THE SMASHING PUMPKINS Frontman Collapses On Stage In Florida; Video Available

THE SMASHING PUMPKINS frontman Billy Corgan collapsed on stage this past Wednesday night (July 21) at the Ritz Ybor in Tampa, Florida.

The singer reportedly felt dizzy during a rendition of the band's 1995 single, "Bullet With Butterfly Wings", before stumbling, then blacking out and falling to the ground. (See video footage of the incident below.)

According to Spinner.com, Corgan wrote on his Twitter account afterwards that he had no memory of the incident, nor was it a deliberate part of the show. He said, "For those who saw me fall last night during 'Bullet', that wasn't a stage move or clumsiness. That was me blacking out and wiping out."

He added, "I have no memory of falling against the drum riser and my guitar cabinet," he added, "but I can tell you I've got quite a good bruise [and] am moving slow."

The band is set to continue its U.S. tour tonight in Knoxville, Tennessee.

As previously reported, Corgan took issue with bands who reform and don't record new material, as well as fans who don't want to hear new music, in a new interview with RollingStone.com. When asked about some of his peers just going out and playing the hits, Corgan replied, "I've been in contact with those bands, as a fan and in many cases as a peer. I say to them, 'Please write new music. We need you.' When I got the PUMPKINS back I made it very clear — it's this way or no way. If I walked onstage tonight and there were 20 people out there, I (still wouldn't) go back and like ring up anybody that used to be in the band . . . I will never, ever, be that guy."

Corgan added, "I could put out 40 songs and they'd be saying, 'Eh, not as good as (1995 album) 'Mellon Collie'. Half of those fucking jerkos would have us playing all of (1993 effort) 'Siamese Dream' on this tour."

Corgan admitted he occasionally reads posts online from what he calls the band's "hardcore fan base," but said, "They are stuck in '93. It's 17 years (later) and I don't know what they expect to have happen . . . the thing that I find really insulting is there's a deeper message there which is 'You'll never be better.'"

The current PUMPKINS lineup features no founding members except for Corgan, who said about the original version of the group, "Believe me, if that band had anything left in it, not only would I do it because it would be creatively interesting, but it would be incredibly financially lucrative. People say, 'Well come on, just shake hands backstage and ride in separate buses' . . . I'm not gonna be in a band with people who don't like me."

The PUMPKINS are supporting a newly released EP of tracks from their ongoing recording project, "Teargarden by Kaleidyscope", a 44-song opus that will be released in stages over the next two years.