Billy Corgan vs. himself: backing Ticketmaster and other idiocy
April 29th, 2009 by Nick Truden in NewsIts official: Billy Corgan has lost his mind. What once was a name of stature and notoriety in the music world, and our playlists, has become nothing more than dirt and tarnish. Some of you may be familiar with the Smashing Pumpkins’ headmaster and his various eccentricities as of late. For those who are not, I’ll give a little recap…
Exhibit A:
He has been endorsing the Ticketmaster/Live Nation unification citing in a letter that the merger is “a new model that puts power into the hands of the artist, creating a dynamic synergy that will inspire great works and attract healthy competition.” No, Billy, it does nothing but spark fans whom are already enraged about paying high ticket prices to riot and throw their copy of Siamese Dream out of their car window in disgust.
Billy testifying in D.C. on behalf of Ticketmaster.
Exhibit B:
Wanting to charge $40 for an online subscription service that gives users the ability to peek inside his studio to see what he’s working on. You mean I get to hear the new Smashing Pumpkins album suck before anyone else? Sweet! Corgan states that the endeavor is “not profit motivated.” Well, obviously, because I really don’t see anyone wanting to use the damn thing. Except for that one hardcore Pumpkins fan out there who still has the screen name IHrtSP4Evr on AOL.
Exhibit C:
This-
The video speaks for itself. There’s really no other commentary needed.
My point is this: Mr. Corgan is fighting a battle with himself and losing. Somewhere deep inside his brain the young and creative Billy of yore is being beaten to death by the old and banal Billy of present day. I can’t help but imagine him making his business decisions while talking to some little green flying alien that only he can see. Yes, Billy Corgan has become the Barny Rubble of the music-verse. Nothing but a bumbling fool who no one really respects and pays attention to.
I was always led to believe that with age comes wisdom. This is true in regards to a lot of seasoned musicians out there still rocking out, but apparently Corgan seems to be on an island all his own. An island that is drifting further and further away from the continent of cool with every futile attempt at making Smashing Pumpkins a reputable band that people want to hear again. I mean, come on, even original SP drummer Jimmy Chamberlin didn’t feel like a Pumpkin anymore and quit the band.
As a Smashing Pumpkins fan from the days of Gish I’m left dumbfounded and betrayed. All that is left of this once great band is its influence. I now have no problem listening to Silversun Pickups and saying, “This sounds a lot like the Pumpkins,” because honestly, even the Smashing Pumpkins don’t sound like the Smashing Pumpkins anymore.
April 29th, 2009 at 3:59 pm
Billy’s another one of those one man bands. It’s all me.
May 1st, 2009 at 9:20 pm
Whoever wrote this should GROW TF UP! Nothing is static… time and people move on………….. !
May 2nd, 2009 at 2:21 pm
Are you kidding me? Get your facts straight. 1) the Subscription service is $20 not $40. 2) that picture is of BC testifying on behalf of musicFIRST organization in support of the Performance Right Act which would allow performers to collect royalties on cover songs.
May 2nd, 2009 at 7:48 pm
BC still sucks
May 4th, 2009 at 3:55 pm
Have a good time on the continent of cool…the Pumpkins left that continent, yes, after Gish. Dropping the pose allowed them to make their best record, Siamese Dream. Corgan has not tried to be cool since.
With age, you see, comes the wisdom that allows you to stop placing ‘cool’ at the top of your list of desired virtues.
May 4th, 2009 at 5:59 pm
unfortunately, somewhere along the line Billy decided to champion the label of “suck”
May 4th, 2009 at 8:21 pm
^^ That would be about 3/4 of the way through Mellon Collie and Infinite Sadness
May 7th, 2009 at 12:56 pm
not entirely fair. Pumpkins tickets have always been inexpensive, so I doubt Billy is a champion of high ticket prices. It costs more money to see some vaguely known band at Janus Landing than it does to see SP. The website idea for a window into the creative process is a very progressive idea and there are plenty of us who would like to look in on the very prolific BC while he does his thing. There are many who would argue with you that all the recent SP music sucks–simply not true. It only sucks if you are expecting to feel exactly the way you did when you were younger and they were younger. BC has always been a lightning rod for this type of abuse simply because he is stubborn and outspoken. He’s also trying to adapt to a world where most music is pirated and long play albums are definitely not the rage, so let’s cut him some slack here. You must have better things to do than slag off on an artist you once admired. He doesn’t do it for you anymore? Don’t buy his music, don’t go to his shows, and don’t go to his website. But there has to be someone better for you to tear down than an artist trying to do his thing without a big label.
I do agree the wrestling thing is shit though…
May 16th, 2009 at 2:18 pm
Every month or so, I google Billy. I never fail to be disappointed.
There is a “lightning rod for controversy” as one thing, but that isn’t what Billy has become. He’s dysfunctional to a crippling amount. He can’t get along with ANYbody for any length of time. His relationship with his fans is equally contorted. To charge us to “see behind the wizards curtain”? WTF? He’s god among men? Lucky us.
Billy is spiralling down into Michael Jackson Disease.
Silversun Pickups, hell, My Chemical Romance give me more genuine creativity.
May 19th, 2009 at 10:32 pm
no surprise since little billy’s manager is CEO of TicketMaster.