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Billy Corgan’s Fury: Smashing Pumpkins Leader Skewers Labels, Talks New LP in Exclusive Q&A

3/26/08, 7:20 pm EST

As Rock Daily has already reported, this week the Smashing Pumpkins filed a breach-of-contract lawsuit against their former label, Virgin Records, alleging the band’s name was used without permission for a Pepsi promotion. Band leader Billy Corgan called up Rolling Stone’s Evan Serpick from a bathroom in Australia to explain his side of the story and wound up dishing dirt on his career, explaining how the Pumpkins will release music in the future and offering an opinionated take on Amy Winehouse, Radiohead and the state of the record industry: “I don’t think the Beatles would be making an album right now.” Click here for Corgan on Radiohead, Amy Winehouse and more.


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Comments

Gina | 3/29/2008, 7:43 pm EST

Yay, fun. Read comments?
Not this time shits

mcache | 3/27/2008, 9:36 pm EST

Do you really think he would have pitched such a hissy fit if they used any of the Zwan material??? didn’t think so. Bill, shut the fuck up and go back to playing guitar for New Order -it is the only remotely good thing you’ve done in the last 10 years.

Danny | 3/27/2008, 6:03 pm EST

Maybe Billy hasn’t noticed but 2 of the 4 Beatles (the living ones) have released albums in the last year.

No one cares what he has to say. Why doesn’t he go release another 10 different copies of zeitgeist.

CL | 3/27/2008, 3:58 pm EST

The Facts,

If you’re talking lumping Corgan in that little tirade, you’re talking about the wrong guy. Billy was one of the few 90s artists who always wanted to be successful, playing arenas. More often than not, he criticized the indie scene for being insular and not voicing their ambition to be successful despite being on majors. In essence, he was calling them hypocrites.

The facts | 3/27/2008, 2:48 pm EST

I totally agree, when the industry ignored underground artists (back on the 80’s) they acussed labels of been materialistic assholes.

During the 90’s the underground was the mainstream and they took advantage of it, signing to BIG labels and making the real $$$$$$, playing the comercial game. Suddenly they stop complaining!

Today the few 90’s artists that sell records are the ones who evolutionized, like Beck, NIN, Dave Ghroul, Radiohead etc. The rest is not relevant anymore, it happens in every decade, Remember how bad the 80’s look during the 90’s? now the 80’s looks better then the 90’s! so ironic, uh?

So get ready to see out of work ex-grungers talking about how bad is the music scene today and how good was back in the days.

What goes around comes around, these 90’s bands pointed the finger at the industry, now they are the industry and they sound so outdated.

IS NOT ABOUT BEEN IN THE TOP TEN BILLY!

Remember?

Come on! | 3/27/2008, 2:00 pm EST

Does the 90’s generation will ever stop complaining?

All this artists used to sell lots of records becouse it was their time, but what they do now is not relevant anymore, they turn in to old bargs (may be that’s why the 80’s are back).

Rockstar70 | 3/27/2008, 1:45 pm EST

Forget the argument as to 80s and 90s music. Let’s just mix the bands up.I’m going to give Mick Mars a break and make Jack White join MOTLEY CRUE. I think that combo would kick this world’s A$$!!

ha | 3/27/2008, 1:03 pm EST

i don’t remember any recent good music from the smashing pumpkins…..

brooke | 3/27/2008, 11:24 am EST

i think there’s a world of difference between zwan and zeitgeist. zwan seemed more hymnal and spirited. it has an uplifting quality that is definitely lacking in the new pumpkins album. zeitgeist is a rock album, practically metal. has a cynical view of the future of america. totally different message in my opinion.

i miss zwan. zwan made it seem like the world wasn’t such a bad place to live in.

Lynn | 3/27/2008, 11:19 am EST

“Maybe it’s just me, but, what is the difference between Zwan and the 2008 version of the Smashing Pumpkins?”

It is you, see them live and you’ll know. I did, quite an amazing show.

Los | 3/27/2008, 11:19 am EST

“And when the message on Amy Winehouse is drama is better than music, and for Radiohead publicity is better than music — no disrespect to them. But I think it’s a bad message to young bands of how to make it happen.”

True, however it should be pointed out that media coverage is to blame for that, not the artists (at least these two in particular). Radiohead released the album the way they did to set a precedent for how albums can (possibly should) be released in the future. If it was about the publicity, they would have already expressed how much money was made on the online release. As far as Amy Winehouse is concerned, she may not be what I would normally listen to, but she still is a really good artist. Its just unfortunate that media coverage of her personal life (drugs, etc) tends to overshadow her music, which I’m pretty sure is not what she wants.
That aside, preach on, Billy boy.

T-Love | 3/27/2008, 11:05 am EST

Billy Corgan is a douche, but I have to agree with most of what he says here. The labels have no idea what they are doing anymore.

I disagree with him about saying that the consumer doesn’t want albums anymore. I think they do, they just want quality albums. The inudstry has been so single and producer (not artist) oriented, that you don’t get that “personality” anymore from new bands and singers, and, therefore, are viewed as disposable.

Maybe it’s just me, but, what is the difference between Zwan and the 2008 version of the Smashing Pumpkins?

gross! | 3/27/2008, 8:18 am EST

loser!

brooke | 3/26/2008, 11:59 pm EST

i’m all for the pumpkins releasing another 40 songs over the next few years, but i have to say, i don’t want to have to download them a few songs at a time. i’m more of an album kind of girl. even if initially i only like a few tracks, in buying the album, i almost always end up liking all the songs after a few listens. i’m less likely to download one or two tracks than to buy an album. i still haven’t bought the american gothic ep. although, i own 3 versions of zeitgeist…

Steve | 3/26/2008, 11:50 pm EST

I bet Billy was taking a huge dump during this interview, lol. Also, I agree with what he said. He’s a smart man.

Dave | 3/26/2008, 11:20 pm EST

Lord knows he’s note my favorite person in the world, but he’s not really wrong here.

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