Hole are back (sort of)

[Alan]

The other week in Los Angeles, I visited NME?s old friend, glam grunge survivor and latterday Hollywood conduit, Ms Courtney Love. I?ve been following the production of her long-awaited new album ?Nobody?s Daughter? ever since she picked up her career again in 2006 after the last round of troubles.

Yes, it?s been a long time. Yes, she?s on her third producer, fourth studio, and lord knows how many bass players. But along the way, extraordinary things have been afoot. What began as an attempt to reinvent herself as an MOR adult-rock artist with power-ballad queen Linda Perry at the helm was abandoned when it became apparent that that is just not how this lady rolls.
Next, she headed to London, with the intention of finding a band. The only survivor from that initial line-up comes from the most unlikely of sources ? Micko Larkin, from sometime Albion reprobates Larrikin Love. She scooped him up, took him to the Chateau Marmont and set about polishing the talent she saw into her new Eric Erlandson.

She?s still kept a bunch of the songs she wrote with Perry (and, indeed, longtime compadre Billy Corgan). But when she began writing with Larkin (whose talent she looks like having been right about), it became obvious that the ?Rock Courtney? was back in action, and that this music could only come out under one name, HOLE.

continued...

Micko will be lead guitarist, and Hole bassist Melissa auf der Maur, though working on projects of her own, has returned for backing vocals, and may play bass on tours next year. The album is as good as done, with the rest of the touring line-up for now remaining TBC.

Now, there will be plenty of people who throw rocks at Courtney for bringing back a modified version of Hole for the same reasons that they threw rocks at Corgan for bringing back Smashing Pumpkins. I would raise them that Courtney and Billy are the essences of Hole and the Pumpkins for the same reasons that Liam and Noel are the essence of Oasis. Does anybody question the authenticity of an Oasis without Tony McCarroll, Bonehead and the other one? Thought not.

In any case, ?Nobody?s Daughter?, the fourth Hole album, is likely to be released at the end of the 2009/early 2010 through a TBC label, with production by Michael Beinhorn. Check back tomorrow for a first-listen round-up of some of the tracks. But for now, an update from the studio.

To set the scene: it is midnight at the Henson Studios in West Hollywood. Three hours previously, Courtney rolled into Studio B for another night session, excitedly showing off her ?first pair of leather pants in 20 years?. The room is adorned with photographs of the album?s muses, from Father Ted?s Father Jack to Elvis Presley. Micko has been instructed to research Hole's cover of ?He Hit Me (And It Felt Like A Kiss)? and Metallica string-tribute band Apocalyptica.

What followed was a three-hour playback/external monologue covering subjects ranging from The Rolling Stones, Katy Perry, insurance fraud, Russell Brand, and dressmaking. She revealed that she is still acting as indie shrink to Ryan Jarman (?I told him, ?You know what selling out means? It means there are no tickets left for Madison Square Garden!?). She revealed that she is planning to ?unleash? Florence and her Machine on America (?I played with her in London and she handed me my ass?).

She revealed some exciting plans for a touring festival of the US next year (more details of which soon). And she revealed all manner of unrepeatable gossip about the galaxy of Hollywood stars that now make-up Courtney?s peer group. And then, after donning some handmade clothes, she prepared to address her public...

To Courtney?s left are her, ahem Doll Parts, the porcelain muses that have guided her through the making of the album. To her far left is Micko himself. It?s worth repeating a text message we received the following morning, after we had left them to work:

?OMG.OMG. OMG. Tonight was EPIC. This Micko is a genius. I owe [Queen Of Noize/Florence's manager] Mairead Nash my life. Fuck Jack. Fuck Josh. Fuck Me. Fuck Everyone.?

Over to you, Courtney...

http://www.nme.com/blog/index.php?blog=10&title=the_return_of_hole_courtney_love_s_in_th&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1

The album is apparently due for release on July 20th, though that may be wrong.

[BlowUpYourVideo]

I liked the last album they did, Celebrity Skin. I wonder if this one'll be anything like that??.... Perhaps not, seeing as this was scheduled to be a Courtney Love solo album and Eric Erlandson isn't involved....

[Falcon]

I liked the last album they did, Celebrity Skin. I wonder if this one'll be anything like that??.... Perhaps not, seeing as this was scheduled to be a Courtney Love solo album and Eric Erlandson isn't involved....

I suspect it'll be more like Love's "America's Sweetheart" - that record was scorching.

[LunsJail]

I liked the last album they did, Celebrity Skin. I wonder if this one'll be anything like that??.... Perhaps not, seeing as this was scheduled to be a Courtney Love solo album and Eric Erlandson isn't involved....

