Billy Corgan says Smashing Pumpkins still better than Pearl Jam and Foo Fighters

[Matata]

I have a buddy who pretty much only listens to 90's alt-rock and Jimi Hedrix. I asked him who put out the best album between FF, SP and PJ, his answer was Soundgarden's Superunknown (first it steals your mind and then it steals your...SOOOOOOOoooooouuuuuuuul!)

[GreenLantern]

Funny because I was scrolling through the old iPod yesterday going back and forth between FF, PJ and SP and I went over Soundgarden thinking "Why the hell aren't these guys involved in the conversation?".

Then I proceeded to listen to Superunknown in its entirety.

[Mass_nerder]

Smashing pumpkins all day long.
I like pearl jam, and foo fighters' first album was pretty exciting, but when I look through old tapes and cds, I'm immediately drawn to Siamese dream, and melancholy and the infinite sadness.

[Mike F]

It's all completely subjective, so there's no right answer. However, if you're talking about peak output, for me the breadth of song types and experiences in Mellon Collie is beyond anything any of the other bands put out during that time.

In terms of longevity, though, IMO Pearl Jam is still touring and putting on great shows. They haven't had a single album that has blown me away, but there have been enough hits spread out over the last couple of decades, which they can still pound out live, that would put them at the top of my list of artists to see today.

[RougeUnderoos]

I was a big fan of the Smashing Pumpkins. Had all their albums, wore the ZERO shirt (no I didn't) and just thought they were great.

I cannot listen to it anymore. The music itself is great, but as soon as that whiny voice kicks in, I have to change it. I don't know what happened in the last 20 years, but it is now nails on a chalkboard.

[Mike F]

[AcGold]

I record music, listen to music all the time. He's wrong; reason being the recording quality is very bad in most of their music and has a shrill quality that takes away from the songs replayability. Plus Everlong and Yellow Ledbetter will be good songs in 50 years, what does Smashing Pumpkins have that will survive the test of time? He had talent just never quite materialized to his potential, created some unique sounds here and there but still nothing worth really listening to these days.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by Mike F

Ha ha. No doubt about that. But I don't think my age has anything to do with Billy Corgan's voice forever being stuck in 1993. There is plenty of other music that stands the test of time from those days, but theirs just doesn't (for me at least).

[iggy_oi]

Originally Posted by AcGold

what does Smashing Pumpkins have that will survive the test of time?

Today, disarm, tonight tonight, just to name a few

Of course that's subject to debate, but IMO these are songs you'll still hear in another 20 years from now

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern

Funny because I was scrolling through the old iPod yesterday going back and forth between FF, PJ and SP and I went over Soundgarden thinking "Why the hell aren't these guys involved in the conversation?".

Then I proceeded to listen to Superunknown in its entirety.

Because they are the biggest garbage to come out of the 90's. I detest Soundgarden with the power of a thousand suns. Mentioning them in the same breath as those other 3 bands is laughable.

[iggy_oi]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

Because they are the biggest garbage to come out of the 90's. I detest Soundgarden with the power of a thousand suns. Mentioning them in the same breath as those other 3 bands is laughable.

I bet all three of those bands disagree with your assessment of soundgarden, but you're entitled to your opinion

[DownInFlames]

I'm a Soundgarden fan, but "Black Hole Sun" is horrible. I absolutely cannot listen to it for more than a few seconds. It's sad that a song written as album filler is their biggest hit.

[badradio]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

Because they are the biggest garbage to come out of the 90's. I detest Soundgarden with the power of a thousand suns. Mentioning them in the same breath as those other 3 bands is laughable.

Your knowledge of music is laughable. If it wasn't for Soundgarden those three other bands wouldn't be anywhere.

[nfotiu]

Originally Posted by AcGold

I record music, listen to music all the time. He's wrong; reason being the recording quality is very bad in most of their music and has a shrill quality that takes away from the songs replayability. Plus Everlong and Yellow Ledbetter will be good songs in 50 years, what does Smashing Pumpkins have that will survive the test of time? He had talent just never quite materialized to his potential, created some unique sounds here and there but still nothing worth really listening to these days.

I like Eddie Vedder's voice better than all the bands mentioned, but Corgan is right that Pearl Jame is quite derivative, and Yellow Ledbetter is a pretty glaring example of that. A fun song to end a concert, sure, but hard to not call it anything but a Jimi Hendrix rip off (probably why it never made an album).

