"Maybe it's an American problem, but America's really into humility," Corgan tells Gigwise. "You know like 'hey, I'm just happy to be here' - but that's just not rock n' roll. I got in band to kick your head and fuckin' 'let's rock'. All that stuff just really bothers me." As far as statements of intent go, you'd struggle to find a more bold and all-encompassing leap forwards than new album Monuments To An Elegy.
Watch our video interview with Billy Corgan above
"I haven't seen this monumentum from the fan base, probably since Mellon Collie," Corgan tells Gigwise about his following's avid reaction to Monuments To An Elegy. "Which is pretty wild because I'm used to them moaning and saying it's not 'pick your record' - so it seems to be that's over finally. I thought the day would never come."
He continued: "I don't feel like I'm even close to getting the credit that I deserve, which is a weird thing and I even hesitate saying it. Immediately somebody says 'what does that mean?' What I mean by that, is that I wrote more hits than anybody in my generation - I'm not seen as a songwriter. I helped launch a bunch of people playing in guitar bands - Muse being the perfect example: the sound, the feel, God bless them, they're a great band."
It's so great to have Pumpkins back, looking to the future rather than leaning on the past. Watch above as Corgan discusses being seeing as 'the weird uncle' of music, breaking different sounds in the mainstream, the feel of the new record, the band's legacy, what 'Smashing Pumpkins' means around the world and his thoughts on critics.
Watch our video interview with Billy Corgan above
Monuments To An Elegy by Smashing Pumpkins is out now
Read our review of their Koko show with Marilyn Manson here
