Melissa Auf der Maur’s playlist

Rock goddess Melissa Auf der Maur, famous for playing bass in Hole and the Smashing Pumpkins, just two of the most astonishing rock bands to rise from the 90s, will join other fierce female talent for a special occasion in NYC.

The Australian hit literary event, Women of Letters, makes it return to America.

The long lost art of letter writing is revived here by writers and co-curators Marieke Hardy and Michaela McGuire who have invited a handful of women to compose letters of given topics and share their creations with audiences.

Fellow Montrealer Martha Wainwright joins Melissa for the event with other celebrities including Edie Falco star of Nurse Jackie and The Sopranos and 80s icon Molly Ringwald.

While Melissa got to letter writing, I put in a request that she also write up a special playlist for you fans.

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God Only Knows – The Beach Boys 

“Classic and timeless beauty. It always elates my mood and makes me feel the deep love inside. Brian Wilson is a mystery of a higher talent and haunting spirit in the history of modern music. The story of his musical family and brothers, and his own spiral into mental illness are the undertones I hear in this beautiful song. He asked his brother, Carl, the most family oriented and least tortured of the Beach Boys to sing this song. This says a lot about his love and feelings for his older brother. It’s one of the best love songs of all time.”

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Oblivion – Mastodon

“First track on their epic concept album Crack the Skye, which is one of my favorite albums of the last decade. It was also their breakthrough album both creatively and professionally. I had been following their albums before and liked them, but when I heard the first chord of the opening track of the album, I knew something had exploded on a profound level with those Atlanta boys. The album is so original, musically prolific and has officially put them in leading current metal band throne. Even Metallica and Slayer have acknowledged that. The next prolific prog kings.”

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Focker – Late of the Pier

“Fantasy Black Channel was their one and only album to date, but surely not the last we will be hearing from these blokes from Robin Hood’s Sherwood Forest. They have such a unique sound and musical chops to match. I discovered this song through their video on Youtube and fell in love instantly. I digested the whole album, waited patiently for their first trip to North America, and could not believe my ears and eyes when I saw them live. No machines except for a little sampler, but all keys and drums played live with incredible animation. Phenomenal band.”

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If I Had a Heart – Fever Ray

“Beautiful haunting video for a one of music’s most interesting female artists, Karin Dreijer Andersson of electronic duo The Knife. Fever Ray’s debut album is one of my favorite albums of the last decade. Looking forward to all things she does in the future, including more lasers at her dark live shows.”

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Hand of Doom – Black Sabbath

“Best anti heroine song ever written from the best metal bands of all time. In fact, they invented the genre. This song is on side two of Paranoid, their second studio album. Incredible album. What more can you ask for? Anti heroine, pro fairies and melodic heavy rock music. In fact I love the song so much, I had a Black Sabbath cover band with its namesake.”

Info for the Women and Letters event can be found here and you can connect with Melissa via facebook. 

Posted by Marc Andrew on Jan 12 2015. Filed under Celebrity Playlist. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.