Billy Corgan Talks About Butch Vig

Billy Corgan talks about Butch Vig in the studio, funny stories, and his relationship with The Smashing Pumpkins.
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[@vwharman]

It’s really nice to see someone talk about an artist who they have so much reverence and respect for. Billy really loves Billy.

[@aboutthisproduct7674]

I love smashing pumpkins 90's work but he has always been a ass in that way.

[@drdre4397]

​@aboutthisproduct7674 yep its part of his "charm"

[@LungMing23]

😆 🤣 😂

[@zumptt]

Nobody in the history of mankind has listened to Teen Spirit and gone... ohh that sounds like the Smashing Pumpkins. Even the 3 people who knew of the Pumpkins before Nirvana didnt think that.

[@drewskkiiii]

as he fucking should

[@rmdatv]

Rick is a genius knowing this was the time to just sit and listen.

[@TheChadTI]

One of the best Corgan interviews ever. You could tell he respects Rick as he was tentative at first, he got more comfortable as it went on.

[@mikenicholson7465]

Same happened with Sting. They come to respect Rick in a process.

[@ReidAllenFugate-ik9qu]

Have you seen the 2 1/2 hr one with Joe Rogan? Billy's had some really, truly deep and revealing interviews. He is beyond brilliant and has written the most beautiful music I've ever listened to in my life. His story is so fascinating.

[@alexthomson7465]

In part 2 we discuss how Billy corgan wrote, sang, played all instruments and produced Nevermind

[@dmarshy]

LOL! Got 2 mins in and thought the same thing. He’s SO Humble! 😭

[@russcrane]

🤣

[@tipierr]

part3: To be true I'm really Kurt cobain

[@lutherandross3165]

Part 4: Billy Corgan on not wanting to take credit for producing the multiverse.

[@louieo.blevinsmusic2011]

Part 5: …………..I just wanted to be included.

[@scizmeli]

I get emotional every time there is an honest sharing about those early 90s times... I was 18 at 91 and am feeling still a part of of that era

[@Hilaire_Balrog]

Same way man. Loving all these bands before the world discovered them was amazing, hearing this obscure band named Nirvana and their album Bleach for the first time in my buddies car (on cassette) as we headed to a bar is a moment I will never forget. Or seeing smacking pumpkins play a small bar near our college just months before Gish was released. I hope my kids have moments like that but the musical scene seems so different today.

[@scizmeli]

@@Hilaire_Balrog you're lucky seeing them live at their height. Perks of living in the usa

[@deejay7060]

I look back at 91/92 as kind of a smaller version of the British Invasion of the mid 60’s. So many great artists. Completely changed the genre.

[@basssix1]

I love the thoughtful way that billy communicates

[@j_murdoch]

Great snippet from the interview. I found all of this fascinating. Would love to see an interview with Butch sometime.

[@Garythefireman66]

I second this 🤘🏻✊🏻✌🏻

[@brandim7127]

I third this!

[@annekedebruyn7797]

Billy Corgan is really starting to grow on me lately with the interviews he has been doing the past few years. Great storyteller for sure!

[@galetinm]

With a massive ego. He invented Nevermind guitar sound. Give me a break.

[@annekedebruyn7797]

@@galetinm To be fair He wasnt specifically talking about tone but the way it was captured. It's a good sound that has been copied many times over since then so I don't really feel like it's that big of a deal that he said that. Especially with the close relationship he had with both Nirvana and Butch Vig.

[@In_Set]

He has always been incredibly intelligent and articulate. I met him back in 1988 around the time the Pumpkins were getting going and always enjoyed talking with him. Great guy to talk baseball with as well.

[@linguo76]

"Butch once drank a glass of water, just after I invented water, and every time I drink a glass of water I'm reminded of Butch and how he drank water that I invented" - Billy Corgan

[@gabrieltalamantes591]

He straight up admits he stole Kevin's (MBV) tone, and gets butt hurt when other people layer guitars.

[@Shawnpo76]

Hahahahaahahahahhahahaha

[@douchebag2131]

😂

[@itchyvinyl]

Of course the “story about Butch” is actually about Billy and HIS guitar sound.

[@dmvconartists6657]

Unbelievable Butch vig studied microphone diagrams and sound waves for 15 years and Billie waltzes in “that’s my sound I taught him that- TAD, L7, Nirvana, sonic youth, soul asylum.. yep that’s my sound. I even showed him how to layer the guitar for killdozer recordings” like wtf billie

[@ShinyFlakesShinyFlakes]

Why do you say that man? Corgan is the innovator here, not Bitch. It was Corgan who layered the guitars for the wall of sound sound.

