Melissa Auf der Maur, who played bass for Hole for four years and Smashing Pumpkins for one, is enjoying life outside of a high-profile rock band. However, currently juggling five music projects, she's certainly not taking a break.

"This is the best year of my whole life because of how much freedom I've had," she says. "To me, music is all about having freedom to play with whoever, however, try out different lineups and styles. Having the freedom of not being committed to a huge, huge project such as Hole or Smashing Pumpkins, I'm in heaven."

Her new top priority has been her debut solo album that she's been recording in Ontario, Los Angeles and Chicago. Tentatively titled "Auf der Maur," it's expected out by year's end. Comprising songs Auf der Maur has written and demoed over the last six years, the album will feature her on vocals and guitar as well as bass. Guests include former Pumpkins band mates James Iha and Chris Holmes, as well as members of Auf der Maur's Canadian band, Tinker. There's also a duet with pal Rufus Wainwright in the works.

"The L.A. section of the record is the prettier, more ethereal stuff," Auf der Maur says. "The dark, rock stuff actually -- which is really my main route and the muscle of the record -- was recorded in Canada. And then in Chicago we're recording some songs with James and Chris that are more mid-dissonant pop -- mid-tempo, mid-volume."

Auf der Maur has stockpiled songs over the years, because she wasn't able to fully express herself musically in her previous bands. "With the Pumpkins I never collaborated," she says. "I was only a touring bass player. We did lots of live, amazing rock freak-out jazz jams, but I was never in a place where I was writing songs. Someone like Billy [Corgan] writes a song in, like, an hour, so it's not like he needs other songwriters. With Hole, I co-wrote a lot of the Celebrity Skin songs, but it was always a collaborative thing because, of course, Courtney was the singer. I've never had the freedom to bring in a full song from top to bottom."

Fans looking for a sneak preview of the new album can catch shows by the Chelsea, one of Auf der Maur's many side projects. Composed of former Hole drummer Samantha Maloney, A Perfect Circle bassist Paz Lenchantin and former Need guitarist Radio Sloan, the Chelsea will debut on February 6th at Los Angeles' Spaceland.

"Me and Paz will be doing a lot of singing in the band, but both Radio and Sam sing too," says Auf der Maur. "The joy of it is me and Paz will be switching back and forth between bass, guitar and baritone guitar. There's a lot of potential there, and they're amazing girls and so talented."

Auf der Maur also has a Black Sabbath tribute band, Hand of Doom, in which she serves as lead singer. The band made its debut last week at a New York City club. "It's our duty to honor Black Sabbath, so I'm literally doing that because I love rock music and I feel I must somehow pay tribute," she says. "That's the funnest thing I've ever done. I get to be up there and sing not worry about the chord changes. It's not possible for me -- being female -- to completely be Ozzy, so I do it my own way. I do raise my arms a little to do wings, I have fringes on my arms. I highly recommend it to anyone. Pick your favorite instrument and play Sabbath."

The Virgins, Auf der Maur's most publicized side-project, a planned collaboration with Ryan Adams, James Iha and former Lemonhead Evan Dando, is also the farthest away from being realized. "That was us hanging out at an Irish pub saying, 'Jesus, we should write a record together.' Ryan is busy with his album, I'm busy making my record, James is making his record, Evan's making his, but we'll take two weeks out this year. It was supposed to happen this winter but then Ryan Adams totally took off and skyrocketed, so we'll probably do it this fall when he gets off tour. It's way on the back burner, but that was a good night out with four friends."

While in Los Angeles, Auf der Maur has paid bills doing covers for soundtracks. She did Poison's "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" for the upcoming comedy Run Ronnie Run! (which features an appearance by Tool's Maynard James Keenan) and the Clash's "Should I Stay or Should I Go" for Oliver Stone's next film, Beyond Borders. "Oh God, it's almost like blasphemy," she says of the Clash cover. "No one's allowed to cover the most overheard song ever. They wanted it for the Angelina Jolie love scene, so I had to do it. In the movie we're playing it as a live band. It's like a fictional band in the Eighties. I coordinated it and produced it -- all my buddies in Canada were the band." She also covered Billy Idol's "Eyes Without a Face" for a teen thriller whose name has escaped her.

Lest anyone think she's lazy, Auf der Maur is prepping a New York Valentine's Day music and fashion presentation with designer Elisa Jiminez, and she's currently shopping a photo book compiled of shots taken during her years in Hole and the Pumpkins.

"For me, this book in particular is kind of a reflective tour diary, but it's all inner-journey, no outer-documentary stuff," she says. "It's not about, 'I was in a rock band.' It's about, 'I was a woman in her twenties traveling around the world with my camera.' It's way more behind-the-scenes but literally behind Melissa and her hotel room door, not backstage stuff."

COLIN DEVENISH
(January 30, 2002)