Those who say to “never meet your idols” have clearly never met Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan. Here’s the thing: Corgan gets a bad rap from people like me in “the media,” some of whom have heard cautionary tales about the musicians’ gruff interactions with their peers. That reputation snowballs with more “bad interviews,” because if you walk into any interview with your head already in a space of confrontation, where else can a conversation go?
Smashing Pumpkins may not be classified as “Dad Rock” but Corgan is, in fact, a dad… who rocks. You dish a ’tude or deal out bad info, he’s going to call you on it. That’s what dads do. That’s what any human would do when constantly confronted with bullshit. And this industry definitely lobs its fair share of BS in Corgan’s direction. Is he perfect? Nah. But here’s one of my favorite (me-centric) Corgan stories to help prove he’s not necessarily a bad guy.
In a lovely, bougie suburb of Chicago there once sat an equally lovely tea shop called Madame ZuZu’s, owned by the Smashing Pumpkins leader. Everything about it screamed of William Patrick Corgan, from the cool red-and-black, Art Deco-inspired wallpaper to the Pumpkins memorabilia that littered the walls. They even sold records from Corgan’s personal collection. (I bought a Danny Kaye album and regret nothing.) It was perfection. I used to spend an exorbitant amount of time in Chicago and stopped into ZuZu’s often, aching to meet one of my idols.
A few Halloweens ago, it finally happened. Corgan decided to “DJ” a set at ZuZu’s and it was open to the public. After much begging and pleading, I convinced my best friend to go with me. It was everything I’d hoped for. The lights were dim. The place was crowded but not balls-to-the-wall. Corgan’s music choices were fantastically old, epic and often cheesy. I was in my element. This, I knew, was where I belonged. I got comfortable. I leaned back against the wall. I landed on the freaking light switch. I lit up the whole room, killing the vibe in a split second. I wanted to die. If you’re a cynic, this is where you’re probably expecting to hear about getting yelled at or kicked out. But no. Instead, Corgan looked up at me with the most fake-stern expression he could muster and then smiled when I frantically apologized. Because, y’all, this idol doesn’t suck.
Maybe we, the media, got it wrong all along. Maybe I, a fan, am seeing things through rose-tinted glasses. But, my guess is that it’s somewhere in between. The look that he gave me that night wasn’t just a nice guy being silly with an embarrassed fan. It was the look millions of dads have given their kids when they pushed the limits. I think, of everything WPC has witnessed and let mold him into the human he is (flaws and all), it’s Mr. Choo-Choo and Clementine who have changed the dad rocker the most.
Hot off a crazy successful Smashing Pumpkins tour and with promises of more new music ahead, Corgan is apparently up for making another waltz across the United States this fall and winter.
He’s coming to Madison Theater this Friday, Nov. 15 ahead of the release a new record, Cotillions, which is due Nov. 22. It sounds like we should expect less of the glam from the Smashing Pumpkins tour, a stripped-down acoustic affair. But, it’s Billy, right? Does he do anything without at least a few ounces of flair? Come see my idol. No promises, but I’m pretty sure that if you play nice, so will he.
