Billy Corgan welcomes legendary MTV host Matt Pinfield and music journalist /MTV alum Allison Hagendorf to revisit the MTV era — when music videos launched careers, broke new artists, and changed rock culture forever.

Matt shares behind-the-scenes stories from the network's most influential years, Allison reflects on her journey from devoted fan to one of rock's most trusted voices, and Billy reveals how MTV helped launch the Smashing Pumpkins, the incredible story behind the lost 1979 video footage, and the on-air comment about Chicago bands that earned him years of hate mail.

Along the way, they debate hair metal versus grunge, the cultural power of music videos, how artists broke through before algorithms, and why Billy believes rock—and Gen X—are finally ready for their next chapter.

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Billy Corgan sits down with Heart's Ann Wilson to talk about the highs, heartbreaks, and hard-earned lessons behind one of rock's most enduring careers. Ann recalls the exact moment she discovered her powerhouse voice, why Aretha Franklin gave her chills before fame ever did, and how she and sister Nancy built "a parallel universe in rock" when the industry had no place for women. She gets candid about the 1980s "devil's bargain” swallowing outside-written hits that had no soul and the sobriety turning point that came the moment she became a mother.

Along the way, Ann shares stories about Seattle's music explosion, Alice in Chains, sibling dynamics, artists trademarking their own voices, and why she's plotting an ambitious new concept album.

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Billy Corgan welcomes legendary musician, composer, and X Japan co-founder Yoshiki for a conversation about creativity, rebellion, and building something that refuses to follow the rules. Yoshiki reflects on helping create the Visual Kei movement, pushing rock music to its limits with X Japan, and the personal losses that shaped him from losing his father at a young age to the heartbreaking deaths of his bandmates, survivor's guilt, and a struggle with depression that nearly consumed him. Along the way, he shares stories of working with legendary Beatles producer George Martin, composing a piano concerto for the Emperor of Japan, and turning a loan from his mother into the record label that helped change the course of Japanese rock.

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Billy Corgan welcomes horror master and filmmaking icon John Carpenter for a fascinating conversation. Carpenter reflects on fighting studios to protect his vision, why he refused to change the ending of The Thing, and what it really means to be an auteur in Hollywood. He shares stories about growing up around the Nashville music scene, discovering filmmaking at age eight, composing his legendary film scores, and why Halloween works because “the less you know about Michael Myers, the scarier he becomes.” Along the way, Billy and John debate the scariest movie ever made, swap stories about professional wrestling, classic directors like Howard Hawks and John Ford, the collapse of the studio system, AI’s impact on filmmaking, and why America sometimes feels like it’s living inside one of Carpenter’s dystopian movies.

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Billy Corgan welcomes legendary Verdine White for a conversation about the rise of his group Earth, Wind & Fire and the vision that turned the group into one of the greatest bands in music history. Verdine reflects on leaving music conservatory at 18 to join his brother, Maurice White, and the promise that changed his life: "This is going to make you a legend." He shares unforgettable stories about Clive Davis betting on the band, the mentorship of Ramsey Lewis, recording That's the Way of the World, collaborating with illusionist Doug Henning, the Soul Train snub that nearly cost them their crossover, the game-changing performance at California Jam 1974, and what Miles Davis really thought of Earth, Wind & Fire.

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The indomitable Pat Boone joins Billy Corgan for a remarkable conversation about surviving fame, making history, and keeping faith through more than seven decades in entertainment.

Pat reflects on breaking Billboard records, selling more than 50 million records, and rising alongside Elvis Presley as one of the defining stars of the 1950s. He shares unforgettable stories about their friendship, Elvis' private struggles with faith,​ performing for Queen Elizabeth II, and witnessing the birth of rock & roll.

Along the way, Pat revisits the near-fatal accident while filming Journey to the Center of the Earth, the Harry Belafonte controversy that led him to walk away from his own hit television show, and the extraordinary pressure of becoming one of America's biggest stars before the age of 25.

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Billy Corgan welcomes Todd Rundgren for a masterclass in songwriting, record production, artistic autonomy, and a lifetime spent chasing creative curiosity. From working with Albert Grossman, Bob Dylan, and The Band, to producing hits for Grand Funk Railroad and pioneering the DIY recording approach decades before “bedroom pop” existed, Rundgren shares stories that only he can tell. 

Todd reflects on making Something/Anything?, the radical creative leap of A Wizard, A True Star, learning to sing by studying Stevie Wonder, and why great producers serve the artist—not the label. Billy and Todd also explore musical intuition, vocal arranging, artistic risk-taking, and the freedom that comes from creating without worrying about commercial expectations. 

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Billy Corgan sits down with Dave Davies, the pioneering guitarist/co-founder of The Kinks and one of the architects of distorted hard rock. From the raw explosion of “You Really Got Me” to the emotional genius of Ray Davies, Dave reflects on growing up poor in postwar England, discovering Little Richard and blues music, surviving fame in the ‘60s, and helping create one of the most influential bands in rock history. 

The episode dives into brotherhood, creativity, spirituality, and the magic behind songs like “Waterloo Sunset,” “See My Friends,” and “I’m Not Like Everybody Else.” Dave opens up about his spiritual awakening, the band’s chaotic early years, his relationship with Ray, and why love, not fame or success, is ultimately what matters. There are also incredible stories about Eddie Van Halen, British Invasion chaos, guitar experimentation, and the creation of some of rock’s most enduring records

THE RATS IN A CAGE TOUR: ' A One-of-a-Kind Show Featuring Two Distinct Sets Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness Plus Nearly Four Decades Of Hits And Dark Treasures.

Tickets On Sale Here: https://smashingpumpkins.com

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Billy Corgan sits down with TV icon Barry Williams in the living room of the Brady Bunch house for a funny, nostalgic, and surprisingly emotional conversation. From becoming Greg Brady at just 14 years old to navigating child stardom, Broadway, syndication fame, and decades of public fascination. The two explore why The Brady Bunch continues to resonate across generations, how Gen X embraced the show through endless reruns, and why its idealized vision of family life struck such a powerful chord with kids growing up in fractured homes. Barry also shares stories about working with Bob Fosse on Pippin, surviving the infamous “Cousin Oliver” era, and eventually making peace with being called “Greg” for the rest of his life.

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Billy Corgan sits down with David J of Bauhaus /Love and Rockets, one of the quiet architects of alternative music. David shares stories about growing up in working-class England, discovering reggae and punk, the accidental genesis of "Bela Lugosi's Dead," and Bauhaus' mission to dismantle the conventions of traditional rock.

Billy reflects on hearing Bauhaus for the first time and how the band permanently reshaped his understanding of music and artistic freedom. David recalls the surreal night Iggy Pop appeared front row at Danceteria, reveals what it truly took to reunite with Peter Murphy after years of estrangement, and reflects candidly on releasing more than 20+ solo albums for a niche-but-devoted audience, driven less by ambition than by an unstoppable need to create.

Check out David's album: "Tracks From The Attic Revisited" here: https://www.independentprojectrecords.com/david-j

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