The Smashing Pumpkins 1992-01-15

Setlist

 * Snail
 * Siva
 * Billy interview
 * Crush
 * Silverfuck

Banter
Snail Corgan: This next song is called 'Kill Your Parents' Siva Crush Silverfuck Interview Interviewer: Billy, welcome in the studio Corgan: Hello Interviewer: You wanted to request a record on this show a record from Queen; Are you a Queen fan? Corgan: Yes Interviewer: Why? Corgan: They're just an amazing band, there's not been another band like them, I think. Obviously Freddie Mercury dying makes it kinda more obvious, I guess, now Interviewer: Are they an influence on your music? Corgan: Yeah, very much so and I think when you look at all the bad disco '70s period, they were one of the coolest bands around so growing up around that time... Interviewer: ...you got influenced by them Corgan: At least not mustache wise, but music wise Interviewer: The first thing that comes to mind when you hear the Smashing Pumpkins is the dynamic intention in the songs, is tension a key word for the Smashing Pumpkins? Corgan: Umm, I think 'sex' would be the key word Interviewer: Why? Corgan: Cos our music kinda like having sex (laughs) Interviewer: Can you explain that a bit? Corgan: Well sometimes you go fast, sometimes you go slow, sometimes you stop (laughs) Interviewer: OK that explains it. Sometimes it seems like there's several songs in one song Corgan: Yeah Interviewer: Aren't you tempted to make three songs out of that Corgan: Yeh sometimes I am. I guess maybe it's the fear of dying or something that makes me want to cram as much into one song as I can Interviewer: How do you write songs? Corgan: Unfortunately I kinda sit around and wait for it to happen, like a thunderbolt from heaven or hell. It's not the best way to write songs but there's something about an inspired moment that's kind of undertouchable. So once I have the inspiration part then it's kind of somewhat of a mechanical process to not play the same thing over and over for five minutes until you bore everybody out the door Interviewer: Do you do something to create that inspiration? Corgan: Can you ask me that again, I didnt hear the last part Interviewer: Do you do something to create that inspiration? Corgan: Yeah, I try not to, you know, watch too much TV Interviewer: Don't poison your mind Corgan: It's kind of a Zen concept, yeah. Obviously your mind has to be somewhat open and there's a certain mental preparation necessary for when those moments in your life come that you can seize them and take the opportunity. So there's kind of a mental awareness that's necessary at all times. Beyond that, I don't know, there's no black and white way to write a song Interviewer: It seems like your songs are more based on hooks, guitar riffs than on melodies, huh? Corgan: Oh I would disagree, I would very much disagree. See, I can write guitar riffs all day. It's very much the marriage of melody and the guitar, you know, that I think makes what I do a little different to someone who just writes guitar riffs. Sometimes the best guitar riffs don't make for a very good song and there's a lot of great guitar riffs that we throw away Interviewer: The dynamic of the sound of Smashing Pumpkins, doesn't that make the band very hard to record? Corgan: Yes, very much so. It's probably gonna take about 10 years off my life, trying to record our band properly Interviewer: You have been here for the Eine Abend in Wien Festival that's five months ago, what did change for the band since then? Corgan: Since then? Oh I've had about three nervous breakdowns and the band sold a lot of records in America and we did a couple of tours, we toured with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, a whole national tour in America, and you know my mother likes me again Interviewer: Is that the nicest thing about success? Corgan: Success is such a weird thing, you know. I dont want to sound like I'm detracting from anything but so much comes with it Interviewer: Like what? Corgan: I don't wanna say 'responsibility' because that's not necessarily the right way to explain it, but I think as you open up doors for yourself, you're also obligated to walk through them, if you push yourself upto a point, you should keep going. So having pushed our band to the point of this, we just want to keep on going and with that comes a lot more stress and strain and preparation, I don't know, whatever. I mean our lives, you know we don't live normal lives, we live these kind of weird troll existences, so yeah I have some money in the bank and people know who I am, but I'm not a normal human being anymore Interviewer: You look quite normal to me Corgan: It's a strange trade-off. Underneath this walks a psychopath Interviewer: Last question: Are there any concrete plans for a new album? Corgan: Yeah but I dont know, we may come back to Europe and we may do the Lollapalooza festival and we may do a lot of things. So our next album may not come out, I mean I know our next album at least won't come out until 1993. I don't know, we're gonna be one of those bands that never puts out a second record