New TNA President Billy Corgan issued a video statement regarding his new role in the company and the status of his band The Smashing Pumpkins. The following are the highlights of the video, which can be viewed in full at Facebook.com/smashingpumpkins.
-Corgan said he is back in contact with bass player D’arcy Wretzky for the first time in years. He said there’s been speculation that the band is getting back together. “We’re not at that point and I think that’s a good thing,” Corgan said. “We’re not rushing.”
-Corgan said he loves pro wrestling and he’s not backing down from that even though some of his non-wrestling fans are not crazy about it and that’s okay. “I love professional wrestling, I’m not backing down from that,” he said. “Some of my best friends are in professional wrestling. It’s an absolute honor to now be president of a major company that no only has a long, rich history, but is also going to change the world that I am inhabiting as well. I plan to be as successful in wrestling as I have been in music.”
-Corgan said he is very committed to music. “I’m actually more in love with music than I’ve been in a long time,” he said. Corgan said there is a chance that the past lineup of Smashing Pumpkins could reunite, but it will be about music. Corgan said he is a father now and he would like his son to see someone on stage that he can admire.
-Corgan said he is very passionate about his job in TNA. He said that doing things outside of music makes him love music more. He said focussing entirely on music “drove me literally out of my mind.” Corgan said that by having things outside of music makes him a better musician and a better man. He said his music career is actually “on the rails” for the first time in a long time.
-Corgan said Impact Wrestling his the second biggest company in the world. “There are many challenges,” he said. “This company has had some really difficult things gong on internally. I’ve obviously stepped in… partially on the ownership side and also in management.” Corgan said it’s fun and it’s cool. He said he plans to evolve it forward. He said he thinks it’s possible to make the coolest, edgiest, and most groundbreaking wrestling company of the 21st Century. He said there are content wars on the internet coming with Netflix and others step into the sphere of being their own television networks.
-Corgan said being president of TNA “is an awesome responsibility.” He said he now has a responsibility to TNA employees and the wrestlers to make sure the company is headed in the right direction and to do his best. “So for those people who want me to fail, those people who are so into the other company that they want me to fail, it ain’t gonna happen,” he said. “Now if I lose and I fail because I tried, well then that’s just life. But I’m gonna fight because I love what I do and I don’t see anything wrong with it.” Corgan said wrestling is “lots of fun” and said they were on a rooftop doing some “crazy shit with drones.” He said he can’t give away the finish of that one.
Powell’s POV: Corgan essentially wanted to send the message to music fans that he’s still committed to music, and that Smashing Pumpkins reunion rumors should be ignored unless he says it’s official. On the wrestling side, he spoke passionately about TNA and I like that he expressed that he feels a responsibility regarding the company’s employees and the talent. He did not explain how the day-to-day operations in TNA would be handled should the band embark on a major concert tour. I guess he’ll cross that bridge when he gets to it.
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