Melissa Auf der Maur
10th Annual Indie/Alt./Hard Rock Album Winner
10th Annual Indie/Alt./Hard Rock Album
Vox Pop Winner
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Record Label: Phi Group Inc / MAdM Music
www.xmadmx.com
Home Base: NorthEast USA
Genre: Heavy Romantic Rock
Category Entered: Indie/Alt./Hard Rock Album
Work Submitted: OUT OF OUR MINDS
Artists Featured: Glenn Danzig (Misfits, Samhain), John Stanier (Helmet, Battles, Tomahawk), Josh Freese (Perfect Circle, NIN) Jordie White (Marilyn Manson) Vince Nudo (Priestess)
Label: Co–release between: MAdM Music and Phi Group
Influences: Norse & Egyptian Mythology, Pre-Raphaelite Painting Movement, David Lynch. Bands: The Smiths, The Cure, Kyuss, and The Smashing Pumpkins to name a few!
URLs:
www.xmadmx.com
www.facebook.com/pages/Melissa-Auf-der-Maur-MAdM-Official/129108243302
www.twitter.com/xmadmx
www.myspace.com/xmadmx
Describe your nominated work: I was on a hunt to make my second solos album more diverse album than my first. I made a creative promise to myself to try new things. For example: For the first time, I wrote a song for someone else’s voice and persona: “Father’s Grave” my duet with one of my teenage heroes Glenn Danzig. I pushed myself to write songs starting with different root sources: the bass, the piano, autoharp, lyrics, melody, guitar, a drum beat. I also made a commitment to myself to return to my visual and conceptual art roots, and make an accompanying OUT OF OUR MINDS fantasy film and comic. Basically my second solo album, was made during the dramatically changing 21st Century music industry landscape, which nurtured and influenced an expanding and experimental phase of my own creative inner landscape. Is that too complicated? And for this album I created a logo from my initials, MAdM, creating a acronym graphic which I feel may be easier for people to pronounce and remember! Auf der Maur is a mouthful!
Why did you choose to submit this work to The 10th IMA’s? Because this is my first completely independent release, and I have a far deeper understanding and appreciation of what it means to be independent. I think this is an honorable organization that honors the hard work of artists and their support systems.
Did you use any unusual effects or instruments in this recording? Other than the legendary voice of Danzig?! The autoharp and backwards grand piano was as experimental as I went beyond the usual phaser, flanger and guitar fx.
Were there any happy accidents while in the studio, or did everything go as planned? I find that most songs have happy accidents in the studio, mainly in the vocal and lyrical performance. Many ambient guitar textures and layers come from experimental accidents too.
Did fans help you fund this project? Not financially, but certainly did with their words of support and patience they showed on my personal blog I started five years ago at this top of this epic project.
Who’s sitting in your audience? An incredible MIX!! I love it. They range from 16 year olds who grew up listening to their parents albums of the 1990’s, to people who saw me play in Hole or the Smashing Pumpkins, to middle aged rock journalists or music history buffs who are wondering what a bass player does when she goes solo – but also equally expands a new audience like a prog music listeners who saw me open up for Perfect Circle in support of my first solo album OR a fantasy art fanatic that saw a trailer or screening of OUT OF OUR MINDS the accompanying fantasy art film, that has experienced a life of it’s own since premiering at the Sundance Film festival last year.
What makes your fans unique? The MIX of them, as said above and the fact that most of them don’t follow their own individual tastes, not trends and usually have a remarkable romantic streak.
Are there any songs you wish you wrote? “Stop me if you heard this one before” by The Smiths
What artists are you listening to that would surprise your fans? I think my music reflects a diversity that shows that I am listening to Mastodon and Fever Ray, at the SAME time!
What is your dream show lineup? Fever Ray, Mastodon, Late of the Pier are all bands that are active today, that I’d love to see play tonight!
What are your guilty pleasures on the road? Jaggermeister, but I know my boundaries enough that I don’t feel guilty.
Any close calls or mishaps while on tour? Just the occasional Icelandic Viking Volcano or cancelled flight.
Do you have any rituals before you go on stage? Little upper back stretch, vocal warm ups, warm water with lemon and honey.
Should music be free? it is free
How has digital affected your career? Digital has offered extreme freedoms in creation and sharing. It’s a great tool, it’s all in the way you use it and not abuse it. I think it’s a beautiful thing.
Are digital singles vs. full albums the future of music? I like albums over single songs myself, but I think concept albums with every form of audio visual experience including a visit to your dreams are in the future too, I look forward to that!
Finish this sentence: The music industry is…a byproduct of music. The people making the music and the people listening to it, is the magic that gives it power.
Comments
4 Responses to “Melissa Auf der Maur”Speak Your Mind
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Mellissaaa I love HER
Out Of Our Minds is a great album and I am glad that it is recognized enough to be nominated. I have been listening to it for a long time now and still have not grown tied of it !!
MAdM is probly one of my biggest musical influences …but this isn`t about me.
but I’m just goanna say that when you played at Riflandia this summer, I just so happened to be grounded that day, I cried that night, But then I heard ‘Fathers grave’ come on the radio for the first time, and I cried a little more…
Anyway Just wanted to say that I love you, and your sound is making an impact on my bands sound, and maybe one day I will lucky enough to run into you and say Hi!
hey this looks very cool