Celebrity Skin is an excellent album. But Courtney's public image was so bad at that point that not many gave it a chance.

[Bodhi]

Hole?  Really? 

[D]

Hole?  Really? 

QFT

what a terrible band.

[FunkyMonkey]

Courtney Love Announces New ?Hole? Line-Up, European Tour Dates

1/5/2010 By Greg Pratt

The latest news in the never-ending (and, at this point, barely engaging) drama that is Courtney Love is sure to have some die-hard Hole fans up in arms. As if it wasn?t bad enough that Love is releasing the Chinese Democracy of grunge, Nobody?s Daughter, under the Hole moniker, she?s now apparently going to be playing some live shows with a completely revamped line-up.

The three shows are supposedly taking place next month in London, Milan and Amsterdam, with this version of ?Hole? reportedly featuring Micko Larkin on guitar, Shawn Dailey on bass and drummer Stu Fischer.

The dates are listed on a recently launched website that, notably, doesn?t say the word ?Hole? on it anywhere, probably due to former guitarist Eric Erlandson?s claims that Love can?t continue playing under that moniker.

http://www.exclaim.ca/articles/generalarticlesynopsfullart.aspx?csid1=139&csid2=844&fid1=43441

Also on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Hole

[BlowUpYourVideo]

Can bands reform with 3/4 of the last lineup not there?

Whatever, I might still check this album out, whoever it's credited to.....

[FunkyMonkey]

Can bands reform with 3/4 of the last lineup not there?

"Nobody asks Trent: 'why Nine Inch Nails?'" said Love, referring to Trent Reznor's revolving door of musicians who accompanied him under the banner of Nine Inch Nails. "I made the band name up."

[BlowUpYourVideo]

Can bands reform with 3/4 of the last lineup not there?

"Nobody asks Trent: 'why Nine Inch Nails?'" said Love, referring to Trent Reznor's revolving door of musicians who accompanied him under the banner of Nine Inch Nails. "I made the band name up."

Well, NIN have only ever had one 'official' member so it's not quite the same....


I wonder how much effort was made to involve any actual previous members? Melissa Auf der Maur has been mentioned as being involved by various sources, but apparently has said she hasn't had anything to do with this 'reunion'....

[FunkyMonkey]

Just posting stuff as I come across it...

From Courtney?s Twitter:

@pockitpatrick the name of our band is HOLE< its is my band, eric is a fformer member of my band,

@tonyterrorx we are totally touring the usa and were totally headlingi certain very large festivals this year one i think we open for MEGA

Some rehearsal footage:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DYHnlcpvQ4

[D]

Can bands reform with 3/4 of the last lineup not there?

Whatever, I might still check this album out, whoever it's credited to.....

LOL saying that on a GNR site.

[Falcon]

I might still check this album out, whoever it's credited to.....

Without doubt.

There's a few artists I'll always check out regardless, Love is one of them.

Bring on the rasp, looking forward to it.

[BlowUpYourVideo]

Can bands reform with 3/4 of the last lineup not there?

Whatever, I might still check this album out, whoever it's credited to.....

LOL saying that on a GNR site.

Well, technically in GNR, people left and got replaced (I know you knew that though ). Hole officially broke up.

I might still check this album out, whoever it's credited to.....

Without doubt.

There's a few artists I'll always check out regardless, Love is one of them.

Bring on the rasp, looking forward to it.

Her solo debut gets panned, but I've heard little bits of it and I actually want to check it out at some point. Along with the first two Hole albums which I don't yet own...

[Falcon]

Her solo debut gets panned, but I've heard little bits of it and I actually want to check it out at some point. Along with the first two Hole albums which I don't yet own...

I still give her solo record regular spins - very raw. 

A great snapshot of where she was at the time - disturbed, damaged, pissed, paranoid et al.

Hopefully nothin' much has changed..

[babydolls]

They are playing in London in February at Shepherds Bush Empire, I'm going for sure.  I've always liked Courtney and the first 2 Hole albums in particular.  Wasnt at all keen on America's Sweetheart, but really interested to see what the new stuff is like. 
I've seen them a few times and with a few line-up changes, it's always a show to remember    She's put off doing any new music/touring for quite a while and am sure that any line-up she has now will be worthy.  Sounds like Melissa's on board too.

bring on that rasp indeed!

