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The L.A. Weekly Interview: Billy Corgan

Smashing Pumpkins singer opens up about his spiritual journey, what the rise and fall of grunge felt like from the inside, and his current role model (Robert Mitchum?)

A A A Comments (8) By Gustavo Turner Thursday, Aug 26 2010

...continued from page 4

I think that's just a part of becoming mature, it's being OK with who you are, knowing that you can't please everybody and being OK with that; knowing that, as they say, a man is measured by his works. I'll leave that part to God: I'll let God judge my record collection.

I've gotten out of thinking about whether this person or that person, or even my friend, or even the bandmate, whether they really understand what I'm doing. I'm OK with what I'm doing. At some point I just have to look in the mirror and say, "I'm still here, and there must be a reason I'm still here." I didn't kill me, the press didn't kill me, the fans didn't kill me, and whatever role I play, whatever archetypal role I play, whether it's prankster, or idiot, or boy-genius, or whatever, fading star, it doesn't matter. It really doesn't matter as long as I'm having a good time. And that's the key thing for me: I'm having a good time in a way I haven't had a good time for a lo-o-ong time.

PHOTO BY KRISTIN BURNS

"I'm not gonna go back into that dark place again. I'm gonna be with the light. I want people to see me happy."

PHOTO BY KRISTIN BURNS

"I'm having a good time in a way I haven't had a good time for a lo-o-ong time."

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When you go onstage right now, what are the defining thoughts or feelings that characterize your work? Can you define the Smashing Pumpkins music of this present in three words?

I think the most important thing an artist needs to do is to be in the moment. Those are my three words: "in the moment."

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08/17/2011 7:52:00 PM

Individualized and uncomplicated instructions for chord progressions, tablatures, and other intricacies of guitar jazz lessons are readily obtainable now online. For music lovers and guitar enthusiasts, this new trend of the growing literature for Jazz online attests to the need for in-depth exploration of a passion that has positively impacted multitudes of guitar enthusiasts.

isis Aquarian 08/27/2010 3:15:00 AM

What a wonderful article Isis Aquarian Source Family

Gustavo Turner 08/27/2010 1:43:00 AM

Here it is--The UNCUT, EXPANDED version of the LA Weekly interview with Billy Corgan: http://blogs.laweekly.com/westcoastsound/interviews/billy-corgan-expanded-intervie/ (Adds a lot of interesting comments about his take on the record industry right now, his poetry book, and his love/hate relationship with Chicago. Also, he fesses up to digging Lady Gaga...)

Dharma 08/27/2010 1:29:00 AM

Great interview! I am impressed how far Billy Corgan has come and I am happy to see he's enjoying making music again. As he said, that's the most important thing - to have a good time. I think that's valid for life in general!

Stickman 08/27/2010 12:52:00 AM

The problem is the stuff about Father Zod is so much more interesting than Corgan's rationalizations for riding the current wave of testicle-less music that I started losing interest quickly after the intro. Lead me to youtube some Yahowha13 tunes though, which made up for reading the last few pages though. The Source Family webpage, http://www.yahowha.org/ , is full of unintentional hilarity too, so thanks for leading me to that, Gustavo.

cheo 08/26/2010 6:53:00 PM

A journey of re-discovery or recovery, exellently well put Mr Corgan!!!Human beings have a born spiritual need. As a long time fan I noticed something very uplifting since "MACHINA" and more evidently in "ZWAN", and being already on that spiritual path, your music elevated me. In my personal journey I found the truth about the Bible, and eventually the truth about everything else. I dont mean the organized "christianity" which give the Bible a bad rap by their inhability to adhere to its teachings and their double standards....I mean The Truth. The book "What does the Bible really teach?" helped me to study my own bible and see things in a perpective that felt...fullfilling.This kind of search maybe never ends...but I feel strong enough about it to recommend it, and any Jehovas witness will gladly hand out a copy.