Smashing Pumpkins’ D’arcy Wretzky ‘Disgusted’ With James Iha, Reveals Bombshell Billy Corgan Texts

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Blast Echo have up a new article where D’arcy Wretzky details text message conversations she had with Billy Corgan about Smashing Pumpkins’ reunion. Alternative Nation can confirm that this was no hack, and was 100% comments from the legendary Smashing Pumpkins bassist.

Corgan allegedly texted D’arcy in mid-January about any concerns she might have about new studio photos surfacing from Los Angeles. Photos first surfaced in early January of Billy Corgan and Jimmy Chamberlin at the Village studio, with Jeff Schroeder joining them. James Iha was later photographed in the studio, followed by a session with Rick Rubin in Malibu.

Corgan allegedly texted D’arcy, “well, so you know, [original guitarist] James [Iha] isn’t here either. It’s me and Jimmy working and [guitarist] Jeff [Schroeder] now too.”

He added, “James is focused on his stuff, which is why he isn’t here. And, as far as Rubin, he’s gonna be involved a little but not the whole thing.”

The plan had been for the original lineup to record one new song with Rick Rubin in January, but those plans changed, and D’arcy found out when she saw photos on Instagram. Iha was part of those sessions, and recorded a song.

D’arcy claims Corgan texted her trying to explain her exclusion and assuage any worries she might have had after having seen the photo of all her bandmates in an L.A. studio together.

Once Corgan went public, he texted her: “As far as you not being involved, there was never any decision to shut you out, or make you not welcome. It’s more about getting on the same page with [the] tour first and then the necessity of the song came up.”

He added, “So focus on [the] tour and I think we can find the right way to have you involved. I know speaking with Jimmy, he wants you involved so that the tour is the best thing we can all give the fans and build for the future.”

D’arcy claims before this they spoke about trying to “be a band again and to do it right this time and have fun with it in a relaxed environment.” Neither wanted to do a typical “reunion tour.”

D’arcy says Corgan told her that Iha and Chamberlin had no desire to record a full album, so they would instead record one new song and then tour the following summer.

D’arcy said that Corgan initially made a contract offer to her, Iha and Chamberlin, which was agreed upon by all parties. However, a month later D’arcy says Billy told her “well, that wasn’t a real offer.”

D’arcy said that James Iha and Jimmy Chamberlin were “with him” on the decision to do the reunion without her. “I am totally disgusted with James,” she said via text. “He should be ashamed of himself.”

Billy Corgan’s most recent post regarding the reunion and lineup drama on Instagram stated, “So not that it matters (and it doesn’t, but me riffing on an idea is not easy evidence that a conceptual fissure does), but I’ve noticed an interesting trend these days where I will say something and the thing that is said becomes the foundational basis for some untruth. (I mean, I have a checkmark!) So, I mentioned here recently that I have 26 tracks in various stages of completion (I will go one further and say the number is closer to 45, actually). From that number (the aforementioned 26) a monster ’tis spawned, and suddenly I am making things I never intimated.

The good news is there is energy there in the lie, a curiousity, or even the gross set-up for hoped-for failure (and take that on the face of it, as much media apparatus exists to build, fete, or destroy). The not-so-good news is that you (and I will be personal in saying you) have to decide from what is said here with pace and revelation (I mean, that’s show biz, for we sit through a long movie to get us to a strong finish and if lucky, a sequel) and this kind of meta-echo that says, ‘no, the truth is what we wish/decide/deduce it to be’ (that just happens to be tied to clicks). So the point of this jag? My clicks are pretty good, I think, and ultimately more fun. Last point: when I throw shade, you’ll know. Everything else is said in jest or with love.”

As an open message to Billy, James, Jimmy, and D’arcy, we would still love to see the four of you work through this and play together!