The Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan recently spoke out in an interview, revealing his biggest loss since the passing of Nirvana vocalist Kurt Cobain.
Speaking with Apple Music 1's Zane Lowe, the rocker revealed that he and his band were recognized in the history of rock music, but after the legendary musician died, he the group didn't have any competition anymore that would challenge them to become more successful.
The singer said he became emotional when he heard the news about Cobain's death, explaining, "When Kurt died, I cried because I lost my greatest opponent."
Throughout the early years of the Smashing Pumpkins and Nirvana, the two rival bands had overlap when it comes to their music releases.
Nirvana, The Smashing Pumpkins Success in the 90s
Billboard noted that the Pumpkins dropped their first album "Gish" months before Nirvana's "Nevermind." It happened again in 1993 when "Siamese Dream" and "Utero" were only a few months apart from each other.
For the first time in their careers, the Smashing Pumpkins earned their first number-one album with "Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness," released half a year after Cobain's passing.
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Billy Corgan further explained that he wanted to beat the best in the industry and he didn't want to win because it was just him and "a bunch of jabronis."
"It's like, Michael Jordan, arguably the greatest sports competitor I'll ever see in my lifetime. I mean, you want to talk about an alpha. That guy wanted to win the valet tip, you know what I mean?," he added.
The Smashing Pumpkins Tour 2023
In other updates, the Smashing Pumpkins will embark on the North American leg of their "The World is a Vampire Tour" which will begin at The Chelsea at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas, Nevada, on July 28.
For fans who can't wait to see them perform live, their earliest show would be at the JaM Cellars Ballroom in Napa, California, on May 25, 2023.
They just concluded their Australian leg last month which featured supporting acts like Jane's Addiction, Amyl & The Sniffers, Redhook, Battlesnake, and more.
For their North American tour dates, they will be accompanied by Interpol, Stone Temple Pilots, and Rival Sons on selected concert dates.
For more information about the Smashing Pumpkins' upcoming tour, visit their official website here.
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