Bassist's career completes cycle with Pumpkins
Friday, August 04, 2000
By JOHN KENDLE
Winnipeg Sun

Just five-and-a-half years after Billy Corgan recommended that the Montreal bassist replace the deceased Kristen Pfaff in Hole, auf der Maur is returning the favour by helping Corgan's Smashing Pumpkins close out their touring career .

"Yeah, it's kinda funny," says auf der Maur from Hawaii, where she's vacationing before hooking up with Corgan, guitarist James Iha and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin in Vancouver for the Summersault tour.

"It's a perfect way to complete a cycle of life and to start a new one in 2001 -- and I've finally fulfilled a musical dream from a long time ago," she adds, referring to the fact she was initially inspired to form her first band, Tinker, in part by the Pumpkins' 1991 album Gish.

Though it may have shocked some fans that auf der Maur left Hole last fall, the 28-year-old says it was her plan all along.

"When I was approached (to join), I said yes thinking that it would be an education like a college education -- a chance to learn about a lifestyle, an opportunity to see the world and to learn more about music -- and I said I would give it five years," she says.

"Well, the five years were coming up and by the time Edgefest crossed Canada last year (Hole was the headliner on that bill), I knew I would be leaving soon."

Auf der Maur insists she left Hole without rancour, pointing out that the band's core of Courtney Love and Eric Erlandson still has no real agenda for the group's future.

She wasn't left wanting for a gig for long. In fact, before her decision to leave Hole had been made public, Corgan had called her -- out of the blue, she says -- to replace D'Arcy Wretzky, who had been having drug problems.

When the Pumpkins finally sign off late this year, auf der Maur has no definite plans -- only a burning desire to do and create something that is all her own.

"Musically, I've been writing a lot but I want to keep it pure and minimalist for the moment. I've been working with the notion of 'must have album' and 'must have hit' for so long that I want to keep it fresh," she says.

Photography is also a passion -- she likes to "document something every day" -- so a photo book is also a possibility, as are gallery shows.

"To be honest, though, I'm in a touring mode right now, so until I'm actually free of this commitment I'm not exactly sure what direction I'll go in. All I know is I'm looking forward to it."