming isn't to a sufficiently high standard? Fucking laughable. Seriously, analyzing Billy's behavior in all of this is like Freud by-the-numbers.
Last edited by stumpycat : 09-24-2010 at 12:54 AM. |
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09-24-2010, 01:28 AM | #28 | |
Netphorian of the Decade
Location: Waiting in line for his geranium kiss
Posts: 15,474
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Hey good looking, missed you, and you're smiley faces. Quote:
To refer to jimmy as a "co worker" shows just how much of the kool aid you have been fucking drinking. In the bands history, its well documented that it was a close James/Dracy relationship and a Bill/Jimbo bromance. To make it seem like their relationship is equal to a coworker one makes me want to bitch slap your ass. Your post defending bill keep getting worse and fucking worse. No one should even get into a debate with you anymore. If they do, they should do what I fucking do and just say, "You're a stupid fuck." Thats it. Finally, Bill should not even bring up the drug history. Its over, and its been done with. It didn't bother him so much to start the band back up, but now all of a sudden, its enough for him to not want jim around. Unless jim is back to using, bill needs to shut the fuck up about it. Oh, and btw, You're a stupid fuck. |
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09-24-2010, 01:58 AM | #29 | |
Minion of Satan
Location: Arkansas
Posts: 7,240
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Exactly. LICD came out in 1998. It doesn't take 12 years to put out a record. Yet, every time he comes out of his hole to be in a band with a Hanson brother or buy another bottle of bleach for his hair, he says he's working on it.
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09-24-2010, 02:04 AM | #30 |
Apocalyptic Poster
Posts: 2,359
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