Billy Corgan Stokes Fire in Long-Running Pavement Feud

FUSE TV - Billy Corgan Stokes Fire in Long-Running Pavement Feud

Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan is not particularly pleased with the way his musical contemporaries are sliding into old age—he believes touring behind vintage material is symptomatic of putting financial security ahead of artistic growth.

"My point of having a problem with nostalgia acts for the grunge generation is that it subverts the original meaning of grunge, which is rebellion," Corgan tells Fuse. "We need those artists to step up and take on the social issues that are going on right now, and they're choosing an economic model over a socio-political message. So as far as I'm concerned, f**k em—they're lazy or scared."

Corgan offered us an example of what he's railing against. "No better case than Pavement. Complaining about me in the '90s [a lyric from "Range Life" attacked the Smashing Pumpkins], now out doing the greatest hits tour. Why? Ka-ching. Cashing in. Maybe that's why they were obsessed with integrity because they didn't have any."

Now before you cry foul on Corgan—who does play vintage hits in concert these days—listen to his explanation as to why the Pumpkins' approach to their old material is still artistically fresh.

"We play just as many old songs as any other band, and we should," Corgan admits. "I understand people come to the shows and they want to hear those songs. It's just when that becomes the main story [that it's a problem]. If that becomes the story, I'm dead as an artist and there's no future for my band. I'm nothing but a rodeo clown doing the act I did 25 years ago. That's not why I got into this." 

Corgan cites Roger Waters' touring resurrection of Pink Floyd's The Wall as a prime example of how to keep classic material relevant.

"I just went to see Roger Waters do The Wall for the second time—that's a work from 1979—and he didn't play but one new song in the entire set. But he's re-contextualized the work to have a modern air. He's talking about everything from Apple to Gulf Wars and all this stuff. He's updated it for modern audiences. That's the same thing that we do. [Our shows are] not a sentimental, 'Let's go back to the old days.' F**k the old days—the old days weren't that great."

To hear Corgan talk about how artists and rockers "can really change sh*t up from the outside" when it comes to government and culture, watch the full video above.

Family Feud

20m

Family Feud

The First Time, In A Long Time

20m

The First Time, In A Long Time

Eagles: The Long Road

58m

Eagles: The Long Road

Run for the Border

24m

Run for the Border

Fire Hot Fitness

44m

Fire Hot Fitness

Fire On The Floor

22m

Fire On The Floor

More Rapid-Fire Questions

1m

More Rapid-Fire Questions

Young M.A. and Ayo and Teo - Long Cut

20m

Young M.A. and Ayo and Teo - Long Cut

The Cast Answers Rapid-Fire Questions

1m

The Cast Answers Rapid-Fire Questions

Punching In

45m

Punching In

Moving In

41m

Moving In

Drama In Paradise

22m

Drama In Paradise

Lost In Paradise

21m

Lost In Paradise

Up in Smoke

24m

Up in Smoke

Hot In Hollywood

22m

Hot In Hollywood

Back In Time

22m

Back In Time

Poetry in Falsetto

21m

Poetry in Falsetto

Trouble In Paradise

21m

Trouble In Paradise

Get In Formation

20m

Get In Formation

Lawyer In Lust

44m

Lawyer In Lust

Leitis in Waiting

1h 5m

Leitis in Waiting

Christmas in Carolina

1h 11m

Christmas in Carolina

Invest In Sex

21m

Invest In Sex

Rae in LA

20m

Rae in LA

New Girl In Town

22m

New Girl In Town

Chaos In The Cage

44m

Chaos In The Cage

In Football We Trust

1h 25m

In Football We Trust

No Christmas In India

21m

No Christmas In India

Eminem: Count Me In

3657s

Eminem: Count Me In

Tension In The Tenderloin

20m

Tension In The Tenderloin

Big Freedia's In Charge

20m

Big Freedia's In Charge

Sleepless in North Hollywood

23m

Sleepless in North Hollywood

Salt in My Soul

1h 28m

Salt in My Soul

All In The Family

20m

All In The Family

Out in the Ring

1h 43m

Out in the Ring

In Memory Of Mascot Man

18m

In Memory Of Mascot Man

The Beatles: In the Life

1h 2m

The Beatles: In the Life

Porn, The Ins and Outs

21m

Porn, The Ins and Outs

What's In Your Fridge: Dumbfoundead

2m

What's In Your Fridge: Dumbfoundead

What's In Your Fridge: Tinashe

1m

What's In Your Fridge: Tinashe

Cher: Life in the Spotlight

56m

Cher: Life in the Spotlight

Already Tomorrow in Hong Kong

1h 3m

Already Tomorrow in Hong Kong

Diva’s Day In Court

20m

Diva’s Day In Court

In Through the Out Door

47m

In Through the Out Door

Born Free: Birth in America

1h 23m

Born Free: Birth in America

What's In Your Fridge: Smino

1m

What's In Your Fridge: Smino

Love In The Time Of Pandademic

20m

Love In The Time Of Pandademic

In Your B.A.S.E.

22m

In Your B.A.S.E.

