Billy Corgan Doesn’t Want Rockers & Pop Stars to be Friends
Billy Corgan and his hatred for pop stars (apart from Miley Cyrus) is as evident as his love for cats and 
signature vocal wails.
During an interview yesterday with Channel 7’s The Morning Show in Australia, the man who brought us classic albums like Siamese Dream and Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, once again made his stance against pop music very clear, noting that “Rock n’ roll will be fine. I just think it needs to be more aggressive in taking on pop music.”
Furthering his point, Corgan went on to say that in America there’s a “very cozy relationship” between pop stars and rockers, and he doesn’t consider that to be “a good relationship.”
He added: “Everybody belongs on their own side of the street for a good reason. By definition a rock star is supposed to be an independent individual who pursues a vision to an end – an Axl Rose, an Elton John. And a pop star is supposed to do whatever they can do to pray at some horrible idol of fame, which is ubiquitous and fleeting. And that contradiction to me is why everyone should stay on their own side of the street.”
Corgan then explained that “from an insider point of view,” pop stars are sending out the wrong message to kids, essentially telling them that the only way to succeed in the music business “is to sort of package yourself.”
The Smashing Pumpkins leader concluded: “Quite frankly if you look at the history of the music business the biggest stars are individuals. There’s only one Bob Marley, there’s only one Ozzy Osbourne or Madonna. You can try, but you can’t recreate them. So the industry has become about following rather than leading. I think it’s reflected in the sales.”
During the same interview, Corgan was asked for his thoughts on Kanye West jumping on stage during Beck’s Grammy acceptance speech for Album of the Year.
“I’ve stood at that podium too and I’ll tell you what, if somebody got up on my stage, I would knock them out,” expressed Corgan. “I don’t care who it is, I would have knocked him out.”
-Adam Grant
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