Ponyrock
Interviewer: Do you have any personal favorites on the new album? Two songs that you performed that I really enjoyed were the "Heavy Metal" song, which im assuming is called "Machina" and the other song where you refer to god as a woman.
Billy: Its actually called "Heavy Metal Machine". The other song.....I dont think we've actually recorded that, it was part of the original album, in a batch.
Int: Are there any artist in mind that you have that your could possibly think of that you would like to do remixes of future singles, like do you know DJ Shadow?
B: Yeah, yeah, of course....(referring to DJ Shadow) Ive just found the remixing avenue to be just really.....
Int: Kaka?
B: No, I wouldnt say kaka, I guess i just had the idea that someone would take the song and almost kind of re-write the song....
Int: Like Moby did with 1979?
B: I think Moby just pissed on that one. Thats why we didnt like it. Im cool with him now and i really like his new record by the way, anyway, beside that point....It's almost like as an artist you want someone completly re-configured what your doing. Its just something like you'd go "wow, I never thought this song could be heavy, of mellow....." And ultimately, remixes are basically dance floor things and for us ive just found it to be a dead avenue. I listen to a lot of that music and i enjoy it but i just havent found the right muse on it...
Int: What do you do in your free time when your not touring and recording and doing things that involve being a musician first and formost. Can you reveal what you really enjoy when your time is yours?
:::During this portion of the interview, a lady, presumably a record label rep of some kind that was present in the room during this interview, rudely interrupted us and claimed that the interview time was up. At this point, Billy told the lady that I wasent done interviewing him and that we had we had just started a few minutes ago and not to worry about it. The reason i am telling you this as the reader is because Mr. Corgan has been portrayed by the media as rude, and an egomaniacal asshole and im honestly telling you that he was nothing but completely accommodating to us and very kind and humble. shocked? Dont believe the hype...::::
B: I collect art, which I enjoy. And photography, turn of the century posters... I mean, I've kind of designed my life so its literally like a non-stop input into the blender for out-put. I think thats why in a very kind of mechanical way thats why my output is so high because my input is even higher. It's like a systematic thing where you know--It's like... a machine looking for ways to tweak the output i guess.
Int: Do you have any favorite movies?
B: I really, really, really, enjoy this new guy.. I think his name's Amelio Costas.. Costarica.. I cant really say his name... He's the guy that did "King Of The Gypsies", and his new movie out called I think White Cat Black Cat, but i havent seen that one, but he did a movie called Underground which I think is fantastic. I think he's like the new Fellini. I really like more sprawlingepic things, and then I like what I call "Blow Up" movies, which is like Terminator you know... It's like the complete opposite.. It's just like.. It's like heavy metal.. It's like survival like.. "scccchhhh."
Int: Do you have any favorite food, of things you enjoy eating?
B: No, as I've gotten old and im allergic to a lot of things, so I cant eat like.. 3/4 of what the world eats. its all very boring and unfortunate.
Int: Do you feel with Jimmy back with you the sound that you're aiming for on this particular album, at least, that you wanted to go for a more organic feel, cause you have ventured out and explored you electronic side of your artistry.
B: Um... well, maybe you havent heard the whole record right?
Int: No...
B: There's some stuff off the record that's probably a good indication of what "Adore" would have sounded like, if Jimmy would have been around. It's like the intergration between Jimmy's feel and.....
Int: Cause you guys went way out there on the electronic trip...
B: Yeah, well there was nothing.. you know when you play in a band i think when Jimmy left we've been together for Eight years straight, and its like loosing an arm you know... So Adore was about figuring out a way to re-attach another arm, and half way through the album of adore as we were messing with- like trying to find our feet... You know like our foundation, well should it be all drum machine should we get drummers in.. It just occurred to me that the album was really about was Jimmy was a participant in the sense that Jimmy wasent there, so it became an album about Jimmy's absence, and frailty of the band, and the band almost collapsing in on itself, so instead of running from it or trying to kind of cover up, or trying satirically recreate something that was with Jimmy, we just totally went into the other end of that, but like ummm... you know.. I dont know if you like MP3 downloads, but like... We were doing a version of an "Adore" song called "Pug" on the little tour that we did in April you know.. that just like.. totally heavy and rocked, and theres a new song on the album when you hear it called "Sunshowers and Raindrops", or the other way around.
