Gene Simmons | The Magnificent Others with Billy Corgan

[ParaDime77]

Gene managing to be his usual insufferable self, platitudes and all. Corgan does a good job trying to keep Gene on topic but the latter needs to be the smartest guy in the room.

https://youtu.be/TwRcOa7-qVg?si=I0_II5QoPM3ViY_5

[dweezil]

Gene managing to be his usual insufferable self, platitudes and all. Corgan does a good job trying to keep Gene on topic but the latter needs to be the smartest guy in the room.

https://youtu.be/TwRcOa7-qVg?si=I0_II5QoPM3ViY_5

From the clips I've been seeing on social media, Billy Corgan, to my surprise, is pretty down to earth in his reflections on his own fame.
And the interviews he's published so far, he actually seems pretty engaging.
He was quite an insufferable interview back in the day himself.

[Ryan81]

I actually kind of enjoy it when Billy is interviewed. He has surprised me several times. The first time was back in the 90's he interviewed Eddie Van Halen when Grunge was at it's peak. He actually sang the praises of Eddie and what he meant to all guitarists even the ones in the "alternative bands." He said every guitarist owed much to E.V.H. which was definitely not what most of the grunge guitarists were saying at the time. In fact, it was usually the opposite. Plus, Billy also specifically mentioned his fondness of Van Halen II which scored him a lot of points with me. I was most blown away though when a few years back they had him do a list of his favorite 15 albums of all time and in his top 10 were I believe Defenders Of The Faith and Tooth And Nail and he actually spoke with more than a passing knowledge of both bands. Never in a million years would I expect to hear Billy Corgan talking up Dokken. I was Stunned!

All of this surprised me because I absolutely despised his music with Smashing Pumpkins. I couldn't stand his voice and thought the songs were just annoying. So I figured he probably had terrible taste in music. In the list I mentioned above about half the albums he listed were ones that I was also a fan of. Also, in the Rush movie he spoke pretty highly of Rush so I respected him for that. I watched his new show the other day. It was the episode where he interviewed Wolfgang Van Halen. Right off he said I'm not going to make this about your father. Then he spent at least 80% of the interview talking about just that. He didn't let Wolfgang speak hardly at all. It was probably the worst I've ever seen any interviewer hijack an interview. I enjoyed it though and Wolfgang was a good sport about it too.

[dweezil]

All of this surprised me because I absolutely despised his music with Smashing Pumpkins. I couldn't stand his voice and thought the songs were just annoying. So I figured he probably had terrible taste in music. In the list I mentioned above about half the albums he listed were ones that I was also a fan of. Also, in the Rush movie he spoke pretty highly of Rush so I respected him for that. I watched his new show the other day. It was the episode where he interviewed Wolfgang Van Halen. Right off he said I'm not going to make this about your father. Then he spent at least 80% of the interview talking about just that. He didn't let Wolfgang speak hardly at all. It was probably the worst I've ever seen any interviewer hijack an interview. I enjoyed it though and Wolfgang was a good sport about it too.

I'm personally hot and cold on Corgan's music. I like about half of it.... the albums tend to get REALLY indulgent. And these days he wonders why the audience isn't connecting anymore.

I do appreciate that he always carried the flag for that style of hard rock. He never tried to hide it, and that deserve some respect.

Your last sentence gives me pause on checking out the full interviews.

[ParaDime77]

Not to get to far off subject about the Gene interview, but Corgan’s interview with Wolf was indeed Billy high-jacking the majority of it. A little too self indulgent.

[Neil Diamond Dave]

Yes, Billy’s interviews that I’ve heard so far on The Magnificent Others are basically THE MAGNIFICENT ME. He interrupts, goes off on his own insufferable tangents, and has to be the smartest guy in the room.

I know he has the ability to ask great and unique questions, but he seems to want to interview himself more than the subject. Again, his questions are great, and with Gene, he really came across as the Kiss nerd that I was as a kid - Really cool to hear him get into the details and try push Gene off track from his usual scripted and cliche'ed answers.

I really love the peer-to-peer interview format, but when he gets someone like Wolfgang, who might not be as successful as him, he has to pronounce judgement and tips on how to "make it as a rock star". Dude, his father was Edward Van Halen. He's heard these already.

[NeonKnite]

I find it really pathetic that Gene dismisses the importance of the music on any level.

He wasn't always like that, and it's pathetic if you ask me.

[Neil Diamond Dave]

I find it really pathetic that Gene dismisses the importance of the music on any level.

He wasn't always like that, and it's pathetic if you ask me.

Yeah, I did hear that too - He never dismissed the music as second-rate before, but in his old age, he seems to be closing the book with Kiss as more of a cultural phenomenon rather than praising any of the music now.

[SterileEyes1]

Not to get to far off subject about the Gene interview, but Corgan’s interview with Wolf was indeed Billy high-jacking the majority of it. A little too self indulgent.

Yes, Billy’s interviews that I’ve heard so far on The Magnificent Others are basically THE MAGNIFICENT ME. He interrupts, goes off on his own insufferable tangents, and has to be the smartest guy in the room.

I know he has the ability to ask great and unique questions, but he seems to want to interview himself more than the subject. Again, his questions are great, and with Gene, he really came across as the Kiss nerd that I was as a kid - Really cool to hear him get into the details and try push Gene off track from his usual scripted and cliche'ed answers.

I really love the peer-to-peer interview format, but when he gets someone like Wolfgang, who might not be as successful as him, he has to pronounce judgement and tips on how to "make it as a rock star". Dude, his father was Edward Van Halen. He's heard these already.

Agree with all of this and have to add to it after enjoying the Gene interview but then watching the WVH “interview” earlier today.

Gene almost does to Billy what Billy then does to WVH. When Gene does the alpha shit it’s kind of adorable. Proud old man doing his proud old man shtick. When Billy does the alpha shit it’s just cringe. He’s talking to Wolf like he’s 17 years old and showed up asking for career and life advice.

That could’ve been a great interview, instead WVH got to sit there for an hour while Billy spent 45 minutes of it lecturing him and talking about himself.