[@dmvconartists6657]

@@ShinyFlakesShinyFlakes DUDE- First of all do you even know what “the wall of sound” is in audio engineering??? Anyway I think Billie is quite full of himself here. I’m not saying that a producer/engineer can’t learn from an artist but to say that he learned how to “layer guitars that way” I just don’t buy it.. layering guitars is the very FIRST thing you do when you’re an engineer.. like what audio engineer doesn’t layer things? Maybe Butch was subtly influenced to add more layers but idk I hate the way corgan takes credit and tries to minimize “teen spirit” to being a Boston rip off (which isnt true in my opinion- we can start naming 4 chord pumpkins songs, Today! cough cough that sound like other songs too) regarded as probably the most influential rock song of the 1990s .. idk, he’s clearly very jealous. And I want YOU to tell me what the “wall of sound” is without googling it before I think you’re qualifying to be speaking on this subject for real. Sorry I hope I wasn’t too harsh. I’m not a mean person I swear! I just, you know, don’t see it the same way- that’s all. 🙂 That being said I do love the smash pumpkins I also think they did a lot for alt rock music but maybe Billie could be a little more humble. Who taught Scott litt and Andy Wallace how to layer guitars then? And why do their mixes also have that guitar sound??

[@cjaquilino]

@@dmvconartists6657I mostly read honesty not so much jealousy in the “More Than A Feeling” comment. I think Corgan is more just recounting how he felt *at the time* here. Though I agree that he played up too much that the guitar sound was “his”. I also think he’s just being honest about the true song craft behind “Teen Spirit”. And the Boston riff *is* an influence on the riff-even Nirvana itself did mock cover of the opening of “More Than A Feeling”. He’s recounted the story of Kurt playing it for him multiple times and he seems pretty jovial about it.

[@AF-Twice]

If it's true he can talk about it.

[@SssshirazzzZ]

The guitar sound on Siamese Dream is unparalleled.

[@SssshirazzzZ]

it's my fav. pumpkins album. Also love Gish, and Mellon Collie

[@SssshirazzzZ]

immensely.

[@captainblue2344]

Blew me away at the time, lush, articulate distortion and massive

[@VuotoPneumaNN]

It's also totally different from the Nevermind guitar sound

[@RodrigoPalmieriMusic]

and they ruined it with the remaster

[@mothermountain]

One of the best Billy Corgan interviews. Great job Rick!

[@justinpridham7919]

It is. You are correct A A Ron

[@bluemcdaniel99]

@@justinpridham7919 AINT NONE OF YALL OLD ENOUGH… TO GO TO THE DAMN CLUB!

[@justinpridham7919]

@@bluemcdaniel99 Huh? I was in high school when Billy was clubbing with Rodman.

[@bluemcdaniel99]

@@justinpridham7919 That what key said in the substitute sketch lol

[@stiehl8455]

A lot of this makes so much more sense after the butch interview. Awesome job Rick

[@-FLIPSID3]

Wicked awesome segment! Love these interviews Rick!

[@donmackie6086]

Great producer, great band. Met Mr Corgan in August 2000 in Vancouver. We chatted briefly about My Bloody Valentine and how they achieved their guitar sounds. Very approachable, very down to Earth. A very positive experience. Happy New Years Billy! 🎶

[@alukuhito]

Was that the year they came to Vancouver but didn't sell out there tickets?

[@donmackie6086]

@@alukuhito I think they were playing with other groups. It was called Summersault 2000.

[@gsmith207]

Just awesome. Real stories from the dude that lived it. Nuff said. Btw I witnessed both bands for the 1st time on radio when they were brand new. I remember what I was doing and where I was for both of them. I knew I just witnessed and listened to legends. Now that I am 55 that has been confirmed finally and my wife believes me after 33 years. I win!

[@philesq9595]

Love this segment. Corgan is a solid raconteur. He goes beyond the average trip down memory lane by giving the audience a little juicy inside baseball and being candid about his competitiveness.

[@czd55]

I love this so much, what a fantastic conversation.

[@JKWurzle78]

As much as I love The Pumpkins’ earlier albums, Billy can be unbelievably self indulgent. Annoyingly so

[@gingerbill128]

Thanks for the clip , was a really good interview

[@Myersmad316]

Good Old Billy, Taking credit for Nevermind and Butch producing it now....

