William Patrick Corgan Jr. is an American musician, best known as the lead singer and guitarist of the alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins, which he co-founded in 1988.
Beyond music, Corgan is a professional wrestling promoter, having purchased the National Wrestling Alliance in 2017.
Recently, he addressed rumors about being half-brothers with comedian Bill Burr during a podcast, ultimately disproving the idea while sharing insights about his family dynamics.
Corgan is also expecting his third child with wife Chloé Mendel.
Parents
Billy’s parents are Martha Louise Maes Corgan Lutz and William Dale Corgan.
They divorced when he was three, and he experienced a tumultuous childhood, living with various family members, including his stepmother, whom he has described as abusive.
His father, a musician, had a complicated relationship with Billy, marked by both criticism and eventual support for his musical career.
Corgan’s mother passed away in 1996, and his father died in December 2021 from a heart attack.
Career
Corgan showed an early interest in music, beginning to play guitar at a young age.
Influenced by various genres, including punk rock and new wave, he formed The Smashing Pumpkins in 1988 with guitarist James Iha, bassist D’arcy Wretzky, and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin.
The band’s debut album, Gish, released in 1991, received critical acclaim and established them as a significant presence in the alternative rock scene.
However, it was their second album, Siamese Dream, released in 1993, that catapulted them to mainstream success.
Featuring hits like Cherub Rock, Today, and Disarm, the album showcased Corgan’s unique songwriting style that blended heavy guitar riffs with introspective lyrics.
The band’s landmark double album, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, was released in 1995 and is often considered one of the defining works of the 1990s.
Debuting at number one on the Billboard 200, it included iconic tracks such as Bullet with Butterfly Wings, 1979 and Tonight, Tonight.
The ambitious scope and production of this album solidified Corgan’s reputation as a visionary artist.
Following Mellon Collie, the band released several albums, including Adore (1998) and Machina/The Machines of God (2000).
However, internal conflicts led to the band’s initial breakup in 2000.
After the breakup of The Smashing Pumpkins, Corgan formed a new band called Zwan. They released their debut album, Mary Star of the Sea, in 2003.
Although the band received mixed reviews, it showcased Corgan’s continued evolution as a musician.
He then embarked on a solo career with the release of TheFutureEmbrace in 2005, exploring different musical styles and collaborating with various artists.
In 2014, he released Ogilala, an acoustic album that further demonstrated his versatility.
In 2006, Corgan reformed The Smashing Pumpkins with a new lineup.
They released several albums thereafter, including Zeitgeist (2007), Oceania (2012), and Shiny and Oh So Bright (2018).
Beyond music, Corgan has pursued interests in professional wrestling.
He became involved with the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) in 2017 and eventually purchased the organization.
This passion for wrestling has allowed him to merge his creative talents with this entertainment medium.
Additionally, Corgan has expressed his artistic side through poetry and visual art; he published a book of poetry titled Blinking with Fists in 2004 and has showcased his artwork in various exhibitions.
