In a recent interview, Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan offered his take on the grunge explosion of the '90s both praising and criticizing bands such as Alice In Chains, Nirvana and Pearl Jam.
The Smashing Pumpkins burst onto the music scene amid the explosion of grunge in the early ’90s. Many fans and critics alike were quick to associate Corgan’s band with the generic label for Seattle’s diverse new rock acts, despite the fact that the Pumpkins hailed from Chicago, Ill. - about 2,000 miles east. "We were fans of everybody. So it wasn’t like being compared to something you didn’t like," Corgan told 98.7 FM. "But at the same time we felt we were so much more sophisticated."
The outspoken frontman also revealed that the mislabeling of the Pumpkins caused him to actively distance himself from that type of music. "That attitude and my reaction to it led a lot to us doing stuff like 'Tonight, Tonight'", said Corgan. "Because I knew that nobody in our generation could do [that song]. So that was my 'you know what' to everybody."
Corgan did have some kind words to say about his early nineties peers, as he mentioned Pearl Jam’s debut album, "Ten" and Nirvana’s "Nevermind" among the best album of the era. "One sad part about the grunge generation is that they never got around to making those great albums. Beyond the obvious, lets say the top five," explained Corgan. "Kurt Cobain never got around to making his 'White Album' [like The Beatles] and I think that’s a tragedy. Because we’d be leaning on that work now. All of us."
Later Corgan named Alice In Chains’ "Down In A Hole" and Nirvana’s "Polly" as songs he wishes he’d written, saying of the latter, "what an incredible song".
In a separate interview, Corgan somehow insulted and complimented Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder simultaneously. "You can’t manufacture people like me. Maybe you don’t want to. How many Eddie Vedder clones have they marched out?" asked Corgan. "And I’m not a big Vedder fan, but at least he’s Eddie Vedder. You know who he is, you know what he’s about. Okay great, these other people I don’t know what they think. They might be from Mars for all I know."
Billy and his current iteration of The Smashing Pumpkins recently released "Oceania", a single studio album released under the umbrella of the "Teargarden By Kaleidyscope" project.
Billy Corgan talks about Smashing Pumpkins and grunge:
I get what he's saying. At that time long shred solos were taboo but they did it anyways-they werent afraid to do big arrangments etc. Thats probably why Corgan was better guitarist than most grunge peers.
That's not an insult to Eddie Vedder. There were a lot of "Vedder voices" at one point. Scott Stapp, the guy from Camino Palermo and a ton of other dudes that fell into rightful obscurity.
His past articles are titled "Billy Corgan Criticises Pomposity Surrounding Radiohead" and
"Billy Corgan Dishes On Alice In Chains, Nirvana & Eddie Vedder"
As for guitar playing, Corgan couldn't carry Jerry Cantrell's jock strap in a suitcase.
Im a huge fan of Cantrell but you cant be serious.Corgan is a better guitarist by quite a distance.I couldnt see Cantrell composing something as complex as soma.
As for guitar playing, Corgan couldn't carry Jerry Cantrell's jock strap in a suitcase.
+100000
You two are both wrong. Dislike Billy if you may, but he's an insanely talented guitar player. He seemed though to have abruptly moved away from displaying most of the flashy playing after the Gish era
His past articles are titled "Billy Corgan Criticises Pomposity Surrounding Radiohead" and
"Billy Corgan Dishes On Alice In Chains, Nirvana & Eddie Vedder"
Maybe he should just focus on his own band.
So, you just read the news titles instead of actually reading the news?
I love Billy Corgan, and I understand where he's coming from here, but does anyone get the sense that he just thinks he's God greatest gift to mankind?
he says nothing at all contrversial here, its just a sign of poor rock journalism trying to twist words to make a story. Billy and a few artists are constantly being mis-quoted in attempts to make headlines. Lets break it down here
1 basically says music is missing some great albums since Kurt died - reasonable to assume
2 he says he liked the other bands but wanted to do his own thing and not be in that scene - fair enough just cos they were a big 90's rock band does not meam you have to be grunge
3 eddie comment, says he is not a fan but respects him for doing his own thing - what the majority of musicians would say about musicians from different genres??
4 critises Eddie copycats for not being original - does not diss Eddie
I was hoping i wouldn't have to pan Billy, thankfully the title was misleading
i love him, but I'll always have grunge's back. Back in the 90's it really did change music, and it's effect still is lasting and we hear it in modern artists.
Terribly written. Agreed with the comments above... he did not diss Vedder... in fact I fail to see any criticism at all. Everything he says is pretty much right on. Gish to Mellon Collie, SP were a little more sophisticated than probably half the other "grunge" bands. UG... trolls it own articles, within it's own articles. Then bans members for their comments. Fabulous!
That's not an insult to Eddie Vedder. There were a lot of "Vedder voices" at one point. Scott Stapp, the guy from Camino Palermo and a ton of other dudes that fell into rightful obscurity.
that guys name is Alex Band and he was the lead singer/songwriter for The Calling, and he's actually very talented but yeah he's obscure to most people now lol
It may just be me, but it seems as if his praising more than dishing out bs. I like all these bands, and dont really care to say who couldnt carry whos guitar or what not. Theyre all good in their own right
That's not an insult to Eddie Vedder. There were a lot of "Vedder voices" at one point. Scott Stapp, the guy from Camino Palermo and a ton of other dudes that fell into rightful obscurity.
Also, Seven Mary Three had a Vedder vibe for a while too.
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His past articles are titled "Billy Corgan Criticises Pomposity Surrounding Radiohead" and
"Billy Corgan Dishes On Alice In Chains, Nirvana & Eddie Vedder"
Maybe he should just focus on his own band.
So, you just read the news titles instead of actually reading the news?
I feel sorry for you bro.
No, I read both articles . . . . "bro".
I'm commenting on the fact that all he does is complain. The most rediculous complaint by him is when he was mad that SP fans only wanted to hear the old stuff. Maybe it was becasue his new material is awful.
