The Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan slammed two different guitar companies for having something in common: ‘treating artists like sh*t.’
The rocker took to Instagram stories to share different guitarists’ views on different guitar companies. He shared Joe Bonamassa’s words in an interview about the ‘weird guitar industry.’ Bonamassa had said:
“Fender are in a weird business. Imagine being the CEO of Ford, and your core business is making a car that looks the same as the one you made in the 1950s?”
Smashing Pumpkins singer shared his experience:
“Maybe it also has something to do with them treating artists like toys or commodities or as we say here in Chicago, like sh*t.”
John Squire had also shared his thoughts on guitar companies. He recalled his conversation with Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page and said:
“Jimmy Page said to me, ‘Have Gibson not been onto you?’ And I said, ‘No. Maybe I play too many strats.’ I think it’s more likely that they don’t know who I am.”
Corgan added his own comment:
“And Gibson isn’t much better.”
Gibson and Fender ‘Disrespected’ Corgan
This isn’t the first time the singer opened up about both companies. In an Instagram story Q&A, Billy Corgan touched on his relationships with both Fender and Gibson. When asked by a fan if he’d collaborate with Fender again, he responded shortly with:
“Never.”
He then explained:
“They disrespected me and I would never go back. Too petty to get into.”
As it appears, it’s not just Fender. Corgan also expressed dissatisfaction with Gibson, stating:
“Gibson also blew me off so I’ll play them, but I won’t work with them. Want them to survive though.”
Corgan once teamed up with Fender for a signature Stratocaster. The signature strat was produced from 2008 to 2012 but was then discontinued, with no plans for revival.