Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan is an unabashed metalhead at heart. He often cites his influences and favorites from the metal world, especially of the classic and thrash metal variety.
In a new interview with Australia’s “Everblack” podcast, Corgan talked about Smashing Pumpkins’ 1995 song “Tales Of A Scorched Earth” and if they had ever performed it live. “ Well, let me caveat this by saying that I love James Hetfield as a person,” Corgan said. “I love Metallica; I saw them in 1984 and all that great stuff. And James is probably the greatest riff writer outside of maybe Tony Iommi. James has written some of the greatest, most amazing riffs, and he’s still writing them. But if you listen to ‘Tales Of A Scorched Earth’ and you listen to that Metallica song, ‘Give me fuel, give me fire, give me that which I desire.’ See — a little lightbulb went off in your brain… Now, which song came first?”
The interviewer noted that “Tales Of A Scorched Earth” was released two years prior to “Fuel.” “God bless you,” Corgan said. “Now, I don’t think James would rip anything off from me, but the first time I heard that song, I was, like, ‘That’s awfully close.’ But I love me some James. And I’d love somebody trying to get a troll headline out that, some clickbait out of that. My father used to say, ‘Look, there’s only 12 notes.’ So, that’s the great thing. We all rip each other off, and if it works, great. I’ve got no problem with that. I mean, I’ve certainly ripped Metallica off plenty, so …”
Corgan’s full interview can be viewed below.
