Much Music I & I
July 1998
Sook-Yin Lee: HEY, EVERYBODY. WELCOME BACK TO THE MuchMusic "INTIMATE & INTERACTIVE" WITH THE SMASHING PUMPKINS. WE'RE IN YET ANOTHER ROOM IN THE MuchMusic BUILDING. HELLO, BAND OF THE EVENING: BILLY CORGAN, D'ARCY, JAMES IHA... THE SMASHING PUMPKINS.
D'Arcy: THAT'S REALLY AMAZING BECAUSE IT USED TO BE LIKE FLAVOUR OF THE MONTH, THEN FLAVOUR OF THE WEEK, AND NOW THAT'S ALMOST LIKE FLAVOUR OF THE EVENING. (Laughter) CHOICE - SP. DESIG. TASTE THIS. REMEMBER TO BRUSH YOUR TEETH!
Sook-Yin: TASTE THIS. REMEMBER TO BRUSH YOUR TEETH!
Billy: THAT WAS A REALLY GOOD SOUNDTRACK WHEN WE GET TO DO THE REAL THING.
Sook-Yin Lee: OH? WHY DO YOU SAY THAT? WERE YOU UNHAPPY WITH THAT?
Billy: IT SUCKED.
D'Arcy: DID YOU HEAR THAT?
Sook-Yin Lee: I HEARD IT. I WAS RIGHT UP-CLOSE, THOUGH. WELL, DO YOU WANT TO... YOU WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THE BASS CUTTING IN AND OUT, RIGHT? DO YOU WANT TO CLARIFY THAT TO THE AUDIENCE OUT THERE?
Billy: IT WAS A BUM CHORD. NO, NO, 'CAUSE THEY DIDN'T HEAR IT. OKAY, LET'S MOVE ON.
D'Arcy: DON'T MENTION THE CUTTING OUT.
Sook-Yin Lee: DON'T MENTION... ENOUGH SAID.
D'Arcy: WE'LL JUST PLAY THE SAME SET AGAIN WHEN WE PLAY AGAIN... 'TIL WE GET IT RIGHT. TAKE TWO...
Sook-Yin Lee: YEAH. BEAUTIFUL ALBUM, BEAUTIFULLY-CRAFTED ALBUM AND IT'S INTERESTING TO SEE YET ANOTHER SIDE OF THE BAND REVEALED. I WAS READING SOME STUFF AND SOMEBODY DESCRIBED THE ALBUM AS "CAMPFIRE SONGS FOR THE COMPUTER AGE." DOES THAT RING A BELL WITH YOU?
D'Arcy: THAT WOULD BE HIM.
Billy: DID I SAY THAT?
Sook-Yin Lee: YES, YOU DID.
choice DOES IT MAKE SENSE TO YOU?
D'Arcy: DOES IT MAKE SENSE TO YOU? IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME EITHER.
Billy: NO. THE OTHER BILLY SAID IT. THERE'S TWO.
D'Arcy: I THOUGH THERE WAS LIKE SIX.
Billy: WELL, THIS BILLY BELIEVES THERE'S ONLY TWO, BUT THE OTHER BILLY BELIEVES THERE'S MORE BILLYS. SO IT DEPENDS ON WHICH BILLY YOU ASK HOW MANY BILLYS ARE THERE.
D'Arcy: THAT MAKES SENSE.
Sook-Yin Lee: HOW DIFFICULT IS IT TO INJECT OR CONVEY SOUL, SPIRIT THROUGH ALL THIS TECHNOLOGY, ALL THE TECHNOLOGY OF THE INDUSTRY AND THIS CAMERA AND EVERYTHING?
Billy: IT'S ACTUALLY VERY EASY. PEOPLE THESE DAYS ARE GETTING VERY CAUGHT UP IN THE POLITICS OF HOW PEOPLE ARE DOING THINGS, AND THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS IT'S EITHER GOOD OR IT'S BAD AND YOU EITHER LIKE IT OR YOU DON'T. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE SOUNDS. WE HAVE USED SYNTHESIZERS FOR YEARS; WE'VE USED TONNES OF GUITAR EFFECTS FOR YEARS. NO ONE EVER COMPLAINED ABOUT ALL THE GUITAR EFFECTS WE USED TO MAKE ARTIFICIAL GUITAR SOUNDS. SO WE ALL THINK IT'S KIND OF LIKE A POLITICAL CROCK BECAUSE EVERYONE'S TRYING TO DIVIDE ONE THING AND THE OTHER. YOU KNOW, WE WANT PEOPLE TO JUST JUDGE US BASED ON OUR MUSIC. IF THEY DON'T LIKE IT, IT'S COOL BUT, YOU KNOW, THIS WORK IS AS GOOD, IF NOT BETTER... MANY REVIEWS THAT WE'VE READ, PEOPLE ARE SAYING THIS IS THE BEST ALBUM WE HAVE MADE, THAT IT'S A BREAKTHROUGH ALBUM FOR US. WITH THAT'S GOING TO COME A CERTAIN CONFUSION. PEOPLE AREN'T GOING TO UNDERSTAND WHERE WE'RE COMING FROM, BUT THEY DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHERE WE WERE COMING FROM IN '91 WHEN WE FIRST CAME UP HERE AND DID INTERVIEWS AND EVERYONE WAS SAYING, "WHY ARE YOU DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING?" SO IT'S THE SAME THING ALL OVER AGAIN, BUT WE'RE HAVING A GOOD TIME WITH IT.
Sook-Yin Lee: COOL. YOU'VE DONE SOMETHING REALLY PROGRESSIVE ON THIS TOUR, WHERE ALL THE PROCEEDS ARE GOING TO A VARIETY OF CHARITIES THAT BENEFIT KIDS, HOMELESS KIDS, KIDS WHO ARE VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC ABUSE. THAT'S AN INCREDIBLE THING. AND I'M WONDERING WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO SUPPORT YOUNG PEOPLE?
James: WHY WHAT? (Laughter)
Sook-Yin Lee: WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO SUPPORT YOUNG PEOPLE?
James: WELL, WE JUST WANTED TO DO A DIFFERENT --
D'Arcy: WE WERE YOUNG ONCE. WE WERE KIDS ONCE. WE REMEMBER.
Sook-Yin Lee: I MEAN, YOU COULD HAVE PICKED LOTS OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
James: WE CHOSE MOSTLY LIKE WHAT YOU WERE SAYING, CHILDREN'S CHARITIES, BECAUSE WE CHOSE NOT TO GET INVOLVED WITH THINGS OF A POLITICAL-SOUNDING NATURE AND I THINK THE GREAT THING ABOUT ALL THESE CHARITIES WE HAVE CHOSEN, THEY ARE ALL REALLY PROGRESSIVE, SORT OF FAIRLY NEW CHARITIES, AND THEY ARE VERY PURE AND IT'S JUST SUCH A NICE THING TO DO, AND I DON'T THINK ANYONE CAN SAY THE BAND HAS ANOTHER AGENDA AT HAND.
Billy: PLUS THE OTHER THING IS WE'RE TIRED OF HEARING THAT GENERATION "X" IS A BUNCH OF SELFISH WHINERS WHO DON'T CARE ABOUT ANYBODY ELSE. WE GENERATION "Xers" KNOW THAT'S TOTALLY UNTRUE. THE MUSIC THAT WE'VE MADE WAS AN EXPRESSION OF OUR FEELINGS, BUT IT DIDN'T MEAN WE'RE JUST GOING TO SIT AROUND AND DO NOTHING AND JUST PLAY COMPUTER GAMES FOR THE REST OF ETERNITY. NOW WE ARE STARTING TO THROW OUR WEIGHT AROUND BECAUSE WE CAN THROW OUR WEIGHT AROUND. IT'S ALWAYS WHAT WE WANTED TO DO AND NOW WE'RE DOING IT.
