Smashing Pumpkins - Billy talks about protecting his music

[ArchRascal]

I'll preface this by stating that Smashing Pumpkins are possibly my favorite band of all time, but playing "Today" while talking about not selling out + later allowing a car company to use that exact song in a commercial = Uberirony.

[jsh020]

dont care wha people say, gish - teargarden is all amazing to me, dont give a shit if its odl or new, its all amazing

[dzubmariner]

today

[HardyzTannerCoadV2]

what is the song at the very start when the guy introduces the interview

[ThePack496]

cubs? how bout when the blackhawks win the cup, or the bulls win the championship or even the bears win the super bowl. GOD!!! i miss the old smashing pumpkins hopefully they come back

[MegaMusicfreak4life]

did the cubs win yet? cuz i want a classic pumpkins lineup

[zakslezak]

"I think you'll see a Smashing Pumpkins reunion when the Cubs with the World Series"

[theman4130]

Billy the original premadonna

[FroylanRuiz1]

I will become a baseball fan, and promote the cubs over and over, until they have all the publicity and fans in the baseball world and then they have enough money to win the world series just for a chance to see the original Smashing Pumpkins live.

[0xxTheMessiahxx0]

C'mon Cubs win the world series...

[Hategettoknowme]

I'm gonna see The Smashing Pumpkins Next Week :D

[AJCNard]

learn to sing Billy

[yankeesarethebest224]

yeah putting ur song on whale wars that was cool....

[NAIVADA]

for today, he's one of the very very last true beautiful artist we have, I praise the great Corgan

[LIGHT2U4U]

He's not God, he's a musician

[NAIVADA]

and god is just a word

[angelizer999]

@NAIVADA yes dude.

[kman596]

billy i never download I am such a big fan i have bought all your album 4 times.

[juniwilliams]

@kman596 fuck that, im gona download their discography right now. So few seeders though. Fuck.

[meinLiebsterFeind]

Hahaha... their mp3's have been "released online" for a looooong time.

[THEYLIVE2012]

he's fucking cool...and i'm pretty sure he boned that chick shortly after

[aerodizon]

@THEYLIVE2012 Hahaha Very funny, he probably did!

[IzzyLovesRock]

Cubs win the world series? you got it billy, i can wait.

[johnowensjr1234]

I think once Jimmy left the band, Corgan should call his music something else. The pumpkins ARE Billy and Jimmy. Siamese Dream was entirely recorded by those two.

[YourMomisZero]

umm idk if the cubs won the world seris yet! ROFl

[RogueStatus559]

sorry if this offends anyone but when Billy had hair like the part where it showed him driving the ice cream truck, he kind of looked like Gerard Way

[kazalack]

How is that possible, it's Gerard Way that looks like Billy Corgan NOOB. Billy is clearly older.

[RogueStatus559]

I was saying that he looked like him on that part, that was like the 90's when he was younger, he doesnt stay the same age all his life, you fucktard

[Kaifanef]

Visa ....

[beweez427]

ehh and now i heard about the visa thing. whatever.

[beweez427]

the music IS sacred! thank youuuu

[beweez427]

ah hes so cool man

billy corgan you rock!

[MYLIBELULITA]

so cute. He reminds me the singer of a cool animated band hiting strong here in Italy not being a million dollar production. Search SWAVE IN THE FUTURE

[Bloodygator]

i believe they did that in guitar hero... i like them anyway :)

[corduroykelly]

What a dumb comment you see no difference between guitar hero and a commercial are you kidding me!

[gpstenholm23]

I don't get where you guys are getting all this, i heard nothing about Billy saying he had a drug problem, or that his music is better because of what hes been through. He was saying he will always be a pumpkin, its helped him through the bad times. Jimmy had the drug problem, and its all sorted there back together, sorted... oh and never for one second forget Billy is stone cold crazy, if he wasn't rich as fuck he would most likely be considered insane, instead hes "excentrik" lol... :p

[Vixtopher]

b0lly is NUTS!!

hahah. I love him :3

[AnnieNitemare]

@Vixtopher All of the great musicians are.

[stratboy1972]

I'm friggin tired of people acting like they are so pure and amazing and holy because they "care about the music and what it means to people"

stupid hypocrite, steve lukather kicks your ass at guitar and you know it. Lyrical integrity isn't the only thing that matters in music, and having good lyrics doesn't make up for shitty playing.

and nobody cares about your stupid depression crap, everyone has problems, just cuz you're a millionaire crapass frontman doesn't make you anymore special

[leodorn]

LOL!! Hell yeah DUDE!!!! I'm an SP fan, but what you wrote was funny as hell!!!

