The weird feud between Billy Corgan and Soundgarden: “I condemn anybody who’s in that business”
The Smashing Pumpkins frontman and guitar virtuoso Billy Corgan is no stranger to feuds, always ready to offer his unfiltered two cents. There’s something undeniably entertaining about an opinionated rock star, and Corgan delivers his critiques with a distinctively flat, unwavering cadence. An incredible musician and songwriter in his own right, Corgan’s musical legacy occasionally gets overshadowed by his outspoken media persona and his controversial, often contradictory, opinions.
The list of people Billy Corgan has feuded with seems endless. Courtney Love, Radiohead, Pavement, D’arcy Wretzky, James Iha, and even Anderson Cooper found themselves on the receiving end of Corgan’s sharp tongue—Cooper notably in 2014. However, in 2012, Corgan ignited yet another rivalry. While this might seem like standard behaviour for the outspoken frontman, this particular falling-out stung more deeply. It involved an old friend, and sadly, it was a rift that would never be mended.
In 2021, before playing a show in the Philippines, Corgan told the media outlet Philstar that grunge outfit Soundgarden, who famously reunited in 2010, were nothing short of a “nostalgia act”. It’s the kind of critique which would leave almost every band foaming at the mouth. Corgan wasn’t worried about offending anyone and kicked it all off by claiming: “There are those bands that are essentially coming back only to make money – playing their old albums, and maybe somewhere in the back of their minds they’re thinking there might be a future.”
He continued: “I am not in that business, obviously. I condemn anybody who’s in that business but doesn’t admit (he’s) in that business. When Soundgarden came back and they just played their old songs, great. I was a fan of Soundgarden, but call it for what it is. They’re just out there to have one more round at the till; same with Pavement and these other bands.”
Although this was quite obviously a slight from Corgan towards Soundgarden, some suggested he might renege on the comments and calm down the issues. Instead, he would take the feud one step further. That same month, he appeared on a radio station and claimed that Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell had started the rivalry in 2007.
This was not the first time Corgan had tried to turn the truth around, as he had done similarly at different points by blaming ex-Smashing Pumpkins bassist D’arcy Wretzky and guitarist James Iha for the band’s original split in 2000. Although to everyone else, it was quite clearly Corgan who had the definitive say in them calling it quits. In 2005, Iha said: “No, I didn’t break up the band. The only person who could have done that is Billy.”
This seemingly unexpected feud between Corgan and Chris, along with Soundgarden, was all the more perplexing because Corgan and Cornell had been friends since 1991. Corgan had even expressed admiration for Soundgarden, claiming to have been a fan since their “2nd EP.” While the exact details of what may have occurred behind closed doors remain unclear, Corgan’s public comments about Cornell certainly seemed strange, given their prior friendship and mutual respect.
He said: “When we’re sitting there having conversations about who is doing what, I am no longer going to shield somebody.” For Corgan, his comments were designed to push Soundgarden to challenge themselves creatively rather than remain a legacy act. He continued: “I want all of my generation to raise the bar, and I don’t appreciate when somebody from my generation who I once considered a friend decides to take a leak in my little corner for whatever reason, right around the same time he’s making the Timbaland album. You know what I mean?”.
Regardless of Corgan’s point about raising the bar, which carries some weight, Cornell wasn’t having any of it from his former friend. A few months later, he opened up about their now tarnished relationship and told ABC Radio: “When Billy Corgan was completely broke, I got him a movie deal with (director) Cameron Crowe, where he made $40,000. He was very happy about that, and he was specifically happy about the $40,000. So next time you see him, tell him he owes me my $40,000 back.”
Nobody knows for sure which film reignited Billy Corgan’s spark, but rumours suggest it might have been Cameron Crowe’s 1992 classic rom-com Singles. Featuring leading alternative groups of the era like Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, and Alice in Chains, the film was a perfect match for its rocking soundtrack. Among its standout tracks is The Smashing Pumpkins’ ‘Drown’ leading many to believe Singles could be the project that helped Corgan find his footing once more.
Either way, Soundgarden guitarist Kim Thayil would have the most cutting words. At that point, all of Corgan’s comments were deeply hypocritical. Corgan has a habit of running his mouth, and before he did this time, he should have been a little more aware of his perception. After all, he had reformed the Pumpkins without any of the original lineups, and Thayil was quick to pounce on this point.
The Soundgarden guitarist noted: “Here’s how it’s possible to do a bad record. You’ve got one moron who runs the whole thing and a bunch of guys they hire around him. Now you can make a bad record because your stupid ideas aren’t being bounced around, going to the fucking ether he’d say.”
Thayil was right; most of the Pumpkins’ material without the original lineup has been pretty forgettable, with it largely resembling a Corgan solo project. Even more significantly, Cornell and Corgan would never make up. The Soundgarden frontman tragically committed suicide in 2017 after battling personal demons for his entire adult life. He left behind a brilliant sonic legacy in which he continues to live on.
In the wake of Cornell’s passing, Corgan told SF Weekly: “I wish I had more answers and I’d done more. I knew Chris, and we had a bit of a falling out and were never able to patch that up. I wish I hadn’t contributed in even the most minuscule way to his unhappiness. I wish I’d have been a force for encouragement because he influenced me, and I looked up to him.”
It was a sad end to a life and a friendship. You’d have thought that in the wake of Cornell’s death, it would have made Corgan rethink his strategy, and in some ways, he has. In 2018, his longstanding spat with Wretzky briefly reared its head, as did an Instagram “meme war” with Smash Mouth over the Shrek soundtrack.
In November 2018, he told USA Today: “I don’t comment on any artist. There’s no way to say anything about anybody.” It seems this is true, as Corgan has been relatively quiet on the feuding front ever since. Long may it continue.