[@HalfyManBearPig]

he created the guitar apparently

[@kellyc2425]

🤣🤣 "Every 18 seconds they play teen spirit and I think 'theres MY guitar part" ...ok Mr. Bill. 🤣🤣🤣

[@dmvconartists6657]

Unbelievable right.. egotistical prick

[@puppetbreak9086]

Tbf the guitars on Nevermind sound a lot more like the guitars on Gish than the guitars on Bleach

[@dmvconartists6657]

@@puppetbreak9086 duh. But Gish and nevermind are both recorded in 91 and so was L7 and Tad- all that stuff sounds similar so how can you say it’s billie’s sound when there’s Killdozer and die Krusen and tad records that all come before may of 91 or during the same April -sept 91 period and have that sound. It’s clearly Butch mixing and mixing techniques that really make the sound although maybe he did something during the pumpkins sessions that he decided to continue doing that being said you can’t just take credit for NIRVANA, L7, TAD, SonicYouth and those bands guitar sounds.

[@whychromosomesmusic5766]

We lived in Fontana on Lake Geneva when we were kids. We left Wisconsin for Florida in 1978. I wonder if Smashing Pumpkins ever played clubs there in Walworth County. I DO know of people who saw Cheap Trick play there before they made it big. I think it was a club on the lake called The Beachcombers?

[@DevourTheBleak]

Knowing Billy’s history is awesome to see him so humble and relaxed happy. SP forever.

[@tonygavilan]

Butch definitely deserves an interview in this channel, just saying... ☺

[@dumaramutsi]

Guess what? 😉

[@skip686]

Oh Billy, your head could never fit in the door anywhere.

[@JarOfMoMack]

Would probably ruin Billy’s day to know Travis Meeks was writing circles around him….as a teenager.

[@54spatula]

For me ‘Nevermind’ was ground-breaking. But Siamese Dream just connected on every level. ❤

[@sianspherica]

I'm a HUGE Nirvana fan and a huge Smashing Pumpkins album and I really don't think Siamese Dream gets nearly the credit it deserves. Nevermind is a PERFECT album, every song is amazing but Siamese Dream is ALSO a perfect album. Like I love Alice In Chains and Pearl Jam also, probably overall more than the Pumpkins but neither of those bands made a 'perfect' album ever but Pumpkins did. I think Siamese Dream really was the only of the 90s rock albums to match the level Nevermind reached in terms of songwriting, originality and production quality.

[@T11LMG]

@@siansphericajar of flies was the most sold EP ever until Linkin Park/JayZ's Numb mash up and I'd say it is perfect. Ten is a pretty great album too.

[@TopherBlairMusic]

Nevermind was for teenagers. Siamese Dream was for adults.

[@Wildrover82]

@@TopherBlairMusicthat's an absurd statement my friend.

[@musicaddict5076]

@@sianspherica Ten is perfect.

[@sarcasmo57]

I think Kurt's guitar is more Kurt's than Billy's.

[@mikejamstonalspectrumstudi5339]

Thanks Rik. In defense of everyone involved back in those times, this needed to be posted.

[@spiffy8576]

Butch Vig produced Let Your Dim Light Shine by Soul Asylum. That’s his greatest achievement to me.

[@SlickBlackCadillac]

Soul Asylum was great and it sucks they didn't have more success

[@taylorh4480]

I loooooove that record

[@taylorh4480]

@@SlickBlackCadillac they were pretty successful in their own right . "Grave Dancer's Union" and "Let Your Dim Light Shine" we're back to back hit records for them. The next one "Candy From A Stranger" probably would've been successful as well but they went on hiatus pretty soon after it came out and didn't support it or make another record for seven years until Carl got sick and asked if they could make one more record together. and even though that last record they did with that lineup, "The Silver Lining" (2006) wasn't super successful I always thought it was pretty cool that Columbia re-signed them for that one album even though they hadn't been with the label in so long. Just because the people at the label believed in the music and wanted to get the album out wider than it would have been had the band released it independently. that almost never happens with major labels. I think Dave and the guys are pretty comfortable with their level of fame now. They get to make music when they want to on their own terms. They just released a brand new album a couple of weeks ago on Blue Elan called "Slowly But Shirley"

[@facekidnoise]

Siamese Dream is the soundtrack of my teenage years.

[@danielhansen5379]

Can’t get over the fact that Billy’s hands are a different color from each other

[@rhanlon70]

I noticed that too. Does he have some kind of condition?

