Regarding Montreal
Dylan Young
|
Melissa? That you?
photo: Courtesy of EMI
|
Melissa Auf Der Maur on the music career that almost never was
A polished voice is giving me instructions on how to live the next 20 minutes of my life. "I'm going to put Melissa on with you," she says. "Then you'll have 20 minutes to talk with her. I'll come on a couple of minutes before the 20 minutes are over to let you know you're coming to the end. So, just give me a second..." All of this to talk to someone I've eaten dinner with." ...Dylan, you have Mel-issa," purrs the flack, before clicking off.
There's a little laugh, then a raspy voice comes over the line. "Dylan, you have Mel-issa," she parodies. "I have Dy-lan," she wheezes through a few more chuckles. Then we both laugh for a solid minute.
By now, the Auf Der Maur story is a nicely worn rut in the annals of the contempo-pop canon. Her first brush with celebrity came at her father's hands - words at least - the incorrigible Nick Auf Der Maur, who filled his column inches with anecdotes about his tweening daughter, Melissa. In the early '90s, she became a queen bee of the Main's indie rock set, cutting her rock'n'roll teeth as part of the much-vaunted Tinker. Somewhere in there, she befriended the saccharine-voiced, awkwardly tall Smashing Pumpkin Billy Corgan.
Through Auf Der Maur's friendship with Corgan, she was invited to become the new bassist of Hole, a job she nearly turned down. "You know that Montreal thing," she says through the filter of the cold she's picked up. "The last thing I wanted to do was hook up with a huge American band. It seemed like the foulest idea possible."
So
what changed her mind?"I guess it was talking with my parents," she admits. "They just kept asking if I really wanted to let the opportunity pass. In the end, I guess I really didn't. It wasn't always easy, though. It was strange being so well recognized for music that actually didn't represent my taste or sensibilities all that much."
After Hole broke up, Auf Der Maur spelled with Smashing Pumpkins, again finding herself a cog in someone else's creative machine. But the sidekicking may be over for good. At the beginning of June, Auf Der Maur's eponymous solo debut hits North American stores (Europe has already been raving it up and down the press halls).
"I can't tell you how amazing it is to finally have something creative that is tangibly me," she explains. "But it was right to have waited. If I hadn't gone with the Hole thing, I might have made an album much sooner. But it wouldn't have been the right album. I needed to see more, learn, contribute to other people's work. The album I've made is a product of experience, of allowing things to fall into place over time."
So there's something to be said for patience.
"Oh yeah. There's a tendency - and this is what held me back in Montreal, what holds a lot of people back - to rush your creative independence, to try to make a statement before you've learnt how to express yourself or even what to express. I was lucky though, I fell into some great places to educate myself."
There's a telling click and a familiar voice comes on the line. "Hi Dylan, I'm sorry to interrupt but we're going to have to wrap it up. Okay?"
"Sure," I say. "It was lovely speaking with you, Melissa."
"Dylan," she says with trumped-up pomp. "It was my duty and esteemed pleasure to speak with you. Give my regards to Montreal."
Auf Der Maur with The Offspring and theSTART at Métropolis, May 25
| All these Simons on Canadian Idol. |
|
Hey you don't like it you don't have to trash it. Not everybody gets a Sony production on Videos. It is not easy to follow your fathers foot steps especially if they are huge. Maybe you can just sit back and enjoy or then listen to something else. Give Pete a chance, let her grow , let her experience life and let her enjoy what she likes to do.I kind of liked her for her uniqueness in expressing herself. Don't be so Simon!
|
|
Maria Cecillia Silva
|
{8 votes}
|
|
|
| Melissa The Queen Of Rock? |
|
Are you kidding me?
I understand that she's a local girl who did good and I understand that we all want to support her but let's not lose it, ok?
A member on this site actually said that "she has surpassed the shadows of her father who is a Montreal Icon".
Surpassed? I think not. Not even close. That statement is so out there that it's in the next solar system. Nick Auf Der Maur's daughter has proven she can rock with the best of them but she is *years* away from being anywhere near her legendary dad in stature.
Like Mr. Eggers and so many others out there, I'm having a hard time buying this whole solo artist thing of hers exactly because in terms of construct this isn't Melissa Auf Der Maur *and the Auf Der Maur band* but simply Auf Der Maur. Did we ever call it Courtney Love *and* Hole or just Hole? No.
