The group Billy Corgan called “the greatest metal band on the planet”
Whilst The Smashing Pumpkins have encompassed many different genres in their time, one area they are inextricably linked to is metal. Growing up consuming much of what came out of the world of devil horns, the band’s frontman and guitarist, Billy Corgan, developed his craft by keeping a close eye on the scenes’ developments.
Since the days when his hair was flowing past his shoulders, Corgan has been one of the most interesting commentators on metal, and given his creative achievements, they’re always a fascinating source of wisdom. When speaking to Artist Direct in 2012, Corgan demonstrated that his knowledge is more substantial than most. “Heavy metal is obviously way more mainstream than it used to be,” he started.
“For the most part, musicality is really embraced in heavy metal. A lot of us ‘alt people’ have stolen vigorously from that musicality,” he added.
“Then, of course, those guys go and name-check Radiohead as their influence and they fail to mention Mercyful Fate—it’s a band that makes (t)his list with their album Melissa an album which nearly severed friendships! This album so freaked out the drummer in my high school band that he forbid me to listen to it in his presence. Super prog.”
Elsewhere, in 2010, Music Radar asked Corgan for the names of his top ten metal albums of all time. In response, he demonstrated the breadth of his taste by naming titles by various acts from across the metal spectrum, including Black Sabbath, Slayer and Rainbow. His collection proved a short but enlightening trip through some of the genre’s most vital records. He also relayed an anecdote where he labelled one act “the greatest metal band in the world”.
Making a point to note some of the scene’s cornerstones, one group that he showered praise on was groove metal pioneers, Pantera. Revealing that he’s seen them numerous times, Corgan said he even fanboyed the Texan group once backstage by labelling them the best metal band on the planet. The Smashing Pumpkins man recalled: “I had the privilege of seeing Pantera three times… and once stood like a geeky fan backstage and declared, ‘Boys, you are now the greatest metal band in the world!'”
Reflecting Corgan’s understanding of metal’s proliferation, he even included one of the most influential precursors to the genre in his list, The Stooges’ 1970 effort Fun House. He said: “It put the punk into metal or the other way around. Essential listening.”