Sook-Yin Lee: WHERE DID YOU GET YOUR SUPPORT FROM WHEN YOU WERE GROWING UP?
Billy: THAT'S THE IRONIC THING. FOR ME, I DIDN'T FEEL I HAD THE SUPPORT SYSTEMS THAT A LOT OF THESE CHARITIES ARE PROVIDING PEOPLE NOW, WHETHER IT'S SUICIDE PREVENTION, TRYING TO GET TO KIDS EARLY ABOUT DRUGS AND THINGS SO THEY DON'T FIND THEMSELVES IN SITUATIONS THEY CAN'T HANDLE. AND I FELT I WAS IN A LOT OF SITUATIONS I COULDN'T HANDLE AND IT TOOK A REAL STRENGTH OF CHARACTER TO GET THROUGH A LOT OF DIFFICULT SITUATIONS. NOT EVERYBODY HAS THAT STRENGTH OF CHARACTER. AND THEY NEED THAT SUPPORT, WHETHER IT'S TEACHERS OR PEOPLE WORKING WITH THE SCHOOLS... AND SO WE'RE WORKING WITH A LOT OF THOSE KINDS OF PROGRAMS THAT ARE REACHING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY, TO KIDS AT A YOUNG AGE TO SAY, "WE CARE ABOUT YOU AND WE'RE HERE FOR YOU." NOT WAIT 'TIL THEY MAKE A MISTAKE AND THEN THEY END UP IN JAIL AND THEN "WE'RE HERE FOR YOU." YOU HAVE TO REWARD THE KIDS WHO ARE GOOD AND NOT JUST THE KIDS THAT ARE BAD WITH ATTENTION.
Sook-Yin Lee: THERE'S TONNES OF KIDS -- OR YOUNG PEOPLE HERE TO SEE YOU TONIGHT, AND I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THE FIRST QUESTION FROM AN AUDIENCE QUESTION.
HI.
Billy: YO!
MY NAME IS FRANK SAUVE AND I'M FROM OTTAWA. I WANT TO SAY, FIRST, YOUR C.D. "ADORE" IS AMAZING, AND JUST PLEASE KEEP ON BRINGING THE GOOD MUSIC. MY QUESTION FOR YOU GUYS IS WHEN YOU GUYS MAKE A SONG, WHAT COMES FIRST? IS IT THE MUSICAL PRESENTATIONS OR THE EMOTIONAL FEEL TO THE SONG?
James: GOOD QUESTION.
Billy: WELL, IT'S BEEN DIFFERENT THROUGH THE YEARS, BUT I WOULD SAY WITH "ADORE," IT WAS TRYING TO GET ALL THE FEELINGS ALL AT THE SAME TIME. A LOT OF THE SONGS WERE WRITTEN LITERALLY IN ONE MORNING OR ONE DAY AND THEN RECORDED THAT SAME DAY TO TRY TO CAPTURE A CERTAIN KIND OF FEELING. YOU KNOW HOW WHEN YOU WAKE UP ON A CERTAIN DAY AND IT'S NOT A HAPPY DAY OR A SAD DAY BUT THERE'S A CERTAIN FEELING? IT'S LIKE TRYING TO CAPTURE THOSE KINDS OF FEELINGS, THE IN-BETWEEN FEELINGS.
Sook-Yin Lee: FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS PEOPLE OUTSIDE HAVE BEEN LINING UP OUTSIDE AT THESE THINGS CALLED SPEAKERS' CORNERS, ROVING ALL ACROSS CANADA, AND WE HAVE A QUESTION FROM SOMEBODY ALL THE WAY FROM HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA.
Billy: SO IF THEY ASK A SILLY QUESTION, WE CAN'T HIT THEM OR ANYTHING?
Sook-Yin Lee: THAT'S RIGHT. TURN THE CHANNEL.
Billy: THEY'RE IN A BOOTH.
I'M ANDY FROM HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA. AND MICHELE.
BILLY, WE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THIS: YOU HAVE OFTEN BEEN QUOTED AS SAYING MUSIC IN GENERAL HELPS YOU ESCAPE. WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO ESCAPE FROM AND HOW DOES THE PUMPKINS' MUSIC TAKE YOU THERE?
Sook-Yin Lee: DUH-DUH-DUH-DUN-DUN... WHAT ARE YOU ESCAPING FROM?
Billy: I'M REALLY BIG AND I ALWAYS WANTED TO BE SMALL. SO I FIGURE THE MORE OF MYSELF I GIVE AWAY, THE SMALLER I'LL BE, UNTIL THERE'S NOTHING LEFT TO GIVE AWAY.
Sook-Yin Lee: IT'S KIND OF AN ODD QUESTION IN THAT YOU COULD BE ESCAPING FROM SOMETHING OR YOU COULD BE RUNNING TOWARD SOMETHING. DO YOU FIND YOURSELF -- ARE YOU INTERESTED IN PARTICULAR THINGS YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE AS A PERSON?
Billy: WE ALL KNOW THERE'S NO ESCAPE... (Banging sound)
Sook-Yin Lee: UH-OH! THERE'S NO ESCAPE.
Billy: SEE? THAT'S RIGHT. THEY ARE TRYING TO GET AWAY AND THEY CAN'T.
THE MuchMusic STAFF JUST TACKLED THEM!
D'Arcy: SOMETHING REALLY BAD JUST HAPPENED.
Billy: NO, I THINK EVERYBODY FEELS YOU HAVE TO LIVE IN YOUR OWN SKIN. I DON'T FEEL THAT WAY ANYMORE. I DON'T THINK I'M TRYING TO ESCAPE FROM ANYTHING. I THINK MY WHOLE GOAL IN LIFE IS TO ACCEPT MYSELF FOR THE FREAK THAT I AM. I THINK WE'RE PRETTY COMFORTABLE AS A BAND WITH OURSELVES AS WHO WE ARE. AT THIS POINT, WHAT CAN THEY SAY THAT HASN'T ALREADY BEEN SAID ABOUT US? WE'RE OUT OF OUR MINDS. ANYTHING THROWN ON TOP OF THE LABELS WE'VE ALREADY BEEN GIVEN IS JUST MORE FUNNINESS.
Sook-Yin Lee: SO YOU'VE GOT A DETACHMENT THERE? YOU'RE NOT HIP ANYMORE?
Billy: WE'RE SO HIP IT HURTS.
Sook-Yin Lee: ON THE PHONE WE HAVE NIPSI FROM HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA. Caller: HI. I WANTED TO ASK D'ARCY WHAT IT'S LIKE BEING THE ONLY FEMALE OF THE GROUP WHEN THE OTHERS ARE MALE?
James: (In high-pitched voice) WELL...
D'Arcy: EXCUSE ME?
Billy: SHE WANTS TO KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE A GIRL WITH A BUNCH OF DUMB GUYS AROUND?
D'Arcy: IT'S NICE TO BE THE SMARTEST. THAT'S GOOD.
Billy: OUCH.
Caller: IS THAT ALL?
D'Arcy: NO, I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION. I JUST ANSWERED BILLY'S QUESTION.
