Pop Quiz: Catching up with Billy Corgan.
What’s in a name? For the artist known as Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins, releasing his latest album, “Ogilala,” under his birth name William Patrick Corgan, it’s a chance to start over and shake expectations. Except, he says, at 50 he doesn’t care all that much what people think of him. Produced by Rick Rubin, the album finds Corgan stripping away the feedback of his former band and putting his unaltered voice front and center over a set of intense ballads. He spoke to us from his home in Chicago. Q: Do you consider this a follow up to your first solo album, 2005’s “TheFutureEmbrace”? A: I don’t delineate the projects by solo, band, whatever — it’s all the same to me. It’s just the next chapter to what I’m doing. Q: In that case, why isn’t everything you do Smashing Pumpkins? A: I would say over time it took me time to realize how people identified certain people and certain voices to a certain time. In their minds, the Smashing Pumpkins is very much stamped James, D’arcy, Billy and Jimmy. I’m not that interested in doing Smashing Pumpkins anymore without the original members involved because it just doesn’t feel as good as it should feel. Q: You have this great new project, but you’re still competing with your 1994 self on Spotify. Is it a losing battle? A: I don’t mind it. People will find the band and my work. It will all eventually work out, and I think fans will eventually figure out for themselves what they value about my work. I’ve sort of gone out of the argument business. Q: Now that you’re starting over, do you feel like an outsider again? A: All I know is, from the time I came on this planet to now, the world feels crazier and I feel more sane. If I’m wrong, I’m happy to be in that daydream. Q: You’re the last man standing of a certain tribe. Do you ever look around and think, “How did I survive?” A: I really grieve those who are not taking the journey with me. Speaking as someone from a generation, it grieves me that there are not so many great voices that are not along for the ride and helping bolster the argument that our generation was incredibly valuable and continues to be valuable. Q: Your voice sounds so different on “Ogilala.” Do you like the way it’s changed? A: The funny thing about the voice is that was more of an affected character that I sang in. My voice is completely intact. It’s actually not damaged at all. The way I sing on the album is actually my natural singing voice. It’s the raw instrument. All the things people would associate with me, including the nails on the chalkboard voice, that was all a decision like you would pick a guitar sound. Q: As a frequent target of online memes, have social media ruined the mystique around rock stars? A: I don’t really care. You end up fighting windmills. There’s a certain unfair quality if you were raised in a different time with different technology and you’re expected to be just as agile in this world with this set of rules. I’m a true punk. I really don’t ... care. And as long as I’m good at what I do, people still kind of pay some form of attention.