Int: Was that "Rhinoceros"? i heard it earlier cause its been awile?
B: No, it's "Crush"
Int: From Gish?
B: Right
Int: Is it Geesh, of Gish?
B: Gish
Int: Thats what i thought, Gish
B: And umm... but theres a song called "Raindrops and Sunshowers" which pretty much shows that kind of connection so... I dont know it I answered your question of not but...
Int: I wanted to say that its very stellar of you to reach out to people on this level, because you know.. Just really quick.. You get a lot of bad press, and people say "Billy Corgan's a fuckin' asshole and da da da da da..." and you've shown us completely the opposite, which is like, i mean.... We were really like- We were scared to approach you about even attempting to talk to you, because you're maybe misunderstood by the press...
B: No, i dont think its a misunderstanding. I think that we've been at war with the press from the very begining, and the press.. you know.. if you go to war with the press what the one recourse that they have? They try to attack and destroy you, and yet your basic Smashing Pumpkins fan has a very diffrent opinion. Now i cant say that the one portrayal is completely false; obviously its born. And not some kine of fact, but its a distortion of one side of my charactar without taking the other side, and so, you find yourself thirty two years old like a cartoon charactar that's basically what i have become, and theres only one thing to do, I cant.... Im excluding you from this comment, but i cant win through the media. We lost that battle in nineteen ninety when people said "You guys are trying to bring back seventy's rock, and its so passe" and "Why dont you go fuck yourselfs" and you know... That was the beggining of the end. Right, so.. that all being said and niceties aside, theres only one thing left for us to do, and that's go back directly to people, just straight to people.
Int: I was just going to say that this is the most stroke of genius thing you could have done. I mean... you could have just came in and played twenty minutes... you didnt... you played and then you talked, and then you played more... its like... I know people are appreciative.
B: I wish everyday could be such an experience...
Int: This was a masterful checkmate in your career move to do this for your fans.
B: But... I understand the literal thing that you're saying, but what im saying is... is rock and roll rebellion? O.K., that whole concept- its bullshit, because everybody gets passed through the same meat grinder, you'd have to go through an indie label you know... you'd have to deal with their lack of distribution, and you've got no money. If you deal with the major label you have to fuckin'-you know- deal with that dickering from up top.
Int: Your in control of what's going on obviously, cause you able to make these kinds of choices..
B: Well im in control in the sense that im in control as you can be. The point is that the system exists those who play the game well win, and those who dont end up in situations like us where you have this wide arc of public persona, and private persona, and you know... im quiet... Im actually for the first timw in my life im actually begining to enjoy my reputation as a monster because... its actually... I think that's actually changing back to the next saga (ha,ha,ha)
Int: Right, but if you even say hello.. people freak hard.
B: Yeah but the absurdity.. the absurdity of that.. like i ah.. you know, i dont like to say it but like.. we played at the Satyricon in 1989 or 1990 we opened for the Afghan Wigs.. I think there was ten people there.
Int: I saw Red Kross open for them, and everyone left afterwards.
B: Right, and the gig was terrible, and you know... to be here ten years later whatever it it.. Youre talking about the width of the experience.. I just wish everyday could be a combonation of all that so it goes "plaap" right down there, because theres no lying in that situation... theres no lying.. That's what i want.. I want no more lies. I can play a public game.. I can fuck with people's heads.. I can be your cartoon charactar.. but there.. you know.. theres some truth..
I guess the point im trying to make is it no longer matters to me, and because it no longer matters to me.. Im willing to feed into it.. Im willing to.. you know.. theres and interview coming out in "Q" magazine who calls me "The rudest man in rock." And the guy spent the whole time saying how I wouldnt answer his questions.. The guy was asking me questions like dress issues.. who are your famous friends, so you know..you'll see.. its all fun and games.
Int: Thank you very much for talking with us.
B: Oh, sure, no problem.
-Daniel Woods
Interview with Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins
(2000)
Well, but what im saying is... is that its gone so far to the left lets say.. It allows me to play completely off to the right.