James: THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT SHE ASKED. WHAT'S IT LIKE BEING A GIRL AMONGST GUYS IN A BAND?
D'Arcy: SO NO DUMB THING? I LIKED THAT. THAT WAS MY FAVOURITE PART, THE DUMB GUY THING. BUT IT'S NOT TRUE ANYWAY. IT'S PRETTY IRRELEVANT. NONE OF US REALLY THINK ABOUT THAT. I DON'T KNOW... I DON'T THINK IN THOSE TERMS. I NEVER DID, I GUESS. I WAS ALWAYS SORT OF A TOMBOY OR SOMETHING, ALWAYS SORT OF, YOU KNOW, PLAYING WITH RACE CARS AND ARMY MEN AND BUILDING FORTS, SO I DON'T KNOW. IT'S JUST NORMAL FOR ME.
Billy: HAVING A FEMALE IN THE BAND IS OF SUCH LITTLE IMPORTANCE TO US ON A LEVEL OF WHAT WE CARE ABOUT. WHEN WE'RE ON STAGE, YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO WE ARE, WHERE WE COME FROM OR ANYTHING. WE'RE JUST HUMAN BEINGS AND WE KNOW EACH OTHER THAT WAY.
James: WE WOULD TAKE AN ALIEN IN THE BAND IF WE COULD FIND ONE THAT PLAYED GOOD GUITAR.
Billy: DRUMS.
James: AN ALIEN DRUMMER. MAYBE HE WOULD HAVE THREE HANDS. (Laughter)
Sook-Yin Lee: YOU'RE THE ALIEN, THE STAR TREK GUY.
James: I AM THE ALIEN.
Sook-Yin Lee: WE HAVE AN E-MAIL...
D'Arcy: ISN'T THAT SCARY?!
Sook-Yin Lee: SCARY? (Laughing) DO YOU FIND THERE'S A LOT OF PRESSURE TO SAY THE RIGHT THING AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE UNDERSTOOD?
Billy: WHAT? I DON'T UNDERSTAND. I DON'T KNOW. I MEAN, WE HAVE ALWAYS LOOKED AT IT LIKE WE HAVE OUR OWN PERSONAL OPINIONS AND HAVE VERY STRONG OPINIONS BUT THEY'RE JUST OUR OPINIONS. WHAT PEOPLE FEEL FOR THEMSELVES IS INFINITELY MORE IMPORTANT THAN WHAT WE HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THINGS. WE NEVER FELT THAT WE HAD ANYTHING OVER ANYBODY. I THINK THAT'S WHY THE BAND HAS SUCH A HUGE CONNECTION WITH FANS IS BECAUSE WE'RE NOT PLAYING DOWN TO PEOPLE BUT STRAIGHT AT THEM. THAT'S HOW WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN. I APPRECIATE THE QUESTION, BUT TO US IT'S NOT LIKE THAT.
Sook-Yin Lee: AND WE HAVE A FAX RIGHT NOW. LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.
Billy: WE'RE SO HIGH-TECH HERE.
James: WE HAVE A MORSE CODE MESSAGE NEXT.
Sook-Yin Lee: S.O...
Billy: A LIVE LINK TO THE MIR SPACE STATION...
Sook-Yin Lee: THE FAX IS FROM JAMES --
Billy: SENDING YOUR OWN FAX. THAT'S UNBELIEVABLE. "YOUR ALBUM IS REALLY BRILLIANT. TELL US ABOUT IT."
James: WELL...
Sook-Yin Lee: IT SAYS, "THIS QUESTION IS DIRECTED TO JAMES AND BILLY. ARE YOU GUYS GOING TO DO ANY MORE SOLO ALBUMS?"
D'Arcy: ON THE SLY.
Billy: I SNUCK ONE IN ON THE SIDE. IT SOLD 1 MILLION COPIES IN NOVA SCOTIA.
D'Arcy: AND HE KEPT IT A SECRET FROM ME AND JAMES.
James: IT WAS BIG IN THE FISHING INDUSTRY OUT THERE.
Billy: IT WAS SEA SHANTIES...
James: BY THE SEASHORE.
Billy: IT'S CALLED "LONELY SONGS FOR LONELY MEN ON BOATS." (Laughter)
James: I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO GET SOME ANGRY FISHERMEN NOW OR PROTESTING FISH MONGERS.
Billy: THERE'S ISN'T A SEGMENT OF THE POPULATION THAT WE HAVEN'T PISSED OFF, SO... IF FISHERMEN ARE A NEW ONE, I'M GLAD TO GO THERE.
Sook-Yin Lee: SO ARE YOU GOING TO DO ANY SOLO ALBUMS?
James: NO IMMEDIATE PLANS, BUT I'M SURE DOWN THE ROAD.
Sook-Yin Lee: AND YOU REVEAL YOURSELF AS SUCH A MUSHY GUY...
James: SUE ME IM SENSITIVE.
Sook-Yin Lee: THIS FELLOW RIGHT HERE HAS A QUESTION. FROM OTTAWA, TREMENDOUS FAN... I WAS WONDERING TO WHAT EXTENT THE NON-MUSICAL DYNAMICS WITHIN THE BAND AFFECT THE MUSIC?
Billy: THAT'S A VERY ASTUTE QUESTION. I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE MOST MISUNDERSTOOD THINGS ABOUT THE PUMPKINS IS THAT IT IS THE INNER DYNAMIC THAT WE HAVE THAT MAKES OUR MUSIC VERY POIGNANT TO US. AND PEOPLE GET CAUGHT UP IN LIKE "I DID THIS. THEY DID THAT." IT'S NEVER BEEN LIKE THAT WAY FOR US. IT REALLY IS THE CHEMISTRY BETWEEN US. THE OTHER DAY I WAS DOING AN INTERVIEW AND THE GUY ASKED ME "WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR JAMES AND D'ARCY TO STILL BE IN THE BAND?" AND I SAID, "WELL, EVERY SONG THAT I'VE EVER WRITTEN THAT MEANS ANYTHING TO ME, JAMES AND D'ARCY WERE IN THE ROOM." SO WHATEVER THAT CHEMISTRY IS, WHATEVER DYNAMIC WE HAVE, IT'S A MAGICAL THING, AND AT THIS POINT, WE DON'T EVEN QUESTION IT. I FEEL VERY STRONGLY THAT D'ARCY REALLY IS THE MORAL CONSCIENCE OF THE BAND; I MEAN, D'ARCY IS THE STRONGEST PERSON IN THE BAND. AND JAMES IS PROBABLY THE MOST SENSIBLE, SO BETWEEN THE THREE OF US... AND I'M THE ONE OVER THERE. IN BETWEEN THE TWO OF THEM... THERE'S A POLAR AXIS THAT GOES ON THAT LEVELS ME OUT AND I THINK PULLS THEM IN AND OUT. SO IT'S PRETTY AMAZING.
James: YOU'VE GOT IT ALL WRONG! (Laughing)
Sook-Yin Lee: NOW GOING ALL THE WAY TO THE WEST COAST OF CANADA, FROM VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, HERE'S A SPEAKERS' CORNER. (Music) HI. MY NAME IS MICHAEL FROM VANCOUVER. I WAS JUST WONDERING ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF SONGS THE SMASHING PUMPKINS WRITE IN A YEAR. THE LAST ALBUM HAD SOMETHING LIKE 28 SONGS; THIS ALBUM HAS 15. I WAS WONDERING HOW MANY SONGS ACTUALLY MAKE AN ALBUM AND HOW MANY GET THROWN OUT, IF THEY DO IN FACT GET THROWN OUT?
