Session Start: Wed May 19 02:00:00 1999

*** Now talking in #ChatGuest

*** Topic is 'Chat with Melissa Auf der Maur at 02:00 p.m. May 19th, 1999'

Coldfyr: Hi Melissa... It's nice to have you here for a chat...

Melissa Auf der Maur: Hello, this is Melissa reporting from NYC, playing at Roseland tonight, played there last night. It was tremendous!

Host Mod: Any questions?

EoS: Hi Melissa, did you manage to run over a few Star Wars fans on your way?

Melissa Auf der Maur: No, but my friend is camping out on Hollywood Boulevard with a Star Wars fan. She's getting married after the premier to another Star Wars obsessor.

Spaceface: Hi Melissa! Welcome to BowieNet. I'm interested in your early, formative teenage music influences?

Melissa Auf der Maur: Started before age 10, the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, my mother. When I became my own team, it was all about the Smiths for the depressed days; Blondie for the "I want to be a woman in rock days". It was Jam when I wanted to be a mod. It was the Ramones when I wanted to live in NY.

Coldfyr: Paper or Plastic?

Melissa: Both

Spaceface: I'm wondering about your relationship with db. Have you been friends for long?

Melissa Auf der Maur: I do not know David; I think he's beautiful.

Coldfyr: What was it like living in Kenya?

Melissa Auf der Maur: It was before the age of two, so I might as well have been another one of the chimpanzees in the hut with my mothers friend who was studying them.

Melissa Auf der Maur: We left after I caught Malaria for the third time.

Spaceface: Can you tell us about the couple in the photograph in your suitcase?

Melissa Auf der Maur: I'm curious why you ask; what did you see in the photograph?

Melissa Auf der Maur: Because the reality of the couple is it's a man and a dog, and one of the two is an ex-boyfriend.

Host Mod: Melissa, when will you be back in Montreal? EdgeFest was just canceled here in Montreal and we want to see ya back.

Melissa Auf der Maur: I visit regularly. Unfortunately, there's no scheduled band performance there, so you'll have to commute to Ottawa to see the EdgeFest there, but I promise we'll be there by the end of 1999.

Host Mod: What do you think of the alley dedicated to your father on Crescent Street here in Montreal? Did you see it?

Melissa Auf der Maur: The alley way is sure to be expanded to the entire street to do our strange name justice. I cannot wait to bring my Grandchildren there to see our family name on the street sign. I love Montreal forever!

Coldfyr: So....Do I dare ask what it was like working with Brian Warner and Company?

Melissa Auf der Maur: It's far from a dare. There's nothing scary about Brian and company. I've known them for years, fresh out of high-school in their Halloween costumes.

Host Mod: Any questions out there kids?

Melissa Auf der Maur: And it was a pulling pig-tails fest.

Coldfyr: I wanted to say that I'm sorry you got cancelled in San Diego... I was looking forward to the show.

Melissa Auf der Maur: We're playing San Diego the first week in June. We've re-scheduled so you can see us.

Melissa Auf der Maur: And we're playing with my favorite band of the moment, Queens of the Stone Age.

Spaceface: Where are you playing in Europe?

Melissa Auf der Maur: Many of the eventful areas; German, Sweden, France, England, all over, thank you, I can't wait!

Contessa: Have you ever even met David Bowie? And what's your opinion about his latest music?

Melissa Auf der Maur: No, but I saw him at an after-show party a few years ago when they played with NIN, and I have not been privy to any of his latest music. However, I like his video I'm Afraid of Americans, because I am to. My favorite is side two of Low.

Coldfyr: Do you have a venue lined up for new years 99?

Melissa Auf der Maur: We're waiting for an extra-ordinary suggestion/offer. If that doesn't come up, then I will go celebrate in a music studio in the desert with some of my favorite hallucinogen-doing musicians in California.

Coldfyr: What do you think of fellow bassist Gail Ann Dorsey?

Melissa Auf der Maur: I saw her perform again on that night, and was very impressed by her singing and playing. She's very charismatic, and I can't wait to see her again.

Spaceface: If you could play with any other musicians, who would you pick?

Melissa Auf der Maur: If I have to pick from people who are still alive, I would like to take singing lessons from Debbie Harry, I would like to make music with my friend Rufus Wainwright, Steven Perkins, the drummer from Jane's Addiction, I would like to do a satirical duet with Glen Danzig, and I've been fortunate enough to play with Ric Ocasek.

Lily: Who are your favorite h.d.m's

Melissa Auf der Maur: What's an h.d.m?

Lily: Do you ever collaborate with Rufus Wainwright?

Melissa Auf der Maur: He lived in my house while recording his last record. We sang in choirs together when we were 14. He's one of the most inspirational musician friends I know, and I can't wait to collaborate with him. Please see my other answer.

Lily: I'm quoting you - hallucinogen doing musicians

Coldfyr: Who is your favorite band at the moment? If any

Melissa Auf der Maur: Again, my favorite band of the moment is Queens of the Stone Age, formerly a band called Kyuss, which were massive influences in my playing the bass when I was 19, they were everything sonically to me.

Melissa Auf der Maur: They do hallucinogens, and they're spending the new year in the desert making music.

