Billy Corgan is not sane. For as long as the world has been exposed to his brilliant musicianship, they have also been subjected to his outspoken antics. Last week, he launched an as-yet-unnamed record label with the likes of The Germs, the Electric Prunes, and the Strawberry Alarm Clock, just to name a few. Never heard of those last two? We hadn’t either. Starchildren, Corgan’s side project from the early ’90s, will also be working on something new.
And did we mention that he’s really dating Jessica Simpson? With that, here’s a list of his weirdest publicity stunts (so far).
1. Billy Corgan vs. Man:
Apparently the H1N1 epidemic had been cooked up by man, but more specifically Barack Obama, as some sort of scare tactic. As a result, it is not real and Billy Corgan is immune to it, as if his sound-evidence-lacking arguments are some sort of vaccination. They’re not.
2. Billy Corgan vs. Radiohead:
In a Rolling Stone interview, Corgan stated that “for Radiohead, publicity is better than music — no disrespect to them.” Sure, the unorthodox, but trendsetting, distribution of In Rainbows relied upon viral marketing and freeconomics but if you’ve listened to the album, you already know that Radiohead is definitely all about the music and that Corgan is just full of himself. He later confirms this with his plans to release his now-solo effort, entitled Teargarden by Kaleidyscope, one song at a time. For free. How original!
3. Billy Corgan vs. Corporate America:
Sure, other musical acts have capitalized on their easy marketability (see Of Montreal and The Postal Service ) but if Corgan does it, he’s not selling out. Seriously, just look at the ad ’s juxtaposition of music and message. “Will you keep going no matter what life throws your way?” asks narrator Morgan Freeman atop of the suicidal “Today.” Billy Corgan keeps going, but no, not because of the “heavy, heavy money [he possibly pocketed] to license the song.” Why allow Pepsi to use his band’s name when there’s clearly a better fit with Visa?
4. Billy Corgan vs. the Economy:
Carefully executed economic timing is for those without a sense of reality. Clearly relying upon his name and not music taste, Corgan’s new record label with his Smashing Pumpkins producer has signed all underground acts, in addition to his own side project. Talk about convenience. A noteworthy signee is The Germs, (which may or may not sound immediately familiar because frontman Darby Crash split from the band in 1980, just before committing suicide) featuring a replacement in the form of an actor you may have heard of (A Walk to Remember‘s Shane West?) who played Crash in a biopic. Smooth transition.
5. Billy Corgan vs. the Average Viewer:
For a mere $40, all you loyal fans (wherever you are) can access 12 weeks worth of 25-minute updates on Corgan’s video blog that will eventually play out like a “substantial art film.” Corgan’s goal “to create a working model that is not profit-motivated but rather information and access-motivated” comes across really well. Pat yourself on the back for your clear-cut goals, Billy.
6. Billy Corgan vs. the Rubber Neckers:
Having officially dated Corgan since early December, singer/”actor” Jessica Simpson has been quoted as saying, “Billy Corgan has a pure and enlightened outlook on faith.” (To wit, he was brought up Roman Catholic.) Will a possible reality show be called Spiritually-weds? Or would that also just result in an America’s Sweethearts kind of ordeal? Meanwhile, Nick Lachey hasn’t announced any plans for a follow-up with his new co-star. Shame.
7. Billy Corgan vs. Smashing Pumpkins:
So the break up of the Smashing Pumpkins was a mistake, was it? With the best Corgan logic, the only way to simultaneously memorialize and move on from a split is to keep the original memory intact. Looks like Liam Gallagher knew who to look to for groundbreaking band name ideas.
Comments (13)
You might want to check your facts more thoroughly regarding certain details in your article. Corgan actually released a 25 track album called Machina 2 for free over the internet in 2000, 8 years before In Rainbows was released: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machina_2
Touché. However, my point is that Corgan criticizing Radiohead for the same model is purely hypocritical. Especially if he plans on doing it again with “Teargarden”.
Yes, your point is hypocritical. You got one thing right at least, albeit in the comments section. Glad to see you have the inability to respew (AND LINK) anything Pitchfork thinks, writes, and pushes to the masses without
an original thought of your own. You make a great point, Andrew.
