The Smashing Pumpkins’ lead singer, Billy Corgan, vividly recounts a memory of joining U2’s frontman, Bono, in Dublin Bay as dawn adorned the skies. He recalls a cold morning that left him gasping for breath, accompanied by an enthusiastic Bono who introduced a new song. Corgan had chosen to visit Bono at his home, a visit that may have stretched into the wee morning hours, reminiscing his earlier days as an ardent follower of U2 back in 1982 during their Unforgettable Fire tour.
Bono started a discussion about their forthcoming album, with both of them exchanging thoughts about music like two old pals. Bono then sought Corgan’s opinion on some bits of their new music, unveiling an issue they were wrestling with, using a cd or tape he had at hand. Ensuring the peace of the household remained undisturbed, the two ventured into a car to continue their musical conversation amidst the biting cold of a Dublin morning, deep into their introspective listen to the early versions of Beautiful Day. Corgan found himself analysing U2’s musical stumbling blocks as Bono unravelled where they were struggling to make progress.
Much to his surprise, Corgan discovered his name appeared in the acknowledgements of U2’s comeback album, All That You Can’t Leave Behind, in October 2000. Having presented Bono with insights from his guitarist’s standpoint to navigate their musical quagmire; he humbly doubted whether his solutions would resonate with U2’s incomparable musical style.
Corgan, a prominent rock star of Generation X, fondly recalls these adventures from his residence in suburban Chicago where he is busy parenting his two adorable children, Philomena, aged five, and eight-year-old Augustus.
The vocalist is in the throes of a flurry of activities: on top of the soon-to-occur European tour of the Smashing Pumpkins, set to include a quick selling concert in Dublin, he has kicked off his reality show – Billy Corgan’s Adventures in Carnyland, offering a glimpse into his secondary life as the leader of the National Wrestling Alliance, a sort of plucky challenger to the dominant WWE. Also, the band has resolved their formerly explosive past, having newly produced an album that Corgan – their central vocalist and lyricist – feels resonates with the ethos of the early 90s, the period when they became iconic for an entire generation, delivering big hits like Today and Cherub Rock.
“Isn’t there a famous phrase that goes ‘You can never return home’, right? Yet, I pondered, what if one attempts to – would that be captivating?” These are his remarks about the still unnamed LP, which was pieced together by the foundational Smashing Pumpkins trio: Corgan, guitarist James Iha, and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin.
“My aim was to rekindle, within myself, this intrinsic mindset that gave birth to the original albums. To examine if that creative spark was still present in me to pen new songs. My intention wasn’t to duplicate the old content, but to recreate the conditions that led to the creation of some of that content. The journey took time. It involved a great deal of trial and error. Somehow, I managed to find a way at some point in the process. I’m eagerly awaiting the public’s reaction to this album,” he shares. “From the reactions of those who have listened to it, it seems to be a bit of a jaw-dropper.”
The Smashing Pumpkins landed in the early phase of grunge, yet they never really belonged to the clique – they didn’t ally with the likes of Nirvana or Pearl Jam. Originating from Chicago instead of Seattle, their music lacked the distinctive angst of grunge. Their inaugural 1991 album, Gish, was more influenced by 1970s stadium rock and shoegaze than soulful outpouring. Listening to their trailblazing hits such as Rhinoceros was akin to witnessing Led Zeppelin morph into My Bloody Valentine in real-time.
Their monumental break came in 1993 with “Siamese Dream”, an entrancing masterpiece of alternative music, produced under the watchful eye of Butch Vig, renowned for his work with Nirvana’s “Nevermind”. Billy Corgan took it a step further, much to his label’s consternation, with the ambitious double album “Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness” in 1995. Despite pushback, this audacious step sold 10 million copies, birthing notable singles like ‘1979’ and ‘Tonight Tonight’.
Reflecting about the making of the project which he drew parallels to a Gen X interpretation of Pink Floyd’s “The Wall”, Corgan recalls the stiff opposition he encountered and the relentless struggle he put up. The seemingly needless risk of changing the winning formula was perceived as unwise by many. Corgan, however, viewed it as a continuation of his willingness to take chances, akin to a successful gambler persisting with his profitable streak.
The Smashing Pumpkins, formed in a record store in 1988 by Corgan, was a band renowned for its internal strife. Chamberlin, a natural ally of Corgan’s, was a turbulent force, grappling with a rampant drug addiction. On the other hand, D’arcy Wretzky, the bassist and her ex-partner Iha shared an exceptional onstage chemistry with Corgan, that belied their fraught off-stage relationship.
The Smashing Pumpkins was a musical group deadly intertwined with discord. Spats between Corgan and Iha were commonplace, and in 1996, Chamberlin was sacked following a tragic and lethal drug overdose involving himself and Jonathan Melvoin, the tour keyboardist of the band. This ongoing tension catalysed the band’s rupture four years subsequently.
When Corgan resurrected the Smashing Pumpkins in 2006, none of the initial group members were part of the line-up. It wasn’t until a decade later that both a sober Chamberlin and Iha decided to return. However, the circumstance regarding Wretzky is unique: despite occasional rumours of reconciliation between her and Corgan, no tangible progress has been realised.
“The volatility wasn’t about music, it was personal,” Corgan reflectively recalled, “We were four incredibly different individuals, two of whom had an intimate relationship. This relationship thrust me to the opposite side with my crucial musical confederate in the band, Jimmy.” He detailed how the band often dove into extended, six-hour rehearsals, which provided a moment of serenity and accord. Yet, outside the musical space, they would find themselves quarrelling over even something as trivial as takeaways, a prevailing animosity that gradually fractured the group’s internal relationships. With time and maturity, the band has learned to focus more on their musical strengths.
In recent years, Corgan has made multiple appearances in Dublin, with the latest one being a solo gig in 2019 at the Olympia. However, his last prominent performance at the current 3Arena was in 1996, which ended in disaster after the crushing death of a 16-year-old fan, Bernadette O’Brien from Co Cork.
Corgan recalls one of the most heartbreaking incidents he has witnessed, a young woman losing her life in tragic circumstances. This event etched a lasting scar and replayed in his mind a thousand times over. He believed that it would be a disservice to those who are no longer with us if their stories aren’t uttered. The incident left a profound pain that still lingers.
Corgan, later, in Chicago had a close friendship with Sinéad O’Connor. She resided with a mutual friend, Matt Walker, a drummer from the Wilmette suburb. It was during this time that Sinéad went missing in 2016 which led to a wide-spread search.
Matt, who had been a long-standing drummer for Morrissey, developed a connection with Sinéad which culminated in her living in their attic. Corgan recalls Sinéad as quite an introverted person. Although he had had a brief interaction with her at a concert, it wasn’t until she resided at his friend’s house and dined together numerous times that he got to know her. They exchanged conversations about her children, relationships and the challenges she faced.
For Corgan, Sinéad was exceptionally candid, almost to an extreme level, paired with a soul-baring honesty. He was in awe of her remarkable talent and stunning beauty. During this time, his friends would seek advice on how to cope with having a renowned musician living in their loft, while they tried their best to help her through a difficult phase.
One fateful morning in May, Sinéad went out on a bike ride at the break of dawn and did not come back until the next day, which led to police involvement in locating her.
The original text tells a poignant tale of individuals grappling with loss and self-expression in the public eye. When Sinéad passed away, her friends panicked, unsure of their next steps. They found it extremely troubling to watch her struggles in her life’s critical stage. One could clearly see her honesty and authenticity in her dealings. The reaction after her demise was overwhelming. It’s unfortunate but true that it often takes a death for people to understand their emotions. This loss has led many to realise how much more support and attention she deserved in her lifetime, as her musical prowess was extraordinary. Singing, for Sinéad, was directly linked to her emotions, a trait not found in many singers who usually act, something she refrained from.
The text then shifts to the story of Corgan, a friendly yet battle-worn individual. His experiences bear similarities with Sinéad’s, having also faced personal challenges within the glare of the public and press. He was frequently ridiculed where his contemporaries like Kurt Cobain of Nirvana and Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam were celebrated, portraying him as a self-centred individual.
Corgan reflects on the criticism he attracted for his last album, Atum, for its length. His response was simply advising people to create a playlist with the songs they preferred. Worse still was the backlash from the Smashing Pumpkins’ attempts to push creative boundaries. Despite their prior success, their experiment with synth-pop in their 1998 album, Adore, or with doom metal in their 2000 album, Machina/The Machines of God, was met with disdain. Even Corgan’s attempt at transparency, inviting dedicated fans to their recording sessions, was met with harsh criticism online before the internet was even fully established.
The positive aspect was that we were ahead in our game. However, the downside realised much earlier than most was the numerous heartaches that came with it. I used to associate with a spiritual mentor who often advised, ‘be cautious of who you allow on your platform’. At the beginning of social media, it wasn’t clear to me who I was allowing on my platform. I didn’t understand that ‘angry pumpkinfan437’ was solely dependent on starting a quarrel with me. The inappropriate behaviour on the internet is now clearly documented in a book.
The harassment allows him to relate with Taylor Swift, who encountered criticism after she launched a 31-track, two-hour version of her latest album, The Tortured Poets Department. This artistic ambition leading to criticism is something Corgan is very much used to.
Let’s revisit Sinéad for a moment. Now that Sinéad is no longer here, would it be terrible if someone found a tape tomorrow, which contained about 20, or even 50 of Sinéad’s songs? Wouldn’t that be something to celebrate? Taylor Swift is undoubtedly one of the greatest pop stars ever. So why is there outrage about her releasing more of her music? Personally, I find it hard to comprehend. If you’re not a fan, skip it on Spotify.
On the criticism regarding my last album, Atum due to its length, I always thought, create your playlist. Listen to the entire album once, select the six or ten songs you fancy and make your album. Why is this considered an unusual concept? He shakes his head in disbelief. Keep things in perspective. Statements like ‘They ruined Star Wars. This is absolutely overwhelming’ seem a bit immature.
Catch The Smashing Pumpkins performing at 3Arena, Dublin, along with Weezer, on Monday, 10th June.