[sup3rmanaise]

DOUCHE!!

[jadedbutterflie]

it's true. conehead is a poor excuse for talent. crap guitar player and singer too if you ask me. and creepy. James Iha? Badass. So SP was still kinda cool. but corgan is gay. You can call me what you want, I don't care.

[sup3rmanaise]

you have a poor excuse for a penis. Hes awesome at guitar and the lyrics are also amazing.

[Urasawa92]

He's very good on guitar and he has a fuckin great voice. He's also a poet, and you can see that in lyrics.

[emptypr0mise]

PLEASE. so not defile Billy. or anyone for that matter.

[lasthurrah19]

are you fucking 16? using 'gay' as an insult really shows your maturity level.

[SarahForgot]

I agree with you, but most of the people commenting are about 16, at least from what I've found.. Just trying to explain the immaturity

[Monolisaoverdrive]

Wow, if you actually knew anything you you'd shut up. Go read one of Billys music sheet books. On the very first page he talks about how, no one can tell you what music means to you its your own comprehention and understanding of it. Now obviously, in some of Billys other videos he talks about how music and the band has "saved his life" and changed his life and such, thats why he says Music is important and he cares how itmatters to people. If we continue this argument i guarantee you will lose

[stratboy1972]

Granted. But that's no excuse for using your music as an emotional crutch. I have had problems, and I don't say my music should be considered better because of it's emotional depth due to my crisis.

[stratboy1972]

I'm not saying his lyrics suck necessarily. But talent comes with many faces these days and he isn't one of them. His music, instrumentally and verbally, is dark and foreboding. That doesn't have a universal appeal and a key to being a good artist is recognizing your audience. But pricks like Curt Cobain, Roger Waters, and Cilly Corgan just say fuck the audience, I'm gonna be the artiste and do what I want!

[stratboy1972]

Not saying there is anything wrong with being a creative individual, and I'm not saying nobody likes the pumpkins, but you can't compare the pumkins to Toto. You're literally comparing seasoned professionals to a garage band. They did Michael Jackson for Christ's sake.

And no matter what, you're music isn't good just cuz you're some cone-headed pre-emo with a barbed wire voice

[elysium735]

They didn't care about critiques from morons like you because they were happy with their style. They wanted to write good songs, not have "universal appeal". Just because something's popular doesn't make you an artist Ms. Spears. In conclusion, fuck you.

[stratboy1972]

lol you guys get all torn up about such stupid shit. Billy's a good song writer and I like the smashing pumpkins, I grew up listening to them. But Luk has more talent in one nut hair than Billy has. And shit I have problems. My girlfriend died. My brother has downs syndrome. I can barely make rent in this economy. Billy's stupid drug problems are no more special than anyone's just because he is in the limelight.

[gizmo359c]

yeah but billy can convert that into somthing really great and positive wheras you are just kinda being a douche, like your not doing anything creative or showing any talent so you arent really in a place to dis somone elses work

[elysium735]

You get out what you put in and Billy is an artist. Along with Kurt and Roger Waters. They said "fuck the audience" because they cared about their art and didn't care how it was taken by you. Write songs for yourself and fans will be drawn to them.

[elysium735]

If your music was written with more passion and depth because of your state of crisis, and you should be considered better.

[afroguy10]

I don't know, i don't mind the music being used in the commercial. It could be to do with Virgin more than Corgans decision. They still own the rights to a fair whack of the pumpkins music. Even now. It's the way the music buisness works, it's shit but it happens day in day out. Bands get screwed. Anyway, I'm not too bothered, it's only a thirty second commercial, the musics still awesome and Corgans still the man.

[afroguy10]

It's my view. I know u commented me today and I was happy someone finally had something decent to say rather than throw abuse. But I genuinely don't care about his usage of his music. I'm a huge pumpkins fan, but it just doens't bother me, that doesnt make me any less of a pumpkins fan. I watched the video like you said, okay he said he wouldn't use his music in adverts and okay he has, he's backed up on something he said a few years back, everyone has done it at some point. I'm cool with it :).

