William Patrick Corgan: "When Neil Young tells you to do something, you listen."

William Patrick Corgan
(formerly known as Billy Corgan)

Former Smashing Pumpkins member Billy Corgan has re-branded himself as William Patrick Corgan and shares some thoughts on sage advice from Neil Young.

From Cover Story: William Patrick Corgan | Illinois Entertainer by Brassneck:

When the Jedi Master speaks, the humble light saber student must sit quietly at his feet and listen.

And Smashing Pumpkins anchor Billy Corgan – who has recently re-dubbed himself with the more mature moniker of William Patrick Corgan, under which he just released the skeletal, Rick Rubin-produced solo set Oglilala, one of his best albums in ages – still remembers like it was yesterday his own Yoda-revealing summit meeting that occurred 14 years ago at a bustling Japanese train station.

Standing casually, waiting for the next express, the singer was stunned to look across the platform and see one of his musical heroes, Neil Young, waiting there, too. And – looking for common commiseration ground – he found himself complaining to the CSNY legend about certain record labels with which they’d both had experiences.

“I don’t know what the fuck I was thinking, and it was probably a very boring conversation for him,” Corgan sighs in slightly embarrassed retrospect. Young listened patiently, thoughtfully, though. “And then he just cut to the chase, as only Neil Young can,” Corgan recalls. When one encounters opposition or difficulties in show business, the man said, one should merely put one’s head down and keep walking, oblivious to such distractions. “And I knew exactly what he meant, and he told me what I really needed to hear,” he adds.

“That it doesn’t matter what some guy in an office thinks of you – what matters is what you do. And he’s a sage – let’s face it. So I took that advice to heart. And there have been some really tough days where that’s the only advice I could rely on. I didn’t get advice from my father. So I took it from surrogate fathers like Neil Young and Johnny Cash. And – as an artist in kind of a wacky world – you need to find your surrogate fathers to help you get through this because I haven’t gotten a lot of pats on the back from this culture.” He chortles, with palpable defiance. ”And yet I’m still here.”

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"Because when Neil Young tells you to do something, you listen. So I’ve got one lane now. And it’s my own.”

See full interview at Cover Story: William Patrick Corgan | Illinois Entertainer.

Also, see Billy Corgan Covers Neil Young’s “After the Gold Rush”: CBC Radio q.

Also, see Neil Young Sings Truth to Power.

Also, see Influence of Neil Young on other Musicians.


Bob Dylan, Neil Young & Eric Clapton,
Madison Square Garden, New York City - 1992

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