[inlikeflynn420]

Can't wait for Courtney's new album! I don't care if it's called "Hole" or "Courtney Love". To me, she is to Hole what Axl is to GnR. And I think she is the sexiest fucking rock chick out there. Had tickets for her last show in Philly and it got cancelled due to legal troubles. I remember buying "America's Sweetheart" the same week i bought the 1st Velvet Revolver CD. I thought VR was better than most rock that was out at the time, but i tired of it pretty quickly. however, I still listen to "America's Sweetheart" regularly. I especially love the songs where Courtney's voice is at its rawest. I thnk her baggage -- whether the Cobain connection, her drug use and legal troubles, the fact that she is crazy, etc. -- has really caused Hole and Courtney herself to be very underrated. I love crazy chicks though, and I think Courtney is one hot sexy true fucking rock star and i can't wait til she's back!

[FunkyMonkey]

An interview with Courtney Love:

Wed, 03/02/2010

So you get exploited?

Yeah. Not when I?m playing music. But financially, very much so. You know [former Guns N? Roses bassist] Duff McKagan is an MBA? He went to UCLA and studied money, and finances. He actually writes a column for Playboy now on finances. Duff isn?t a widow and he isn?t a single mother and he isn?t a woman. So Duff has netted basically what he?s made. And my estate, personally, plus the Nirvana/Kurt stuff, is a little bit more than what Guns N? Roses have sold. So what Duff has netted...

...is what you have lost?

Yeah, a little more. But, yeah. He told me what the three of them have netted anyway. And since Kurt had ninety-eight per cent or ninety six of the publishing, that?s what he would have had.

Do you know who?s perpetrated these frauds against you?

Yeah, it?s like some douchelords. Four fucking douchelords who started a bank. You and I could start a bank tomorrow, it?s really easy, I could show you how. I took these twelve anonymous people and just cleared their debt up. If you net under a quarter of a million and you own one property I can make you credit perfect. I?ve learned how to do that. So I might as well help other people because I expected other people to help me. If you and I and Micko decided that we wanted to kill a bald eagle, that would be a felony. And it would be a conspiracy. So it?s really simple. I know their wives, I know their sons, I know their gay sons, I know their unhappy daughters, their miserable wives who fucking buy too many diamonds; I know them. So it?s not like they?re faceless, the douchelords.

Has Frances? trust fund been pillaged as well?

Well, the London Sunday Times put the estate at ?450m, and they do a lot of fact-checking, probably more so than the New York Times. The number?s low, but if you wanna go on that number - and that?s the net number - she should have thirty-seven per cent of that number.

When she?s twenty one?

Under the trustee-ship, it goes [when she?s aged]: eighteen, twenty-one, twenty-eight, thirty-two. But if they [whoever ?they? are] become the trustees they?ll give her $30,000 a month until she?s forty, then they might give her five hundred grand.

What, and the rest?s all gone?

[She shrugs] But if you?re seventeen, $30,000 a month looks neat. So if you?re not thinking about your children, if you?re not thinking about... your life [she sniffs, fighting back tears] - you?re thinking about how much you hate your father and your mother and you don?t want any of it. Which I can relate to.

And that?s where her mindset is at right now?
Pretty much.

On what grounds did you lose custody?

It?s bananas. Nothing. Um, I curse and I swear and I smoke and I take an anti-depressant. That?s what it said. It?s Los Angeles County Municipal Court. It?s why I got us out of there [and moved to New York]. It?s ridiculous.

Do you think Frances will come back?

Yeah, of course she will. Unless she?s really stupid. But she?s not stupid. She?s really smart.

But this record could keep you on tour for, say, a year?

That?s the plan. At Christmas time I bought her a house here. And it took everything - I had to go to somebody else and get them to finance the house, cos they?d frozen my account. And I was gonna blindfold her, put her in her house and go on the road - goodbye! That? it. So, there?s no argument. She wasn?t very happy living with me, that?s OK, she?s seventeen. Lenny Kravitz?s daughter has her own apartment at sixteen, it?s fine. As long as it?s around the corner from me and I can have some supervision, it?s fine. When you have a big trust - even the little teeny trust that she has - you still need supervision. You can?t have, like $14m, $12m all at once. That?s ridiculous if you?re seventeen. And what should be in there needs to be in there - needs to be addressed in a court of law in front of a fucking jury of my peers. Just because I?m a bitch doesn?t mean that I can?t have my property. You can?t do that. This is America.

Are the lyrics in the song ?Nobody?s Daughter? (?Nobody?s daughter, she never was / She never will be beholden to anyone / She cannot kill, you don?t understand how evil we really are?) about Frances?

