The world, in perspective.

The Smashing Pumpkins frontman reflected on his 30-year relationship with the shock rocker, whose wife's twin sister is married to the Pumpkins' James Iha. "I don’t want the world to tell me who my friends are and who I should associate with,” he said. "In some cases I knew personal things behind the scenes that are not in the public sphere."

Billy Corgan remains steadfast in his relationship with close friend and longtime colleague Marilyn Manson, despite a series of sexual misconduct and domestic violence lawsuits that have been filed against Manson throughout the years. When asked about the friendship on a recent episode of the New York Times’ “Popcast” podcast, the Smashing Pumpkins frontman

“I personally didn’t feel he was guilty of the things he was being charged with,” Billy Corgan says of his old friend Marilyn Manson, who was accused of sexual abuse, domestic violence and more by Evan Rachel Wood and other women. “Ultimately the fact (is) that the D.A. didn’t pursue,” the Smashing Pumpkins leader added. […]