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Perhaps it is obvious why we like Billy Corgan:
He shares the same (lack of) hairstyle and first name with our fearless leader Billy Jones!
While Billy Corgan is a bit of a polarizing figure in rock, his unique approach to music that has helped him to sell 30 million albums worldwide.
Corgan once said, “One of the most genius things my dad ever told me was that I should never learn to play like anybody else.” He has certainly been a success on that front!
In celebration of his birthday on March 17, we give you the our top 3 reasons why Billy Corgan is on the Bones Jones Music Favorite Musician's List.
1. Production Style
Billy Corgan’s recognizable and widely-sought after sound is the first thing we admire. His super distorted riffs using the Big Muff Fuzz pedal are part of his signature sound. Plus those sudden dynamic drops while using clean tones always keep us smiling in appreciation.
Listen to the main riff in Cherub Rock when the band joins in around the 0:22 second mark and you’ll hear exactly what we mean:
2. Lyrics
Billy Corgan is arguably THE songwriter of 90’s rock. His angst-filled but articulate lyrics brought depth to the grunge and alternative scene and stand the test of time.
The chorus to Bullet with Butterfly Wings is our favorite:
Despite all my rage, I am still just a rat in a cage
Someone will say, "What is lost can never be saved"
Despite all my rage, I am still just a rat in a cage
Check out the whole song:
3. Riffs and Melodies
As we all know, lyrics alone aren’t enough to make a great songwriter. Corgan’s brilliance when it comes to songwriting is actually in the combination of his poetic lines with catchy guitar riffs and haunting melodies.
Check out the intro to Zero for a killer riff and keep listening into the verse to hear how the lyrics and riff work together.
Well, what do you think?
If you are a Smashing Pumpkins fan, you will be in good company here at Bones Jones Music!
We’ll help you develop your own guitar sound, inspired by Billy Corgan and other rock guitar greats.
Check out this Smashing Pumpkins’ inspired guitar riff that Billy wrote to play with the Swollen Pickle Fuzz Pedal and you’ll see what I mean: