Billy Corgan answers questions over the radio - Music - http://diamondmachine.com/muzik/Billy_Corgan_Q_and

Tami: So, 1-800-520-1067, is the phone number here at KROQ if you have some questions here for Billy. If you want to cry, we have tissues.

Billy: No tears

Tami: Alright

('Stand Inside Your Love' plays, ends)

Tami: Hey, it's 1-0-6.7 KROQ, K-R-O-Q. Billy Corgan is our guest from the Smashing Pumpkins and he just... I had a bad dream a couple minutes ago that you just told me that the band is breaking up (Billy laughs).

Billy: It's not true.

Tami: It's not true?

Billy: No, it is true.

Tami: It is true?

Billy: Yeah.

Tami: You're confusing me, I'm blonde that's not fair (Billy laughs) No, so uh, you finally told the truth basically is the uh....

Billy: Yeah we've sort of, you know, we thought about telling people right when the album was gonna come out, but then we thought then that it would just be all about that and not about the music and not about the album. So, now that the album's been out, it's, you know, it's fine.

Tami: It's cool?

Billy: Yeah

Tami: Okay. Um, hmm....alright, um, you wanna talk to some people?

Billy: Sure, sure.

Tami: 'Cause people have some, uh questions here at KROQ.

Billy: I wonder what they're going to ask?

Tami: Hi, who's this?

Caller 1: Hi my name is Patrick.

Tami: Hi Patrick. What did you wanna ask Billy?

Caller 1: I just want to ask Billy; after he did 'Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness', he said that he was basically done with the 'Rock Medium'? And a couple different interviews I read that he had taken, uh 'Guitar Rock' as far as it could go, and then when he did 'Adore', it was a much mellower, much more low key album and from everything I read and heard is that he was disappointed with the response of his audience. Is he letting audience response to his music and record sales affecting whether or not the band is going to stay together?

Billy: Right, that's an excellent question, cause, I, I know that's probably going to be, uh, a question that's asked by a lot of people. Um...no. It does.., it has nothing to do with it. When we, when we got to 'Mellon Collie', we really felt that as a band we'd gone about as far as we could go in that particular direction. But we never foresaw that um, what was going to happen with Jimmy was going to happen; that Jimmy was gonna leave. The 'Adore' album was a great experience, um we really learned a lot. And, so when Jimmy came back into the band, it was really more about the emotion of being together again and making music again. And that superceded, any sort of desire about whether we had to meet up to the cultural standard of what is progressive; the sort of same goals we had when we were a little younger. We just wanted to make one more album and leave things on a really positive note. Not because it was poorly received in some people's minds, it was more about what people thought of the band, spiritually. I don't know if that makes sense?

Caller 1: Oh it does, perfectly.

Billy: So this was about sort of bringing the band back together spiritually and reconnecting the 'Original Band' with the band's audience. Like I said it, unfortunately it did not work out that way completely with Darcy, but Melissa's been, uh, wonderful and amazing and we're really blessed to have her be with us on this album. So it's sort of just about completing the circle and leaving things on a really, sort of positive note and we've really enjoyed this year. I think we've enjoyed this year more than any other year that we've ever been a band. And, um, that's about it. It was sort of just leaving everybody with sort of a nice 'kiss' and, and um, you know, one more swing. And as far as the rock part goes, it's sort of the opposite. We decided to make a rock album because that's what we felt like doing, and that's what we felt in our bones because of Jimmy's absence and because of you know, all the sorrow that we'd been through. We wanted to sort of release that back out. Um, if Jimmy had stayed in the band, I don't think we would have ever have gone back in that direction.

Caller 1: Are you planning on possibly continuing as a, as a solo artist or continue, or put together another band, or is this it for you as far as Rock or Alt Rock type music and going on and doing your own thing?

Billy: Right. I really honestly don't know what I'm gonna do. I've, you know, I've been in the Smashing Pumpkins, at least with James, since I was 19 years old. It's been my whole, adult life. And everything I've seen as an adult is literally through the eyes of the band, or about the band - all the good things and all the bad things, so I really need to walk away from music for awhile and sort of see what I wanna do. I know that I'll make more music, but whether I want to continue to be a commercial artist, uh, a 'Pain in the Ass' artist, you know, or just some, some sad guy in a corner, I really don't know. I really have to ask myself what I wanna do.