Billy: WOW, SO HIGH-TECH! THERE'S JUST AS MANY SONGS THAT GOT LEFT OFF "ADORE" THAN SONGS THAT ARE ON IT. SO ABOUT 15 SONGS. I THINK WE RELEASED TWO OR THREE, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'LL DO WITH THEM. MOST OF THEM ARE REALLY BAD, BUT WE'LL PUT THEM OUT EVENTUALLY TO EXPLOIT YOU FOR YOUR FUTURE DOLLARS, AND I HOPE YOU LIKE THEM.
Sook-Yin Lee: ARE YOU METHODIC OR SPONTANEOUS AT WRITING?
Billy: THE PROBLEM WITH ME IS I'M...
D'Arcy: ERRATIC.
Billy: YEAH... TOTALLY... LIKE THE BEST SONGS I HAVE EVER WRITTEN COME OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD AND THEN I SPEND MONTHS KIND OF RUINING THEM AND TRYING TO UNRUIN THEM. SO THAT'S KIND OF MY CURSE. BUT THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT GOES. Sook-Yin Lee: DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE AUDIENCE EVER WHEN YOU'RE WRITING, GO "OH, THE KIDS ARE GOING TO LIKE THIS"?
Billy: NO, AND I THINK IF I THOUGHT ABOUT THE AUDIENCE, I WOULD NEVER HAVE WRITTEN SONGS LIKE "1979" AND "DISARM," WHICH MAY STRIKE PEOPLE AS IRONIC, BUT WHEN YOU THINK OF YOURSELF IN A CERTAIN WAY... LIKE I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD WRITE A SONG LIKE "DISARM," AND THEN I WENT THROUGH THIS WEIRD BATTLE IN MY MIND WHETHER OR NOT I SHOULD EVEN PUT IT OUT BECAUSE IT WASN'T WHO I THOUGHT I WAS. I THINK A LOT OF THOSE SONGS HELPED TO DEFINE ME AS A PERSON. Sook-Yin Lee: IT'S AN INTERESTING ALBUM BECAUSE IT FEELS REALLY PERSONAL AND INTIMATE. WHAT WAS THE ENVIRONMENT YOU WRITE IN? DO YOU GO INTO A SPACE ALONE OR DO YOU HAVE TO GO OUT TO SOMEPLACE? Billy: MOST OF THE SONGS WERE WRITTEN VERY MUCH LIKE GET UP IN THE MORNING, WRITE SOME MUSIC, SOME LYRICS, COME IN, SIT AND PLAY THE SONG AND RECORD IT. THAT'S IT. IT WAS REALLY NO MORE DIFFICULT THAN THAT. ALL THE OTHER STUFF CAME AND WE STARTED TWISTING IT UP AND TRYING TO MAKE THE SONGS MORE INTERESTING, BUT THE SONGS THEMSELVES WERE ACTUALLY WRITTEN VERY QUICKLY.
Sook-Yin Lee: YOU HAVE AN ALL-STAR BAND YOU'RE PLAYING WITH.
Billy: WE DON'T KNOW WHO THESE GUYS ARE...
D'Arcy: BUT THEY'RE BETTER THAN US.
Billy: YEAH, THAT'S THE SCARY PART. WE'VE ACTUALLY GOT MUSICIANS THAT ARE... WE ALWAYS THOUGHT JIMMY WAS BETTER THAN US, BUT THESE GUYS ARE REALLY BETTER THAN US! IT'S KIND OF INTIMIDATING. WE ACTUALLY THINK THEY ARE GOING TO THROW US OUT OF THE BAND.
D'Arcy: THEY'RE TAKING OVER.
Sook-Yin Lee: CAN YOU TELL THE AUDIENCE WHO ALL THE FELLOWS ARE WHO ARE ON STAGE WITH YOU?
D'Arcy: WE DON'T KNOW THEIR NAMES.
James: JAY EDGAR HOOVER, JIMMY HOFFA...
D'Arcy: AND KERMIT THE FROG.
James: DAN MARINO AND JOHN ELWAY.
Billy: AND DOUG FLUTIE.
Sook-Yin Lee: AND SPOCK! AND WE'RE GOING TO BE BACK. I THINK BEHIND THE SCENES PEOPLE ARE STILL SCREWING AROUND... WE'RE TRYING REALLY HARD TO GET BACK INTO THE PARKING LOT, SO I THINK THE NEXT TIME YOU COME BACK AFTER THIS BREAK, WE'LL STILL BE CHATTING SOME MORE. SO STICK AROUND. WE'RE WITH THE SMASHING PUMPKINS. (Applause and cheering) seg3 (Applause and cheering)
Sook-Yin Lee: WELCOME BACK TO THE "INTIMATE & INTERACTIVE" WITH THE SMASHING PUMPKINS. ROCK ON!
Billy: THE SPICE GIRLS JUST CAME IN, SO WE'LL...
Sook-Yin Lee: YOU HAVE BEEN TOGETHER NOW FOR A DECADE AND YOU HAVE HAD A VERY SPECTACULAR RIDE, LIKE HIGHS AND LOWS, BUT I'M WONDERING WHEN THE GOING GETS REALLY TOUGH, WHAT SAVES YOUR ASSES?
Billy: UH... ROLLER BLADING? (Laughing)
Sook-Yin Lee: "HE'S ON HIS ROLLER BLADES AGAIN!"
Billy: I THINK TIME AND AGAIN WE ALWAYS COME BACK TO OUR MUSIC TO REALLY HOLD US TOGETHER. THAT'S IT. THAT'S THE THING...
D'Arcy: IT'S REALLY, HONESTLY -- I MEAN WE ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS PUT THE BAND FIRST, ALWAYS PUT THE BAND FIRST. THAT'S THE THING THAT'S BONDED US AND WE KNOW THAT IT'S ALWAYS BEEN AN UNDERSTANDING THAT NO MATTER WHAT, THE BAND AND THE MUSIC COMES FIRST. AND IT'S ALL OF OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.
Billy: IT'S LIKE --
D'Arcy: IT'S KEPT US REALLY GROUNDED.
Sook-Yin Lee: YOU ARE THE GROUNDED ONE, IN YOUR HORNS THERE.
D'Arcy: BELOW THE GROUND.
Sook-Yin Lee: SPEAKING OF ASSES, D'ARCY, I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU TAME HORSES.
Billy: YOU HAVE A NICE ASS...
D'Arcy: WHAT DID YOU SAY?
Billy: YOU'VE GOT A NICE ASS, SPEAKING OF YOUR ASS. THIS IS MuchMusic.
James: GOOD SEGUE.
D'Arcy: YOU CAN SAY THAT IN CANADA ON TV?
Sook-Yin Lee: YES. I CLARIFIED THAT. I OKAYED THAT EARLIER TODAY.
D'Arcy: AND I'M WEARING A SEE-THROUGH SHIRT...
Sook-Yin Lee: I KNOW. VERY SAUCY... THEY'RE LEGAL FROM THE CHIN UP. SO I UNDERSTAND YOU TAME HORSES ON YOUR FARM. I WONDER, DOES THAT EVER COME IN HANDY IN DEALING WITH YOUR BANDMATES, THAT SKILL OF TAMING HORSES?
James: THE HORSE/BASS WHISPERER.
Billy: IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHEN SHE USED TO RIDE JAMES?
D'Arcy: YES, I DID, BUT I DON'T WANT TO GO THERE.
