In a new conversation with Allison Hagendorf, Billy Corgan explained why the music industry disliked Eddie Vedder and Kurt Cobain.
“When you present an outlying system to a to a business that is all wrapped up, they’ll make the money off of you. But deep down, they’re resentful, because they can’t control you, right?” the singer said of the music scene in the early ’90s.
Corgan added, “They couldn’t control Kurt [Cobain], they couldn’t control Eddie [Vedder], they couldn’t control Layne [Staley] and Jerry [Cantrell]; they just couldn’t control us. And, deep down, they kind of hated that. So, you don’t realize that at the time, [but] there’s a ticking clock for them, looking to replace you.”
In a previous interview with the Guardian, Billy said that bands from the ’90s aren’t getting on the charts anymore. He also rejected the idea that new bands are inspired by those artists. He explained, “I don’t hear that. The mythology [of the ’90s] right now is irrelevant to combat the menace in America right now.”
The frontman also said that the money DJs are making shows how modern music mainly focuses on EDM. “People can get rosy and sentimental about something, but if it can’t compete it doesn’t mean anything,” Corgan shared.
He continued, “Meanwhile, EDM is kicking everybody’s f*cking a**. Look at the numbers the DJs are making! They’re kicking rock bands’ a**. And we’re sitting here talking about an era from 20 years ago because it’s misty in people’s minds. Meanwhile, there’s 60,000 people in a field watching a guy with lights behind him.”
As alternative rock became popular in America because of grunge bands like Nirvana and Pearl Jam, the Smashing Pumpkins also stood out as a successful band. During this time, they were often grouped with the grunge movement but Corgan didn’t like it.