Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan has opened up about refusing to abandon the band in favour of focusing on his solo career.
In an interview on SiriusXM (via Ultimate Guitar), Corgan was asked by host Nik Carter why he chose to stick with the band when it is “so clearly [Corgan’s] vision that we’re experiencing”.
In response, Corgan explained that he views bands he has been in as a “de facto family.”
“I’m not very close to my family – more so closer now that I’m older and I have kids and stuff – but growing up, I wasn’t really that close to my family,” he began.
He continued: “So I think the band became like a second family. And I think I put a lot of feelings and vibes on that family that they didn’t necessarily want – they just wanted to be in a band, they didn’t to be my cousin.”
“But yeah, as far as an artist, I’m probably in many ways best working on my own or maybe more like how Bowie worked – you just work with different collaborators and if they inspire you, great, and if they don’t, move on to somebody else.
Corgan went on to emphasise that it is his relationships with his fellow bandmembers that keep him feeling “very comfortable” in the Smashing Pumpkins.
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He began: I have this really interesting relationship with Jimmy [Chamberlin, drums] and James [Iha, guitar] that goes back so many years.”
“There’s something about it – when they’re in the room, the records just get better, so I feel very good about that. And I feel very comfortable with sort of balancing my own autonomy, my own ideas, with the band vision now, in our elder years,” he continued.
“But yeah… I probably should have been a solo artist – it would have saved a lot of problems.”
Check out Billy Corgan discussing remaining in the Smashing Pumpkins:
