Billy Corgan Slams Virgin Over Use Of Smashing Pumpkins Name

Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan has revealed that the band’s former record label Virgin had no right to use their name for promotional purposes.

Corgan said that Virgin Records, which was the band’s home until they split in 2000, had crossed the “Rubicon”.

The band launched legal action against the record label earlier this week, claiming that the use of their name in campaigns for Pepsi and Amazon had damaged their "artistic integrity".

Speaking to Billboard, Corgan said: “You're going to see more of this playing fast and loose with the rules, hoping they don't get caught.

“At face value, it's not a huge deal. But in terms of precedent, it is, because there will be much more of this coming."

Corgan, who is currently touring in Australia, also revealed that the band had been at loggerheads with their former record label over their back-catalogue.

Under the terms of their contract, Smashing Pumpkins and Virgin are equal partners to the catalogue, something which Corgan says he has tried to overturn.

"Look, you have no interest. Let us just buy it. But they won't put a number on it,” he said. “They've atrophied the catalogue down so low that they probably hope we'll crawl back and ask for cash."

Corgan suggested that in a bid to undermine the label, the band may release previously unheard tracks and exclusive live recordings.

Thanks for the info to Gigwise.com.

Comments

[Nightwatchman10]

go billy!!! WHOOOP WHOOOP!!!

[Comeback Kiddd]

I bet Billy wouldnt have been bothered if their name was in a campaign for Coca Cola

[S2S]

Yeah, we already know. This was "news" not even three days ago.

[metalb0y]

I suppose he has a point..!

[metalb0y]

N1ck0 wrote:

I think they should stop releasing records ALL TOGETHER and stop bringing pain to peoples ears.

hold on dude, they not bad at all. Maybe they have some bad albums under their belt but they also have a couple of good ones

[sk8rMeTaLhEaD27]

Smashing Pumpkins FTW!

[thedarkblues06]

Comeback Kiddd wrote:

I bet Billy wouldnt have been bothered if their name was in a campaign for Coca Cola

What looks like a frivolous law suit to you is a big deal to Smashing Pumpkins. If I had been at the pinnacle of the fame for many years like them, I wouldn't want my name posted over mainstream, I would like to keep it about the music...and not about the promotions/advertising.

Still, would be interesting to read the contract and see what it says.

[DirkLance]

N1ck0 wrote:

I think they should stop releasing records ALL TOGETHER and stop bringing pain to peoples ears.

No doubt that Billy's voice is INTERESTING...it takes an aquired taste to get into it. But considering this is UG hopefully we all respect his axe skills above his vocals.

And BIlly has the leverage to talk like this because of the place he's sewn in rock history. Maybe it was just a gimmick of the 90's, but you can't deny the success of Siamese Dream and Melon-collie. And he's right about Virgin, they can act as snobbish and unaffected as they want. The point is, they wouldn't have used the Pumpkins music if they didn't think it would help SELL.

Then they get pissed because they were caught red handed. What douches.

[yutyoy]

that would be sweet if they released unheard material to stick it to virgin. i know they had a pile of stuff leftover from Mellon Collie. would be cool to hear some of that stuff

[sowhat360]

Artistic Integrity?? Thats why he released four different versions of his last album to four different major retailers so you had to buy the album 4 times to get all the songs right? I couldn't care less about the Pepsi commercial. Hey Billy, how 'bout you don't make me buy the album four times to hear all your music, then maybe i'll consider you having integrity.

[DirkLance]

sowhat360 wrote:

Artistic Integrity?? Thats why he released four different versions of his last album to four different major retailers so you had to buy the album 4 times to get all the songs right? I couldn't care less about the Pepsi commercial. Hey Billy, how 'bout you don't make me buy the album four times to hear all your music, then maybe i'll consider you having integrity.

Good point, funny as well. I'm not sure it was exactly Billy's idea to do that...perhaps it wasn't, don't jump to conclusions. To a degree he would have to so it does lend itself to some hypocrisy.

checked.

[Lotz222]

He is such a non-conformist that it just pisses me off. Cry about it billy read the fine print in contracts.

[cj878]

Its ok Billy i still like Smashing Pumpkins.

[hellfire21]

FIGHT THE RECORD COMPANIES!!!!!

[MrGuitar123]

Am I the only one who saw something overly sexual to the title? I guess its just being in the pit...

[fortysix&2]

I love how there are always dodgy article titles... "Corgan Slams Virgin"...

[Dithindious]

Once again major record labels doing the nasty... not that I really understood what he was getting at... or what they've done thats sooo epicaly bad... but go Billy... :S

[NinjaSlayHuman]

woah... anyone else agree the title of this article was very misleading?

haha

[Spoony_Bard]

Oh UG, how I love your article titles.

[Fromotion8389]

How is he complaining about his "artistic integrity" when I just heard their song in a car commercial? Is that not as bad as Pepsi or Amazon? It's still using your music to sell something. I don't really see his point. I understand it's about having control over your own music rather than the label, but c'mon. If he's gonna allow his music in commericals and Guitar Hero, why not Virgin?

