UPDATE - 6/21@11:48AM: On a related note, here's an article at Grantland that talks about Corgan's new album and makes heavy mention of Rush. It's titled Billy Corgan's Quest for Cool with the subtitle the best Smashing Pumpkins album in nearly 20 years and what their front man can learn from Rush (thanks chip14220).

MusicRadar.com has posted part 1 of an interview where they sat down with both Geddy Lee and Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins. Corgan recently interviewed Geddy and Alex Lifeson for an FMQB Clockwork Angels special and had also been prominently featured in the Rush documentary along with giving a speech at Rush's Hollywood Walk of Fame star unveiling a couple of years back. Corgan also has a new album out, and he and Geddy talk about a number of subjects in the interview including their new albums, albums vs. singles, the constantly changing music business, and fan websites! Here's what Geddy has to say about that last subject:

... OK. What I do is largely stay away from the sites that talk about our band because there's so much chatter that I don't want to be influenced by. Our fans come to see us, and there's a fair exchange going on in that room. I'm working my ass off for them, and they're hearing the songs they want to hear, hopefully, and showing me some love, throwing it back up on stage to me.

"That's the only thing that I can see as part of my job. If I start mining for opinions on hundreds of websites that have fan forums, I'll be totally distored in my view of myself. I'll lose myself in all that." ...

So Geddy probably isn't reading this right now. :) You can read all of part 1 of the interview at this link. In part 2 of the interview Geddy and Billy will discuss the mastering loudness wars, concept albums, the importance of jamming and their signature vocal styles.

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