I read an article in Prefix magazine that indicates that Billy Corgan stormed off stage after the audience kept asking him to play Pumpkins songs during a show in Australia.

Y'know..in the 90's, we had the Gen-X grunge-induced culture of depression, so whininess was an endearing quality.

But, I've heard a live show done by Neil Young. It was before 'Tonight's the Night' came out, and it was comprised of mostly songs from 'Tonight's The Night'. An audience member kept yelling 'Play Southern Man!'

Neil's response was (Not an exact quote): "If you can go back to where you were three years ago, I'd be happy to go back to where I was," in an explanatory, concilliatory tone. Near the end of the show, the same voice can be heard yelling "Tonight's the Night!" (To which he replied "It sure is!" having already played the song).

If Corgan thinks the audience didn't come to see him play Pumpkins songs, he's deluding himself. So if he's going to play only his solo material, he's got to take the heckling in stride and not be defensive about it, like Neil did in that concert. (Although he did throw them a bone and play 'Helpless').

Just another reason I strongly dislike Billy Corgan. What does he expect after he announces he wants to reforms the pumpkins? The fans want a reform too, and they want to hear the songs they liked. It's fine if he doesn't want to play them, but seriously, he should be able to deal with the requests by now.

Um, I was actually at the show in question. He did not storm of stage. The concert was finished he was talking to the audience by himself with no other band members present. Some idiots were heckling him not just about the Smashing Pumpkins but him in general. He basically said all that he would have said anyway (i.e revealing that there was a secret show to be played in Sydney two days later), someone again yelled out a stupid comment "play the world is a vampire, you're loving this aren't ya Billy"etc, and he dropped the mike and waved goodbye. He was touring on his own album with a band completely separate from Smashing Pumpkins (albeit a drummer who filled in briefly for Jimmy Chamberlin).
For people to yell out to play your old popular material is basically saying 'your new creative work is shit, stick to what you were good at'. Why are these people at this concert? The Smashing Pumpkins are definitely victim of being a very alternative band who had several hit songs that crossed into the mainstream, which has unfortunatley given them an audience of musically tasteless meatheads. Who give him no respect.
During the concert one girl jumped on stage and gave him a hug, a security guard immediately went towards her, but he waved him away, then several other girls jumped on stage and followed suit. How many other artists would allow this?
I'm sick of hearing ignorant people defame him because of his sensitivity towards criticism. He has been more helpful and considerate to 'genuine' fans than any other 'rock star' ive known.

Solitare, the report I read said he said 'fuck this' and stormed off stage. Perhaps the report wasn't correct.

But the fact is, if you're going to do things that are obviously going to draw criticism, you can't be sensitive about it. I was considering going to a concert in Boston of his, and I would have been dissapointed if he played only his new stuff. What on earth did he expect? If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.

If he's not going to play any old stuff he should send out a press release that says 'I am only going to play my new stuff'. And the audience has every right to be pissed as Dylan's audience did the concert he went electric. (Dylan just happened to go on to write some of the most incredible rock music ever).

quote:

Originally posted by Solitaire Hawk:
During the concert one girl jumped on stage and gave him a hug, a security guard immediately went towards her, but he waved him away, then several other girls jumped on stage and followed suit. How many other artists would allow this?

Depending on how attractive these girls were, I'd say the answer here would be "just about anyone".

To be fair, though, live tours are generally held to promote new material, so artists shouldn't be considered obliged to play their old songs.

Artists usually give a toss or two or their classics, though. I would normally expect 80% new stuff, 20% old stuff. I'm not criticizing his song selection. Just...if he's going to do 100% new stuff, he should be aware that some people aren't going to be happy, no? And be prepared to be heckled.

Hecklers are part of *being* a performer.

I was also at the concert and its been blown out of proportion. How mcuh shit is the guy meant to take when hes thanking his loyal fans and telling them about an acoustic show hes going to perform. A few dickheads ruined it for the rest of us. Great show by the way. I recorded his end of concert speach on my camera and its available here:

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=385YNIHJ
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=38ZDJT22

Billy Corgan is quickly slipping into the land of washed-up-irrelevancy. Have you read his silly ego-centric review on Pitchfork?

http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/interviews/c/corgan_billy-05/

Plus, I saw he classified his music as 'classical' on Myspace! Doesn't something first have to be 'classic' before it can be deemed, 'classical'?

Billy is certainly neither.

When they say Classical I don't think they mean it in the same sense that Radiohead's OK Computer is a classic album for example, if that's what you're thinking. More along the lines of

quote:

Classical music is music considered classical, generally thought of as sophisticated and refined

(Thanks to Wikipedia)

Billy may have chosen that because he has a certain air of pretentiousness and arrogance, he always has. I'm a big fan of The Smashing Pumpkins, Zwan and Billy's solo work, I love everything he's had his hand on, seemingly, but I don't know what to make of this story. I get where he is coming from.

If I were in one of the greatest bands ever (IMO), and had moved on, I wouldn't like fans trying to get my old songs played, especially after the show had finished. Though it's kind of funny as he did/does want to reform the Pumpkins!

But that's Corgan for ya!