Sook-Yin Lee: OH, TRASHY!
Billy: SHE WOULD JUST GRAB A MANE OF HAIR AND GO.
D'Arcy: YEAH! YEAH! WHO'S MISSING ALL THEIR HAIR? NOT JAMES!
Sook-Yin Lee: OH! WHAT IS THIS, "JERRY SPRINGER" ALL OF A SUDDEN?
Billy: CAN WE STOP TAPING AND ROLL IT BACK FIVE MINUTES TO THE START AGAIN?
Sook-Yin Lee: I UNDERSTAND, TOO, THAT YOU'RE A BIG REGIS AND KATHY LEE FAN. WHAT'S THE ATTRACTION TO THAT SHOW?
D'Arcy: GOOD QUESTION!
Billy: THEY'RE SUNNY, LIGHT IN THE MORNING. I WOULD RATHER WATCH THEM THAN TRAILER PARK PEOPLE BEAT EACH OTHER OVER THE HEAD BECAUSE DADDY GOT DAUGHTER PREGNANT. (Applause and cheering)
Sook-Yin Lee: BIG INFLUENCE ON THE ALBUM, TOO, REGIS AND KATHY?
Billy: ACTUALLY, "MELLON COLLIE," I WATCHED THEM THE WHOLE ALBUM, SO THEY'RE IN THERE.
D'Arcy: THEY'RE THE INSPIRATION FOR THE WHOLE ALBUM, ACTUALLY.
Sook-Yin Lee: JAMES, YOU WENT TO ART SCHOOL.
James: YES, I DID.
Sook-Yin Lee: WHAT SORT OF STUFF DID YOU STUDY THERE?
James: WELL, BACK ON MY SCHOLASTIC CAREER... I WAS TAKING GRAPHIC ART DESIGN AND HAD TO TAKE LIKE EVERYTHING BECAUSE I WENT TO THIS JESUIT COLLEGE SO I TOOK THEOLOGY, PSYCHOLOGY AND ALL THESE OTHER THINGS THAT DIDN'T RELATE TO ART. BUT IT WAS GOOD.
Sook-Yin Lee: SO JESUIT COLLEGE...
James: LOYALIST UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO.
Sook-Yin Lee: IS THAT YOUR RELIGION?
James: NO.
Billy: HE'S A PRIEST OF NOISE.
James: NO, I JUST WENT THERE BECAUSE IT WAS A GOOD SCHOOL.
Sook-Yin Lee: I ALSO NOTICE THAT THROUGHOUT YOUR ALBUM ART AND MUSIC VIDEOS YOU HAVE A REAL FONDNESS FOR VICTORIAN OR ELIZABETHAN IMAGERY. WHAT'S THE ATTRACTION TO THAT?
Billy: THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN IMPOSED UPON US BY THE RECORD COMPANIES. WE HAD NO CHOICE.
James: YEAH, THEY PICKED THIS OUTFIT OUT FOR ME. FITS GOOD.
Sook-Yin Lee: "YOU MUST WEAR A CAPE!"
James: THEY'RE MAKING US GO WITH THIS WHOLE "GOTH" THING RIGHT NOW. IT'S REALLY ANNOYING BUT... THEY'LL GROW OUT OF IT.
Sook-Yin Lee: IT WILL PASS. WE HAVE A QUESTION FROM THE AUDIENCE. IRWIN,
HI. SINCE THE DEPARTURE OF JIMMY, WHAT IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM NOW?
Billy: FIRST, YOU HAVE TO EXPLAIN WHO JIMMY IS BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW THAT NAME...
JIMMY, THE EX-DRUMMER.
Billy: DOESN'T RING A BELL. ANY MORE QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE?
Sook-Yin Lee: SO YOU'RE NOT GOING TO TOUCH THAT ONE? YOU'RE AVOIDING IT.
Billy: DON'T ASK ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT COURTNEY LOVE, JIMMY CHAMBERLIN OR MARILYN MANSON, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
Sook-Yin Lee: WE NOW HAVE A SPEAKERS' CORNER FROM THE LAND OF THE BEST JUNK FOOD IN CANADA, MONTREAL, QUEBEC, A SPEAKERS' CORNER.
MY QUESTION IS FOR BILLY. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME YOU PRODUCED AN ALBUM. I WANT TO KNOW DID YOU LIKE IT AND WHAT DID YOU GET OUT OF IT?
Sook-Yin Lee: FIRST TIME YOU PRODUCED THE SMASHING PUMPKINS' ALBUM. D'Arcy: NOT REALLY.
Billy: 'CAUSE I WAS ALWAYS WORKING ON ALL THE OTHER ALBUMS. IT'S JUST THAT WE ALWAYS USED A PRODUCER, SO I WAS DOING MAYBE HALF THE PRODUCING.
D'Arcy: HE ALWAYS USED TO TELL THE PRODUCERS WHAT TO DO.
Billy: I TELL YOU, PRODUCING IS A BIG HEADACHE!
D'Arcy: HE PRODUCED THE PRODUCERS; THE PRODUCERS PRODUCED THE RECORDS.
Sook-Yin Lee: SO WHAT SORT OF PROCESS DO YOU HAVE IN THERE? HOW WAS HE?
Billy: I WAS GOING SAY, WHY DON'T YOU ASK THEM WHAT IT'S LIKE --
Sook-Yin Lee: EXACTLY. WAS HE A TASKMASTER IN THE STUDIO?
D'Arcy: TAKE 75.
James: THERE WEREN'T THAT MANY COFFEE BREAKS. THERE WEREN'T THAT MANY COFFEE BREAKS.
Sook-Yin Lee: COMPLIMENTS?
James: COFFEE BREAKS.
Sook-Yin Lee: OH, COFFEE BREAKS.
D'Arcy: HE DOESN'T DRINK COFFEE SO...
Sook-Yin Lee: HE DOESN'T DRINK COFFEE? NEVER DID?
D'Arcy: AND HE DOESN'T TAKE BREAKS.
Billy: I HEARD ON THE RADIO EVERYONE KNOWS I'M A CONTROL FREAK. IT WAS LIKE, "OH, I DIDN'T KNOW." BUT I GUESS NOW THE CIRCLE IS COMPLETE.
Sook-Yin Lee: NO TRUTH TO THAT RUMOUR THAT YOU'RE EGOMANIACAL?
Billy: ASK MY BANDMATES. THEY KNOW ME BETTER THAN ANYBODY ELSE.
D'Arcy: I THINK HE IS, BUT SO AM I AND SO IS JAMES.
Sook-Yin Lee: LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THIS FAX --
Billy: I MEAN THE SILLY THING ABOUT IMPLYING I'M A DICTATOR AND THAT I'M TYRANNICAL IS THAT IT'S IMPLYING THE TWO PEOPLE SITTING NEXT TO ME ALLOW THEMSELVES TO BE DICTATED TO, WHICH IS REALLY AN INSULT TO THEM BECAUSE I THINK, TALKING TO THEM, YOU CAN SEE THEY ARE NOT THE KIND OF PEOPLE WHO WOULD LIKE TO BE TOLD WHAT TO DO.
D'Arcy: WE'RE TOO DIFFICULT.
Sook-Yin Lee: DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO ADD TO THAT?
Billy: DON'T TALK NOW, JAMES, PLEASE.
Sook-Yin Lee: BRIDGETTE NELSON OF VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA SAYS --
Billy: WASN'T SHE MARRIED TO SYLVESTER STALLONE?
