Half-Life of an Autodidact

William Patrick Corgan

William Patrick Corgan Jr. (born March 17, 1967) is an American musician, songwriter, and wrestling promoter. He is best known as the lead singer, primary songwriter, guitarist, and only permanent member of the rock band The Smashing Pumpkins. He is currently the owner and promoter of the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA). Corgan formed Smashing Pumpkins in Chicago in 1988 along with guitarist James Iha, followed by bassist D'arcy Wretzky and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin. Strong album sales and large-scale tours propelled the band toward commercial success and critical acclaim throughout the 1990s. After their break-up in 2000, Corgan started a new band called Zwan, and after their demise released a solo album, TheFutureEmbrace, in 2005 and a collection of poetry… more »