[@xCaLLMeGHeTTo]

@@rhanlon70 Yeah it's called Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome. Thankfully it's just a birthmark.

[@rhanlon70]

@@xCaLLMeGHeTTo Wow, I had no idea. Is he in pain from it?

[@yesmaybe3791]

It's called a port wine stain birthmark.

[@mindfield9832]

He’s only in pain when people comment on it.

[@pauldidier6101]

I appreciate Billy’s honesty. And he just in a strange way described why Nirvana went with Steve Albini for In Utero. They could be themselves. Google Albini’s letter to Nirvana about their “recording contract”

[@maeflood8768]

Corgan ALWAYS finds a way to put down Nirvana. Every single time

[@alukuhito]

He also praises them, so...

[@dmvconartists6657]

Lol “it’s just more than a feeling.. and that’s my guitar sound.. and I’m reason Nirvana, L7, tad, sonic youth and soul asylum sound like that with layered guitars” 😩😫😫

[@HollowWaterso]

@@alukuhito he manipulates people to think he’s not still jealous or mad, but he still is.

[@fenderfox5080]

@@HollowWaterso I appreciate the pumpkins, but Billy is such a conceded ass 😆, he's always had an in, with Courtney, and sometimes I think he knows a little more about what happened to Kurt than he says, just my opinion

[@master00booya]

Or Pearl Jam, or (insert band)…

[@aliya_punkenglish]

"Butch Vig made sure Pumpkins would get across the line and not turn us into Nirvana..." Billy has ego the size of Jupiter. No one but Kurt Cobain could turn Nirvana into Nirvana. Let it go already, Billy.

[@JohnDoe-tm9wz]

That's not what he's saying, Billy meant that the Pumpkins would stay true to their identity and Siamese Dream wouldn't sound like Nevermind

[@aliya_punkenglish]

@@JohnDoe-tm9wz Kurt was true to his identity too. He liked both the Beatles and punk rock. And Nevermind sounds exactly like a crossover between these two. So.

[@JohnDoe-tm9wz]

@@aliya_punkenglish I rest my case.

[@aliya_punkenglish]

@@JohnDoe-tm9wz Thank god you do, because Billy wouldn't.

[@JohnDoe-tm9wz]

@@aliya_punkenglish He acknowledged Kurt was better and Nevermind was the defining record of their generation.

[@albamralba]

And Butch was inspired to make his own band: Garbage. Icon

[@fenderfunk]

Billy's recent interview on Howard Stern was also quite good. The Rick Beato interview, I could probably watch a few more times.

[@winklestiltskin]

Gish & Nevermind are my two favorite albums from that whole period & style of music.

[@noahbones1221]

As much as i appreciate billy corgan, to suggest that layering guitars is “his sound” is fucking ridiculous. almost every fucking band uses guitar layering, and butch vig likely knew to layer guitars beforehand. It’s common practice. Also there were 2 hard-panned guitar tracks in smells like teen spirit (besides 2 buried tracks in the chorus) so its not like it’s some unique layering of sort. Also, Nevermind’s guitar tone (and nirvana’s tone in general) sounds nothing like smashing pumpkins tones.

[@Journeymanlive]

totally, and even IF that sound was a magically Pumkin recepe for success, Kurt ended up not liking the production of Nevermind. The writing excels here: Smells Like Teen, would have been a hit with a fuzz, a Metal zone, a Marshall, a Vox, mono, low fi, you name it, THE SONG is a truck. the voice, drums, the power and yes the song.

[@BangBangNinerGang415]

Also…I’m sure My Bloody Valentine, heard Smashing Pumpkins and said”hey, that’s my guitar sound”

[@joea1007]

In the 90s it seems like Butch was involved with everything I liked in some capacity

[@dmvconartists6657]

I’m sure Scott litt and Andy Wallace did a lot of stuff u like too

[@johnthelesserofthethirdoft863]

Fuckign hell , I had no idea that billy corgan was responsible for the entire sound of the late 80’s and early 90’s. Why isn’t he already in the hall, statues erected, monuments in DC. 😮🙄

[@r.g.armstrong2688]

In 1991 i didn’t care of those grunge guys, i was blasting loud L.A. Guns, Ratt and Dokken.

[@fluntimes]

While Nirvana and the Pumpkins were great, I look back on the 90s and have warmer feelings about Alice in Chains, specifically Dirt. Siamese Dream was a masterpiece though and definitely one of the best records to come out of that era.

