Wavelength and the AGO are excited to co-present the Toronto launch for the memoir by Melissa Auf der Maur, Canadian-born alternative rock icon (Hole, Smashing Pumpkins) Even the Good Good Girls Will Cry: A ‘90s Rock Memoir (Da Capo Press) is a remarkably open-hearted, clear-eyed memoir of the ’90s alternative era by the bassist of Hole and Smashing Pumpkins.
Rooted in the independent DIY spirit, the event is being hosted at the AGO, where next September Melissa Auf der Maur will debut My ‘90s Photographs, an exhibition of more than 200 photographs. Joining Auf der Maur in conversation at the launch will be AGO exhibition curators Sophie Hackett and Jim Shedden. The launch will include a book signing and showcase photographs from her extensive archive.
Even the Good Girls Will Cry begins with Melissa Auf der Maur’s bohemian upbringing in Montreal, where her early, deep connection to art and music gave her entry to the colourful and thriving local creative scene. Working as a cassette DJ and ticket girl, she would see (and sometimes meet) the luminaries who’d pass through town — Nirvana, Jane’s Addiction, Pavement, Sonic Youth. Thanks to a thrown beer bottle and a long-shot fan letter to a PO Box, her band Tinker scored a life-changing opening slot for the Smashing Pumpkins and, sensing her natural talent on bass, Billy Corgan recommended her to Courtney Love, just one of the many uncanny threads that weaves destiny throughout this riveting memoir.
The launch is the centrepiece of a whole weekend of Melissa Auf der Maur at the Wavelength festival, that will also include a xMAdMx Darkwave DJ set and a curated evening of performance co-presented by Basilica Hudson, her multi-disciplinary art centre and Basilica SoundScape, their annual festival. Please visit wavelengthmusic.ca for further information.
About Melissa Auf der Maur:
Melissa Auf der Maur was born and raised in Montreal, Canada with a fine arts education. She is an acclaimed musician, photographer, curator and producer, best known as the former bassist of rock bands Hole and The Smashing Pumpkins. In 2010 she co-founded Basilica Hudson, a multidisciplinary art center in Hudson, NY, where she lives with her family and magic cats.
About Basilica SoundScape:
Basilica SoundScape — Basilica Hudson’s signature music festival presented in collaboration with The Creative Independent — is proud to present a weekend of music and art within our beautifully reclaimed post-industrial setting right at the Hudson River’s epic waterfront, presenting some of the world’s most exciting and boundary-pushing performers with a special emphasis on ecstatic noise, poets, and the written word.
About Wavelength:
Wavelength Music is a non-profit arts platform that presents concerts, festivals, and conversations about music and city-building in the Toronto area. Established in 2000 by a collective of indie musicians, Wavelength supports emerging and under-recognized artists across diverse genres, curates immersive event experiences, and leads transformative research and development projects.
Accessibility:
The AGO is a fully accessible venue. For more information, please visit: https://ago.ca/visitor-information/plan-your-accessible-visit
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