Was the final touring bassist for the
Smashing Pumpkins and is a former member of
Hole.
- Birthplace: Montreal, Canada
- Parents: Famed journalist Nick Auf der Maur
and disc jockey Linda Gaboriau
- Current residence: Los Angeles, California
- Drives: A 1969 Mint Green Cougar
- Plays: Most of the time, a silver sparkly Fender Custom Precision Bass. She has an endorsement
with Ampeg amplifiers.
- Musical background: Melissa taught herself how to play bass at the age of nineteen, after having a dream about the band now called "Queens of the Stone Age." She formed a band, "Tinker," with her boyfriend in Canada.
When Hole bassist Kristen Pfaff died of a drug overdose in 1994, Billy Corgan (a mutual friend of Courtney Love and Melissa) convinced Melissa to join Hole. Recently, Melissa
left Hole in order to pursue other opportunities. In addition to bass, Melissa also plays the
piano and has had choral training.
- Interests: Melissa studied photography in college
and now takes pictures everywhere she goes
in order to document her life. She collects "hooker boots," victorian clothing, and anything sparkly. A Pisces, Melissa is also interested in astrology. And, of course, she
plays bass and sings.
Discography
- Tinker "Realalie / Saxon Princess" vinyl, released by Bear Records in 1994
- Tinker "Green Machine / Gnosis" vinyl, released by Bear Records in 1994
- Hole "Gold Dust Woman" from the original motion picture soundtrack for "The Crow: City of Angels," 1996
- Blinker The Star "A Bourgeois Kitten," 1996 (Melissa sings backup on at least one song)
- The Lemonheads "My Hero, Zero" on the compilation cd "Schoolhouse Rocks! Rocks," 1996
- Ric Ocasek "Troublizing," 1997
- Ben Lee "Something To Remember Me By," 1997 (Melissa sings backup on at least one song)
- Constant Comment "Fire Crasher " vinyl, 1997
- Cecil Seaskull "Whoever," 1998 (Melissa plays bass and sings backup on at least one song)
- Hole "Celebrity Skin," 1998
- Hole "Celebrity Skin/Dying (original demo)/Best Sunday Dress/" import, 1998
- Hole "Malibu / Drag / It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" import, 1998
- Hole "Awful" EP import, 1999
- Tube Tops 2000 "Rock and Roll-Part 2" on the compilation cd "Blockbuster: A 70's Glitter Glam Rock Experience," 2000
all information taken from the "Purple Sparkle" Melissa Auf der Mar tribute page
Here's the
BMI material listing for Mel: