Billy Corgan is back in the world of professional wrestling after accepting a role with TNA.
The Smashing Pumpkins mainman last year stepped down as creative director of Resistance Pro Wrestling and has now taken on the role of senior producer of creative and talent development with TNA Wrestling – a position he describes as “a dream come true.”
Corgan was on tour with the Pumpkins this year when TNA promoter Dixie Carter asked him to come on board.
He says: “It’s one thing to be a fan and one thing to get to know some of the great wrestlers behind the scenes, hear the gossip and stuff that you read in the dirt sheets.
“It’s another thing to walk into that office in Nashville and sit with Dixie Carter and talk about having an influence on where the product is going. I’ve been a fan since the beginning, a lot of people know that, as far as TNA goes.”
Corgan’s role will involve developing characters and creating storylines for TNA’s weekly show Impact Wrestling.
He adds: “What’s great is the entire TNA organisation stands in full support of my music life with the Smashing Pumpkins. In return, I’m fully committed to using my 30 years of entertainment experience, along with my deep-rooted passion for pro wrestling, to take on the thrilling challenge of creatively contributing to Impact Wrestling, finding and developing new talent, and working eye-to-eye with the best-of-the-best.”
Meanwhile, music producer Rick Rubin says the Beastie Boys were heavily influenced by pro wrestling early in their career.
Rubin tells Rolling Stone: “The idea of being bad-guy rappers, saying really outlandish things in interviews, that all came from a love of pro wrestling.
“I remember showing them videotapes of old matches, because I was the fan, and we’d laugh about the stuff on there. And at that time, there was a wrestling hotline, and we’d call and listen to prerecorded messages from Roddy Piper and get inspired by the crazy things he’d say.”
The Smashing Pumpkins released latest album Monuments To An Elegy last year.
