Having played in two of the biggest bands from the alternative scene's heyday in the '90s, calling Melissa Auf Der Maur's pedigree impressive would be an understatement. "Playing in Hole and Smashing Pumpkins was an incredible education period of mine, like unbelievable," she tells Spinner. "It was the best music and social education and life I could have ever asked for."

Unfortunately for her fans, it doesn't look like Auf Der Maur will be reuniting with either band anytime soon, though the Pumpkins did have a little reunion recently. "I haven't seen any of the Pumpkins' reunion shows, but I'd like to," she says. "There was a brief conversation once about me rejoining but it didn't happen. We're on good terms and I'm a huge Pumpkins fan. Opening for them was how I even got involved in any of these bands to begin with."

Meanwhile, Auf Der Maur has been out of touch with former Hole bandmate Courtney Love. "We very rarely talk but when we do, it sure makes me laugh," she says. "She's one of the funniest ladies I know and I hold huge amounts of love and respect for her. She's my big sister." Auf Der Maur's quick to assert that her opinion of Love certainly hasn't changed, even through Love's peristant tabloid fodder and bizarre Myspace missives. "Things were wild during the years I was with her in the band and she's one of the wildest creatures I've ever met, but I have my own personal perception of her," she says. "There's nobody else like her. I feel like there should be a review of the great stuff that Hole and Courtney put out there. I would support that because I feel it's important to pass on to women of future generations."

In the end, the dim prospects of rejoining either band are truly due to Auf Der Maur's focus on her own career. "I don't have a problem with reunion tours but it's a complicated situation in general," she says. "Right now, it doesn't make any sense in my musical life. I have to say, my freedom to make fantasy films and concept albums whenever I want makes me happy."