Billy Corgan before he was famous

The nobody years

1. 

   1985 Turned down college

   In 1985 he turned down college offers to play music full time.

   Turned down college offers to play music full time. Source

2. 

   1985-1986 Florida, no success

   He moved his band the Marked to Florida; it found nothing and broke up.

   Moved that band to St. Petersburg, Florida, where it found no success and broke up. Source

3. 

   1987 Record store counter

   Back in Chicago in 1987, he worked behind a record store counter.

   Went back to Chicago and took a job behind the counter of a record store. Source

4. 

   1987 Meeting James Iha

   At that store he met James Iha; they started recording demos.

   Met James Iha while working at that store, and they began recording demos together. Source

5. 

   July 1988 Chicago 21, 1988

   July 1988: first Smashing Pumpkins show, a duo with a drum machine.

   Played the first Smashing Pumpkins show as a duo with a drum machine, at a Polish bar called Chicago 21. Source

6. 1967

   Was born in the Lincoln Park neighbourhood of Chicago. Source

7. around 1970

   After his parents divorced he was raised first by his great-grandmother, then his grandmother. Source

8. 1970s

   Moved to Glendale Heights with his father and stepmother, and stayed with his stepmother when they separated. Source

9. early 1980s

   Gave his savings to his father, who bought him a used Les Paul knock-off, and taught himself to play. Source

10. 1985

    Formed a band called the Marked, named after the birthmarks he and his drummer shared. Source

11. 1988

    Recruited bassist D'arcy Wretzky after arguing with her about a band outside a show. Source

Reconstructions of documented moments, generated with AI. Not archive photographs, and not depictions of real people. © The Nobody Years