Smashing Pumpkins leader Billy Corgan has offered an extended explanation for why he continues his long friendship with Marilyn Manson, arguing that decades of personal history and private knowledge keep him from cutting ties. Manson, whose legal name is Brian Warner, has faced multiple public accusations of sexual and domestic abuse over recent years. Appearing on a podcast, Corgan tackled those claims directly, explaining why he refuses to abandon Warner despite widespread public fallout.
Personal faith plays a major part in how Corgan views the situation. Speaking as a Christian, Corgan explained that his beliefs urge him to stand by companions while still holding his own independent judgment. In Warner's case, Corgan noted that investigators spent years reviewing the evidence before prosecutors ultimately decided against filing criminal charges. Corgan added that he was aware of private information that never surfaced in the public record, which supported his personal belief that Warner was not guilty of the offenses being investigated. At the same time, Corgan noted that he was not around for every event in Warner's life, stressing that if Warner or anyone else in that situation were genuinely guilty, they should spend time in prison.
The bond between the two performers extends well beyond casual industry circles. Their friendship covers nearly thirty years, beginning back when Corgan bought Warner his very first guitar and tried to show him how to play it. Over the decades, Warner has highlighted their shared musical background, as well as a lighter common interest in cats. Corgan also spent time around Warner's parents. Over time, that connection turned into family. Warner's wife has a twin sister who is married to Smashing Pumpkins guitarist James Iha, a circumstance Corgan described as bringing Warner directly into his domestic circle.
Their time together has not been free of conflict. The two musicians went through a lengthy estrangement after Corgan sent Warner a letter containing unwelcome warnings about Warner's relationship with Rose McGowan. That quiet stretch finally lifted in 2014 when Warner walked out unannounced during a Smashing Pumpkins concert in London. By 2015, they were touring together across North America on the co-headlining End Times Tour. Their social ties remain firm, with Corgan attending Warner's 56th birthday gathering alongside Iha, Falling in Reverse singer Ronnie Radke, and Motley Crue guitarist John 5.
Public allegations against Warner gathered force in 2021 when former partner Evan Rachel Wood accused him of grooming, manipulation, and physical violence, details she later expanded on in the 2022 documentary Phoenix Rising. Warner denied every claim, describing the allegations as distortions of reality. He initially launched a defamation suit against Wood and artist Illma Gore, but dropped the case in November 2024, agreeing to pay around 327,000 dollars toward Wood's legal fees.
Law enforcement officially brought its criminal review to a close in January 2025, when the Los Angeles County District Attorney announced that Warner would not face charges after a four-year inquiry. Prosecutors explained that domestic violence allegations fell outside the statute of limitations, while the sexual assault claims lacked enough evidence to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Even so, civil battles continue, as a separate lawsuit brought by former assistant Ashley Walters was revived in January following changes to California law.
Throughout these legal turns, Corgan maintains that he will not alter his loyalties based on public sentiment. He explained that he refuses to let outside social or political currents decide his circle of friends, preferring to rely on impressions gathered over thirty years of close personal contact.
