Billy Corgan Heartbroken After Kurt Cobain's Death Despite Treating Him As His 'Greatest Opponent'

Billy Corgan admitted to feeling heartbroken and sad after the death of his "greatest opponent," Kurt Cobain.

Cobain was one of the rising musicians in the late 1980s and 1990s when he launched his short-lived punk band, Fecal Matter. Although the band only lasted for a short time, the guitarist ultimately became one of the most influential alternative rock musicians in history - but his death cut his expanding career short.

Billy Corgan on Losing "Greatest Opponent" After Kurt Cobain's Death

Nearly three decades after Cobain died, the Smashing Pumpkins member appeared in an interview with Apple Music 1's Zane Lowe, during which he expressed his heartbreak following the passing of his "greatest opponent."

According to Corgan, he saw Cobain as the most gifted songwriter when he began making music years before his death. It led him to be involved in what he called the "greatest competition" as he told everyone else that Cobain was the most talented guy of their generation.

"Kurt had so much talent, it's like frightening. It was like a John Lennon level of talent, where you're like, 'How can you have all this talent?' Or Prince, right? But Kurt's not here, sadly," he said. "So I looked around and I was like, 'All right, well, I can beat the rest of them for sure.'"

The singer revealed he cried when the late Nirvana leader died since he reportedly wanted to "beat the best." However, he did not get the chance to do so following Cobain's death.

How Did Kurt Cobain Die?

Before Cobain passed away, CNN mistakenly reported his death prematurely (per Far Out Magazine) even when the musician was only in a coma following an overdose in Rome.

He consumed 50 doses of Rohypnol at that time.

The tragic event happened in reality a month later when electrician Gary Smith - who was installing a security system in the house - found him dead inside his Seattle, Washington home. Reports said he died of a self-inflicted shotgun wound to the head.

However, the public sparked rumors that Cobain's wife, Courtney Love, had something to do with his death. The buzz remains the center of a number of threads online, as fans are still divided about whether Cobain truly died by suicide or if he was murdered.

FBI also received two letters from individuals who asked them to investigate his death as a homicide. But it replied to the letters saying homicide investigations did not - and still don't - typically fall into their jurisdiction.

Meanwhile, Los Angeles-based private investigator and former L.A. County Sheriff's deputy Tom Grant was convinced that the ruling that Cobain died by suicide was "a rush to judgment."