Billy Corgan: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

Nov. 20, 2017 | Robin Hilton -- Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan is a complicated guy. In the years since that iconic and much-beloved rock band broke up in 2000, Corgan has continued to put out music under various names and projects – including several releases as Smashing Pumpkins, with different lineups – while often stumbling through a bumpy minefield of his own making. To the head-scratching surprise of some longtime fans, he's gotten heavily involved in pro wrestling, talked conspiracy theories during several appearances on The Alex Jones Show (warning of weaponized zombies in one interview), and, over the years, lobbed innumerable grievances about former bandmates, while trashing other musicians and publicly feuding with a revolving cast of celebrities and public figures.

More recently, Corgan seems to have mellowed. He opted to release his new solo album Ogilala, under his (very grownup-sounding) full name, William Patrick Corgan (though he very recently changed it back to Billy Corgan on streaming services and YouTube), and filled the record with beautifully rendered acoustic songs built on piano and strings.

When he settled in for this memorable Tiny Desk performance with a string quartet he'd just met hours before, Corgan was nothing but a good-natured delight. After years of selling millions of records and playing packed arenas, he showed up in a cab with just his tour manager and, during setup and rehearsals, joked about being all DIY now.

Dressed for winter weather in a heavy scarf, hoodie, down jacket and cap, Corgan opened with a stirring rendition of the 1995 Smashing Pumpkins song "Tonight, Tonight." It was a transporting moment that left some fans in the NPR offices a little misty eyed. Corgan then followed with two Ogilala standouts, "Aeornaut" and "Mandarynne," songs about staying strong and true to yourself and soldiering on in the face of a troubled world.

The Smashing Pumpkins always had a soft side, from the more melancholy moments of 1991's "Rhinoceros" to "Sweet Sweet," "Take Me Down" and Adore's gorgeous opener, "To Shelia." But here the beauty and grace of Corgan's poetry and songwriting is on full display.

Set List

"Tonight, Tonight"

"Aeronaut"

"Mandarynne"

MUSICIANS

Billy Corgan (vocals, guitar, piano), Kristin Bakkegard (violin), Livy Amoruso (violin), Paul Bagley (viola), Carol Anne Bosco (cello)

CREDITS

Producers: Robin Hilton, Morgan Noelle Smith; Creative Director: Bob Boilen; Audio Engineer: Josh Rogosin; Videographers: Morgan Noelle Smith, Nicholas Garbaty, Alyse Young; Production Assistant: Salvatore Maicki; Photo: Jennifer Kerrigan/NPR

For more Tiny Desk concerts, subscribe to our podcast.

[tankerock]

We will never know the temperature of that room.

[scottvaughn]

The folks who run the sound / eq for these TinyDesk shows are heroes.

[TheDeadFlashYT]

Tonight, Tonight is one of the most beautiful songs ever

[waz]

the older I get the more it feels like I'm hearing Tonight Tonight for the first time

[Away.Aweigh.A.Way.]

I remember first finding Smashing Pumpkins when I was in third grade. At the time, I wasn't allowed to listen to secular music (in all fairness third grade is probably a little early for Melancholy and the Infinite Sadness) but Stacy was a fifth grader down the street who wore Chucks and played a Strat and had a giant Nirvana poster and I was obsessed with her. I remember when she gave me a single track tape with Bullet With Butterfly Wings and I listened to it over and over (quietly in my room so my parents couldn't hear) literally until it fell apart in my tape player. I think I cried myself to sleep that night.

Years later when I got my first job, I realized I couldn't be kept from listening to what I wanted to listen to and staring at my first paycheck in epiphany, I frantically and recklessly drove to the record store in the mall and bought the first album I ever bought with my own money: Siamese Dream. And then I played it until it was almost transparent and too scratched to all hell to make it more than 30 seconds into "Today." So I bought it again. In fact, I bought that album 4 times before CDs became a novelty and now it's just downloaded on my phone.

I don't know what it was about Billy Corgan's voice that hooked me but it got in deep man, and never really let go. So when I say I love this man I mean I love him. I hate how overused and cliche this is but Billy Corgan changed my life.

Well, him and Stacy Pfeiffer from down the street. She was a total badass.

[AlexanderKnollwood]

Big props to Jerry Cantrell on the viola. A humble, dynamic talent.

[samhynninen]

This is probably the best version of Tonight Tonight. The vocals are so sensitive and you can hear Billy's age and maturity in them.

[miss.fit_meg]

I met Billy during a layover in Texas. I was at a really rough point in my life and he was really sweet and insightful. Amazing person and amazing talent

[davidpetersen]

Could you imagine being one of the string players finding out you are going to play with Bily Corgan, and then getting the sheet music to "Tonight, Tonight." I've seen some awesome stuff on Tiny Desk but that has to be one of my favorite of all time.

[eighty]

0:00 "Tonight, Tonight"
4:30 "Aeronaut"
8:03 "Mandarynne"

[MrOffthebank]

Whoever got him on Tiny Desk needs a raise!

[MarzAdam]

He might be complicated, but his music is simple and magical...

[MrMPS-gzzm]

The 90’s... golden era.
So many good memoirs listening Corgan’s voice.

[Roitherkur]

Sound quality on this is simply amazing. Nothing short of a studio recording.

[noorwananoordin]

my eyes are watery after hearing tonight, tonight again after a long while... thanks SP

[TheBent]

I clicked on this not expecting much, maybe a musician past his prime, in decline. He sounds better than ever and these were beautiful tunes. Loved "Aeronaut" and "Mandarynne", and of course Tonight Tonight. Very well done. You know a great musician when they can play in a situation like this one. It cuts the wheat from the chaff. Doing my shoe gazing days I drove around an entire summer never taking Siamese Dream out of my changer just living that album.

[marianaluisinafarias]

Those violins at the beginning of the amazing performance of "Tonight, tonight" gave me goose bumps.
Love u, Billy.

[furiios]

Wow, his voice is strong here. The strings add so much depth. Very moving and we'll done. I wish him nothing but good things

[phantomphotography]

One of the most talented music composers of any generation. His music will be even more appreciated as time goes on. Thank you for all the work you have done, so much appreciated.

[JuanCarlosPrada]

Wonderful version of Tonight, Tonight. It really shows, once again, how great that song is. Thank you, Billy.