When Smashing Pumpkins singer and guitarist Billy Corgan appeared on the Channel 93.3 radio station in Denver, Colorado last Friday (July 31st), he talked about his “beef” with Soundgarden, specifically their lead singer and guitarist Chris Cornell. Here’s what he had to say:
“Well, there’s a little bit of a backstory there. Chris Cornell was somebody I considered a friend, and would never have said a harsh word about. When Smashing Pumpkins came back in 2007, Cornell was quoted in an interview saying, basically, he didn’t consider our reunion, in quotations, to be ‘legitimate.’ So that’s something that’s… I kind of have an elephant’s memory when it comes to somebody punching me in the face. Cornell’s one of those people who is extremely talented. I was a fan from literally, I think, their second EP. I met them in 1991 and I still believe in what was great about the band. But when we’re sitting there having conversations about who is doing what, I am no longer gonna shield somebody. If they wanna punch me in the face, I’m happy to punch them back in the face. So, I respect the man’s talent. People gloss over the Timbaland album. [laughs] You know what I mean?! My point is, look, I don’t have any specific bone to pick, although I just, obviously, made a case for one. My point is don’t lump us in with people who are sort of just doing the reunion lap. Now, of course, fans are lighting up my Twitter saying, ‘Do you realize Soundgarden is doing a new album?’ OK, well, if they are, great. That’s what they should be doing. They are great musicians, and they should make new music, and hopefully they’ll make great albums, because we need artists to make great albums and great music in this day and age of the robots and the posers and, you know, the ‘faux hawk’ bands.”
You can listen to the rest of the interview here.
The Smashing Pumpkins and Soundgarden, who both released defining records in the ’90s, broke up in 2000 and 1997 respectively, but have both been back together in recent years. Last June, the Pumpkins released their latest album Oceania, while Soundgarden will release their new album King Animal in November.
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For the second installment in the Metal Riot “Deep Cuts” series (the first was 
Technical death metal pioneers DEEDS OF FLESH return after a seven year hiatus with their 9th studio album Nucleus, set for release via Unique Leader Records on 11th December 2020 (Vinyl release 15th January 2021).
The band's first release since the tragic passing of guitarist / vocalist and Unique Leader founder Erik Lindmark, who lost a battle with sclerosis in 2018, Nucleus features guest performances some of the biggest names in extreme metal to celebrate his life and contribution to metal. Vocalist Jacoby Kingston is joined by members of Pathology, Gorguts, Dying Fetus, Submerged, Decrepit Birth and more.
With a mix of the old and new style of DEEDS OF FLESH writing, this album is the completion of a story that began with Of What's to Come (2008) and ran through Portals to Canaan (2013). The music was written by Erik Lindmark (RIP), Craig Peters, Ivan Munguia and Darren Cesca, and had been recorded and partially mixed for almost four years. When Erik Lindmark passed in 2018, vocalist Jacoby Kingston came out of retirement to help finish the album. Alongside long-time drummer Mike Hamilton, they finished the story arc, wrote the lyrics and made the vocal arrangements for Nucleus. 
