In the past few days Billy has been interviewed by a number of local radio station as well as the syndicated radio show Rockline earlier this week.
A number of these interviews have been posted on Blank Page and a few of them have had some unique interesting questions and we’ll recap them for you here.
Billy mentions that back in the 90′s he took some singing lessons from an opera singer. Billy had never had any formal singing lesson before hand and was told ‘you sing totally wrong’. Corgan went on to explain that his relationship with music has really changed and it use to be everything. In the past 10 years he says he has been really spiritual and has learned to enjoy silence.
Billy said that he didn’t agree with the idea that the best songs come only from sad ones, such as Summertime which is happy.
On the topic of sad songs that Corgan had written Billy explained that its sometimes hard to play some of those songs because sometimes he doesn’t want to be in those musical spaces and other times because he can’t re-access that space.
He also spoke on Fame, reading the crowd at a live concert, fans impression of him.
Billy talked about the Red Sox and former Sox GM Theo Epstein who now works for the Chicago Cubs.
Billy gave his thanks for the Boston crowds at shows, how the band name came up and wanting to play with Ritchie Blackmore someday. How the Pumpkins found a way to bring feeling and emotion to their music and about how they lost some fans in the process. Billy also got sing a little Funky Town and about the visuals that goes with the upcoming Oceania tour.
On if Teargarden will be completed: Billy says he kind of has a scheduled for it. Hopefully a boxset with bonus materials and a DVD.
On album is dead: That albums don’t have the power they use to. Billy pointed to the recording companies stopping progress for a new media outlet.
On writing Oceania with the new line-up: Billy says he felt the making of Oceania was the same as other albums, work on the songs and come to the band to work on who does what on the songs.
On the importance of female in the band:Billy explained it didn’t have to be a girl but they do tend to have a more lay-back approach. Except for Auf der Maur who played the bass a little more like a dude. But both D’arcy and Nicole would play more with a lay-backed 60′s approach.
Billy also mentioned his roots of making the kind of music starting with the Marked.
On Billy’s relationship with James, D’arcy and Jimmy: Billy said the line-up would never be back again. Too many lawsuits and dumb stuff. Billy did say he talked to Jimmy at the funeral of friend Dennis Flemion and they were cool.
Billy also mentioned how great the current line-up is and how it is functional, unlike the past band was after 1996.
Billy said promoters were what brought the band back to Canada.
On pop music evolving with things such as American Idol and other avenues that allows them to be instant hits. Where the alternative world has blogs and Pitchfork which celebrates mostly smaller and obscurer artist but ones that don’t sell that much. Billy asked why isn’t there a American Idol for the alternative artist to help them become more commercial so they have the success to put their van on the road.
He also talked about the tour visuals.
Billy explains he has no problem with people recording shows on their cell phones. He embraces it because they can then promote the tour to the world.
Billy talks about working with Mike and how young he is.
Billy talked about making music and how to put it out for people to hear the new music. He also speak about the Oceania as well as the Whale Wars crew. They talk about Mike and his place in the Pumpkins. BIlly also talked about RUSH.
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We anticipate more radio interviews to continue to come out as the Pumpkins promote their upcoming North American tour, so make sure to check out Blank Page.
