Melissa Auf Der Maur Releases New Book About Her Time with Hole & Smashing Pumpkins

"Even the Good Girls Will Cry: My 90s Rock Memoir" by bassist Melissa Auf der Maur was released on March 17th, taking readers through her years in the popular bands Hole and Smashing Pumpkins. In the book, she reflects on growing up with hippie parents and wanting to become a music‑making hippie herself—someone who could help the world through art. As her confidence as a bassist grew, she met Smashing Pumpkins leader Billy Corgan, who encouraged her to pursue music seriously. He even let her band open for the Pumpkins in 1991 and gave her a major boost of confidence after seeing her perform.

Auf der Maur revisited much of this history in a recent in‑depth interview with Corgan on his Magnificent Others podcast. Throughout the episode, she comes across as mature, thoughtful, reflective, and deeply knowledgeable about the 1990s music scene. She speaks warmly about the progress women made during the decade—through the riot grrrl movement, Lilith Fair, and the broader influence women had on future generations of rock musicians.

Around the time she left Hole, her father passed away, and with the decade ending, she immediately felt nostalgic—and disillusioned—about the changes happening in rock and the music industry. She wasn’t connecting with the rise of nu‑metal, industrial rock, or pop‑punk. Corgan noted on the podcast that by the time she joined the Pumpkins, she no longer had the bright‑eyed optimism she’d carried at the start of the ’90s.

Corgan also reminded her that near the end of the Pumpkins’ original run, he had hoped to record one final album after Machina II—either as a farewell or something to release far in the future. Both guitarist James Iha and Auf der Maur declined to participate, and the band closed their first era with the 2001 single “Untitled” instead.

Auf der Maur told Corgan that if she hadn’t been so worn out at the time, she would have loved to record with him, especially since she hadn’t joined the band early enough to appear on Machina.

The memoir covers many other aspects of her career, from being positioned as the “pretty girl” in Hole photo shoots to memorable encounters with icons like Stevie Nicks and Ozzy Osbourne. These days, she’s focused on family life and takes her daughter to concerts by artists like Billie Eilish and Olivia Rodrigo. In a recent Alternative Press interview, Auf der Maur said she believes Billie Eilish is “the voice of her generation.”