More than two decades have passed since Soundgarden and Smashing Pumpkins became forerunners in the rock world, but they still can't stop throwing shade at each other.
Soundgarden guitarist Kim Thayil and Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan have long been nemeses, and Thayil decided to re-open the wound in a recent interview with the Dallas Observer (thanks, Stereogum).
"We feel confident that if the four of us all like an album, it's going to do well," Thayil said. "We don't have one member who is deciding the composition of an album. You should know who I am talking about, but I am not going to name names."
Corgan has always been known as a perfectionist with a tendency to drive bandmates away. In short, he's developed a reputation as the Pumpkins' dictator.
"We have four guys who write songs here," Thayil said. "We have four guys contributing material without someone calling bulls--t on it. You follow me? There are many bands out there that are led by one guy who does all the writing? He might have some religious epiphany or some psychedelic experience and he will write all this material that can very easily suck. And the rest of his band feels like they have to play it. That is not Soundgarden. Consequently, we have never made a record that sucked."
That's true. Thayil and Co. have never made an LP that "sucked." But 2012's King Animal ranks pretty far down on their discography. And when the band re-united in 2010 to play shows and make new music, Corgan was one of the primary critics.
"When Soundgarden came back and they just played their old songs, great," he said. "I was a fan of Soundgarden, but call it for what it is. They're just out there to have one more round at the till; same with Pavement and these other bands."
Soundgarden responded in a Loudwire interview:
"How is it a cash grab? Since when is there money in making records anymore [laughs]? I mean, playing Lollapalooza was a one-day payday, but ... and by the way, since when do we need money? We're not like the Afghan Whigs or Pavement. We had a fairly successful career."
If these grown-ass men are still digging at each other into their 50s, it's tough to foresee an end to this grunge-era beef.
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