Billy Corgan Defends Friendship With Marilyn Manson, Compares Himself To Kanye West, And Explains Resentment Toward "The Hipster Writer Class"
Stereogum • • entertainment
Key Points:
- Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan discusses the band's resurgence, fueled by '90s hits trending on TikTok, a 30th-anniversary tour, and new collaborations, including a song for the upcoming Hunger Games movie.
- Corgan defends his continued friendship with Marilyn Manson amid sexual assault allegations, citing his personal knowledge of the case and long-standing relationships, while stating that if anyone is guilty, they should face legal consequences.
- He compares himself to Kanye West, suggesting West may have adopted his "cognitive dissonance game" of provoking critics to force a judgment on artistic value, highlighting his interest in how artists are critically assessed.
- Corgan criticizes the modern "critical class," especially publications like Pitchfork, accusing them of abandoning alternative music's rawness in favor of polished pop acts like Rihanna and unfairly marginalizing artists like himself.
- He argues that many critics are hypocritical and disconnected from authentic musicianship, emphasizing the greater value of organic artists who rise from grassroots origins over the opinions of "ivory tower" critics.