Yeah. I was going to change it to ?I?. But it?s not, it is what it is. It?s her vengeance. It?s [Nirvana?s ?In Utero? song] ?Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge On Seattle? part two. Mixed with ?The Candidate? from [David Bowie?s] ?Diamond Dogs?. Mixed with a little bit of [Pink Floyd?s] ?The Wall?.

Is it the title of the album because you identify with that notion too, of being nobody?s daughter?

Very much so.

Tell me about ?Someone Else?s Bed? (?So you?re lying in your underwear on someone else?s bed?).

It?s just a soul song. It?s supposed to be like ?Elvis In Memphis?. I?, trying to be somewhere between Etta James and Jarvis Cocker on that song. I tried to channel The King but it didn?t really work so well. So then I did a little more arch in a take. Then I got really hysterical in it.

Was that written in the ?Never Go Hungry? period?

No, it?s from a little later. Some of it?s about a guy. Not someone the public know. He is very public but I?m just insanely discreet. But it?s about a guy who?s a fucking mess, frankly - and apparently I?m really attracted to guys that are a big fucking mess. I guess I think I can save them.

Is this the same guy who features in the words of the B-side ?Sunset Marquis? (named after the Hollywood hotel/celeb hang-out): ?Face down in front of the Sunset Marquis you were closest to God??

It?s a combination of three different people. It?s got Kurt in there. It?s got Trent Reznor. And yeah, it has The Coog in there.

Ah, Steve Coogan, your former lover...

I get endless shit over the Coog thing. My band put up a picture of Alan Partridge in the studio. [Wailing, hands over her face] NO! I DID NOT DO IT! OH MY GOD, THE COOG THE COOG! I hadn?t seen any [Alan] Partridge. I?d just seen 24 Hour Party People. I had a lovely two weeks, then that turned into a year of weirdness. Then I just didn?t like him any more. He was awful.

?Honey? seems a very naked and pained song: ?He goes down, down to his bitter end / He knows now that you loved him?.

Yeah, that?s a beautiful song, it made everyone cry [in the studio]. Every song Micko and I were trying to write was either [Oasis?] ?Wonderwall? or [The Verve?s] ?Bittersweet Symphony?, and [Radiohead?s] ?Black Star?. ?Honey? started out as being ?Wonderwall?, and it was more jaunty.

Wasn?t it about calling the drug dealer at 2am and how he never comes?

No - that was [the song that became] ?Nobody?s Daughter?. But ?Honey? did have a vibe that was very different - but now it?s straight up about Kurt. It?s the first song I can say that about, ever. Other than [?Celebrity Skin??s] ?Northern Star?.

Have you thought ahead how it?ll be singing that on stage?

Yes. Lots. Cos I cry a lot on stage anyway. But I don?t wanna cry onstage! So I don?t know what to do about that. I love doing ?Northern Star? but when I sing it still kills me. It?s one of those empathy songs like [REM?s] ?Everybody Hurts? and [Foo Fighters?] ?Times Like These?.

The title ?How Dirty Girls Get Clean? appears twice on the album, a ?Candy? version and a ?Filthy? version. But they?re different songs. Why do they have the same title?

I don?t know. Cos it?s cute? Linda tried to make ?How Dirty Girls Get Clean? a different song. She was like, ?This song?s just too PJ Harvey.? But my feeling was: yeah, maybe, but if Peej isn?t gonna do her old job any more, I?ll do it. I love The Peej. But if she isn?t gonna, like, rock my socks off and remind that she?s the best female out there with a guitar, then I?ll do it. Then Linda and Billy made candy out of this thing - it was very Linda and Billy?s music.

Did you make a full album?s worth of material with Perry and Corgan?

You mean quantity? Definitely quantity - something like twenty-one songs. I see Michael Stipe?s iPhone and there?s over thirty songs in there - he?s been collecting stuff from me, demos and shit from this whole time.

What did Corgan contribute to ?Samantha??

The title and the first riff. We threw three parts out [from his demo].

He?s probably using them with his new girlfriend Jessica Simpson.

I knew about that two months before, and I didn?t say anything cos I am insanely discreet about people?s sex lives. Billy has all the money. He?s an uber-millionaire. He said to me once, ?I?m a man?s man when it comes to money, I?ve never lost a lawsuit.? I love him but he?s seen by a lot of people to not be a very loveable person. But I?ll always be loyal to him - he save my life, physically, twice. He gave me CPR. He?s a good guy there.

Why did you move away from the Perry and Corgan material?