Sook-Yin Lee: SHE WAS! SHE'S NOW LIVING IN VANCOUVER, B.C. AND SHE SAYS: "I LOVE YOU GUYS. DO YOU GUYS DO ANYTHING SPECIAL BEFORE YOU GO ON STAGE? FOR EXAMPLE, PRAY, HUG EACH OTHER, WISH LUCK..."
James: WE USED TO PLAY VIDEO GAMES.
Billy: NOW WE JUST DO THAT PEARL JAM HIGH-FIVE THING.
James: HIGH-FIVE AND EAT PRETZELS. I CAN'T REALLY SAY WE DO ANYTHING THAT EXCITING.
Billy: I JUST TIE MY SHOES TIGHT. THAT'S MY ONE THING I HAVE TO DO BEFORE I GO ON STAGE. YOU? YOU LISTEN TO LUSCIOUS JACKSON EVERY DAMN NIGHT. IT'S STARTING TO DRIVE ME CRAZY.
James: AIR AND LUSCIOUS JACKSON.
Sook-Yin Lee: NO ATHLETIC REGIMENS INVOLVED?
Billy: NOT UNLESS YOU CALL LIFTING A BEER...
Sook-Yin Lee: A PRETZEL. NOW WE HAVE AN E-MAIL FROM JOHNNY, ALSO KNOWN AS DARK HAVOC. HE SAYS...
D'Arcy: I'M SORRY. IS THAT CANNED OR IS THAT REAL?
Sook-Yin Lee: NO, THAT'S REAL.
Billy: WAIT A SECOND... ... THE AMASSING OF PSEUDO-PUMPKINS? WHAT'S...
Sook-Yin Lee: SECOND-GENERATION PUMPKINS. PEOPLE WHO HAVE COPIED YOUR STYLE, I GUESS. "WHAT SURVIVAL STRATEGIES DO YOU HAVE?"
Billy: YOU MEAN ALL THE PEOPLE RIPPING US OFF?
Sook-Yin Lee: YEAH. AND HOW DO YOU MAINTAIN YOUR CREDIBILITY?
Billy: WELL, WE'RE STILL LOOKING FOR OUR LADY PEACE'S PHONE NUMBER.
Crowd: OHHHH! [*hahahaha*]
Sook-Yin Lee: WHOA!
Billy: WE HAVEN'T GOT IT YET, BUT WE'RE GOING TO CALL THEM UP AND MAKE FRIENDS WITH THEM, TELL THEM THANKS A LOT FOR KEEPING OUR OLD MUSIC ALIVE. WHAT ELSE, JAMES?
James: WELL, WE LIKE PUFF DADDY. HE ACTUALLY DID A REMIX FOR US.
D'Arcy: SPEAK FOR YOURSELF, MAN.
James: THAT'S HOW WE'RE STAYING CURRENT. WE HAVE OUR EAR TO THE STREET.
Sook-Yin Lee: YOU JUST DECIDED UPON HIM 'CAUSE YOU LOVE HIS WORK?
James: THAT WOULD BE A BILLY DECISION. THE DICTATOR, YEAH. FORCED IT ON US.
Sook-Yin Lee: YOU WITNESSED THE RISE AND FALL OF -- SORRY?
Billy: FOISTED.
D'Arcy: FOOSTED.
Sook-Yin: YOU'VE WITNESSED THE RISE AND FALL OF ORIGINAL ALTERNATIVE MUSIC. SO HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT TODAY'S MUSICAL CLIMATE?
James: IT'S OKAY.
D'Arcy: PICKING UP! IT'S PICKING UP.
James: THERE'S GOOD AND THERE'S BAD.
Billy: COME ON, LET'S BE HONEST. IT'S REALLY BAD RIGHT NOW.
D'Arcy: HEY, THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY TRUE.
Sook-Yin Lee: ARE WE ENTERING ANOTHER DISCO PERIOD?
Billy: WE ARE IN DISCO.
D'Arcy: YEAH, BUT I THINK IT'S COMING OUT OF IT.
Billy: WE LIKE DISCO. WE'RE NOT AGAINST DISCO BUT... WHATEVER. I WON'T GO ON ABOUT IT.
D'Arcy: NEXT QUESTION.
Sook-Yin Lee: OKAY, AUDIENCE QUESTION. YOU'LL HAVE TO SPEAK UP A BIT.
HI. MY NAME IS CAESAR. I WANT TO KNOW WHEN YOU'LL MAKE A TOUR OF SOUTH AMERICA, LIKE MEXICO CITY...
Billy: WE'RE GOING THERE NEXT MONTH, MEXICO CITY, AND WE'RE DOING FIVE DATES IN SOUTH AMERICA. CAN YOU COME?
D'Arcy: YOU GOING TO BE THERE?
YEAH, I'M FROM THERE.
Billy: YOU KNOW HOW TO TUNE A GUITAR?
YEAH.
Billy: OKAY, LET'S GO! IT'S THAT SIMPLE.
Sook-Yin Lee: WHAT ARE SOME OF THE OUTSTANDING PLACES THAT YOU REMEMBER IN YOUR TRAVELS?
D'Arcy: JAPAN.
Billy: HMMM... VANCOUVER, OTTAWA... SASKATCHEWAN.
D'Arcy: TORONTO!
Sook-Yin Lee: WE HAVE A PHONE CALL FROM VANCE IN CALGARY, ALBERTA.
Caller: HEY! HOW'S IT GOING, BILLY?
Billy: WHAT'S UP, BROTHER?
Caller: HEY, I WAS WONDERING, THE EFFECTS THAT YOU USE, WHAT ARE THEY AND DO THEY PREDICATE WHAT YOU'RE GONNA WRITE? DO THEY HELP YOU WRITE YOUR SONGS OR... THE SOUND ITSELF? LIKE, YOU KNOW...
Billy: IT'S LIKE "GUITAR CORNER" NOW.
Caller: YEAH.
Billy: NO, I NEVER USE EFFECTS WHEN I'M WRITING. WE HAVE LIKE BUCKETLOADS OF WEIRD PEDALS, LIKE MADE ON MARS AND STUFF. I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THEY'RE CALLED ANYMORE. PLUS WE USED TO TELL PEOPLE THE PEDALS WE USED AND THEN EVERYBODY WENT OUT AND BOUGHT THEM, AND WHEN WE WOULD GO SHOPPING FOR THEM, THEY WOULD SAY, "YEAH, WE JUST SOLD LIKE 100 OF THOSE BECAUSE OF YOU GUYS," AND THEY WOULDN'T GIVE US A DISCOUNT AND THEY WOULD BE OUT OF THEM. SO WE DON'T TELL YOU WHAT WE USE ANYMORE.
Caller: DO YOU WRITE ACOUSTICALLY AND THEN ADD YOUR EFFECTS IN AFTER?
Billy: YEAH, LIKE "ADORE" IS ALL PIANO ACOUSTIC. ALL THE SONGS START THAT WAY, AND IF YOU REALLY LISTEN TO THE SONGS, YOU CAN HEAR THAT GENESIS OF EVERY SONG FROM THAT FORM. Caller: SO HOW DO YOU DECIDE TO ADD EFFECT, A CERTAIN EFFECT TO A SONG, LIKE FROM AN ACOUSTIC STATE TO AN EFFECT STATE?
Billy: YOU MEAN JUST LIKE MAKING THE MUSIC MORE CRAZY?
Caller: YEAH.
Billy: THAT'S LIKE A MAGIC, INTUITION THING I CAN'T QUITE EXPLAIN.
Caller: DO YOU DO IT MORE IN THE STUDIO THAN ANYTHING?
Billy: IT'S LIKE ASKING A PAINTER WHY HE USES THICK PAINT OR THIN PAINT OR RED PAINT OR BLUE PAINT. I DON'T KNOW WHY. I FEEL LIKE I KNOW WHAT I'M SUPPOSED TO DO AND USUALLY I FEEL LIKE I GET WHERE I WANT TO GO.
Caller: YEAH. I'M IN A BAND RIGHT NOW AND I WRITE SOMETIMES OUT OF THE SOUND THAT I'M USING. THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING...
Billy: BUT THE PROBLEM IS YOU'RE STUCK WITH THAT. THERE'S NOT A LOT OF FLEXIBILITY. THEY'RE GOING TO CUT YOU OFF NOW. THANKS FOR YOUR CALL.
Sook-Yin Lee: "GUITAR WORLD" BROUGHT TO YOU BY... WE HAVE AN E-MAIL QUESTION HERE... LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE MONITOR.
D'Arcy: GOOD QUESTION!
Billy: ARE YOU GOING TO BE ON YOUR BEST BEHAVIOUR HERE?
D'Arcy: I WON'T SAY ANOTHER WORD.
Billy: THANK YOU. I THINK HE'S A BRILLIANT GUY. I KNOW HIM A LITTLE BIT PERSONALLY. IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE YOU MEET THE PERSON AND YOU END UP WITH A DIFFERENT OPINION OF THE PERSON THAN MAYBE WHAT YOU WOULD GET FROM JUST WHAT YOU HEAR AND WHAT YOU SEE ON TV.
D'Arcy: YOU MEAN JUST LISTENING TO THE MUSIC HE WRITES?
Billy: YEAH, I MEAN HIS STYLE OF MUSIC IS NOT NECESSARILY THE KIND OF MUSIC WE LISTEN TO, BUT I RESPECT WHAT HE'S DOING MUSICALLY. IT'S THE KIND OF THING WHEN YOU MEET SOMEONE PERSONALLY, YOU GET A WHOLE OTHER PERSPECTIVE OF THEM. AND I FEEL LIKE I HAVE THAT PERSPECTIVE OF HIM, SO I HAVE THE CONFIDENCE IN HIM TO REMIX A COUPLE OF OUR SONGS. AND I'M TELLING YOU -- WE'RE NOT GOING TO PUT IT OUT ANYTIME SOON, BUT WHEN YOU ULTIMATELY HEAR THE "AVA ADORE" REMIX THAT HE DID, IT'S SO UNBELIEVABLY BEAUTIFUL AND SO GREAT... IT WILL PROVE ALL THE DOUBTERS OUT THERE WRONG ABOUT HIM. HE REALLY, REALLY IS A REALLY TALENTED PERSON. AND I TOTALLY STAND BEHIND A DECISION LIKE THAT. BECAUSE WHAT PEOPLE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND, HE'S A MUSICIAN; WE'RE A MUSICIAN. AND ULTIMATELY, ON SOME LEVEL, YOU KNOW -- I'M NOT SAYING IT'S A RACIST THING, BUT AT SOME LEVEL PEOPLE START TO QUESTION IT BECAUSE THE WORLDS ARE SO FAR APART SOMETIMES. AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, I WOULD RATHER REACH ACROSS TO THE OTHER WORLD AND MAKE THOSE CONNECTIONS BECAUSE PEOPLE GENERALLY DON'T MAKE THOSE KINDS OF CONNECTIONS. HOWEVER ANYBODY WANTS TO SEE IT... I THINK HE'S A GREAT MUSICIAN. AND I'M NOT GOING TO BE AFRAID BECAUSE MY WHITE AUDIENCE MIGHT GET MAD ABOUT US USING SOMEONE THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND. I JUST THINK IT GETS INTO THAT TERRITORY, AND I JUST THINK HE'S A GREAT MUSICIAN.
Sook-Yin Lee: SO THE BOTH OF YOU SORT OF TRANSCENDED THOSE BARRIERS?
Billy: I DON'T THINK HE HAS THE BARRIERS AND I DON'T. BUT I'M SAYING YOU RUN ACROSS THE BARRIERS BECAUSE PEOPLE START QUESTIONING IT. IN THE SAME WAY, PEOPLE START QUESTIONING WHY WE EVEN INVOLVED OURSELF WITH MARILYN MANSON. YOU CANNOT PUT THE SMASHING PUMPKINS IN A BOX. WE DON'T WANT TO BE PUT IN A BOX. SO ANY OF THOSE KINDS OF QUESTIONS TO US, IT'S LIKE PUTTING A BOX ON US AND MAKES US WANT TO DO THAT STUFF EVEN MORE.
Sook-Yin Lee: I WAS WATCHING A REALLY EARLY INTERVIEW WITH YOU AND YOU WERE REITERATING THOSE SAME SENTIMENTS, WHEN PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW YOU IN MONTREAL WHEN YOU WENT TO PERFORM THERE. IT WAS LIKE, "WE HAVE TO DO WHAT WE DO." THAT'S COOL. OKAY. WE ARE STILL TRYING TO GO OUTSIDE. HOW DOES IT LOOK? DOES IT LOOK PRETTY PROMISING? I HOPE SO. WE'RE GOING TO TRY. WE'RE TRYING. IT'S RAINING. WE'RE TRYING.
Sook-Yin Lee: IT'S RAINING. WE'RE TRYING. WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO AVOID ELECTROCUTION. STICK AROUND. MORE FROM THE SMASHING PUMPKINS.
D'Arcy: WATCH US BE ELECTROCUTED LIVE ON THE AIR! (Applause and cheering)
(Music) (Applause and cheering)
Sook-Yin Lee: WELCOME BACK TO THE MuchMusic "INTIMATE & INTERACTIVE" WITH THE SMASHING PUMPKINS. RIGHT NOW AS WE'RE SITTING HERE, BEHIND THE SCENES, THERE ARE MANY WORKER BEES BUSTLING TRYING TO MAKE EVERYTHING HAPPEN OUTSIDE. SO WE'RE GOING TO BUY SOME TIME NOW BY HOPEFULLY PLAYING THREE OF YOUR FAVOURITE SMASHING PUMPKINS VIDEOS. DO YOU LIKE THE PROCESS OF MAKING VIDEOS?
Billy: NO.
D'Arcy: NO. YES.
James: NO.
Billy: YES.
D'Arcy: NO. YES.
Sook-Yin Lee: DO YOU HAVE A LOT OF INPUT?
James: THEY CAN BE REALLY GREAT TO JUST MAKE A VISUAL IMAGE OF THE SONG, BUT ALL THE WAITING AROUND IN TRAILERS... IT KILLS ME. BUT YEAH, THEY'RE FUN.
Sook-Yin Lee: WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A LOOK AT, OUT OF YOUR CATALOGUE OF -- WHAT? -- 15, 16 MUSIC VIDEOS, LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT "DISARM." IS THIS ONE
THAT YOU LIKE?
Billy: YES.
D'Arcy: NO!
Billy: YOU DON'T LIKE THIS ONE?
D'Arcy: NO, IT'S DULL. I LIKE "TONIGHT" BETTER.
James: SO THIS IS NOT ONE OF YOUR FAVOURITE VIDEOS? THIS IS MuchMusic's FAVOURITE VIDEOS.
