Smashing Pumpkins' Billy Corgan is no longer Billy Corgan

"Hi. It's, uh, William Patrick Corgan," the voice says with a slight chuckle when the artist formerly known as Billy Corgan called The News Journal Thursday afternoon.

The musician/singer/songwriter, who has used Billy as his first name for years, including as frontman for alternative rockers The Smashing Pumpkins, caused a bit of a stir a month ago when he announced a new solo album.

The Rick Rubin-produced record, "Ogilala," due in stores Oct. 13, does not bear the familiar Billy, but rather his full given name: William Patrick Corgan.

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With only a few interviews under his belt to promote the upcoming album and its limited 13-date tour, we had to ask the question we're all wondering: Why is Billy no longer?

His answer was a simple one. And he says it has nothing to do with pretentiousness as some have surmised.

Here's what Corgan, who performs solo Oct. 18 at The Grand, had to say:

"Kind of a funny thing happened. A few years ago, as I approached 50, I started asking friends and family to start calling me by my real name. Billy just felt kind of alien to me at some point. It wasn't a big deal and it isn't a big deal.

"When that started translating out to the public part of my life, it turned into this weird, like, I was turning up my nose or something. Like this weird arrogant thing.

"It's very strange to me — we live in a click-bait society, so I'm not complaining — but it's a little weird to have people coming after you for using your real name. It's kind of strange.

"Billy is my name. And William is my name, too. So at some point it became almost like a joke — like, I'm just gonna kind of go with this because it seems to irritate people.

"And I see even doing it on the record is still causing this weird confusion. On a scale of one to 10 with me it's about a two. But it's been treated by a lot of people as a bigger deal and it's totally not a big deal."

If you were hoping for a weird tale, it seems there isn't one.

Tickets for Corgan's Delaware debut, which cost $45-$59.50, are on sale now. He says fans should expect a two-set, 2-hour show spanning his entire career.

Read the entire interview in Oct. 6's 55 Hours entertainment section or online at delawareonline.com that week.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: William Patrick Corgan

WHEN: Wednesday, Oct. 18, 8 p.m.

WHERE: The Grand, 818 N. Market St., Wilmington

COST: $45-$59.50

TICKETS: thegrandwilmington.org

Contact Ryan Cormier of The News Journal at rcormier@delawareonline.com or (302) 324-2863. Follow him on Facebook (@ryancormier), Twitter (@ryancormier) and Instagram (@ryancormier).