The Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan went on the record a while back to say that he doesn’t believe he gets as much love as he deserves for his guitar work. Honestly, even though the statement was controversial to some, it’s hard not to agree. Corgan’s riffs with the iconic alt-rock band are sorely underrated. Let’s look at just a handful of songs that showcase just how much of a guitar god Billy Corgan actually is!
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“Jellybelly”
Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness, released in 1995, is probably The Smashing Pumpkins’ most well-known and well-revered album. There are a ton of songs from that record that could make it to this list, but I’m particularly partial to Corgan’s guitar stylings on “Jellybelly”.
It’s a heavy guitar track, compared to other songs on the album. Corgan almost sounds like a metal guitarist throughout the song, and he delivers the perfect amount of sludge on “Jellybelly”. It’s also quite passionate; Corgan definitely deserves more credit for how much emotional energy he puts into his guitar work.
“Cherub Rock”
This killer track from the 1993 record Siamese Dream is probably the best example of Corgan’s talents on the guitar. The opening features a smooth, clean riff from Corgan that dives into a heftier riff for the better part of the song. That main riff is one of the catchiest riffs that Corgan has ever produced.
The whole of the song is a beautiful, dynamic piece of work. However, that fuzzy guitar track from Corgan is on another level.
“Zero”
Another excellent Billy Corgan guitar moment from Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness is the song “Zero”. It’s a darker tune from the hefty album that tends to fade into the background when compared to larger hits from the record. However, “Zero” deserves way more love. And likewise, Corgan’s guitar track is a delight.
There’s a punk element to it, the downstrokes have some serious punch to them, and there’s a lovely level of harmony to all of the riffs that make up this song. The tension is palpable, and the payoff is fantastic. The whole song is essential listening for any Smashing Pumpkins fan, but Corgan’s guitar track is really what holds it all together.
Photo by Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images
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