Corgan on Chicago Tonight

…music has been so downgraded in the culture as to what it represents. It’s no longer a special thing. It’s a career vehicle for everyone from J. Lo to whomever. It’s just a passing stop on the train. It’s no longer the Beatles and “Oh my God they’re my entire life”–I mean there’s always going to be that segment of people. But, as far as the whole culture recognizing music as a significant thing; that’s not happening right now. So when you downgrade music in people’s eyes, well then what do you expect to have happen. Are they going to pay $15 for a CD when they can get it for free? You’re going to have to adjust the economics so that the economics makes sense to the common person. So maybe a CD for $5 or maybe a way that they can subscribe or something. That’s more attuned to the economics of what they believe in. Because nobody has any problem paying $30 for a DVD. Because in their eyes, movies are still valuable. Music is not valuable because culturally it’s not valuable.
Billy Corgan

That was just a short excerpt from Bob Sirrot’s interview of Billy Corgan on Chicago Tonight, The Friday Night Show. Billy was amazing mellow and candid. I agree with him. J. Lo has done much more harm than good to what people consider music. Apparently, anyone with a good stylist, choreographer, producer, and recording engineer can make what passes for music these days. Did anyone see J. Lo’s performance on Saturday Night Live? The sound engineer had to duck her vocals under the backup singers’ vocals because her singing was so bad. I wonder if her producer was involved in that decision. If you’ve actually had the misfortune to listen to any of her studio tracks (God help you if you’ve actually seen her in concert!) and think, hey, at least she isn’t horribly out of tune. You should know that it only takes a $500 magic box to automagically correct pitch and intonation. Both Antares and TC Electric make one. Why do so many movie stars think they are musicians and vice-versa? Why do movie stars think they are fashion designers? Why do music producers think they can be musicians and fashion designers? You can ignore what I just wrote if you actually wear Sean John clothing–especially if it cost you your entire paycheck to buy it.

I don’t know about Billy, but I have a problem with paying $30 for a DVD–especially with the dreck that is coming out of Hollywood. Of course, Billy’s net worth is millions more than mine. I have no problem paying $30 or more for a Criterion Collection disc of a Hitchcock or Fritz Lang film. However, I do have a problem paying anything for something like Gigli, The Real Cancun, From Justin to Kelly, or Glitter… This list could go on and on.

Anyway, Billy goes on to criticize the lack of any serious critical review in the United States and points to it as one of the reasons that music is not taken seriously in the States. He sited Rolling Stone as an egregious offender that muddles the distinction between what is pop and what is serious music and art.

Billy also briefly mentioned a relationship he had with Courtney Love. I can’t believe he characterized her as “incredibly brilliant.” Did he not see her stumbling around incoherently on the Osbournes?

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in the city by the lake