On The Edge
October 3, 1993
Transcribed by Nikki Christoff
If you would like a copy of this interview on tape, email Nikki
*Rhinoceros playing*
It's on the Edge. I'm Tom Calderon, back with the masters of controlled chaos, Smashing Pumpkins.
Billy Corgan: When we formed as a band. We weren't a jammie type band. We wrote songs, and then brought them to the band. We weren't the kind of band who wrote the songs as a jammie band. So, to open it up like we have is kind of like a new thing for us. What aspect it brings out of us is kind funny, because it just depends on night to night. Because if your angry it sorta has more of an edge. If your feeling alittle more lovey, then it tends to be a little softer in places. The best thing about it is it is an honest interperation of your feelings, filtered through the meaning of songs. And doing that personally it's made my life a lot easier, because I don't have to get up and pertend to be something I'm not. If i'm angry I get up play my songs angry. It lends a depth to songs that maybe wouldn't be there if I din't have those emotions. Conversly no one is seeing me up there with a propt up smile, aching to put on rock moves that I don't really believe in ya know?
*Cherub Rock playing*
Billy Corgan: The Pumpkins were formed on more of a theoretical idea, then a musical idea. The idea was to be able to creat environment of a band that could allow you to do what ever you want to do. To express yourself what ever way you want to express yourself. If that meant blasting out, or if that meant being very suttle. So those being like the basic paramenters, we set about to find comfortable music styles for ourselves that were more instinctual and not necessarily related to trends, or anything like that. So, in the early process of the band, it was kind of like ok here is a good song I wrote. We'd play it, and then we would realize that we weren't comfotable with it as a band. It wasn't the ultimate direction we wanted to head, so it juwst became a process of weeding out where we were comfortable. Just say what we wanted to do whatever we wanted to do sound simple but to be a band and get on stage and play really heavy songs and then turn around and play really mellow songs is a really hard thing to do. And to establish a gracefulness from those extrems was very difficult. It took us really a couple of years to feel really comfortable with the two symbloic sides of the band.
*Blue is playing*
*Billy plays Siva live*
Tom: The Smashing Pumpkins, not only a great live performance. But, Billy Corgan gave one of the best all time quotes. "You can't out god Led Zepplin, and you can't out Iggy, Iggy Pop." There are a great band, they are captured live on the edge.
*Electric performance of Jackie Blue*