And yes, I have heard the album. Hardly impressive.
|
|
Juana Cabezas
|
{20 votes}
|
|
|
| It's all about the network, Bay-BEE!!! |
|
So, Melissa networks her way into Billy Corgan's good graces and ends up in Hole and the Pumpkins playing bass. She's no Patty, but she's not half bad, but hardly brilliant (one of the best women bass players in the world? how many top-notch women bass players ARE there? I can think of maybe a half-dozen, and at least 2 are RIP...).
And now she whines about how the music "actually didn't represent my taste or sensibilities all that much"?? Come on now, spare me the pretentious blather - and leave off the rock star arrogance until you're actually a rock star - because right now you're just a rock star's former backing band member.
So now we're left with Auf Der Mar. A decent record - it has the essential licks and the essential hooks - but neither hook nor lick are especially ripe or original. Europe loves her and she'll probably go Gold in North America - but let's face it: she has a long was to go before she hits the success levels of certain other 'last name' bands (like, say - Van Halen? Bon Jovi?).
|
|
Ben Kalman
|
{3 votes}
|
|
|
| Melissa The Queen Of Rock |
|
Melissa Auf Der Maur has proved herself in the rock n' roll business and that she has surpassed the shadows of her father who is a Montreal Icon. Melissa has played in splendid rock/alternative bands such as Hole and The Smashing Pumpkins who she fit in so well and proved she is one of the best female bass players in the world. Melissa is an intelligent woman who knows what she wants in life and strives for success.
Melissa's new solo album is so cool to listen too and has made a wonderful impact in the music industry. She has found great musicians to back her up like Eric Erlandson(Hole) James Iha (Smashing Pumpkins) and Josh Homme from Queens of the Stone Age. This band sounds like a super group to me with a lineup of the most talented musicians you can put together.
Mr. Eggers needs to take another listen to the album before he comments on it because her solo album is excellent and better than the other rock albums out there. One day we will see Melissa winning a Juno and Grammy awards for her splendid music that she puts out. Rock on Melissa I'm supporting you all the way.
|
|
Carmela Sicurella
|
{14 votes}
|
|
|
| Auf Der Maur: when is a solo act more than just a solo act? The answer's inside... |
|
Hey, I'll give our native babe all the respect she deserves. For being Nick Auf Der Maur's daughter. For going her own way. For surviving Hole, or more specifically Courtney Love. For all this and more I will give her my nod.
But hon, don't try and sell me on your solo career.
Missy's gone and reconstructed herself from the ashes and become the frontwoman for a band of her own making. Would you call Steven Tyler a solo artist? Of course not. He's the lead singer and most prominent member of a band. Missy's gone and done the same thing but apparently no ones bothered to tell her.
Somehow Melissa Auf der Maur is a solo artist but she's coincidently gathered Eric Erlandson from Hole, James Iha from the Smashing Pumpkins & Josh Homme from Queens of the Stone Age?
Sorry hon, that's more than just a touring band you've got there.
You're talented but even dear ol' daddy wouldn't of bought this.
|
|
Pedro Eggers
|
{16 votes}
|
|
|
After having a first listen to her new solo debut album, I realized that this would be a good album.... if it came out in the 90's. This is simply because the entire sound Auf De Maur conveys. Although the guitar and bass riffs are simple, they aren't constructed well enough to pass for a modern album. An intriguing album at first listen, it digresses quickly after the lyrics kick in. The vocals are occassionaly faint, but improve durring the attempted seductive ballad "Taste You".
I respect Melissa's attempt as a solo artist, but my admiration for her is formulated by her excellent and beautiful photography works as well as her contributions to Hole and the Smashing Pumpkins.
|
|
Emily Lam
|
{1 vote}
|
|
|
Melissa is a bad musician who can't play her instrument correctly and I don't know how she still puts out records because she stinks. The only reason that she is famous is because her dad was famous and that is why so many people are giving her so much credit. Melissa stinks as a musician.
|
|
Pete Amaro
|
|
|
|
I wanted to like this. Really, I did. Local girl makes good and all that. But listening to the first single, it's just generic. I don't have much more to say than that, because the music just doesn't warrant it. The only response it provokes is boredom. Okay, I listened, so what?
|
|
Karen Sollazzo
|
{2 votes}
|
|
|
Man this sux...the video is horrendous...never heard anything so rehashed as
this...no meat...all filler all the way...Everyone's a goth now...Thank you
daddy!!! Stick to just backing up a band...PLEASE!
|
|
Sheldon Rourke
|
{2 votes}
|
|
|