Tami: Billy, I asked you, uh, some time ago, Tami Heide here at KROQ and Jed the Fish has joined us in the studios, um, I asked you awhile ago, I said, you know, 'Do you have any other aspirations, other artistic outlets?' And you said, 'No. My friends have decided I'm pretty much only good at one thing. Well, actually two things; driving everyone around me crazy.' And then I asked you what the other thing was. And I think you were talking about music, but I mean you have done some stuff; your soundtrack work for Stigmata. And it seems like you could be a conductor, director, you could do whatever you want.

Billy: No, I'm, I'm lucky, at least in my personal situation, I think I can do whatever I wanna do. I think all those doors are open now. Whether I can do them well, or anybody cares, that's another question. But I think it comes back to doing what I want to do. Um, you know, being in a band like the Pumpkins, it's, I know it's hard for some people to understand, because most of it gets put on me, but collectively, you know, we made a decision to be a challenging band artistically, to challenge people's thoughts about what a Rock band could be and that, that came collectively. And that's been, uh, exhilarating, but also very wearying. You know, we feel that a lot things that we've done to sort of push the boundaries of what a band can do has sort of overshadowed our music. And I think that it will be nice to just sort of let the music 'be' now, um, once we come to the end of this year, and um, as far as the future goes; I think the future is really great. I think, um, that everybody wants to go and do different things. I know that Jimmy really wants to race cars, it's a real passion of his. And I know that James really wants to get into music that he feels closer to. I don't think that the Pumpkins' music has truly reflected who he is as he's gotten a little older, so...who I am in that picture? I really don't know. Like I said, it's been 13 years and it's been incredible, but, you know, who's on the other side of that? Who am I on the other side of that? I don't really know.

Tami: Well, you have yet to find out. Now that you have announced this on KROQ and made it official, thanks by the way for 'coming-out' today - to me, to us on KROQ.

Billy: We're just going to confirm one rumor today, Tami.

Tami: Just one? Oh, okay, I'm sorry (laughing). Do you feel a weight has been lifted?

Billy: Yeah, I do. I think that deep down; our fans really knew that this is the end. And um, I think if you really look at the album, you really listen to the album, it's in the album. I mean, we, it's, we brought this thing to, what we felt was a really strong conclusion. And um, it sort of freed us to enjoy it, you know. It's not, you know, every time we don't sell a record it doesn't kill us because what does that mean for the future and every time something doesn't happen the way we want it to happen. It's back to enjoying being the Smashing Pumpkins and making music and really enjoying meeting people, and sort of living on that level. 'Cause we've gotten to live on all the different levels that, that the world affords you, um...

Tami: And um, so you are going to continue this U.S. tour and then you have some European dates...

Billy: Yeah, we have, we have 4 more dates and then we are going to Japan and Europe.

Tami: And I hear you're doing a VH-1 Storytellers and you're also taping tonight's show at Universal...

Billy: Yes, and um, we also hope to go to, back to South America, and uh, I know we're, uh, doing a sort of, the Canadian Lollapalooza with, uh, Foo Fighters and Our Lady Peace...

Tami: The Summersault Tour, yeah.

Billy: So uh, you know, roughly the end of the year, we may go a little longer than that, um, we may come up a little shorter than that. But yes, uh, just to answer your question before, fully, I do feel like a weight's been lifted off my shoulders. I feel like I've been walking around with this weird secret and it's completely counter-intuitive for the Pumpkins to not...tell everything that's going on.

Tami: So are you going to wear white tonight instead of the traditional black? (Billy laughs)

Billy: Uh yeah, yeah.

Tami: Alright, I wanted to play um, 'I of the Morning', and um, and then I'm going to hand it over to my friend, Jed the Fish and ...

Billy: Here comes the real question

Tami: You can hang for out as long as you want, and uh, I thank you for coming by, and I'm not going to be official anymore, so um, so thanks Billy, for coming by, we'll see you tonight at the uh, Universal Amphitheater.

Billy: Thank you

Tami: In fact I want to take a, a caller now and give away some, a pair of tickets to the other person whose phone call we didn't get to.

Billy: Right.

Tami: And uh, let's start 'Eye of the Morning' on K-R-O-Q, Billy Corgan and the Smashing Pumpkins...

('I of the Morning' plays, ends - 'Rhinoceros' plays, ends)

Jed: This is 106.7, K-R-O-Q FM, Pasadena/Los Angeles; my good friend, Tami Heide, here with Billy Corgan. Wanna take some calls?

Tami: Hey! Yeah, I think we should. I think there's a bunch of people on hold, so...Julie

Caller 2: Hi

Tami: Hi

Caller 2: Hi Billy, how are you?

Billy: Good; thank you, Julie.

