Auf der Maur

Surrounded by music for most of her life, Melissa Auf Der Maur grew up in Montreal enjoying the fringe benefits of her mother's job as a radio DJ (she was one of the first women to hold this position). After playing in a series of local bands, Melissa joined the successful Canadian group Tinker, through whom she met Smashing Pumpkins' frontman Billy Corgan. Corgan became a central creative figure in her life -- he is the one who suggested Auf De Maur to Courtney Love when Hole needed a new bass player. Auf Der Maur joined Hole in 1994, and relocated to Los Angeles. Five years, countless tours, and one burgeoning movie career later (Courtney Love's), Hole called it quits. Serendipitously, the Smashing Pumpkins had just started looking for a new bass player, and once again Melissa Auf Der Maur was "touched by the hand" of Billy Corgan. She stayed with the Pumpkins until they disbanded, at which time she started putting in motion ideas for what would become her first solo album. After a three year wait, Auf Der Maur was released in April 2004.