Billy Corgan says the music industry is “designed to mess with your head”
The Smashing Pumpkins singer Billy Corgan has opened up about mental health in the music industry and said the business is “designed to mess with your head”.
In an honest conversation on New York’s WFAN Sports Radio, Corgan spoke about his abusive childhood, and how that has affected his general happiness as an adult. The Smashing Pumpkins singer revealingly stated how he doesn’t think anybody who works in the music industry can be truly happy because of its ignorance toward mental health.
“I don’t know if you can be happy in the music business because the music business is sort of designed to mess with your head,” Corgan explained. “I think the music business in particular has been very late to the game with mental health and artists.”
The Smashing Pumpkins frontman then used Jimi Hendrix as an example and claimed if there was more safeguarding in place, then he’d still be here today. “Think of all the music that Jimi Hendrix didn’t make,” he said. “We’re still talking about Jimi Hendrix 54 or 55 years after his death. I get lost in there because it’s so sad to me.”
Corgan then compared his profession with other industries and explained how far it’s lagging behind. “The NFL has figured it out but the music business hasn’t because the music business is based more on exploitation, which goes back to more of its 20th century roots. I think the 21st century of the music business should be a legacy of finding artists young, fostering them and making sure that they go on to create great music for generations to come.”
He solemnly added: “Think of all the people my generation has lost just to addiction and suicide alone. It is a travesty that there wasn’t more support systems around those artists. I don’t mean to throw shade at anybody. I just know how the business works. It’s one of exploitation.”
Meanwhile, The Smashing Pumpkins recently announced their new album ATUM. The first part of the 33-track record will be released on November 15th, with act two set to be released on January 31st 2023, and the closing section arriving on April 21st.
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