Billy

Smashing Pumpkins singer Billy Corgan has claimed that he "almost" killed himself several times. In an interview on Last Call With Carson Daly, the frontman admitted that he had considered committing suicide "about three, four, seven times" but faith in God had stopped him from feeling "like a victim". He said: "I almost killed myself about three, four, seven times. I literally started planning my death and what I would leave behind, and what I was gonna write. Three or four times in my life.

Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan has revealed that he is writing an autobiography, which he has described as "a spiritual memoir". The singer, whose band released their new studio album Oceania in June, has said that though his book isn't "a rock 'n' roll autobiography", it does contain "plenty of sex and drugs and rock 'n' roll'". Speaking to Billboard, Corgan also confirmed that the band are already working on the follow-up to Oceania and he has said he hopes to have it out by December 2013.

Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan has layed into the way the music industry works, saying it "operates on a dumbing down principle". The singer, whose band released their new studio album Oceania in June, has said that he believes few bands get to keep their intelligence if they want to be successful, but did name Radiohead as a notable exception.

Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan has said that he firmly believes whoever the next "Kurt Cobain or Courtney Love or Trent Reznor" is, they will not make it big in the same way as those artists. The singer, whose band released their new studio album Oceania last month, has said that most alternative bands will never escape the scene they start in as that scene is now self-sufficient.

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ZZ Top mainman Billy Gibbons has revealed that he and bandmate Dusty Hill once turned down an offer of $1 million (£638,000) to shave off their beards. The singer, who has sported a very lengthy beard since the late '70s, told Brave Worlds that he and Hill were approached by Gillette, who offered them the staggering amount of money to shave. Though still a hefty wedge by today's standards, the offer came in 1984, meaning it would be worth $2.25 million (£1.44 million) in 2012.

Smashing Pumpkins' frontman Billy Corgan has laid into Radiohead, declaring them "pompous". The singer, whose band release their new studio album Oceania on Monday (June 18), said that Oxford band were a symbol of the current culture of "valuation" which he despises.

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The songwriter and guitarist Billy Strange has died aged 81. The musician co-wrote several songs for Elvis Presley with Mac Davis, including 'A Little Less Conversation', which, while only a minor success on release in 1968, became a worldwide hit after it was heard in 2001 film 'Ocean's 11' thanks to Junkie XL's remix.

Billy Bragg, Jeffrey Lewis and Stornoway have all been confirmed to play London's The Apple Cart Festival on June 3.