The Smashing Pumpkins have been challenging their fans' perceptions of the band on their 20th anniversary tour this fall, playing new songs, covers and drastic rearrangements of older tunes. In a new interview with the Chicago Tribune, Billy Corgan promises to further challenge listeners as the latest chapter of the Pumpkins unfolds.
Corgan reaffirmed once again that last year's Zeitgeist was the last proper album from the band. He said, "People don’t even listen to it all. They put it on their iPod, they drag over the two singles, and skip over the rest. The listening patterns have changed, so why are we killing ourselves to do albums, to create balance, and do the arty track to set up the single? It’s done." He added, "Our primary function now is to be a singles band, that drives Pumpkins Inc. through singles. We’ll still be creative, but in a different form."
He also revealed "the real story" behind the original disbanding of the Pumpkins in 2000, claiming that guitarist James Iha "was driving me out of my mind. He was so negative. The guy literally drove me insane. When I walked out of that band, I didn’t know what to do anymore. I didn’t have a direction, a central focus. I wandered through different things, but I couldn’t find that central thing. As soon as I got back in the band my brain started working again. I was engaged again."
He added that while the offer was there for Iha and bassist D'Arcy Wretzky to re-join the lineup, "there was no way they were gonna want to work like we want to work, and take on the crap of the business again. But we gave them the opportunity if they wanted it. Now that we’ve found people who we trust and are really dedicated, the door is closed. They’re done. They’re never coming back."
Smashing Pumpkins wrapped up their 20th anniversary tour Monday night in Chicago.
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