Melissa Auf der Maur joins Smashing Pumpkins

Melissa Auf der Maur said Billy Corgan asked her to join the Smashing Pumpkins onstage at Lollapalooza after telling her the band had secured the festival’s headline slot. In an interview published by Guitar World on August 5, Auf der Maur described the invitation as a direct message from Corgan ahead of the band’s July 31 set in Chicago. The appearance put a former Pumpkins touring bassist back onstage with Corgan during the group’s first Lollapalooza performance since 1994. Other reports from the set said Olivia Rodrigo and YUNGBLUD also appeared as guests during the Grant Park show. ### What exactly did Auf der Maur say Corgan told her? Melissa Auf der Maur told Guitar World that Corgan contacted her after the band’s Lollapalooza booking was confirmed. She said he wrote to say the Pumpkins had confirmed the headlining slot and added, “If you wanna join us for a song, please do.” Guitar World published that account on August 5, several days after the Chicago performance. (guitarworld.com) The August 5 interview framed the appearance as a surprise reunion rather than a previously announced guest spot. Guitar World’s report said Auf der Maur “ascended to the Lollapalooza stage with her former band,” tying the moment directly to her earlier history with the group. ### Why was her appearance notable to longtime Pumpkins fans? Melissa Auf der Maur played with the Smashing Pumpkins as a touring member after leaving Hole in 1999, according to biographical material cited by fan and reference sites and recounted in 2026 Guitar World coverage. (guitarworld.com) Guitar World reported in March that she joined the Pumpkins in October 1999, while other reference pages place her tenure around the band’s 2000 touring cycle after D’arcy Wretzky’s departure. Billy Corgan and Auf der Maur have also continued to discuss that period publicly this year. Guitar World reported in March that the pair reflected on their first meeting and a friendship that stretched back decades, giving additional context to why a one-song invitation at Lollapalooza carried weight beyond a routine guest cameo. ### Where did this happen, and who else joined the set? (guitarworld.com) The Smashing Pumpkins played Lollapalooza in Chicago’s Grant Park on July 31, according to concert coverage published in the days after the festival. JamBase reported the band performed on the Bud Light Stage at Lollapalooza 2026, and multiple outlets said the set included guest appearances from Olivia Rodrigo, YUNGBLUD and Auf der Maur. (guitarworld.com) NME and ThePRP both described the guest list as part of the band’s headline performance, while Guitar World separately highlighted Auf der Maur’s return as a nostalgia-linked moment for the group. Those reports matched the broader picture of a set built around both older material and more recent-era Pumpkins songs. ### Was this a formal return to the band? Guitar World’s August 5 interview described a one-off invitation for a song, not a permanent lineup change. (jambase.com) None of the available reports said Auf der Maur had rejoined the Smashing Pumpkins as a full-time member, and the coverage focused on the surprise nature of the Lollapalooza appearance. Recent Guitar World coverage has treated Kiki Wong as part of the current Pumpkins orbit in 2026, underscoring that the Lollapalooza moment was presented as a guest appearance rather than a restructuring of the band. (guitarworld.com) ### What comes next after the August 5 interview? August 5 is the key dated milestone in the current paper trail because that is when Guitar World published Auf der Maur’s account of Corgan’s invitation. (guitarworld.com) July 31 remains the performance date tied to the reunion appearance in Chicago. Any next confirmed update on whether the collaboration extends beyond Lollapalooza would likely come from the Smashing Pumpkins, Corgan or Auf der Maur through a tour announcement, band statement or a subsequent interview. (guitarworld.com)