Original Smashing Pumpkins bassist D'arcy Wretzky left the band in September 1999 during the recording of the band's fifth studio album, "Machina/The Machines of God" (2000). In October 1999, Auf der Maur was recruited as her replacement by Billy Corgan, with whom she was still friends from her time in Tinker and Hole. "Courtney knew I was leaving to make my solo project," she explained. "But then, coincidentally, the week that I left Hole was the week D'Arcy left the Pumpkins. So, within a week, Billy called me and said, 'The stars have aligned: it's time for you to join "my" band.' I "had" to do it."