Three Questions: Billy Corgan Talks Highland Park, Sushi and Making Music

Editor's Note: Following his performance at Madame Zuzu's Teahouse in Highland Park Sept. 26, Billy Corgan took some time to chat with Patch. Thank you, Billy!

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1. What has surprised you over the past year about owning Madame Zuzu's Teahouse?

If I'm thinking from the general Highland Park standpoint, this is not a culture that's predisposed to thinking there's things like this here. Everybody's screaming for your attention. You have to build things that people want to be involved in. You can only yell so much. At some point, you have to have something qualitative. It's been sort of, it's the locals not thinking there's anything to do. I met with a focus group with the city yesterday made up of other business owners. We're saying, we need to figure out how to get younger people in here.

2. Where's your favorite place to go in Highland Park when you're not at Zuzu's? 

I love Happi Sushi across the street. I just think it's great to have five-star sushi in Highland Park.

3. What inspires you to keep writing music? 

I think it's the challenge of documenting life as you move through it on a 3-D plane. It's like Rosewood Beach, where we shot the the (Smashing Pumpkins) "Oceania" cover. It's different in the fall than it is in the spring. I'm always writing from the standpoint of change and a fresh perspective. Obviously, we're in a very youth-driven culture right now. But I'd like to think that some of the alternative crew still has gas in the tank and there's things to say. Some people may say, 'I don't get how a teahouse and rock-n-roll all go together. I'm an individual. It's individual expression.