Caller 2: I'm very disappointed to hear this. I'm a very big fan...

Billy: Oh, don't be disappointed it's ok.

Caller 2: It hurts, it really hurts.

Tami: To hear what?

Caller 2: To hear that they're breaking-up!

Tami: Oh, that's right!

Billy: Why does it hurt?

Caller 2: It hurts because now, it's not going to be the same. You know? It's not going to be the Smashing Pumpkins anymore and they're all going to separate and go their own way and I love your music. I truly love your music.

Billy: Thank you, but uh, see I would focus on the glass half-full part. We've managed to...

Caller 2: Yeah, it's like, you know, if you guys are happy...

Billy: We...

Caller 2: I was just wondering, how are the other band members? Are they relieved about it, too?

Billy: See, I wouldn't put it in that context. We, we look at it as the glass half-full thing. The fact that we've been through as much as we've been through, uh, gotten beaten over the head as much as we have and stayed together for so long. When you think of how many other bands from 'Generation X', didn't really make it, you know, as long as we did, play as many concerts as we did, um, I'd rather look at sort of the accomplishment of hanging in there, and um, making a lot of great music. So we're, it's like were more proud about what we've accomplished and it's just time.

Jed: To smash the final pumpkin...

Billy: Oh my god, that is so lame (Jed's infamous laughter)!

Tami: I apologize for Jed the Fish...

Billy: That is so weak (Jed still laughing).

Jed: Um, let's take another call.

Tami: Yeah you better (laughter) Um, let's see, somebody, uh, ...Diana - on line 4. Hi, Diana.

Caller 3: Yes

Tami: ...joining us on KROQ.

Caller 3: Oh my God!

Tami: You had a question for Billy Corgan?

Caller 3: Yes, um I have a question about when he's going to be on VH-1 Storytellers.

Billy: Um, I think we're going to tape in August but, when they actually sort of show it I guess? Probably October-ish

Caller 3: Oh really? Okay, well I just wanna say that... I am so sad. Me and my friend are getting ready for Universal and we're just shocked, and we're like, crying right now. But you know what, we've seen you in 4 shows, we saw you in Orlando, and it was just the best show ever, and um, we're just, you know, it's just sad that...

Billy: Don't be sad, though. That's what I'm saying. I appreciate it, but it's, it's, it's um, I mean maybe the idea of it's sad but if you think about all the good things, all the positive things, it's not sad.

Caller 3: Um, but you know, we always have that song in our heads, 'try, try, try'. That's like my favorite song. Will you be playing it tonight, you think?

Billy: You know what? I'll play it just for you.

Caller 3: Really Billy?!

Billy: Yeah. Okay?

Caller 3: Oh my God! I love you! My name's Diana, and we'll be in the pit...

Billy: And I'm gonna change all the words for you, too.

Caller 3: Thank you.

Billy: Okay?

Caller 3: I love you!

Billy: Love you, too.

Jed: Remember, there can't be a comeback unless they break-up

Tami: That's true.

Jed: Right

Tami: The end, is the beginning, is the end, is the beginning, is the end, is what I heard.

Billy: And here it is!

Tami: Alright, let's take another call. Let's see uh what, do you wanna, go to, um...Stacy! In Northridge, on line 5. Hi Stacy!

Caller 4: Hey!

Tami: Hi, you're on KROQ...

Caller 4: Hi Billy.

Tami: With Bill Corgan...

Billy: Hi Stacy.

Caller 4: I want to know if you're going to release a whole bunch of B-sides like the Airplane box set, 'cause those songs are amazing and I know, I think you said, like no one listens to them (Billy laughs). I listen to them. They are incredible.

Billy: Naw, I just said that to be a pain.

Caller 4: (laughing) Oh

Billy: But um, but um no we've actually probably got about another album's worth of songs left over from Machina which we're gonna try to finish starting in June, and then uh, we also might do some additional, sort of live, uh recording, um, so there's, there's other stuff that we're gonna, sort of, release, but when it comes out, whether it comes out now or 10 years from now, I really can't say.

Caller 4: Oh, it's amazing. I saw you in Santa Barbara on Sunday and you guys just were incredible! I've never seen you so happy.

Billy: Oh, thank you.

Caller 4: It was such a great show.

Tami: Hey Stacy, are you going to Universal?

Caller 4: I'm not going tonight. I could not get tickets. I'm so upset!

Tami: You're aren't, really?! Would you like to go?

Caller 4: I would die to go.

Tami: Can I make your...

Jed: Stacy gets to go!