I love SP and Billy but sometimes he blows things out of proportion.

[dirtymexican863]

***plays little violin for Billy*** :'(

[All0utR0ck]

I can almost guarantee if this was Metallica filing a lawsuit agains Pepsi, just about EVERYONE in this thread would be bashing instead of defending...

[superjoint2112]

All0utR0ck :
I can almost guarantee if this was Metallica filing a lawsuit agains Pepsi, just about EVERYONE in this thread would be bashing instead of defending...

hahah soo true

[LegsOnEarth]

dirty business...

[RedNovember]

But Metallica sucks!

[latinosuperstud]

smashing pumpkins were awesome before billy forgot altogether about guitar and went goth-ish... but the new album is in the older vein so its cool...


and to those saying hes a crybaby, if they would have asked him to use their name he might have agreed, but doing it without permission is basically whoring their band out

[Lamb of Deth]

and to those saying hes a crybaby, if they would have asked him to use their name he might have agreed, but doing it without permission is basically whoring their band out

pretty much, lets not forget thats the kind of thing that started America, what was the line? "taxation without representation? lol i guess its a bit of a stretch yet similar.

[uberphreak]

MrGuitar123 wrote:

Am I the only one who saw something overly sexual to the title? I guess its just being in the pit...

lol the pit WILL do that to you.

But yeah I saw it too. Go Billy!

[thedarkblues06]

RedNovember wrote:

But Metallica sucks!

Ha, you're funny...ass. You should slam Corgan and maybe you, him, and the 'Virgin' can have a fantastic threeway.

[crunge68]

Billy Corgan is a douchebag.

[Gregray88]

LMFAO at the title. atleast the first 4 words hahaahahahahahahahah. I love UG and their misleading titles.

[marssox]

crunge thats a valid point ehh?? and lets have everyone give gregray around of applause for finding humor in this

[_TheWorst]

Why are so many people complaining about this?

1. Virgin and Smashing Pumpkins make contract.

2. Virgin breaches contract.

3. Smashing Pumpkins subsequently take justified legal action.

Frivolous? No. Pointless? Especially not. It's a precident as said, and it's completely logical.

[Cobalt Blue]

lol anybody read 'Billy Corgan Slams Virgin' not read on and take it the wrong way?

[TBezza]

DirkLance wrote:

N1ck0 wrote:

I think they should stop releasing records ALL TOGETHER and stop bringing pain to peoples ears.

No doubt that Billy's voice is INTERESTING...it takes an aquired taste to get into it. But considering this is UG hopefully we all respect his axe skills above his vocals.

And BIlly has the leverage to talk like this because of the place he's sewn in rock history. Maybe it was just a gimmick of the 90's, but you can't deny the success of Siamese Dream and Melon-collie. And he's right about Virgin, they can act as snobbish and unaffected as they want. The point is, they wouldn't have used the Pumpkins music if they didn't think it would help SELL.

Then they get pissed because they were caught red handed. What douches.

+1

[MmmCesium]

It's nice to see somebody ****ing the record companies over rather than the record companies ****ing people like they've been doing for a while :P Go Billy!

[Mihyaeru]

lol anybody read 'Billy Corgan Slams Virgin' not read on and take it the wrong way?

Nope...But now that you mention it lol

[Les Paul Ell]

Cobalt Blue wrote:

lol anybody read 'Billy Corgan Slams Virgin' not read on and take it the wrong way?

Hahaha :P

[STPilots17]

_TheWorst wrote:

Why are so many people complaining about this?

1. Virgin and Smashing Pumpkins make contract.

2. Virgin breaches contract.

3. Smashing Pumpkins subsequently take justified legal action.

Frivolous? No. Pointless? Especially not. It's a precident as said, and it's completely logical.

It's all about what's in that contract to consider what they are doing as a breach in contract.

[AFallenJake]

This is exactly why you do not go to major labels. They have damn good lawyers and make damn good contracts. If it is a breach of contract by Virgin, good on Billy, but I think that the more important issue here is the old Smashing Pumpkins stuff. The band needs to get that. Screw the band name. Artistic integrity? Nonsense, the name means nothing if they don't have the right to the music. That is the important part.

I love the Smashing Pumpkins, but I am not a fan of Billy Corgen; He is a self righteous egotist. And all I have to say is: Go indie labels!

[AVIDFANOFSOUNDS]

How rich record compaines complaing about illegal music downloads, is accused of using bands music without the bands permssion.

virgin kind of shot themselfs in the foot here, and how dare they deny old b-sides and the such not to be relased,

another blow to major record company confidance

[ticklemeemo]

Cobalt Blue wrote:

lol anybody read 'Billy Corgan Slams Virgin' not read on and take it the wrong way?

HAHAHA! It's funny because it sounds like it says Billy Corgan had sex with a virgin!



You guys are amazing.