Smashing Pumpkins May Change Name

Billy Corgan says he\'s pondering a change of band name for new album

Published 21st Dec 2011

The band are due to release a brand new album called Oceania early in 2012 and frontman Corgan says that he's pondering releasing it under a new moniker. 

In a new interview with Sterogum, Corgan explained that, "some people who’ve known me a long time, people like 20+ years, people in the music business, people who’ve been around during the making of other albums, they’ve basically patted me on the back and said ‘You’ve actually done it. You got off Planet Pumpkin onto something else.’

"What’s so funny about it — I haven’t told anybody this, you seem like a nice person so I’ll tell you — the reaction to the record is so strong that people have said, ‘OK, now’s the time to change the name.’

"Yep. ‘Now’s the time to change the name ‘cause now you can be the victor of the whole thing. You can stand away from the Pumpkin and you have the record to prove it and you have the band to prove it and you guys can create your own legacy.’”

Corgan added that not everybody agrees: "Everybody in the band says, ‘No... We’re the Smashing Pumpkins.’ It’s hard to explain that mentality but there’s a real pride. There’s a real pride. There’s a real pride there to say, ‘No. We’re willing to take this on. We’re not afraid of it. We’re not gonna run from it.’”

(Audio Ink Radio)