• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Bradford Cox (Deerhunter) details contentious encounter with Billy Corgan in 2007

Status
Not open for further replies.
U

uncelestial

Member
http://consequenceofsound.net/2015/...tentious-encounter-with-billy-corgan-in-2007/

I love these two bands. Well, the original SP lineup anyway. I've also heard stories about Corgan from people I've recorded with who worked with him on tour. He is just the biggest jerk to people he thinks are beneath him.

According to Cox, things began to unravel as soon as Deerhunter finished their set at the Orange Peel. Cox grabbed a bottle from “this big pyramid of Voss Water” backstage and was immediately confronted by a member of The Smashing Pumpkins’ crew. The crew member reportedly cornered him and said, “What the fuck do you think you’re doing? This is Mr. Corgan’s water,” before shoving him against the wall. Deerhunter’s then-bassist Josh Fauver intervened and the two band members eventually retreated to “the broom closet down in the basement where they had given us a backstage.”

The next night, Cox claims that he was smoking a cigarette outside the venue when a woman approached him and ominously said, “Mr. Corgan needs to see you.” He found Corgan sitting on the stage, surrounded by cameras and members of his crew. According to Cox, here’s how the encounter went down:

“They’re videotaping me the whole time, which I found bizarre … [and] they bring me up to this stage, and he says to me, “’ hear you’ve been causing a lot of trouble. Do you know who you are? You’re shit. You’re a shitty little insignificant fucking indie rock band, and you were invited, not by me—who knows what fucking idiot in my management did this—but you were invited to open for The Smashing Pumpkins.’”

After picking his jaw up off the ground, Cox says he responded by peeling off Corgan’s backstage pass and slapping it back onto his leg. Corgan then claimed “assault” and threatened to “sue the fucking shit” out of Cox before his crew members broke drummer Moses Archuleta’s kit by throwing it offstage.
Click to expand...

Video of Bradford telling the story onstage:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiqRaDbjioU

Jeez. Someone musta hurt Billy as a child, seriously. At least he deals with it by being perpetually bitter instead of shooting heroin, I guess? Can't believe the SP crew backed Corgan up on this. You know it's bad when Courtney Love is the sane/chill one in a Twitter feud. What is wrong with this guy?

Anyway Fading Frontier stomps the shit out of Monuments to an Elegy, and Bradford really seems like a friendly and sensitive soul. So I'm basically #TeamBradford up and down, and I'm saying that as an SP fan going back to 1992.
 
T

TheJollyCorner

Member
Maxim726X said:
Corga has always been a massive cunt, and the Smashing Pumpkins is overrated.

Oh, and he's a shitty vocalist.
Click to expand...

This. Corgan is definitely the benefactor of having been the front man of a very talented band and coming up in a time when his vocal style (somehow) just 'worked'.

The guy was held up by the band, not the other way around. Arrogant lead singers are the fuckin worst.
 
choodi

choodi

Banned
Corgan is irrelevant.

The only concert i have ever walked out on was The Smashing Pumpkins. They were boring.

Someone should remind him that they were a 'shitty little indie rock band' at one stage too.
 
S

Sho_Nuff82

Member
He called a "nobody" out in front of a crowd to dress him down, then threw a tantrum when said "nobody" spit in his face. Sounds like a classy guy.
 
O

old manatee

Banned
choodi said:
Corgan is irrelevant.

The only concert i have ever walked out on was The Smashing Pumpkins. They were boring.

Someone should remind him that they were a 'shitty little indie rock band' at one stage too.
Click to expand...

Billy Corgan was never, and will never be indie. It's like when corporations figured out a loophole where they could legally be considered people, except with Billy Corgan it was decided upon his birth that he would always be corporate.
 
EdwardTivrusky

EdwardTivrusky

Member
I thought that Corgan being an arrogant ass was common knowledge for years and years?
I like SP but yeah stories abound regarding Corgan being a jerk to people.
 
F

freenudemacusers

Member
Out on tour with the Smashing Pumpkins
Nature kids, I, they don’t have no function
I don’t understand what they mean and I could really give a fuck

I bet he's stillmad.jpg
 
Gouty

Gouty

Bloodborne is shit
Ehhhhhh theres probably more to the story. Billy is threatened by practically anyone who's a musician and lashes out like the cunt he is and yet, this story still seems incredibly one sided.
 
T

tanooki27

Member
TheJollyCorner said:
This. Corgan is definitely the benefactor of having been the front man of a very talented band and coming up in a time when his vocal style (somehow) just 'worked'.