True. I know many musicians just like Billy Corgan, there are only a few who aren’t so hypocritical. yes Billy Corgan is gifted in some areas and aspects of his life, but he does not know everything. I admit I don’t know everything…
He is over 40 and divorced.
Corgan wishes he had a band like Radiohead — had the credibility and respect they’ve garnered over the years and wrote songs as great as their’s. His music is shit these days, although I do like the track Tarantula. Other than that, the guy is living in the clouds and fame has totally warped his mind.
Let me rip your article to shreds point by point.
1. He stated he is not getting the h1n1 vaccine. And that he is not to be solicited for medical advice. He just states his reasons and just says be aware. I too will not being getting the vaccine because more people have died from the vaccine than virus. He in no way stated he was immune.
2. As stated Billy did the internet for free album first. And also knows the trips and traps that go along with it. That’s why he’s doing this new medium of release. He is commenting on the problem that no one is listening to albums and to release that many songs, its just for publicity.
3. He does not own the rights to “Today”.
4. Are you just going to trash everything the man does? “Delusions of Candor” by Starchildren. Excellent song. I trust the man’s judgment.
5. This was a pre-teargarden concept. So I dunno why your mentioning this. You must’ve stayed in your mom’s basement too long.
6. He is not roman catholic. Raised sure, but this is America we’re raised then reject the tenets. He used to confess to not stepping in a church for 20 years I believe. What Jessica Simpson and Billy do is between them. I think Jessica learned her lesson about being that public.
7. The man is saying he’s sorry because he doesn’t know what assholes like you want.
Your a moron. Billy never even did what you claim in number 5. He was simply just brainstorming ideas for more groundbreaking ways to make music and was only sugesting that as an example to get the idea of what hes thinking.
Besides that “Jesus” seemed to cover it all. Nice journalism asshat.
Billy does come out with some wild statements sometimes, and quite wild ideas. He’s a prolific song writer and hasn’t always been commercially or critically successful, but despite this, he has achieved some great things in the past and has an incredible body of work behind him. As someone else mentioned, he’s an easy target but no one really gives him his due for achievements such as ‘Siamese Dream’ and ‘Adore’for example.
Radiohead are quite a unique band, they have achieved greatness and still continue to excel musically, and there are really few bands out there who have reached such heights.
I don’t think it’s fair or innovative to constantly attack the man, which is common online, for once it would be nice to see this balanced with a retrospective of his musical achievements.
I’m not imagining ‘Teargarden’ will recapture the glory of the past, but may surprise us and may throw up a few gems or future classics. For once it would just be nice to see some appreciation for what he has achieved. He’s never followed the crowd, maybe that’s why he gets so much stick. More power to him.
You don’t know who the Electric Prunes and the Strawberry Alarm Clock are?
I have liked Corgan’s work a lot, but he has become increasingly irrelevant. Smashing Pumpkins started around the same time as Radiohead and look at where both bands are now.
Just think of it this way — who’s getting inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, for sure? Radiohead will. Smashing Pumpkins, maybe, and if so, much later.
Corgan’s ego/id has done a good job of trashing his own talent.
The Smashing Pumpkins actually released a 25 track album called “Machina 2/The Friends And Enemies of Modern Music” for free over the internet in 2000, 8 years before In Rainbows was released http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machina_2
So when ‘indier bands’ go into drugged up, trippy conversations and irrelevant crap it’s ok, but if BC has an opinion on something he’s a jerk/freak? Or Thom Yorke and his lame-cry-baby-charity-green-brainwashing obsession is a sign of intellectual brilliance perhaps? Actually Radiohead vs greed…In Rainbows’ album sold how many copies once the record was released again? yeah turns out freeconomics are more like profitonomics. Oh and releasing a best of boxset was really necessary a few months later. Right. (could easily go into a Radiohead rant but will restrain myself.)
Back to the point. Come on give BC a break. He’s provided amazingly popular music (and pretty great music in my opinion) in the past and now he’s trying to do his own new thing. Can’t we just leave it at that? Seriously there are greater public figures to trash for their loserness – ie. Bono. :)
Say one (seven) bad thing(s) about an ugly dude and everyone gets all pissy.
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