One could argue, as this author would, that The Smashing Pumpkins were one of the most influential rock bands of the 90’s. Their fantastic blend of heart songs and hard rock provided the soundtrack to the lives of many young poetry lovers and rage filled misfit youth alike. Recently, Smashing Pumpkins founder, vocalist and songwriter Billy Corgan teased an upcoming tour, sending many 30 somethings searching for their old Zero shirts and silver pants. The new Plainsong Tour will feature softer versions of some of the band’s harder songs. Fans can expect to hear a lot more from Corgan in the future. Corgan also announced that he is working on a road documentary centered on the everyday American. The poet has also become a vocal spiritual/political Infowarrior, making several recent appearances on The Alex Jones Show, where he has been speaking out against the “regressive left.”
Billy Corgan has always been able to bridge the gap between soft and loud. So it is not hard to envision what the rock icon has in store for his upcoming Smashing Pumpkins in Plainsong Tour. Recently, Corgan spoke to Rolling Stone about the bands new way of playing old songs:
"We've organically stumbled into a new way to play. Although I know that no matter how many interviews I give where I explain it, there will be some guy in the back of the room going, 'Why are they not playing ‘Bullet With Butterfly Wings’ real loud?'"
The Smashing Pumpkins in Plainsong tour dates have yet to be announced.
The new tour is not the only the thing that Corgan has in the works. Corgan is also working on a film documenting his experiences with the everyday American while traveling the famous Route 66, as he went on to tell Rolling Stone:
"I'm still figuring it out, but I'm hoping to get it made into a series. I'm trying to rekindle my understanding and appreciation for the core American value."
Corgan's quest to rekindle his core American value has lead him down a slightly political path. The Pumpkins vocalist has recently been using his voice to speak out against the progressive left. Recently, Corgan appeared on The Alex Jones Show to rage against the totalitarian methods of so called “Social Justice Warriors,” telling the Infowars audience via The Daily Beast:
“The tactics in the social justice warrior movement are to stifle and shut down free speech. And I would argue in the world that I live in, which is the bare-knuckle world, they’re leveraging their position because they don’t have power.”
Corgan went on to discuss the rise of Bernie Sanders and the wave of Democratic Socialist.
“To be talking in America in 2016 about, you know, Mao is a good idea and a socialist is running for President and that’s okay, and we’re going to go back to these kinds of crazy tax rates and completely disempower the innovators in our country. Because the new class, the new technocratic class, wants to keep their position and they want to keep everybody else from coming in the game. I mean, it’s crazy to me.”
