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Fri, 17th Aug 2012

Billy Corgan - Soundgarden and Pavement are only back to make money

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Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan has hit out at Soundgarden and Pavement, accusing them of only reforming so they can "make money". 

The singer, whose band released their new studio album 'Oceania' in June, said that he "condemned" anyone who didn't acknowledge that they were simply touring to make money and described the reunions of the Chris Cornell and Stephen Malkmus-fronted bands as "one more round at the till". 

Speaking at a press conference, Corgan said: "There are those bands that are essentially coming back only to make money – playing their old albums, and maybe somewhere in the back of their minds they're thinking there might be a future."

"I am not in that business, obviously. I condemn anybody who’s in that business but doesn’t admit he’s in that business. When Soundgarden came back and they just played their old songs, great. I was a fan of Soundgarden, but call it for what it is. They’re just out there to have one more round at the till; same with Pavement and these other bands."

Corgan added that he believed that the Smashing Pumpkins had a growing fanbase amongst younger people, he added: "Without the young fans there is no future for Smashing Pumpkins. We can’t run an oldies business. Not only is it boring, it’s actually not a very good business."

Corgan also hit out at the changing landscape of music, describing it as one where people prefer fame to the music itself. 

He said of this: "They have no respect for the people that came before them," he said. "They have no respect for the tradition of music, they have no respect for the blood and tears that have been spilled by great musicians all over the world – many of whom will never even know their name." 

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