Photo: Andrew Toth/FilmMagic
Billy Corgan is mourning the loss of his father.
Posting a set of videos on Twitter Saturday, the Smashing Pumpkins frontman shared that his father William Dale Corgan died of a “massive heart attack” on Dec. 17 after suffering from health issues over the past 20 years.
Corgan, 54, admitted that he “wasn’t prepared to talk about this” as he shared that the two had a “very long, crazy, complicated relationship” and he was still “wrestling with the feelings” of his death.
“He inspired me to be the musician that I am. He made me be way better than I would have ever been. He was a fantastic musician, and a great teacher in his own way,” Corgan said in the first video.
“Probably the greatest blessing of my life on that note is that in the beginning, he really didn’t understand what I was doing musically,” Corgan said. “And then he came around and he became my biggest fan and supporter and would oftentimes compliment me on my music, my lyrics, my shows. And so I lived long enough and he lived long enough for us to have that and share that.”
Corgan shared that his father was a musician himself and he had a “bitter relationship” with the music business. He also recalled memories of his father playing soundchecks and “empty, stinking bars.”
“My earliest memories are of my father playing music, listening to music in the house, and so all I’ve ever known is music and that started with my father,” Corgan shared. “He truly loved music and inspired me to not only be a musician of accomplishment but also to love all types of music. He truly loved gospel and R&B and soul.”
Corgan — who lost his mother in 1996 — said it would take a bit longer for his father’s death to settle in.
Billy Corgan/Twitter; Inset: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
“His death wasn’t wholly unexpected, but it certainly came suddenly yesterday,” Corgan said. “And then to make matters even crazier, he was pronounced dead in his home and then they were able to revive him and so for a short period of time, he was alive.”
Corgan explained that after the heart attack, he was taken on a helicopter en route to the nearest hospital. It was in the helicopter where he died, “somewhere above the earth in a fitting way,” Corgan said.
Corgan performed on Sunday night, with his family in attendance, since “the show goes on. That’s what my father believed,” he said.
“That is the tradition of our family. The show goes on and we’ll have a good time tonight and you’ll see us play Christmas songs,” Corgan said. “My family will be there and will, I’m sure, be thinking of my father and spirit.”
“And he said, ‘OK, just tell the truth. I’m good with that.’ So my father encouraged me to be that person and I’m still that person,” Corgan added. “So I carry that forth and that’s about all I can say for now.”
On Monday, the singer also shared photos of the two playing “at a family function way back in the day” and a photo of his late father holding his dog Tucker.
source: people.com