[afroguy10]

Okay, but that's your view man. I'm not wrong though. It just doesn't bother me and there is absolutely nothing wrong with it. That's whats annoying me, the fact I put out a viewpoint and got nothing but abuse and you're wrong as if they knew better than me. I'm just not letting it annoy me and that's because it doesn't, it's not that I'm wrong, it's that you don't agree with my viewpoint, that would have been a better way to word it.

But I respect your viewpoint on this.

[peniosasdasd]

Selling out = getting people arrested for downloading your music.

Selling out = having a line of clothing with your name everywhere

Selling out = never listening to your fans

All you little kids with your delusions of 'underground' grandeur need to put a sock in it.

[jackjamone]

i heard billy was so cool that he'd lick your D, if you asked him

[eatALOTsleepALOT]

he broke a girl's heart and limped a man's boner

[legalizegrass]

Billy doesnt own the rights to the song "Today" or any of their back catalog. I believe Virgin Records still owns the full rights to that material despite Billy trying to purchase them more than once.

[Funnyforlike20]

totally just about to say that lol

[MCRmy0611]

billy corgan is a god .. and i dont care what anyone says

i cant believe that hes that selfless .. hes more real and human that anyone in the music industry...

the fact that he cares soo much about his music makes me respect him sooooooooo much ..

billy corgan ... possibly the best musician in the world

[ScarTissuetwo]

he is slipping. did yuo see Today on that VISA commercial. and what's up with that song FOL. billy is losing his style it's annoying

[MCRmy0611]

:O:O:O today is on a visa commercial ahahahhaahhahahaha thats so funny .. oh well .. i still think billy is a god ... maybe more of back in the day .. but yea ... hes still an inspiration :D and people change i guess

lol i actually really like FOL ... its not as bad as some of the new crap out there !!!

[goawayoldhag]

and omg he is exactly like my guitar teacher

talks like him and theyr both bald

so weird

they like have the same voices and mannerisms

[fatcatbuzz]

Billy was very cool to me as well as the rest of the band in 2000. I have known people that have met Billy in the early years (Chicago being close to Minnehopeless) and have said he was cool. But, it funny to hear sometimes that he can be mean because I never really see that even in interviews. Billy has even said himself sometimes he had to have an ego in the early years for the band to survive. And even the band agreed. So I think it was more about the helping the SP than anything.

[goawayoldhag]

yeah high school right now sucks man

thanks totally and totally helpful dude

[ramsesthepoohbutt]

you are retarded

[wahmyboot]

I do like that fisherman's hat.

[briankingoftheworld]

9 years on and you can download the new smashing pumpkins song off the hyundai website....

[jadedshade]

Yeah but that was a song specifically put together for hyundai, it's not like it's one from an actually album or anything.

It's great that you can get that for free.

[richpon1973]

brooke anderson is so into billy.

[perpitbla5]

I know he's a twat from time to time, but for those who think Zeitgeist was issued loads of times for Billy to make money, let's not forget that he gave away Machina 2 for free, as well as that 5 disc Mashed Potatoes bootleg.

[jessiswriting]

The entire reason it's infuriating is that he used to do stuff like Machina II and just let people have it. If he had never done anything like that, I wouldn't be surprised or angry at all when he pulls that shit.

[fatcatbuzz]

I think Billy Corgan is brilliant. I always liked them so much better than Nirvana. Kurt Cobain is great, but very overrated at times which kills the music for me. Sure, Billy sold out from time to time, but the music is still great and there are even better live these days.

[goawayoldhag]

i dunno sometimes billy just seems too real. like hes too good to be true. idk, maybe thats just cuz ive been liking nirvana for years and i just fell in love with the smashing pumkins, kinda trust them more. nirvana is just down to earth and so is billy. i love them both to death.

[fatcatbuzz]

I had the pleasure of meeting Billy in 2000 and he was pretty cool to me. Nirvana and Kurt Cobain would have changed eventually, but of course he died before this happened so he is remembered for who he was and not what he would have turned into.

[goawayoldhag]

yeah

o goodness you met him?

so hes kewl? cuz im not shure

wel kurt kinda hit rock bottom before he died.. so its not like he had anywhere else to go but up

and he was a tortured soul i think he made the decision for what was best and what he wanted

[fatcatbuzz]

Yep, in Minneapolis where I'm from. The band signed my copy of MCIS on vinyl and was very cool to me. Actually, there was also Jimmy, Melissa, and James' brother (for some reason). Billy stood up after signing my record and shook my hand and I just stood there looking up at him (because he's tall and I'm 5'9") and said sheepishly, "good music, man." I still have it in my parent house in St Paul (I live in Vegas). Alot of the early stuff (as well as Nirvana) got me through high school (I'm 31).

