Billy Corgan Shares the Metallica Song That Got Him Through Hardship: “That Song Saved My Life”

Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins doesn’t jive with snobbery in the music industry, especially when it comes to metal. In a recent conversation on The Allison Hagendorf Show, the frontman revealed his thoughts about the metal genre, as well as the Metallica song that saved his life when he was going through an emotional rough patch.

Corgan spoke of metal as a genre that brings people together, despite the general misunderstandings that surround the music. He also discussed some of the shows he’s been lucky enough to see. “I was blessed,” he began. “I saw [Iron] Maiden on their first tour with Bruce Dickinson … I saw Metallica on Ride the Lightning [Tour] and Judas Priest in ’82 at a racetrack on Screaming for Vengeance Tour. I saw Accept opening for Iron Maiden.”

He then added, “As it is commonly understood about me, I don’t give a f–k what anybody thinks about music, because most music thought is based on snobbery.”

Corgan continued, “And the one thing that metal does, it reminds [us] that not everybody cares about the snob vote, whether you’re talking about Metallica, Rush, or Mötley Crüe. If you grew up in the world I grew up in, and so many people [to whom] that music speaks in a very visceral way, it’s not supposed to be pretty.”

[RELATED: How Billy Corgan Lost and Became Reunited With His Famous ‘Gish’ Guitar]

Billy Corgan Shares the Metallica Song That Saved His Life

Billy Corgan is firmly in metal’s corner, even when many critics don’t take it seriously. However, metal is just as deserving of recognition as pop or rock and roll. For Corgan, and many other fans, the genre is a unifying, artistic force to be reckoned with. It can bring out intense emotions, or it can relieve them during a hardship.

The latter is something Billy Corgan has experience with. In particular, he named the Metallica song that helped him get through the passing of a family member.

“I told Lars [Ulrich] this when I was on his show,” Corgan started. “‘Fade to Black’ by Metallica came out when my grandmother was dying of cancer. That song saved my life.” He then added, “When you’ve had those moments with rock, there’s a loyalty between band and fan.”

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