David Grohl seems like a great guy, and I'm glad they've had a lot of success, but I wouldn't exactly say his songs are masterpieces that are going to stand the test of time. They really strike me as more throwaway pop songs than any of the bands being talked about.

I think I am probably in Rouge's camp of being a big SP fan at one time, and don't really care to listen to them anymore. But I do think they have some of the better written songs out of the above groups. I guess I was lucky to see some very good concerts of theirs too. The MC&IS stop at the Saddledome was a pretty great show that lasted at least 2-3 hours with multiple encores and some great ad-libbing. They also played a great show headlining Lollapalooza at the Gorge in George. Both featured lots of ad-libbling and extended sets and the band was really engaged with the audience and into what they were doing.

[Daradon]

Originally Posted by DownInFlames

I'm a Soundgarden fan, but "Black Hole Sun" is horrible. I absolutely cannot listen to it for more than a few seconds. It's sad that a song written as album filler is their biggest hit.

Yeah, the ol radio ballad had to go in there somewhere. Oh well. The rest of the album is spectacular.

[Coach]

I like Soundgarden (and Audioslave), but don't consider them one of my favorites really.

That said, as a musician myself I get asked who I wish I could sing like sometimes, and my answer is always Chris Cornell. That guy is a beast.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by DownInFlames

I'm a Soundgarden fan, but "Black Hole Sun" is horrible. I absolutely cannot listen to it for more than a few seconds. It's sad that a song written as album filler is their biggest hit.

Blackhole Sun and Spoonman were so bad that I never gave anything of theirs a chance after that (or anything with Chris Cornell for that matter). As far as I am concerned, Soundgarden died after Badmotorfinger.

A lot of people don't like Billy Corgan's vocals. I think they work great for some songs, but not for others. It has actually grown on me more over the years though.

[AcGold]

Originally Posted by nfotiu

I like Eddie Vedder's voice better than all the bands mentioned, but Corgan is right that Pearl Jame is quite derivative, and Yellow Ledbetter is a pretty glaring example of that. A fun song to end a concert, sure, but hard to not call it anything but a Jimi Hendrix rip off (probably why it never made an album).

David Grohl seems like a great guy, and I'm glad they've had a lot of success, but I wouldn't exactly say his songs are masterpieces that are going to stand the test of time. They really strike me as more throwaway pop songs than any of the bands being talked about.

I think I am probably in Rouge's camp of being a big SP fan at one time, and don't really care to listen to them anymore. But I do think they have some of the better written songs out of the above groups. I guess I was lucky to see some very good concerts of theirs too. The MC&IS stop at the Saddledome was a pretty great show that lasted at least 2-3 hours with multiple encores and some great ad-libbing. They also played a great show headlining Lollapalooza at the Gorge in George. Both featured lots of ad-libbling and extended sets and the band was really engaged with the audience and into what they were doing.

I appreciate a disagreement that doesn't start with an insult. A lot of what you say I agree with except yellow led better and Everlong will stand the test of time, it's very good as where a lot of Foo Fighters is rudimentary. Grohl is an amazing drummer and an average guitarist/singer. I wish he'd drum more, he's a natural.

You reminded of Nine Inch Nails. A band that many will not like but live they were amazing. Got free tickets and I went in expecting a Marilyn Manson kind of show and got an elite level rock concert

[Daradon]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

Blackhole Sun and Spoonman were so bad that I never gave anything of theirs a chance after that (or anything with Chris Cornell for that matter). As far as I am concerned, Soundgarden died after Badmotorfinger.

A lot of people don't like Billy Corgan's vocals. I think they work great for some songs, but not for others. It has actually grown on me more over the years though.

I love Spoonman! BHS, not so much. I will agree however though, that even though Superunknown is there most known and celebrated album, a lot of their best work was before. Like Metallica and the Black album.

[Sliver]

Spoonman is a disaster of a song. It's so embarrassing and cringe worthy I jump for the dial to change the station if it's on. A truly lame song.

Slaves and Bulldozers is probably my favourite Soundgarden song. I also like Blackhole Sun, though. I didn't know people didn't like it.

I'll second AcGold that NIN - in spite of being widely hated - was a very strong group in the 90s. I was a big fan, but not nuts like some guys into them. Some guy once told my friend that "Trent Reznor is God". Haha, not quite.