Trailblazers in Sports History: Wilma Rudolph

59s

Trailblazers in Sports History: Wilma Rudolph

What's In Your Fridge: G-Eazy

57s

What's In Your Fridge: G-Eazy

Brunch In The Castro: Deleted Scene

2m

Brunch In The Castro: Deleted Scene

Bon Jovi: No End in Sight

47m

Bon Jovi: No End in Sight

Lost In Translation - Aight, So Boom

2m

Lost In Translation - Aight, So Boom

Plenty Of Fish In The Street

20m

Plenty Of Fish In The Street

What's In Your Fridge: Guapdad 4000

1m

What's In Your Fridge: Guapdad 4000

What's In Your Fridge: Maria Isabel

1m

What's In Your Fridge: Maria Isabel

What's In Your Fridge: Joyce Wrice

2m

What's In Your Fridge: Joyce Wrice

Trailblazers in Sports History: Nancy Leiberman

59s

Trailblazers in Sports History: Nancy Leiberman

Smoothini Schools Iggy Azalea In Magic

2m

Smoothini Schools Iggy Azalea In Magic

In Search of the Elusive Orgasm

43m

In Search of the Elusive Orgasm

What's In Your Fridge: Omar Apollo

1m

What's In Your Fridge: Omar Apollo

Big Trouble In Little Chinese Restaurant

9m

Big Trouble In Little Chinese Restaurant

Is There Cultural Appropriation In Plastic Surgery?

17m

Is There Cultural Appropriation In Plastic Surgery?

The Ladies Play "Fill In The Blanks"

1m

The Ladies Play "Fill In The Blanks"

Trailblazers in Sports History: Claressa Shields -a

59s

Trailblazers in Sports History: Claressa Shields -a

OMG... We're in a Horror Movie

1h 38m

OMG... We're in a Horror Movie

What's In Your Fridge: A$AP Ferg

2m

What's In Your Fridge: A$AP Ferg

In Real Life Take A Lie Detector Test

4m

In Real Life Take A Lie Detector Test

Grimes Explains the Characters in Flesh Without Blood

1m

Grimes Explains the Characters in Flesh Without Blood

Don't Swear In Front of The Song

21m

Don't Swear In Front of The Song

Out With The Old, In With The New

20m

Out With The Old, In With The New

Inside the MMA: Fear and Loathing in La Jaula

41m

Inside the MMA: Fear and Loathing in La Jaula

Rogelio Shows His Acting Prowess In 'The Dark Military'

55s

Rogelio Shows His Acting Prowess In 'The Dark Military'

Comedians React to Unbelievably Strange Laws in the US

6m

Comedians React to Unbelievably Strange Laws in the US

Keeping Your Girls The Girls In Check: G-Thing

2m

Keeping Your Girls The Girls In Check: G-Thing

J Balvin Plays 2 Truths and a Lie In Español

1m

J Balvin Plays 2 Truths and a Lie In Español

Tina Serves Up Sass In "Me and You" Music Video

3m

Tina Serves Up Sass In "Me and You" Music Video

Rico Nasty Shares Her First Time In the Studio & Meeting Rihanna

4m

Rico Nasty Shares Her First Time In the Studio & Meeting Rihanna

King Keraun Falls Into a Sunken Place While in the Woods

2m

King Keraun Falls Into a Sunken Place While in the Woods

What The Hell Are We? Are We Living In A Simulation?

18m

What The Hell Are We? Are We Living In A Simulation?

Dwayne Johnson and The Blue Devils Break It Down In Hawaii

3m

Dwayne Johnson and The Blue Devils Break It Down In Hawaii

What Does The Transcendent Star Look For In A Man: Dear Bambiana

1m

What Does The Transcendent Star Look For In A Man: Dear Bambiana

A Day In the Life of Wilmer Valderrama's Puppet Ep. 2: Optimism

1m

A Day In the Life of Wilmer Valderrama's Puppet Ep. 2: Optimism

Clash of the Corps Drummers Step Up and Show Out in Rhythm

1m

Clash of the Corps Drummers Step Up and Show Out in Rhythm

Ian Sings His Heart Out in "Starts With You Baby" Music Video

3m

Ian Sings His Heart Out in "Starts With You Baby" Music Video

AKA vs. Dethrone

44m

AKA vs. Dethrone

Silly String Is Illegal in What US City!? Comedians React to Strange Laws

6m

Silly String Is Illegal in What US City!? Comedians React to Strange Laws

A Day In the Life of Wilmer Valderrama's Puppet Ep. 1: Hollow Man

1m

A Day In the Life of Wilmer Valderrama's Puppet Ep. 1: Hollow Man

Got to Be in it To Win it: America's Obsession with the Lottery

2m

Got to Be in it To Win it: America's Obsession with the Lottery

A Day In the Life of Wilmer Valderrama's Puppet Ep. 3: Inner Thoughts

1m

A Day In the Life of Wilmer Valderrama's Puppet Ep. 3: Inner Thoughts

Higher Brothers Take a Lie Detector Test: Do the Best Rappers In China Come From Chengdu?

5m

Higher Brothers Take a Lie Detector Test: Do the Best Rappers In China Come From Chengdu?

T-Pain's School of Business: Artiphon- The All In One Musical Device | Season 1 Look Back |

1m

T-Pain's School of Business: Artiphon- The All In One Musical Device | Season 1 Look Back |

That DIY Ish

20m

That DIY Ish

It's Quitting Time

45m

It's Quitting Time

Blockbuster, Talkboy, Lotus Esprit, Macgyver

23m

Blockbuster, Talkboy, Lotus Esprit, Macgyver

If I Should Die Before I Wake

57m

If I Should Die Before I Wake

Feat. Jeff Garcia

22m

Feat. Jeff Garcia

Too Many BBL’s

21m

Too Many BBL’s

Calboy and His A&R Take A Lie Detector Test: Has He Ever Been Unfaithful?

7m

Calboy and His A&R Take A Lie Detector Test: Has He Ever Been Unfaithful?

Lil Jon and Amber Rose

20m

Lil Jon and Amber Rose

Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information