I met Billy Corgan on Whyte Ave, in Edmonton back in the mid 90's. He was coming out of Chapters Book store. My GF asked if we could take his picture, or get a picture with him. He said "I only do One of those." Dude was so chill, pretty playful. He made her guess which one lol. We gave her camera to his body guard, who took a few pics of the 2 of us with Billy. I've met a few Rockstars, and Billy was easily the most fun and human. He took his time with us, and laughed, and smiled. Made us feel special actually. Super cool guy.
Listen to the entire Melancholy and the Infinite Sadness album from start to finish all the way through! A total masterpiece and one of the best albums that came out of the 90s decade.
Absolutely ageee. I remember the first time i heard anything from that album..it was the day it came out and my best friend and i were about 15 and walking down the street coming from dennys ( where kidd hung out for coffee in the town i grew up in.) A guy we knew was a huge fan of SP and he stopped to give ud a ride and bodies was playing..i was like what is this we r listening to and he said the new pumpkins double and he told me he had just bought it first day and had already listened to and wad just driving afound playing it over and over..after that the videos were everywhere on mtv and vh1...today that album is still listenable.
00:23 - Billy Corgan is the owner of the NWA (National Wrestling Alliance) 03:40 - Billy's early years growing up in wrestling culture / Roller Derby 06:00 - The NWA being older than the WWE, and how the different wrestling entities banded together 10:00 - Billy Corgan's father 16:00 - Chicago. Context from 14:40 37:20 - Smashing Pumpkins' first record contract 39:45 - The psychology involved on successful artistes by record labels 43:30 - The clause that Billy signed 45:45 - Billy & Napster 49:00 - Billy foreseeing the future of music (late 90s) 49:30 - Brand value vs. profitability (with music) 57:40 - Billy playing (an acoustic show) at a cemetary 59:10 - Small and large audiences being the same (for Smashing Pumpkins) / re: song appreciation 1:01:35 - Billy talks about getting into the mindset to be able to perform fans' favourite songs of his 1:08:50 - Billy is ok with more people knowing him for his most popular musical achievments 1:12:00 - When Billy bought a Ferrari with cash. Context from 1:10:30 1:14:00 - The original source of discontent within Smashing Pumpkins 1:24:00 - Billy notes two specific errors made in the music business (by labels etc) 1:26:30 - Billy and Joe talk about Conor McGregor a bit 1:28:30 - Billy asks Joe about Daniel Cormier regarding losing to Jon Jones (who then tested positive for steroids) 1:36:35 - Billy talks about Dennis Rodman (multiple anecdotes) 1:44:25 - Billy and Joe on close friendships while being a celebrity 1:48:00 - Joe asks Billy about seeing someone shape-shift
Nemicus Diam I was a VIP guest services manager at the HARD Rock HOTEL....Because of that I have met with dealt with and hung out with almost all of the bands from mid 80's to the mid 00's. And Billy C. One ☝🏻 of the most coolest down to earth rock princess out there. That doesn't mean that if someone Pissed in his Cheerios he would be cool about it. He would rip your heart out. I guess what I am trying to say is that he is not a Pre-Madonna like Michael stipes and Lauren Hill!!!
Venturestarx I used to be a cashier at ralphs in Irvine and this road manager always used to come in. He traveled with Billy during his solo tour of future embrace and he said he was the nicest guy.
Gish, Siamese Dream, Pisces Iscariot, Melon Collie and the Infinite Sadness - certainly some of the best albums of the 1990s and possibly some of the best albums ever made.
Gi joey early 90's pumpkins ran MTV.. with 1979, bullet with butterfly wings, 33, tonight tonight, zero. 3 of which hit number 1 and tonight tonight won song of the year
I'm an audio engineer(no one special but I've been doing it for well over a decade), and I have to say this is probably the most truth I've ever heard about artists, music, and the industry spoken so freely in an interview, especially from someone of this stature.hes still brilliant imo. Top 5 episode.
I gotta hear your other top episodes. I'd put Pumpkins as one of my 3 favorite formative bands and i have to admit i've lost touch with Corgan as an artist and even pushed him away, but these 2 hours made me feel so guilty for that, From today on Billy can do whatever he wants and will have my undying devotion ... lol are your other fav episodes music related too?
Trent Reznor would be great but Edgy Bravo would have to be there because liked Corgan, Reznor is a total pro and knows how to stay in his comfort zone, talking about the things he's recited time and time again, as eloquent and engaging as he always is. I think Bravo would throw him some real curve balls given the opportunity and I'd like to hear Reznors take all things Eddie, hoping he wouldn't just brush it all off.
Billy Corgan is actually delightful, intelligent and fun. He is so interesting and engaging in his conversation. Let alone being a genius musician. I have and will forever love the Smashing Pumpinks.
He is smugnorant, talentless now, and a complete dick. He needs to fuck off. He can speak fairly eloquently, but that doesn’t make him anything special. He’s a pompous rock star. Barf.
@@christiangasior4244 he came to romania and he had to play in a smaller place because very few tickets were sold (yeah, ik, us romanians have trash music taste). But the shitty thing was that he was angry at us, who came to the concert. He played very few songs and only one Smashing Pumpkins song. And he didn't say anything other than complaining the whole show. I mean, I understand his rage, but it was totally not our, the people who came to the concert, fault
SP were in the day, and always will be, my favorite 90s band ever. All the other big ones were excellent and I love them too. But...the Pumpkins were something altogether different. Their output was _enormous_ ....the b-sides and rare songs and demos and on and on...there's SO much. Easily 4x their studio output. And it's _all_ excellent music. Sure, there's some weak songs with that kind of output...but the overwhelming majority of it is just incredible. Hell...their last album of that era...Machina II(just a toss-off free album) is fucking amazing. So.....all that said, I'm a fan lol. And I really enjoyed this podcast. Billy circa-now is actually a pretty cool human being. He's quite smart...but also increidbly odd and unique, but very aware of that...and just going after what he wants in life.
I know, he gets all of life as concepts, organized and gets how it all reacts with each other. Then states it so well. At the end of every thought I couldn't have a response. It's always complete.
Billy Corgan is a fucking genius and his songs got me through elementary/middle school lol. "The world is a vampire" is so much truer today and it was then!
I actually wonder if this conversation sparked other conversations with people that helped structure the deal Joe wanted vs the one he might have signed.
Hey no one can go to comedy club or any sports entertainment so no money is coming in... he has a family. He know this deal is good for him and family financially. He was smart and decided that this what he loves to do and good at..will get him over monetarily do to a pandemic. The virus has ruing all restaurant, retail shopping, theaters, you should bow ..for he will come out through the other side of the muck ..while others will not probably come out of at all.
Hector Merc Hell ya!!! Amen me too! I met a younger guy the other day about 15 and when I told him I grew up in the nineties he said “wow like w Nirvana, no internet, cell phones and last of the good music!”
Definitely one of my top five guitar players. As far as his playing I think he’s under rated. If you listen to Siamese Dream from start to finish you’ll understand what I mean. Such a great album
GongsunXin , true, he does. But it was over the top with this guy. he seemed to be starstruck, like when he had james hetfield and when he had dan bilzarin on. There were tones of ass kissery.
Hearing Smashing Pumpkins brings this memory every time . While i was at Marine Combat Training (MCT), Camp Geiger NC; My Grandfather had passed away. He was in the Army retiring as a LtCol. His passing was during our field week in late 1995 if memory serves. In short I was in a rather low place as one can imagine. On the return hump The platoon Sgt. turned "Bullet With Butterfly Wings" into a road march cadence. I can see him after all this time sounding off on my shoulder keeping me going. Yes we are new Marines and instructors are hard asses. I have much apparition for them looking out for me in difficult times. On a side note The Co 1stsgt asked me if i would be returning home for his funeral. I told him i would not and continue training. My grandfather would have wanted me to stay. We shoke hands and nearly in tears said i have seen many before me who chose to delay their training. Back to training i went. Semper Fi
I've been a fan of Smashing Pumpkins, and actually never heard an interview with Billy Corgan.... one thing is clear from this interview... Billy is a really cool and genuine guy, and above all, he's a totally highly intelligent genius.
Chad Marshall I just don't think Trent is the type of person to talk about everything he does for multiple hours at a time. But if joe could get him on here and talking it would be amazing.
I would love to hear this, it would be among the dream podcasts for me and considering they live in LA maybe it is possible, or maybe get Dave Grohl, but he is on tour so not possible. Joshua Homme would be a good second.
I feel emotional when Corgan says he'd do it differently if they got back together with Chaimbs, İHA, Darcy. İ would pay whatever it takes to see the original band. I never got to see Iha and Darcy of which all were great in mine and my brothers view. I still admire them forevermore.
