Melissa Auf der Maur Announces First New Music in Over 15 Years With 'Bass Womb Room'
The Hole and Smashing Pumpkins bassist will release archival '90s demos alongside new compositions for a photo exhibit this September.
- Title
- Bass Womb Room: My ‘90s 4-Track Demos x Field Recordings
- Type
- Album
- Release
- September 4, 2026
- Label
- Envision Records
Melissa Auf der Maur will release her first new music in over 15 years this September.
What is on the album?
The album features a mix of old and new material. It includes several previously unreleased four-track demos Auf der Maur wrote and recorded in her Los Angeles living room during the Nineties. The new portion consists of eight "interlude" compositions created for an upcoming photography exhibit.
Auf der Maur used a Tascam 4-track machine for the old demos, employing acoustic guitar, layered vocals, bass, keyboard, and field recordings of everyday sounds. She described the songs as a personal refuge from industry pressure. "I wrote these songs in the context of rising pressure from the major label-driven music industry on myself and my peers to make glossy hit songs to dominate radio airwaves," she said in a statement. "These sounds are the quiet and private side of the girl who joined the big American major label rock band."
The new interludes incorporate archival audio from her time touring with Hole and Smashing Pumpkins, sampled from old audience recordings.
When is everything happening?
Frequently Asked Questions
What bands is Melissa Auf der Maur known for playing with?
Melissa Auf der Maur is best known as the bassist for the alternative rock bands Hole and the Smashing Pumpkins.
Where can I hear the new 'Bass Womb Room' album?
The album will be released via Envision Records.
What is the theme of the accompanying photo exhibit?
The exact theme of the exhibit at the Art Gallery of Ontario is not detailed in the announcement, but the new musical interludes were composed specifically to accompany the photography installation.
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