Melissa Auf der Maur, bass legend and former Hole stalwart, is unleashing a sonic time capsule on the world. After a 16-year hiatus from solo music, she's unearthing hidden gems from her 1990s archives for 'Bass Womb Room: My '90s 4-Track Demos x Field Recordings'. Get ready to immerse yourself in the raw, unbridled creativity that defined her formative years with Hole and The Smashing Pumpkins.
These long-lost demos, recorded with a handycam capturing every riff on her amplifier, are about to get their first-ever spin. Eight new interludes will join the mix, bringing a modern twist to the vintage vibe. For Auf der Maur, these unearthed tracks represent the 'private side' of an artist torn between artistic freedom and commercial pressures – a true reflection of the alt-rock spirit she embodied in her heyday.
But 'Bass Womb Room' is more than just music – it's a multimedia extravaganza. On 4th September 2026, you can get your hands on the digital release or pick up a limited-edition cassette. Meanwhile, an accompanying photography exhibition opens at Toronto's Art Gallery of Ontario on 2nd September 2026, featuring 200 intimate images from Auf der Maur's private archives.
The photobook, released on 8th September 2026 through DelMonico Books/D.A.P. and the AGO, promises to be a love letter to the 1990s alt-rock scene – candid shots of Courtney Love, Kurt Cobain's daughter Frances Bean Cobain, and even a limousine ride with Drew Barrymore will transport you back in time.
This is just the latest chapter in Auf der Maur's commitment to documenting her era. Following 'Out Of Our Minds' (2010) and this year's memoir, 'Even The Good Girls Will Cry: A '90s Rock Memoir', she's cemented her status as a guardian of 1990s music history. And while speculation about a Hole reunion lingers, Auf der Maur remains true to her art – unpredictable, fearless, and unapologetic.