I've seen Billy on numerous interviews. Never have I seen him flip flop on ideas just to please the host or audience. The one thing I can appreciate about Billy the most is his fresh perspectives on life. Joe you have to get him on your show again.
GAME_ THEORY agreed. MACHINA is my favorite though. It's kind of the band's swan song in a lot of ways. Unfairly unrecognized but deeply rewarding the more you pay attention to it.
Its amazing how much of a genius Billy is. I was in school when the scene blew up with Nirvana Pearl Jam & Alice n Chains and it was amazing but people forget how huge Smashing Pumpkins was. They were big time and what a superb time in music history.
Jayson Sneaux yeah they were just as big as those band but the problem was they started hitting peaks at the end of the grunge wave, Mellon collie was a huge peak album and that came out 4 years after nevermind and ten, and soundgarden, those bands kinda lost steam by the end of 94, pumpkins blew up right around early 94 with Siamese dream and the b-sides album, Gish didn’t have the impact like ten or nevermind, it wasn’t until MC in 95 when that came out they were peak fame, that was after Kurt died so it was late
Agreed. What a great, great, guy. Super informative and opening episode from one of the bands of my youth. I'm an '88 baby and a 90's kid, so SP was my shit back in the day when I shouldn't have been into it. So great.
It presents the man and the artist the way he had to be to make the art he did, and a human being who was born of course not understanding all that he had yet to learn.
Best JRE interview I've ever seen. Joe did a good job asking questions and allowing a fully articulated response. Billy Corgan was very interesting to listen to and was refreshingly honest and candid with his comments. A+
It was a good album and it sold well but it was a tank. Cuz everyone excepted it to be infinite sadness pt 2. But it wasn’t. So...those are some of the reasons why
I love it, but I remember back in the day that it was too huge of a leap from Mellon Collie. I can understand why it wasn't very popular. Also the music scene at the time was getting pretty aggressive with the rising of nu metal and all.
Billy is one of the greatest musicians of his generation (Siamese Dream is one of the greatest albums ever written). But the jacket makes him look like Darth Vader without his helmet.
I kept asking "Hey....Billy? Can you put your arms in the sleeves? I mean sure you are doing your same "LOOK AT ALL THE WORK ONLY I DID" spiel and fine....but.....can ya ditch the coat? lol. Glad I wasn't the only one bothered.
I feel like we often come here to shit on Joe or the guest, but no complaints on this one. And I have to say that I really noticed that Joe seemed on point and focused with his questions today. Did a really good job of leading the conversation and drawing thoughtful responses from Billy. Obviously Billy was an extremely eloquent and engaging guest. A good exchange of energy regardless. Loved this one.
I agree to what you said 100% well said! I come here cause I think Joe has a great mind and with his popularity he’s able to pull some pretty interesting guests. Not to hang on his nuts I just like the guy!
Thats because all those other interviews are the same ol bullshit..."so who are your influences," "Whats your favorite color" etc etc, he actually has a chance to have an interesting , compelling conversation not marketed for a 16 year old.
Before Napster, people had predictable tastes and music was entrenched in "genres". The internet destroyed all of that and now musical taste takes on a wider spectrum.
No I did not. I usually see Joe talking with interesting people, but not really anyone more famous than he is. Even when he was interviewing Jon Jones, who he considers the GOAT, Joe didn't look like he did here.
He should definitely invite more musicians on the show. Hearing different perspectives of the music world is super fascinating, similar to an actor and the crazy world of acting.
I laughed out loud at 21:05 when Joe tries to make a joke about deep dish pizza and Billy just goes "yeah" and a silent moment goes by, then Joe says "yeah." Fuck that cracked me up.
Clinton Leonard you get the same non reaction from any Chicago native when you bring up pizza. My guess is they've heard every possible pizza joke/comment 3x over by the time puberty hits.
Most people don't know Billy was a talented athlete in the day.I used to play football with him every once and a while and the guy could throw the ball.Also the guy is a really hard worker,I remember them playing at small clubs, in the early 90s ,to crowds of 50 people sometimes less.The band kept gringing it out until Joe Shanahan(owner of the Metro) took them under his arm and really helped the Pumpkins get launched onto the national music scene.
Being a Chi-Town guy born,and bred..I was a pumpkin fan..One of the best shows was at the Metro in the early 90's..I seen him rolling down I-290 in his benz tried to catch up to him lol...He grew up in EGV..So we rolled in the same areas growing up it was a good time..
