Billy Corgan on 'Talk is Jericho'

It's Damn Real!

The undisputed, undefeated TNA &
Amazing interview. Well worth the entire listen. I'm not a huge fan of Jericho's 'cast, simply because I feel he doesn't always really let the guest dictate the pace and discussion as much as he does (a lot of confirmation bias type stuff), not to mention I find him a little annoying, but this one was out of the park.

For the sake of this thread I'm going to drop in a few of the key moments/talking points so we've got points of reference to really dive into, but holy shit, this is Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins talking wrestling in every sense of the saying. That is to say, this is one of rock's most genius song-writers, performers, and creative minds applying that same mental process to something brand new. Not all his ideas are home runs, but he speaks quite positively and confidently about a number of creative avenues he's exploring already including:


• TNA's need for a developmental — something Billy feels they need and that he's already "fighting" for, but says that the word fighting probably isn't the right term because the company is already responding positively here.

• TNA's need to create TNA stars — not necessarily retreads from other companies. However, this can also mean simply presenting another company's creation in a way they weren't prior. He mentions Lashley specifically here, talking about how his run in TNA thus far and what he's been booked to be has been so much more successful than his WWE days. He also mentions having "six to eight" new talents he thinks will make an impact, all pun intended, on TNA television, but cites Bram, ECIII and Rockstar Spud as three "Holy TNA" household names in the making. He mentions that if TNA can take guys from nothing and turn them into a TNA-something, that they've succeeded in creating their own products.

• Along with creating new stars, he cites talent development as a critical aspect of his job, and says he is extremely excited to be working there. Says being able to break through to that "other level" by being able to build up a talent so high that you can get them on Conan or Kimmel is key focus of his. It becomes "TNA's story", not someone else's. Says "I want TNA talent branded for TNA to the glory of TNA — if I can't do that, I'm not doing my job that Dixie hired me to do".

• Speaks to TNA's need to not "fight the monolith by being monolith light", rather offering a "TNA solution" — being TNA, not being WWE-lite. Not being ROH-lite. Not being anything else other than what they are, what they offer, and allowing that creative avenue to bring fans in who are genuinely excited by what the company is offering.

• Thinks TNA needs to key in on fan engagement and reaction, and should have a focus on youth culture, whether it's through story telling, social media engagement or otherwise.

• Says he'll be working on the same level as Lagana and Conway, below Dixie and Gaburick, but that both Dixie and Gaburick have given him substantial power to make changes in the company — changes that would still need a green light, meaning he doesn't have autonomy, but changes they would be receptive to if they think what he's selling will actually sell​


All-in-all this is probably the best interview Jericho has ever done, and is probably the best TNA-exclusive/TNA-focused interview I've heard as a fan, even if you still need to chalk it up to a lot of promise-talk (seeing as Corgan has still only just started).

I know not everyone will do so, but I'd strongly recommend you actually listen to the whole interview before jumping in here, because the passion Corgan has might be all you need as someone who isn't currently watching TNA to give it another shot.
 
Thanks for summarizing the interview, because there's no way I could listen to two hours of an insufferable narcissist like Corgan. I guess his overbearing egotism will finally be justified if he is able to turn TNA around - he certainly wasn't able to make any decent music in his lifetime.
 
Thanks for summarizing the interview, because there's no way I could listen to two hours of an insufferable narcissist like Corgan. I guess his overbearing egotism will finally be justified if he is able to turn TNA around - he certainly wasn't able to make any decent music in his lifetime.
You're right, it has been about a whole two hours since the local rock radio station played "Disarm", "Today", "1979", "Cherub Rock", "Bullet with


Oh, sorry to interrupt that thought. "Muzzle" is playing now.

Insufferable narcissist? Yup. Overbearing egotism? Most certainly. To insult his skills as a musician just shows ignorance towards music. I've met shitloads of people who didn't like the Smashing Pumpkins (which, yeah, I get), but I've never met a musician who didn't respect Corgan as a guitarist and composer.
 
You're right, it has been about a whole two hours since the local rock radio station played "Disarm", "Today", "1979", "Cherub Rock", "Bullet with


Oh, sorry to interrupt that thought. "Muzzle" is playing now.