D'Arcy: THAT'S THEIR PROBLEM.
Sook-Yin Lee: SO GOING BACK TO "DISARM"...
Billy: I LIKE THIS VIDEO. I THINK IT'S REALLY PRETTY. THE ONLY THING I DON'T LIKE ABOUT IT...
James: THE OLD MAN.
Billy: HERE WE GO! NO. THERE'S THIS SHOT WITH THIS OLD MAN, AND METALLICA JUST PUT OUT A VIDEO WITH AN OLD MAN... AND NOW IF YOU SEE THE NEW MONSTER MAGNET VIDEO, THEY'RE MAKING FUN OF THE OLD MAN...
Sook-Yin Lee: EVERYBODY USES THAT OLD MAN.
Billy: HE INSISTED ON HAVING THE OLD MAN. WE KEPT SAYING "YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND. THE OLD MAN IS A CLICHE." "NO. YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE OLD MAN!"
Sook-Yin Lee: THOSE VIDEO CLICHES.
James: JUST CLOSE YOUR EYES WHEN YOU SEE THE OLD MAN.
Billy: THE FUNNY THING IS THE OLD MAN WAS JAMES' GARDENER.
James: I HAVE AN OLD ENGLISH GARDENER.
Sook-Yin Lee: HOW DID YOU APPROACH HIM TO BE IN THE VIDEO?
D'Arcy: HE ATTACKED HIM WITH A HOE.
James: HE WAS WEEDING ONE DAY OUTSIDE. I JUST ASKED HIM IF HE WANTED TO BE IN A ROCK VIDEO. HE WANTED TO BE IN A HYPE WILLIAMS' VIDEO, BUT I TOLD HIM IT WAS A START.
Billy: GOTTA WORK YOUR WAY UP THROUGH THE BUSINESS.
Sook-Yin Lee: TRUE ENOUGH. HOPEFULLY BACK IN THE PARKING LOT WITH A PERFORMANCE, BUT RIGHT NOW A PICK OF THREE VIDEOS FROM THE SMASHING PUMPKINS. THIS ONE IS "DISARM."
(disarm)
(Playing captioned video)
Sook-Yin Lee: THAT WAS "ZERO," FROM "MELON COLLIE AND THE INFINITE SADNESS." BACK WITH BILLY CORGAN AND A BRAND-NEW MEMBER OF THE BAND. WHAT'S YOUR NAME?
TELINA JACKSON.
Sook-Yin Lee: AND WE FOUND OUT WHILE WATCHING THAT MUSIC VIDEO, WHAT'S
HIS MIDDLE NAME?
Billy: TERRINA.
NO, TELINA.
Sook-Yin Lee: WHAT NATIONALITY ARE YOU?
Billy: IRISH, BELGIUM AND ITALIAN. A MUTT.
Sook-Yin Lee: A POTPOURRI. WHAT ABOUT THE CHARACTER ZERO IN THAT LAST VIDEO? YOU CAME UP WITH THIS IDENTITY... OR WHAT IS ZERO?
Billy: ALL WILL BE EXPLAINED IN THE FUTURE.
Sook-Yin Lee: IT WILL ALL COME TOGETHER.
Billy: THERE'S MORE TO COME, SO TO SPEAK. THE STORY IS NOT DONE.
Sook-Yin Lee: DOES ANYBODY HAVE A QUESTION? OH, YOUR HAND WENT UP REALLY
QUICK. OKAY. OH, THIS YOUNG LADY BACK HERE... OH, HE ALREADY HAS ONE, BUT WE'LL PROBABLY GET TO YOU, TOO.
I WAS JUST WONDERING ABOUT THE "AVA ADORE" VIDEO. IT'S REALLY SORT OF FANTASTICAL, BUT AT ONE POINT YOU TURN THE CAMERA AROUND AND SHOW THE CREW. I WAS WONDERING IF THAT WAS A DELIBERATE THING, AS CRAZY AS IT IS, TO TURN IT AROUND AND SAY, "WHOA, THIS IS NOT REAL"?
Billy: SEE, THAT'S -- I'LL TRY AND TELL IT QUICKLY. THE DIRECTORS, DOM AND NICK, DID NOT WANT TO BREAK WHAT'S CALLED "THE FOURTH WALL," WHICH IS SHOWING THE BEHIND-THE-SCENES PART. I THOUGHT THAT THE TRANSITION FROM SCENE TO SCENE TO SCENE, IT WAS IMPORTANT TO KIND OF WINK AND NOD AND SHOW IT WAS KIND OF FUNNY... BUT THEY WERE SO SERIOUSLY AGAINST IT. IT WAS A HUGE, HUGE ARGUMENT. YOU CAN'T BELIEVE. I HAD TO BEG THESE PEOPLE, "PLEASE PUT THE SHOT IN. IT'S SOMETHING THAT I STRONGLY, STRONGLY BELIEVE IN." AND PERSON AFTER PERSON AFTER PERSON NOW COMES UP AND SAYS THAT'S THEIR FAVOURITE PART OF THE VIDEO. THAT'S EXACTLY THE POINT. IT GETS ACROSS THE WINK AND THE NOD. THERE COMES A POINT WHEN YOU HAVE TO BE WILLING TO WINK AND NOD AND NOT BE SO SERIOUS ALL THE TIME. AND THEY WANTED TO MAKE THIS VERY ARTY VIDEO AND WE WANTED TO MAKE A COOL VIDEO. SO WE DON'T CARE WHAT IT MEANS.
Sook-Yin Lee: AND IF YOU DIDN'T SHOW THAT SCENE, THEY WANTED TO MAINTAIN THE ILLUSION, WHEREAS YOU'RE SORT OF DISPELLING THE ILLUSION A BIT MORE.
Billy: I MEAN COME ON! I LOOK LIKE A VAMPIRE AND THE SEMI-OVAL... IT'S SOME WORLD YOU HAVEN'T SEEN AND EVERYONE'S HAVING A GOOD TIME. I MEAN, IT'S NOT LIKE THAT.
Sook-Yin Lee: IS IT A BIG, BIG CHASM BETWEEN YOUR PUBLIC PERSONA AND WHO YOU ARE?
Billy: HUGE. HUGE! UNFORTUNATELY, MY BAND OF COURSE DOESN'T DO ANYTHING TO DISPEL THOSE BECAUSE THEY ENJOY REVELLING IN MY HORRIBLE PUBLIC PERSONA. BUT, YOU KNOW...I DON'T KNOW. I CAN'T PAT MYSELF ON THE HEAD. I KNOW WHO I AM AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT SHOWS. I THINK MY LOVE FOR FANS AND MY LOVE AND RESPECT FOR THE PEOPLE THAT WE PLAY FOR IS DEEP. I MEAN IT'S EVERYTHING TO ME THAT, YOU KNOW... PEOPLE WHO DON'T UNDERSTAND THE BAND, THE BAND PROBABLY SEEMS LIKE A BUNCH OF PSYCHOTIC FREAKS, BUT TO THE PEOPLE THAT UNDERSTAND, I KNOW THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE GOING ON ABOUT, SO I FEEL GOOD ABOUT THAT.
Sook-Yin Lee: YOU DON'T SEEM TOO PSYCHOTIC TO ME.
Billy: GIVE ME A MINUTE!
Sook-Yin Lee: WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A LOOK AT "AVA ADORE," AND THIS AGAIN IS ANOTHER FACE OF BILLY, BUT NOT THE REAL FACE OF BILLY.