Melissa Auf der Maur was born in Montreal, Canada to Linda Gaboriau, a DJ, and Nick Auf der Maur, a rock journalist. She has described her father as being "absent" in her life. She attended F.A.C.E., a performing arts school in Montreal. At school, she was active in choir, piano and trumpet before having dream about the band, Kyuss, that inspired her to learn how to play the bass. She joined a band called Tinker and was friends with Billy Corgan and, when Hole's bassist Kristen Pfaff died of a heroin overdose in June 1994, Billy suggested she take over her position. She left Hole in October 1999 for the Smashing Pumpkins. She now works on photography, one of her first loves.