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Rock

Melissa Auf der Maur, Canadian Bassist of Hole and Smashing Pumpkins, to Release '90s Rock Autobiography

Even the Good Girls Will Cry: A '90s Rock Memoir follows the former Hole bassist and Smashing Pumpkins touring member’s experiences on and off stage.

Melissa Auf der Maur

Melissa Auf der Maur

Courtesy Photo

Melissa Auf der Maur is reliving the 1990s.

The former Hole bassist and touring member for The Smashing Pumpkins has penned an autobiography, titled Even the Good Girls Will Cry: A '90s Rock Memoir. It will be released on Mar. 17 via Da Capo.


Auf der Maur’s memoir is described as "part coming-of-age autobiography, part travel diary, part psychedelic scrapbook,” documenting her life growing up in Montreal, through her big break touring with the Smashing Pumpkins, and joining Hole for the band's 1994 Live Through This world tour, succeeding the group’s former bassist, Kristen Pfaff.

It features rare, behind-the-scenes photos spanning Auf de Maur's career, which began with her first band, the Montreal-based alt-rock group Tinker.

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Rolling Stone reports that Auf der Maur’s memoir includes cameos from fellow Canadian Rufus Wainwright, alongside American rock legends Stevie Nicks, Dave Grohl, Michael Stipe and more.

“This book is about the decade that defined me and my generation, 1991-2001, and my life in the rock bands which allowed me to have a front row seat to an incredibly visceral and unforgettable moment in the counterculture,” says Auf der Maur.

“It’s a love letter to the power of music and one-of-a-kind voices that make the world a cooler place; it’s also an ode to the analog, and what magic has been lost. Sharing what our generation witnessed, and what the world once was, in my hope of building a more livable future together.”

Alongside the release of Auf der Maur’s memoir, she’ll be presenting in a new photo exhibit at Toronto’s Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO).

Melissa Auf der Maur: My ‘90s Photographs emphasizes over 200 photographs that illustrate an intimate portrait of the ‘90s. The AGO is calling the exhibit “a time capsule of Generation X,” through the lens of the Canadian musician.

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The exhibition will open in September 2026 and be on view through spring 2027.

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Shhenseea, MOLIY, Skillibeng and Silent Addy
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Shhenseea, MOLIY, Skillibeng and Silent Addy

Awards

Here’s Why ‘Shake It to the Max’ Was Deemed Ineligible at the 2026 Grammys — And Why Its Label Calls the Decision ‘Devoid of Any Common Sense’

Representatives from the Recording Academy and gamma. CEO Larry Jackson comment on one of this year's most shocking Grammy snubs.

Few phrases define the year in music and culture like Moliy’s scintillating directive to “shake it to the max.” The Ghanaian singer’s sultry voice reverberated across the globe, blending her own Afropop inclinations with Jamaican dancehall-informed production, courtesy of Miami-based duo Silent Addy and Disco Neil. Originally released in December 2024, Moliy’s breakthrough global crossover hit ascended to world domination, peaking at No. 6 on the Global 200, thanks to a remix featuring dancehall superstars Shenseea and Skillibeng. Simply put, “Max” soundtracked a seismic moment in African and Caribbean music in 2025.

Given its blockbuster success, “Shake It to the Max” was widely expected to be a frontrunner in several categories at the 2026 Grammys. In fact, had the song earned a nomination for either best African music performance or best global music performance, many forecasters anticipated a victory. So, when “Shake It to the Max” failed to appear on the final list of 2026 Grammy nominees in any category earlier this month (Nov. 7), listeners across the world were left scratching their heads — none more than gamma. CEO Larry Jackson.

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