[@Jonura]

"I used the word Hello in my conversations and then Kurt Cobain used too" Billy Corgan

[@billyhughes9776]

I like Billy. He's incredibly smart and honest about his feelings,..sometimes to a fault. Great perspective on the era and his contribution to it. Great stuff.

[@VuotoPneumaNN]

He's a jerk

[@pierheadjump]

😎 Thanks Billy 🎸 Rick ⚓️

[@Edyth_Hedd]

Rick is such a good interviewer! He just shuts up and listens... (which you definitely have to do with Billy Corgan.)

[@davehenry7262]

Don't get me wrong, Nevermind is a masterwork. Love that album along with In Utero. But, Siamese Dream was my "go to" album for the mid to late 90's. I still listen to the entire album to this day. Great interview.

[@seanwinkel8890]

Siamese Dream was absolutely epochal for me. I actually liked the Pumpkins more than any other band (eg: Nirvana, Soundgarden, et al- whom I also loved) back then (except for my bloody valentine).

[@cebrinpitts]

I did, too, but later turned into a bigger SG fan than any of the rest.

[@migueluchosandro9394]

I would love Billy to record his voice for an Audio Book about Alternative Music 😀😀😀

[@jasperhalco871]

Interesting here that Corgan claims Butch Vig 'stole' his guitar sound when Corgan himself stole that sound from Kevin Shields/My Bloody Valentine

[@skydump]

He needs to become acquainted with the word "influence"

[@AttackoftheJoe]

I think the fact that they continued to work with Butch Vig signals that “you stole my guitar sound motherfucker” was much more playful than accusatory. The way you bust your buddy’s balls.

[@anthonywandowicz8084]

Your dumb. He is talking about guitar layering not tone

[@colorchaser]

I was cycling across the United States in the summer of 1994. 14 years old. In Branson, Missouri my friend told me he had two CDs that he’d bought for the trip and had yet to listen to them. They were Siamese Dream and Nevermind. One magical summer.

[@atquinn1975]

Billy Corgan is a fantastic interview!

[@matiasmoulin2126]

Thanks for that!

[@AF-Twice]

I appreciate his candidness.

[@falsecraigslist3160]

hey rick. you should do an interview with the POLVO guys. they had crazy gear, crazy tunings, and crazy songs. you once mentioned in another video how much you loved them, so that would be an epic interview. i mean, i love that you're doing these interviews with MAJOR LEAGUE 90s dudes--butch vig, billy corgan--but the deep dive stuff like the interview with adam franklin is what many more will remember, because no one else is doing that. others could include 90s chicago heroes tortoise, steve albini, & wilco (who are, admittedly, huge), and of course polvo who were/are fantastic. (incidentally, i saw swervedriver open for smashing pumpkins... nice confluence.) anyway, peace. thanks for the great vids.

[@darrengross1397]

Every time i hear Led Zeppelin IV I go “there’s my drum sound”.

[@DarthRaider520]

Siamese Dream might be the best alt rock album of all time. It was the 90s' nostalgia perfected. Corgans' musical ear and knowledge is masterful. He knows exactly what he is looking for.

[@leonardstilwell1894]

What infuriates me about Corgan in this clip is he, on the one hand, was upset at Butch for "stealing" his guitar sound and using it for Nevermind and, on the other, seems to have amnesia about his own earlier admission he stole the guitar sound for Siamese Dream from a band called Catherine.

[@fenderfox5080]

I've lived in WI my whole life, 40 years, Cambridge wi is where I grew up, home of Matt Kenseth Nascar driver, Madison is only 13 miles from Cambridge, it's fun to hear these stories about being on the lake 4 th of July in Madison, smart studios, the whole nirvana butch smart studios history is such a cool story. I know where smart studios used to be and it makes me wonder what ever happened to the gear that was used for these sessions.

[@jlouis4407]

Madison is a great city. Far out.

[@fruitlesspursuits_]

Great interview, Rick!

[@johpesani532]

I am glad this guy is still alive and embracing his wisdom

[@1stuntwood]

The tone of Kurt and Billy’s guitars, on the solos, sounds quite different to me. As far as layering the rhythm parts- how many ways are there to ‘layer’ a guitar? If Kurt used anything of Billy’s production techniques Im guessing he did do at the direction of Butch.

[@matsfrommusic]

It's weird the producers gets all the cred for the "sound of Nirvana" when the demo of "Teen spirit" is pretty much exactly like the record in many ways.

[@nathanfranklin8657]

I find this so moving that I'm tempted to claim it should be featured in MOMA.

[@gc5907]

Billy is so well spoken, You could easily pass off his words as cocky or Arrogant, but I don't doubt his recollection on Vig and Nirvana for a minute, Everyday teachers learn something from students and vice versa. Further more, Cobain always complained about how he didn't like the Sound of NEVERMIND and had Andy Wallace remix the entire Album. Maybe that was the reason

[@VanishedPNW]

Kurt Cobain didn't die, he has lived rent-free in a 10,000 square foot warehouse at the forefront of Billy Corgan's mind since September, 1991. How many classic, black and white-covered composition books has Billy filled every square inch of with doodles, screeds, madman-ramblings and stick-person drawings of him pooping on stick-person Kurt Cobain's? Lol. Jesus, Billy. Give it up, mate. He's dead, you're alive, stop bitching about ninety-ninety fucking one. 14 seconds in and zero questions asked, already Billy Corgan is talking about Kurt Cobain, again. Billy, nobody stole anything from you, you make it so fucking hard to like your music and I absolutely love your music.

[@alukuhito]

This is what you worry about? Give it a break, dude. Apparently Billy lives in YOUR mind rent-free. Let me guess... You're either a Smiths or Cure fan and hate the opposite side still, since the 80s.

[@VanishedPNW]

@@alukuhito Well you sort of deflate a bit of the 'ol, "he's in your head!!" stuff when you also comment on my comment, as then I could come back with the juvenile observation that actually, perhaps I am in YOUR head, too! Lol. I'm just messing around, man...with all of it, including the Billy Corgan cracks. That said, I do find it endlessly frustrating listening to him whine and snivel about things being unfair and about how people pick on him, though he usually replaces his own thoughts and feelings with pronouns such as "we," or instead uses language like, "the Pumpkins felt like..." when actually talking only about what he feels like. Billy is the consummate victim, he always is bitching about what someone called him in the press, the press shortchanging him and his band, someone ripping him off or copying him, and on, and on, and on. He's insufferable a lot of the time, completely tone-deaf, always self-congratulatory, never self-efacing or playful, always righteous and full of persecutory delusions. He's an annoying, sniveling shithole, and he's a liar, too. He also appears to be somewhat of an unbelievably vindictive, vengeful person, constantly harboring grudges over trifling little offenses and accusing others of things they obviously did not do, such as Butch Vig "stealing his guitar sound for Nevermind." Give me a fucking break, man. That is nothing more than his own narcissistic personality and jealousy over the success of someone else. He sits there acting like layering guitars was something innovative and different lol. Brother, they have been layering guitars and dubbing guitars using different guitars and amps since the 1960s, Butch Vig was doing that on The Fluid's records and Kill dozer's records and Urge Overkill's records years before he recorded "Gish." He recorded Nevermind demos before a lot of "Gish," and oh, look at that, it's full of layered guitars and guitars dubbing. Bitch Vig was 20 albums deep by the time Gish was recorded!! If Vig wasn't layering guitars by Gish, he'd have been mopping the floors at Smart Studios, not hosting major label talent. Again, they've been dubbing and layering guitars almost since rock & roll began. Corgan claiming Vig stole his guitar sounds is total bullshit, he's a sniveling liar trying to take any possible shred of credit for the success of Nirvana and Nevermind, he was insanely jealous and obviously he still is. To your other comments, I don't know a single song by either group lol, which is a bit embarrassing I guess. My favorite band is Screaming Trees, probably tied with Alice in Chains, and I absolutely love the Smashing Pumpkins, they're probably #3 or #4 for me, especially some of the weirder stuff like "Adore!" Obviously Gish is fucking amazing, same with all their obvious stuff. It's a bummer Corgan is such a fucker, but hey, I can look past it when it comes to appreciation of his work, he's absolutely brilliant. Sometimes brilliant people are "bad" people, it's not uncommon. Billy Corgan, based on his diva behavior, narcissistic personality and apparent lack of humility, self awareness and the fact that he used his fame and status for decades to get chicks (re: his Courtney Love story), idk, he seems like piece of shit to me. However, a very talented one.

[@puppetbreak9086]

Eh, by the end of the video he’s practically being humble and magnanimous (in Billy terms 😂). I agree generally that hearing Billy talk is the biggest impediment to enjoying the Pumpkins (and I, also, love the Pumpkins). I guess it takes an insecure nerd to soundtrack the adolescences of a bunch of insecure nerds tho, so I can’t really complain.

