Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan Praises U2

2012-07-05

Story by Cat Badra

Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan says the most inspirational gig he’s ever seen is U2

Billy Corgan and the Smashing Pumpkins should be on cloud nine as of late. After all, their latest release, “Oceania,” entered the Billboard 200 chart at No. 4 last week and No. 1 on the independent albums chart, which is the second-highest debut for an independently released album this year and the band’s seventh Top 10 album.

Now, Corgan is doing the press rounds, and when Exclaim.ca recently asked him about the most inspirational gig he’s ever seen, Corgan gushed about the one and only U2.

“I remember seeing U2 play probably only about six months after 9/11, and I was in New York during 9/11, I was living about ten blocks away from where the towers were,” he said. “So, the wounds were still pretty fresh for everybody, and you know Bono, as only he can, seemed to sum up the moment on that tour.

“I can’t remember what they were playing but they did this thing where they scrolled all the names behind them as they played and it was just one of those moments where it was like: ‘Okay, this is why rock and roll still means something to me.’ It’s not about the politics, it’s not about the B.S. and who’s on top, it really is about when a band can seize a moment and take you somewhere. I’ve had a lot of those moments, but that one really jumps out.”

The Pumpkins have some overseas tour dates booked for the end of July, and for a full list of upcoming shows, visit the band’s official website.

 




Cat Badra
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