Call me naive but I thought that all Billy Corgan could do was strum an acoustic, nice!

Also had no idea the guy had such crazy chops...wow. ???

A more recent solo... ?



The guy can play, Fender did not give him his own signature range for nothing.

Grunge guitar reacted heavily against shred, so it's not surprising that he limited the number of notes he played per second. In fact he had a lot to say about that in interviews. But it was always clear that his chops were in another league compared to other "alternative" guitar players. Even though he didn't play fast it allowed him to do things that they wouldn't dare attempt. And you can hear it on those records. The speed wasn't there, but the confidence and the fretboard knowledge - as well as control over the vibrato arm - was.

singemonkey wrote: Grunge guitar reacted heavily against shred, so it's not surprising that he limited the number of notes he played per second. In fact he had a lot to say about that in interviews. But it was always clear that his chops were in another league compared to other "alternative" guitar players. Even though he didn't play fast it allowed him to do things that they wouldn't dare attempt. And you can hear it on those records. The speed wasn't there, but the confidence and the fretboard knowledge - as well as control over the vibrato arm - was.

I'm not sure I agree that he held back. Got Vieuphoria? That was around the second album, at the very height of both grunge and the Pumpkins' popularity, and he rips it up regularly (well, at the live shows, anyway. I think part of his concession to "alternative" was to obscure his speedier solos with swirling effects and gain overkill on the albums). Free of any grunge ethos by the time they toured South Africa, his solos weren't any faster or more extended; in fact they were more or less the same. Then again, Billy was always considered uncool by the grungest of the grunge, so I guess it makes sense that he didn't fit the mould. Although, weirdly, in the extras of Pink Floyd's Pulse DVD there's their induction into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame, Corgan introduces the band and sits in on a performance of Wish You Were Here...and he sounds terribly amateurish and limited in that song.

And ja, I was completely blown away when I finally saw them live. I'd always thought James would've carried the more hectic solos, but Billy just stepped forward and made merry. Sheesh.

They are also one of the best band I've seen live. (after Lionel Richie's)

I do recall some speed coming through in one of their albums. don't ask me which one....
His riff work is even better.

What about the solo on 'Geek USA' off Siamese Dream? Thats pretty hectic.
Billy is the shredder, James is the anti-shredder.

LooneyAtTheGate wrote: James is the anti-shredder.

is he the Ninja Turtle?

Yissus, Don...

:roflmao:

Donovan Banks wrote:

LooneyAtTheGate wrote: James is the anti-shredder.

is he the Ninja Turtle?

Hehe the 5th one! OPr maybe he is Splinter :roflmao:

Smashing Pumpkins are the band that got me into playing guitar. Love Billy's playing and most especially his huuuuge fuzz tone. My favourite solo is from Cherub Rock. This ones audio only, sorry:

singemonkey wrote: Grunge guitar reacted heavily against shred, so it's not surprising that he limited the number of notes he played per second. In fact he had a lot to say about that in interviews. But it was always clear that his chops were in another league compared to other "alternative" guitar players. Even though he didn't play fast it allowed him to do things that they wouldn't dare attempt. And you can hear it on those records. The speed wasn't there, but the confidence and the fretboard knowledge - as well as control over the vibrato arm - was.

Yes. I didn't pay a lot of attention to Smashing Pumpkins, but when I did it always seemed to me that Corgan was something a bit special as a player. His parts were so effective and showed, as Singe says, a lot of confident musicality.

Grunge was at least partly a reaction to shred and hair bands, but that doesn't mean those guys can't play. Mike McCreedy will take the top of your head off.

Well... he took the top of my head off.

Siamese Dream is an awesome album. One of the soundtracks to my high school days - hasn't actually aged too badly. Listening to it now.
The boy can play.

Just a pity about this, dunno if anyone's seen this video clip.
It kiiiiinda puts a different spin on Billy Corgan for me. And it's not the good kind:
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And I don't think it's a money thing - if only it were. He is reportedly a huge fan....
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X-rated Bob wrote: Well... he took the top of my head off.

That explains your profile pic ?

The jokes in this thread are the best part for me ? but thats just cause i love witty humour so much ?
interesting thoughts in this thread ?