[@jimbeaux4988]

Lol at the vest.

[@ethandraught6435]

Wow at Corgan having the balls to say he created the sound for Nevermind.

[@AristotleFullThrottle]

Billy Corgan is the most persecuted and misunderstood person according to the wildly famous and enormously popular Billy Corgan.

[@simoncrabb]

Butch Vig is literally the God of 90s grunge.

[@billyhughes9776]

There were a lot of good producers and people that worked on great records durning the "grunge" era. I'd say Butch had chops and a vision, and was in the right place at the right time.

[@anthonyfuqua6988]

Jack Endino got the first Soundgarden and Nirvana albums and recorded Bleach for $690.

[@doyleshifflett9534]

He did a great job on killdozers 12 point buck.

[@IcarianX]

For my money, Corgan was the best guitarist of his generation. Kurt, Cornell, Vedder, all were better singers though, obviously. But Soma, Mayonnaise, Drown... Corgan wrote some of the most interesting guitar riffs, abd easily had the best solos.

[@lYl93]

Best songs of all of them too.

[@nicefish10]

I disagree about Eddie Vedder. That guy is the worst singer to ever make a dollar…. If you can go find a video of him, singing with Glen Hansard live.. Eddie can’t even begin to hit any of the notes so he turns his face about 100° away from the microphone so that people can’t hear how is destroying the song Glenn is singing. The song has won Tony awards and Eddie Vedder destroys this song completely. It’s incredibly sad but hysterical at the same time for anyone that thinks Eddie Vedder is a good singer.! Eddie Vedder is probably as bad of a singer as Jimi Hendrix or Bob Dylan

[@stillnessinmovement]

It is just a supreme guitar sound.

[@rockhunter]

No puedo dejar de mirar la mano tan roja de Billy. Da cosica.

[@steveclark9934]

I think Billy had a idea to travel to small towns and just kind of talk to people❤ I really liked that

[@drumitar]

Billy is first reaction of nirvana stealing his guitar tone is classic narcissist

[@louissanderson719]

Sounds a lot like Jack Black and The Black Keys. That did get nasty.

[@MundoFacundoYT]

This guy needs to stop looking for recognition every time he opens his mouth. Side note: Cobain was a much greater songwriter than he is or ever will be… (doesn’t mean he is bad, but he is just not as good)

[@jasoncrandall]

Much greater? Who had more hits?

[@SssshirazzzZ]

I liked In Utero way more than Nevermind. It was way heavier, more raw.

[@JustinD253]

In Utero is the one record I could listen to every day from beginning to end. Love it.

[@pidge414]

I cant figure out which of these dudes is more humble.

[@victorstillwell9893]

Saying Cobain ripped off Boston is utterly ridiculous.

[@sobbyhasselhoff]

Do you know what he means when he says they ripped off Boston?

[@twosons5290]

Mayonnaise is the song from Siamese Dream. Beauty

[@Paul-dw2cl]

I love William “Billy” Patrick Corgan

[@ricardodecampos7037]

Billy for sure is by far the best songwriter of his generation.

[@danellae.perezschmieloz5958]

Totally. And so underrated.

[@aaronpannell6401]

The range of emotions he can pull put of me from one album is more than any other band or artist. He's so diverse.

[@ricardodecampos7037]

Yes. A genius 🎸

[@ricardodecampos7037]

Saw Billy and the band in the backstage of Hollywood Rock 96 concert in Rio for the MCIS tour. TSP opened for The Cure and they played Boys Don’t Cry. Both concerts were great.

[@grungetea]

He was great but Kurt and Cornell were better.

[@GgWhyfye]

Very mature billy. I TOTALLY understand where you are coming from. butch wasn't obligated to you guys . but he made it a point to make sure you're place in history was solidified

[@nicholaskruger9460]

Smashing pumpkins were incredible

[@greenmatrix30seven]

Loved this

[@Awake_for_days]

Nobody loves Corgan more than Corgan. Always loves talking about himself

[@_D_E_N_N_I_S_]

To be fair that’s exactly what interviews are. 1 person asks another questions about themselves or their opinion on something.

[@SgtPepper4019]

“Kurt was easily the most talented person in our class” Billy might be salty over nirvana’s success, or over Courtney leaving for Kurt. Regardless, he respects and admires Kurt Cobain. I’ve heard him compliment and praise Kurt more than once. Y’all need to chill.

[@zzzz-sf5lr]

Billy looks like a burned out Santa clause

[@freqenc]

Most of us came to hear about the tree incident. Fans know everything about the band but little details about the "Timber!" story.

[@SOAMLE]

Yeah Billy, because no one layered guitar before SP lol

[@BBaldwin]

Jimmy Page was the master of layering.

[@ArchitechtofAnarchy]

"Kurt was easily the most talented person in our class." There you go, Billy Corgan finally admitted who was the superior songwriter from that particular era in time.

[@Shawnpo76]

I don't understand what Billy was admitting, he blows Kurt away on every level. Just listen to any lyrics by both bands, Billy's lyrics always convey an idea throughout the song and Kurt are just a lot of random sentences he pasted together.

[@ArchitechtofAnarchy]

@@Shawnpo76 Clearly, you never explored Nirvana beyond their hit singles or heavier material. There's a reason why millions of people past and present still relate to Kurt's songs on a deeply personal level, more so than the Pumpkins. Critically acclaimed songs like "Something in the Way", "Rape Me", "Dumb", "Come as You Are", & "You Know You're Right" are just as poetic, beautifully melodic and introspective as anything from Siamese Dream or Mellon Collie. Nirvana's most darkest song "Polly" is based on the real-life rape of a 14 yr old girl, as reflected in the song's haunting lyrics and gloomy, grim atmosphere. Cobain became the "Voice of his generation" because he represented and emphathized with his generation. This is why Nirvana remained more influential than the Smashing Pumpkins, leading Corgan to finally admit in this video who was the most gifted songwriter. Nirvana broke down the door with Nevermind and exposed Alt-Rock as a highly commercial genre. WIthout Nevermind, there'd be no SIamese Dream.

[@caoimhinjpnlevel3552]

Nah, behind it all Corgan still believes he's more talented than Cobain and everyone else from that era, he's just being polite here lol

[@ArchitechtofAnarchy]

​@@caoimhinjpnlevel3552 He was ego maniac back then and is now an even bigger ego maniac today

[@scalzmoney]

This is long way of explaining and then unexplaining how Billy created the sound of Nirvana. I mean, I don't disagree. A lot of creative people have done work that someone else has come along and absorbed into their own work without credit. And maybe someday credit for the grunge sound will be a part of Billy's epitaph. I just hope he is at peace with his place in rock history because he's one of the greats. I always saw him and the Pumpkins as the thinking person's Nirvana and that their sound was far more developed than what Nevermind sounded like.

[@chadsstillalive]

I strongly disagree, especially considering Bleach came out three years prior, not to mention Soundgarden’s first few records and Facelift the year before. And Pearl Jam had already written and recorded Ten by the time Gish came out. Not to mention, Billy’s guitar sound and Kurt’s aren’t all that similar like he’s claiming here.

[@galetinm]

Nah. That's just Billy's ego and jealousy. He can't accept the position he has in music history compared to Nirvana (and other big bands of the time), it irks him that Nirvana is recognised as THE band and Nevermind THE album of that time, probably doesn't like the fact that PJ, AOC and Soundgarden are rated higher than Smashing Pumpkins by some people. Nevertheless I'm a fan and I love some of his music, I don't pay much attention to some of the things he says. It is known that he has a massive ego. As for the sound of Nevermind, Butch is a big part of it, but it was Andy Wallace, who did the mixing, who made it so accessible to everyone. Nothing to do with Smashing Pumpkins.

[@chadsstillalive]

@@galetinm 💯

[@aliya_punkenglish]

@@galetinm and Kurt didn't even like the overproduction. It was more of a compromise for him, hence Albini on In Utero.

[@endtables]

I would like to see you two interviews. One with Chuck Dukowski from Black Flag and the second Eerie Von from Samhain and Danzig.

[@Allison_Chaynes]

Nevermind and BLOOD SUGAR SEX MAGIC were released on the same day. It was so great growing up in that time. To me, BSSM is the much better album. Still, they both are amazing records from my teen years.

[@cebrinpitts]

BSSM was a piece of art as well. The production and mixing are a thing of beauty.

[@zakur0hako]

This guy is just a bald Dave Mustaine

[@danellae.perezschmieloz5958]

Billy is such and icon and a genius.

[@benstutchbury6221]

'Siamese Dream' is fkin' Great❤👌

[@WJJ1961]

Great interview. What the hell is wrong with Billys circulation? Left hand always red, right hand normal colouring.

[@sjones3891]

Why is Billy’s left hand red and his right hand white?

[@trigga31]

billy ❤ billy