The guy was held up by the band, not the other way around. Arrogant lead singers are the fuckin worst.
Click to expand...

didn't he write the songs?
 
V

Vanillalite

Ask me about the GAF Notebook
Gouty said:
Ehhhhhh theres probably more to the story. Billy is threatened by practically anyone who's a musician and lashes out like the cunt he is and yet, this story still seems incredibly one sided.
Click to expand...

This.

Billy is a known douche, but I'd need to hear more of this particular story from a 3rd party.
 
D

Draft

Member
Bully corgan is a living legend and mr deer hunter is complaining about the size of his dressing room.
 
S

Stairouais

Member
Bradford retracted but whatever.

Every-fucking-one in the buisness shits on Billy Corgan. Whether the story is true or not, #teamBradford.
Also, DH is a far better band.
 
C

CapitalismSucks DonkeyBalls

Banned
The Smashing Pumpkins haven't been relevant since 1997. The Billy Corgan needs to pull the stick out of his ass.

Does he not know how small a venue like The Orange Peel is? It's a perfect location for a band like Deerhunter. Corgan knows this and hates how insignificant his shit band is.
 
V

Viewt

Member
My favorite "Billy Corgan is a fucking asshole" story is how he's still bitter about that vague, offhand comment in that Pavement song from 1994.

Just found out SP is playing with Pavement in Brazil. It’s gonna be 1 of those New Orleans type funerals… I say that because they represent the death of the alternative dream, and we follow with the affirmation of life part… funny how those who pointed the big finger of ’sell out’ are the biggest offenders now…yawn. they have no love… by the way, we’ll be the band up there playing NEW songs because we have the love xx
Click to expand...

As you may recall, Malkmus once called Smashing Pumpkins “nature kids” who “don’t have no function,” then expressed his overall indifference to his inability to understand what they mean. Which is egregious, simply egregious—and also, vague and not that big a deal, really. But then Malkmus was egged on in various interviews, where he said that while he really liked the Pumpkins’ music, he didn’t really get their “rock star lifestyle” or whatever, which is the sort of thing you’d expect Stephen Malkmus to say in an interview. Anyway, that upset Corgan to the point where he threatened to drop off the headlining slot of the 1995 Lollapalooza if Pavement were allowed to play, and for some reason he seemed surprised that Malkmus continued to make fun of his massive ego ever after that. But now he’s getting his revenge, we guess, what with upholding the “alternative dream” and everything by not selling out and recording new songs. With Jessica Simpson. For her VH1 reality show.
Click to expand...

He has a tea shop out in the suburbs here, but I doubt I could ever bring myself to go there. The douche factor would just be too high if I actually spotted him.
 
Lionel Richie

Lionel Richie

Member
Stairouais said:
Also, DH is a far better band.
Click to expand...

Today? Yeah, sure, anyone that can fart and isn't a member of Weezer can make a better band than modern Smashing Pumpkins. However their first four albums are downright incredible, no matter how much Corgan tries to fuck that up.
 
F

freenudemacusers

Member
I have a soft spot for adore. It's weird funky album with drum machine electronica and you got a glimpse of d'arcy's boobs in the album liner. 👌🏻
 
captainnapalm

captainnapalm

Member
I like Adore and Melon Collie, but Siamese Dream is a legit masterpiece - without a doubt one of the best albums to come out of the 90s grunge/alternative period.

And yeah, everything you hear on that album is Billy Corgan, except for the drums. He re-recorded everyone's parts. It's pretty incredible.
 
O

OverBlood 3

Banned
Corgan may be a prick, but let's not be silly about SP. They were fantastic in their time.

Also Corgan's blog back in the day was a fascinating read, poor guy had a tough childhood.
 
C

ColdPizza

Banned
Deerhunter’s Bradford Cox Apologises To Billy Corgan For Water Bottle Story In Wake Of Scott Weiland’s Death

There's an article that goes along with this, but Cox wrote an apology note as well:

Bradford Cox’s Statement Apologising To Billy Corgan

Firstly, I would like to say that my intention was not to defame Billy Corgan. What I did was open my big fucking mouth and go off on one of my usual tangents. Some people call this “stage banter.” I do not need, or seek any attention, and in fact was embarrassed that this ended up being uploaded to Youtube, and then considered a news story. The story I told was just a contextual rap about something that happened at the venue we were playing – 8 years ago. I will be the first to admit that there are two sides to every story and it is unfair that I gave mine without the other party being there to counter.