[surfwaxafghani]

he looks like greg alexanger in the video for you only get what you give

[watergirl2000]

Yawn

[EvilBenson]

Great Stuff Billy..

He really knows what he's talking about..

Great stuff Billy Corgan.

[thepolacek]

Boo Cubs, Go Cards!

[rando871]

hell yeah st.louie

[ngaudio021]

i was at a concert the night the cubs got knocked out of the playoffs, he didn't know that yet so he was still in a good mood lol.

[markeez2295]

Now he has songs in guitar hero. His characters in guitar hero. that seems sell-out to me..

[chowmeowsomehow]

I would suck this mans willy

[XxKiraBeckamxX]

maybe he would like people to be able to play there song and sing it! some people arent good on guitar but are good on GH. so im glad they did cause im shit on real guitar lol

[audiorage092]

uh..but now he lets "that's the way my love is" be in a car commercial...wtf?

[naesch7]

he makes me wanna sell all cds i own except for his of course! why should i listen to any of this crap if i have the smashing pumpkins?!

[13manbearpig13]

But...one of his songs was used in the watchmen trailer O_O

[thisheartisfluid]

yea but that movie is going to be fucking awesome!!!

[13manbearpig13]

hahahaha....yes....it is

Who gave me a thumbs down hahahaha....wtf?

[Leinieslightman]

Your the shit billy

[dodgersandstorm]

if it's about more than making money why does he care if people steal them on the internet?

[lucidl]

i think you're missing the point. there's a difference between caring if people steal your music and caring if it's used in marketing campaigns which have nothing to do with the music.

[dodgersandstorm]

what's the difference? the marketers don't care about your music and the other people do? well in that case, i understand why they shouldn't have it on the commercial but not why people can't steal it. if it's about more than making money that is. and if it's not, why not use it on a commercial

[Hennersbass]

words of a true musician

[marshallthemiz]

once again, proving how intelligent and real a musician he is

[oasaaslls2002]

CUBBIES WIN!!!!!!!!!

[HiddenInTheBlood]

even though i hate the cubs... i want them to win now...

[australianFTW]

LMAO! SNAP!~

[Wii4me]

I heard a smashing pumpkins song in an advertisement for the nickelodeon kids choice awards back in 1999. I think they were using Today.

[sexydanny21awesome]

Virgin records are a bunch ass holes trying sell his songs to pepsi and another thing they took all his fucking money they barley paid him and his band members anything he made millions of dollars Virgin records people are A holes

[sexydanny21awesome]

Virgin records wold not even let the smashing pumpkins have there cd machina two come out they had put it on net thats why Virgin records are bunch of ass holes.

[Wii4me]

It was never released but you might see it turn up on ebay.

[afrothunder8990]

1979 is on grand theft auto 4

[blawup]

it's also on clerks 2

[bleach6bleach]

I think it's really about how you use the song...it's about promoting and letting your music be heard, though it's more respectable from an unestablished band, just don't call it marketing. Most bands tour to promote thier album anyways...wait I don't even think they own the rights...

[explosiveshrooms]

if he wasn't all about making money, then he wouldn't have released zeitgeist FIVE TIMES.

[lucidl]

that was reprise records, a division of warner brothers who did that you dickhead.

[explosiveshrooms]

eh... he still had a lot to do with it... and considering how concerned he is about people pirating his music, it's not too far fetched to assume that he's pretty crazy about money.

great music, awful guy.

[Gdxgz]

Then why do they have songs on guitar hero and rock band?

[chubbycheeks2]

In the top left corner of the clip from the today video the small print states 'courtesy Virgin Records'. That is the epitomy of pumpkin irony, not to this date but of this date... eeeeh, it's not realy the epitomy of pumpkin irony but it is cheekily ironic!

[explosiveshrooms]

sucks that musicians can't make money without losing the rights to their own damn songs =\

[qwertyfuck1]

what do they mean by a back catalogue online??

[SarahIsDeadxx]

Yeah it is :)

[Jeffreylmcentire]

man that is so good.