Insufferable narcissist? Yup. Overbearing egotism? Most certainly. To insult his skills as a musician just shows ignorance towards music. I've met shitloads of people who didn't like the Smashing Pumpkins (which, yeah, I get), but I've never met a musician who didn't respect Corgan as a guitarist and composer.

"Tonight, Tonight" just started.

I was going to respond to that post, then got to the hook at the end about how Corgan has never created good music and figured it wasn't worth my time.

... "Zero" playing now.

So thanks for taking care of that for me.

Jumped to another station... it's "Landslide" I hear.

Wait, gonna try one more... oh, look at that, "Ava Adore" blaring.

Turns off radio as "Eye" kicks in

--

Now, let's get this back on track, eh? Anyone get around to listening to it yet?
 
You're right, it has been about a whole two hours since the local rock radio station played "Disarm", "Today", "1979", "Cherub Rock", "Bullet with


Oh, sorry to interrupt that thought. "Muzzle" is playing now.

Insufferable narcissist? Yup. Overbearing egotism? Most certainly. To insult his skills as a musician just shows ignorance towards music. I've met shitloads of people who didn't like the Smashing Pumpkins (which, yeah, I get), but I've never met a musician who didn't respect Corgan as a guitarist and composer.

Radio play is indicative of quality? You cannot be serious. And music is subjective. Corgan might know his theory and how to play guitar, but that doesn't mean he's written any decent tunes. I get why angsty teenyboppers would like it.

I'm aware that the guy is passionate about wrestling, and hopefully he finally proves that he is great at something after all. TNA needs a fresh perspective, and Corgan's could be the one. I'm just skeptical, given that he wasn't all that good at his primary career choice. We'll see.
 
Just because he's a great musician doesn't mean he's not an "insufferable narcissist" as a human being, which in other interviews with him I read & listen to in the past he's come across as being.

I've not listen to the podcast yet, but I will be giving it a listen soon, probably at work, & probably after listening to Dixie on Austin's podcast. It's nice seeing TNA get some attention from heavy hitters like Austin & Jericho though.
 
Radio play is indicative of quality? You cannot be serious. And music is subjective. Corgan might know his theory and how to play guitar, but that doesn't mean he's written any decent tunes. I get why angsty teenyboppers would like it.

I'm aware that the guy is passionate about wrestling, and hopefully he finally proves that he is great at something after all. TNA needs a fresh perspective, and Corgan's could be the one. I'm just skeptical, given that he wasn't all that good at his primary career choice. We'll see.

Music is subjective, says the guy calling the kind he makes bad.

Sense, this makes none.

Just because he's a great musician doesn't mean he's not an "insufferable narcissist" as a human being, which in other interviews with him I read & listen to in the past he's come across as being.

I've not listen to the podcast yet, but I will be giving it a listen soon, probably at work, & probably after listening to Dixie on Austin's podcast. It's nice seeing TNA get some attention from heavy hitters like Austin & Jericho though.

For sure. Technically Joe was talking TNA a bit as well on Ross' podcast as well.
 
Music is subjective, says the guy calling the kind he makes bad.

Sense, this makes none.
And this time you beat me to the punch. Thanks for covering that. COB, I'll cut you off at the past, no, people are not going to create special rules for you and read the objective statements you make as if they were subjective.

Objective: "X is Y".
Subjective: "I view X as being Y."

Objectively, consistent radio play more than twenty years after the release of the songs would indicate that there is a large market for people who still wish to hear those songs. (I'm assuming I don't have to explain how media companies use content to sell advertising, and thus have a vested interest in providing popular content.) Objectively, there are a great deal of people with the subjective opinion that the Smashing Pumpkins made some quality music. Objectively, you made the "this is bad" statement, which implicitly claims that your subjective opinion on music is superior to the subjective opinions of {anyone who disagrees with you}. Which is a pretty tough pill to swallow considering it's fairly clear the closest you've come to a musical instrument was holding one as part of a Halloween costume.
 
They were both on That Metal Show and I expected them to talk about
wrestling then, although it didnt happen.

Corgan has his work cut out with TNA.
 

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