The thing that bothered me most about this incident was that after I got off stage I went to the bus and was reading about Scott Weiland’s death (which I find very tragic) and happened upon Corgan’s very moving and heartfelt tribute to his deceased friend. I do not find any humor in kicking someone while they are down. Bringing up a half-remembered interaction from so many years ago was not beneficial to anyone, especially If it causes someone who is already going through a dark moment to feel slandered or attacked. I feel very insensitive and stupid in that regard.

As far as what was said at the show, I prefaced it all by saying it was my recollection of the events. As Corgan’s management has confirmed, it is all on video. I would like to avoid any further drama by just categorically retracting my statements out of respect. I respect anyone who has worked hard playing music for decades, seen their band fall apart because of things out of their control, continued to try to pursue artistic interests and had ups and downs. Perhaps I met Corgan and his crew at an especially difficult time for him. It would be completely hypocritical for me to imply that I have never been just as much of an asshole to people around me than I accused Corgan of being. Who am I to cast stones in a glass house?

I don’t know Billy Corgan other than a 5 minute interaction that left a definite impression on me. I have no doubt there are many sides to his character. My statement was my recollection of the events mixed with some humor. It was meant to be taken as casual stage banter. Not defamation or slander. The easiest thing for me to do to kill this story and hopefully avoid anymore drama is to admit it now. I was tacky and I retract my statements. If the video from 2007 ever does surface I will be very interested to see how my memory matches or contradicts reality.

In all earnestness I offer Corgan my apologies and my empathy during what I imagine is a difficult time with the loss of his friend.
Click to expand...
 
E

equippedwithtowel

Member
Lionel Richie said:
Today? Yeah, sure, anyone that can fart and isn't a member of Weezer can make a better band than modern Smashing Pumpkins. However their first four albums are downright incredible, no matter how much Corgan tries to fuck that up.
Click to expand...

Bradford Cox utterly outclasses Corgan in terms of body of work. Deerhunter is probably the most consistently great band of the past ten years.

edit: not that it really matters
 
bengraven

bengraven

Member
I'm a major Pumpkins fan, I love Billy's work, but like Lovecraft and Cosby I know they're pieces of fucking shit but I like what they put out.

Stories of Corgan's shittiness have become legend in the fandom. I would love to see them in concert, but I would never fucking go backstage.
 
D

Diablos

Member
There are two sides to every story but this sounds pretty authentic and there is no excuse for this kind of behavior. Corgan is a genius and I love so much of his music but he is a huge asshole. I do think he's mellowed out a bit over the past several years (I hope) but this story comes as no surprise. Corgan is, let's just say, not entirely mentally sound. His greatest strengths as a person and musician also play into his greatest weaknesses.

It's an interesting time to tell the story after Corgan penned such a nice eulogy to Scott Weiland, perhaps it was intentional to highlight that he's not always as rosy and thoughtful as he makes himself out to be.
 
D

dave is ok

aztek is ok
I think Corgan is just a really competitive and insecure guy. It's what makes him great, but also makes him an unbearable asshole.
 
D

Diablos

Member
Also, Corgan has a lot of nerve to cry 'assault' over something so trivial when he essentially verbally insulted and abused a transgendered person -- online, as a famous musician, for the world to see -- who made a guitar pedal that ripped off the SP sound.

That always struck me as odd when he did that (I believe it was on Myspace)... this guy who spent quite a few moments of his career dressed in drag and often singing with an effeminate style putting down a transgendered person.
 
diffusionx

diffusionx

Gold Member
Who hasn't had a contentious encounter with Billy Corgan at this point?

I love SP and he's a great guitarist but the chip on his shoulder would crush most men.
 
F

FrenchMovieTheme

Member
equippedwithtowel said:
Bradford Cox utterly outclasses Corgan in terms of body of work. Deerhunter is probably the most consistently great band of the past ten years.

edit: not that it really matters
Click to expand...

Lol no

Although billy has put out mostly garbage in recent years, there are few bands in the history of music that can top gish/sd/mcis/adore
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

Billy Corgan claims to have seen an actual shapeshifter
2 3
114
18K
Boss X replied
  • Locked
Billy Corgan pulls off heel turn, files lawsuit against his own wrestling company
2
70
10K
Curt Baboon replied
  • Locked
Bannon likes being compared to "Dick Cheney, Darth Vader, Satan"
2 3 4 5
216
26K
TheChaos0 replied
  • Locked
Shouting match erupts between Clinton and Trump aides at Harvard forum
2
74
12K
ultratruman replied
  • Locked
Chappelle criticizes Clinton and LGBT activists, defends Trump's sexual assault
10 11 12 13 14
691
98K
Ponn replied
Top Bottom