Tami: Yeah!

Caller 4: No, are you kidding me?

Tami: No, I'm not. I wouldn't do something like that to you.

Caller 4: Are you serious?

Tami: No, we wouldn't drop 2 bombs. We wouldn't tell you that the Smashing Pumpkins are breaking-up and then not give you the tickets.

Caller 4: Oh my God, I'm dying here. I can't believe it!

Tami: Alright, so hang on and we'll hook you up with that, okay?

Caller 4: Okay, thank you!

Tami: Alright, thanks for calling.

Jed: So how would you package that? You have 3 or 4 songs left over. You haven't thought about, like, whether they're like, coming out in the Fall or 10 years from the Fall, and how do you make it look like they're not just left over from the uh, the last Machina album?

Billy: Well, actually, I mean, we recorded enough for another double CD.

Jed: Whoa!

Billy: And, and um, it just sort of, you know, just sort of got to finish a vocal here and there but um you know there was no way we were going to sort of put ourselves through the double CD thing again.

Jed: (laughing) Yeah, you got punished for that.

Billy: Not particularly, but it's hard, it's hard to convince people that, you know, 2 albums, 2 CDs, you know, were worth listening to. I mean people, uh, people, reviewers were complaining that Machina was too long, and that was 15 songs, so...um, I don't know what we're going to do with it, but we'll finish it, so, it'll just come out at some point, whether it comes out this year or whenever, it doesn't really matter.

Jed: Okay, but did you think a, like a title for the collection, or do you just, you know, release it as an EP?

Billy: I guess it would be Machina, Part II, but again, I, you know, we want people to buy Machina, Part I.

Jed: Right

Billy: And um, we're still hoping that's gonna happen (laugh) So, were not really concerned about selling Machina, Part II.

Tami: Um, you wanna take some more calls?

Billy: Sure.

Tami: Okay, let's go to...Selina. Selina, forever in Northridge, joining us on KROQ. Hi, Selina.

Caller 5: Hi, how's it going?

Tami: Alright. What's up, you wanted to say something or ask something of Billy Corgan?

Caller 5: Yeah, I do I actually wanted to ask, does he think that this is the end of a Rock Era, since they're breaking-up, 'cause I mean, I really think so and that's an excellent question to ask, and I really think that this is the end of the Rock Era, since they're breaking-up now, like does he think so?

Billy: Um, I don't know there's so many great bands, um that are out there right now, and, and bands that are still going from, you know, 'Gen X', whether it's nine inch nails or, or Pearl Jam, so you know I wouldn't take that much credit. Um...

Caller 5: But still, you guys are awesome.

Billy: Thank you.

Jed: Yeah, the caller brought up a good point actually, that a, there's the early nineties, sort of Grunge category that, of course, the Smashing Pumpkins, in my mind, never fit in, and then there's the, the mid-nineties kind of music and now there's the, the music that's really successful now, seems to be of a more shameless, not apologizing for my celebrity and being rich and wanting to be a rock star variety and um, do you have any comment on why that's popular now?

Billy: Um, it's hard to say. I know that certainly it's a hard case to make to be selling a lot of records and then be talking about integrity, they don't seem to go together, and certainly all the 'Generation X' bands were sort of compromised by the success that, that we all had between, you know '90 and '96 or '97. Um...as far as the particular generation that's listening to uh, the particular bands now, that don't seem to be caught up, as much in, in the game of integrity - and I always thought it was a game - um... maybe they're just reflecting that the economy is good, and life seems better. They're not afraid of dying in a nuclear war everyday, like maybe we all grew up in. Um, maybe the fact that people's problems are more out on the table. There's not as much repression in the society. I don't know. I don't think it's a matter of better or worse, it's just a matter of times change and people sort of seem to gravitate the other way. I know some people have said that they sort of felt worn down by, you know, what they viewed as the complaining angst of 'Generation X'. But that, again, I think was a media portrayal that sort of got, that didn't get to the heart of the fact that the bands were really singing about real things and I'm sure that the bands that are out right now are singing about real things, they're reflecting their society just as much as we did.

Jed: Right, and you can get worn down by hitting the topics like, 'Gee, I love having strippers and groupies and lots of drugs backstage and...' that could get old, too.

Tami: Jed, that that never gets tiring (Jed laughs). Ever.

Jed: Well, thank you caller. Thanks for the good idea.

Sign Guestbook

View Guestbook

PsikoTherapy@aol.com

Visitors: 01056

Page Updated Mon May 29, 2000 3:30pm EDT