EoS: Wow, is this a 60's backlash? Musicians used to do hallucinogen's, now it's the other way around?

Melissa Auf der Maur: All people used to do hallucinogens; lots of people still do, and what do you mean by the other way around? Are the hallucinogens doing the music?

Guggi: From one Stinger to another....How difficult was it to leave photography at Concordia University to join Hole?

Melissa Auf der Maur: Assuming you're a Montrealler, please investigate the Nick Auf der Maur scholarship fund.

Melissa Auf der Maur: I was very torn between my school and photography, and a touring rock circus. I know I made the right decision, however, I may return to further my education in photography and rock history thank you.

Guggi: Will there be a book of your pictures coming out soon?

Melissa Auf der Maur: Hopefully many throughout my life until I'm old and gray, I'll be photographing and collecting images of the world around me. No immediate plans soon; I need time to get that together.

Guggi: What have you been listening to lately?

Melissa Auf der Maur: Everybody must go out and get the new Queens of the Stone Age album on an independent label (search for it). A lot of Beach Boys, especially Pet Sounds, early Kinks, and I do enjoy the Rushmore soundtrack.

Host Mod: Any questions out there?

EoS: Are you familiar with Neil Winneker(sp)'s photography? (and do you know the connection?)

Melissa Auf der Maur: Who is Neil, and what is the connection?

Helen2: Who are your influences when it comes to photography?

Melissa Auf der Maur: Anyone who's ever recognized the powerful yet humble tool of a camera, but especially groundbreaking female photographers such as Julia Margaret Cameron, Cindy Sherman, and Francesca Woodeman.

Host Mod: What do you love the most from your home town?

Melissa Auf der Maur: The intimate community feel, the passionate Quebequoi influence, the bagels, and my neighborhood where I grew up... St. Laurent Bouelvard.

Helen2: Have you ever seen Bowie in concert and if so what was your favourite tour/personna?

Melissa Auf der Maur: Saw him a few years back with NIN, saw him do the incredible T-Rex cover with Placebo, and my favorite everything of David's is The Man Who Fell To Earth.

Spaceface: A lot of us are coming to NYC this weekend, what are the bits we shouldn't miss?

Melissa Auf der Maur: Roseland tonight, although it's sold-out... what a shame. And every street corner in the city. And Joe's Bar on 6th b/w A & B.

Electric_Blue: Do you think women are under represented in the photography and directing fields?

Melissa Auf der Maur: There are still fewer women working in these fields, though there will be more in the future because I believe Women's intuition is a huge bonus for any visual/directing/film-type work.

Posiblymby: Hi Melissa. When you were in San Francisco with Manson (Brian, whatever). On March 10, I gave one of the security guards a dozen roses and a birthday card that said that you make the world a more beautiful place, to send backstage to you. Did they get this to you? I hope they did. See you in Santa Barbara.

Melissa Auf der Maur: I absolutely did, thank you so much for remembering my birthday. How did your mother make you so sweet?

Ken: Hi Melissa and David. Melissa, I saw you at the Electric factory in PA on Saturday, you were awesome! My question to both of you is, do you have any advice for a band about to give their first performance? Thanks a lot, love Ken

Melissa Auf der Maur: In remembering my first performance, I pretended I was friends with everyone in the audience, and it already felt so familiar to me that I didn't think of it as my first performance.

Raven: Do you have a favorite author/book? Are you reading anything interesting right now?

Melissa Auf der Maur: Spy in the House of Love by Anais Nin, Henry Miller, anything; and I have a huge soft spot for new-agey astrology books.

Melissa Auf der Maur: We're going to wrap it up in about 5 minutes... Any last questions?

Host Mod: Ask Melissa how she got into photography...PLEASE. :-)

Melissa Auf der Maur: While watching my mother cook when I was very very young, I enjoyed her cookbooks and the glossy photographs of food made me wonder about the science of photography. Then at 15, my mother introduced me to an incredible Quebequoi photographer who gave me lessons and basically told me that whatever I saw was worthy of a photograph.

Melissa Auf der Maur: And he'd send me out on little walks through the city taking pictures of everything I saw, and I became obsessed with taking photographs of everything I see.

Host Mod: Describe yourself in ONE word...

Melissa Auf der Maur: Listener.

Spaceface: Any ambitions for the future?

Melissa Auf der Maur: Oh Spaceface, there are so many ambitions for the future... the books of my photography, the husband I will find, the children I will have, the movies I will score, the clothes I will wear, and the countries I will travel to.

David: Will you guys ever come to Salt Lake? You should come during the Sundance Film Festival - that's the only cool thing in SLC.

Melissa Auf der Maur: We will probably get there before the end of the year. I have been to the Sundance Film Festival. In fact, I fell in love there last year.

Spaceface: THANK YOU for taking the time to do this. What is on stage is not always the complete picture of an artist

Melissa Auf der Maur: Spaceface, thank you. Bass is the place; keep on inquiring. Good luck.

Melissa Auf der Maur: This is my first chat on the computer. It's been new and exciting. A little slow for my taste, but I thank BowieNet and all the inspired people who came to the room. It was a joy to discover new frontiers today.

Melissa Auf der Maur: Thank you and goodbye.

Host Mod: Thanks kids, thats it, Melissa has left the building...