Born William Patrick Corgan, Jr. on March 17, 1967, in Elk Grove Village, Illinois, he rose to prominence in the Alternative music movement, particularly as the vocalist and lone constant member of Smashing Pumpkins. He went to Glenbard North High School and got into guitar after witnessing a Flying V at a friend’s house. Corgan then surrendered his funds to his father, who purchased him a secondhand Les Paul knock-off guitar, which he trained himself to play.
During these years, Corgan’s musical influences included John Cale, Black Sabbath, Queen, and other mainstream rock acts. He also found bands like Bauhaus and The Cure. Despite grant and scholarship offers from various colleges, he chose to pursue a career in music after high school.
Personal Life
Corgan has long battled anxiety, sadness, and suicidal thoughts. He blames his illness on the maltreatment he had as a youngster from his stepmother. In 1993, Corgan married Chris Fabian. They divorced in 1997 after splitting up in 1995. From 1985 through 2004, he was in a relationship with Yelena Yemchuk. Corgan moved in with Courtney Love and her kid in early 2006, but the couple divorced soon after. In 2010, he began dating Australian singer Jessica Origliasso, with whom he dated until 2012. Corgan began dating fashion designer Chloe Mendel in 2013. They are the parents of two children.
Billy spent $6.8 million for a 9,600-square-foot lakefront house in the Chicago suburbs in 2003. He finally spent $1.25 million for the house next door in order to build an 8-acre complex. Billy spent $3.85 million for a Beverly Hills house in 2009. He advertised the house for $5 million in 2015 but was unable to find a buyer. He received $3 million for the property two years later.
Career
Billy Corgan and the Chicago music scene didn’t get along, so he and his first band, The Marked, relocated to St. Petersburg, Florida in 1985. The band disbanded after failing to achieve success in Florida. Corgan returned to Chicago to live with his father, and from 1987 to 1988, he was a member of the band Deep Blue Dream. He departed the band in order to form The Smashing Pumpkins.
While working at a record store, Corgan met guitarist James Iha, and the two began making demos. He met bassist D’arcy Wretzky after a concert, and they got into an argument about the band that had just played. The three created the Smashing Pumpkins and began performing at local venues with the use of a drum machine. They ultimately recruited Jimmy Chamberlin and played as a foursome for the first time on October 5, 1988. The arrival of Chamberlain pushed the band in a heavier direction. The band’s debut album “Gish” was released in 1991. It did better than predicted, but their second album, “Siamese Dream,” became a multi-platinum smash in 1993.
The album received critical praise, and the tracks “Today,” “Cherub Rock,” and “Disarm” were the album’s greatest successes. Corgan has been the driving force behind the rock band’s direction from its inception, with his candid lyrics, lavish production values, and virtuoso musical interaction. In less than three years, the Smashing Pumpkins had converted themselves into a big label hit under his direction.
The Smashing Pumpkins’ “Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness” became an even larger smash in 1995, generating a streak of No. 1 singles. The album received seven Grammy nominations that year and was certified 10 times platinum. Their most successful single to date was “1979.”
Jonathan Melvoin, the band’s travelling keyboardist, died of a heroin overdose in a Manhattan hotel room in July 1996, after he and Chamberlin had used the substance together. Chamberlin was later arrested and charged with misdemeanour possession. Following that, the band decided to fire Chamberlin and continue as a trio. The upheaval, along with personal issues on Corgan’s end and despair, informed the sombre tone of 1998’s “Adore.” Fans and critics had mixed feelings about the album.
Chamberlin rejoined the band the next year, and they recorded “Machina/The Machines of God.” Wrtzky left the band in the middle of recording the album. Sales were lower than ever before, and critics were divided once more. On December 2, 2000, the Smashing Pumpkins played their final gig for a while.
In late 2001, Corgan and Chamberlain reformed the band Zwan. Their debut album, “Mary Star of the Sea,” was released in 2003 to favourable reviews. Shortly after, the band disbanded. Corgan launched a solo career in 2004, releasing his debut solo album “TheFutureEmbrace” to mediocre reviews and low sales.
Corgan took out a full-page ad in The Chicago Tribune and The Chicago Sun-Times in 2005, pleading for the Smashing Pumpkins to reform. Chamberlin agreed a few days later. The band formally confirmed their comeback in 2006. The reformed group spent two years in the studio before performing their first gig together on May 22, 2007. “Zeitgeist” was released in July 2007 and debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard charts.
Corgan spent the summer of 2009 travelling with Spirits in the Sky, a side band he had founded. The Smashing Pumpkins went on to release three additional albums: “Oceania” in 2012, “Monuments to an Elegy” in 2014, and “Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 1” in 2018. Corgan followed up with three additional solo albums.
The Smashing Pumpkins have sold over 30 million records worldwide and have released eleven studio albums. Their efforts have been recognised by several organisations, including MTV, the Grammys, and the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Although the Smashing Pumpkins’ lineup has changed several times since their inception, Corgan has never stopped recording and touring, occasionally recruiting new bandmates. The Smashing Pumpkins’ popularity may be attributed to their complex, layered sound, as well as their dynamic songwriting, which alternates between anguish and dreaminess.
Corgan founded Resistance Pro, an indie wrestling organisation located in Chicago, in 2011. Corgan was named Total Nonstop Action Wrestling’s new Senior Producer of Creative and Talent Development in April 2015. He was named TNA’s new president in August 2016. He quit TNA three months later because of disagreements over not getting paid on schedule. Corgan was believed to have bought the National Wrestling Alliance in May 2017. On October 1, 2017, he became the owner.
Net Worth
Billy Corgan has a net worth of $60 million as an American musician, producer, songwriter, writer, and poet. In the late 1980s, Billy Corgan co-founded the Smashing Pumpkins. The band was very popular and travelled widely, but it broke up several times owing to inter-band disputes and drug problems. Despite the fact that the band is currently travelling, Billy Corgan is the only original member left.
Facts
| Net Worth | $60 Million |
| Date of Birth | Mar 17, 1967 (56 years old) |
| Place of Birth | Elk Grove Village |
| Gender | Male |
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.9 m) |
| Profession | Singer, Musician, Record producer, Songwriter, Author, Guitarist, Singer-songwriter, Writer, Poet, Composer |
| Nationality | United States of America |