Well, Linda?s been very gracious. But the partnership between me and Linda wasn?t a band partnership, it was a songwriting partnership. Whereas the partnership with me and Micko is vivid and alive and moving and crawling at all times. But the partnership with me and Linda applies also to Alicia Keys and Pink - she?s gotta put on a different hat for each of those things. But I had to do it my own way and on my conditions. And when I played those songs there just wasn?t enough oomph in them. Some of them, yeah - [Perry-composed ?Nobody?s Daughter? ballad] ?Letter To God?, she aced me on that fucking thing. She writes hits. I don?t necessarily write hits. I?ve never actually had a real one like the way I know ?Letter To God? will be.

http://www.clashmusic.com/feature/clash-magazine-courtney-love-interview

[BlowUpYourVideo]

Courtney was interviewed on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross and Hole (as I guess they are going to be called) played a new song, Samantha. Courtney seemed surprisngly normal during it. Though she did say she had a crush on Ross....

I'm a bit more intrigued for this new album...

[FunkyMonkey]

Courtney Love Releasing 'Nobody's Daughter' in April

Courtney Love fans can finally mark their calendars. The rocker's new album, 'Nobody's Daughter,' is set to release on April 27. Previously thought to be her second solo album but reportedly going to be released under the Hole name, the highly anticipated comeback album will be distributed by Mercury/IDJ.

http://www.spinner.com/2010/02/17/courtney-love-nobodys-daughter-release/

[FunkyMonkey]

Hole release ?Skinny Little Bitch? for free download today only here:

http://www.nobodysdaughter.com/

[Falcon]

Heavy, nasty, gritty and catchy as fuck.

Thanks for the link.

[FunkyMonkey]

Heavy, nasty, gritty and catchy as fuck.

Thanks for the link.

Just saw it at YouTube if anyone wants to listen to it before downloading.

Skinny Little Bitch - Hole

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbOmwSPoR-E

[CheapJon]

agrees with falcon, maybe not catchy but not bad at all! pretty good, i've always liked love's voice

lyrics anyone?

[FunkyMonkey]

Hole have announced that they will be playing in Los Angeles at the Music Box at the Fonda in Los Angeles on April 22, 2010.  KROQ.com are doing a presale on Friday.

Here's some of the song live:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AFBQA94vV0

[babydolls]

Saw the London, UK show a few weeks ago. Setlist:

1.Pretty On The Inside/Sympathy For The Devil 
2.Skinny Little Bitch
3.Miss World
4.Honey
5.Violet
6.Letter To God
7.Pacific Coast Highway
8.Reasons to Be Beautiful
9.Nobody's Daughter
10.How Dirty Girls Get Clean
11.Malibu
12.Celebrity Skin
13.Samantha
14.Doll Parts
Encore:
15.Northern Star
16.Never Go Hungry Again

I enjoyed the show - its great to have Courtney back, she sounded really good vocally and opening with Pretty on the Inside was choice.  BUT - has to be said that good as the band are, and they are good - it felt too polished for Hole for me. it wasnt as raw as it once was and I missed the spontaneity of the old shows. I've seen Hole a fair bit back in the day, some very fucked up performances and some really amazing in-yer-face-fuck-you-all ones too.  It was good though and anyone who has never seen Hole and wants to wont be disappointed.    The new songs sounded good live, will of course get the album but I think Hole have always been a live band for me.

You tube clips from the gig:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTBj1VT72j0  Violet
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BQLNK3GO2I  Pretty on the Inside/Sympathy for the devil/Skinny little bitch

[Falcon]

Did anyone else catch Love/Hole on Letterman last night?

Strange seeing her totally lucid - her interview was extremely witty/insightful/smart/ and Holes performace of "Skinny Little Bitch" was outstanding.

[FunkyMonkey]

Did anyone else catch Love/Hole on Letterman last night?

Strange seeing her totally lucid - her interview was extremely witty/insightful/smart/ and Holes performace of "Skinny Little Bitch" was outstanding.

Hole - "Skinny Little Bitch" 4/27 Letterman

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_b8JD2ja1WI

[BlowUpYourVideo]

I actually bought a copy of the NME the other day because there was a cover story about Nobody's Daughter. I can't believe it....

I haven't listened to any of the album (aside from Skinny Little Bitch once), but I'll still probably check it out, though I only got Live Through This the other day, and I still need to buy Pretty On The Inside.

[D]

Never been a fan.. thought she was pretty terrible on Letterman

[Doc Emmett Brown]

She looks like Debbie Harry these days. You know, for Courtney, that's quite an improvement.

The only song I ever liked from her was her cover of Hungry like the Wolf.

[Falcon]

Love from Jimmie Kimmel last night..

Interview

Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZh4Hb9_YzU

Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52BTsH4Sdio

Part 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oD4TqyFTFII&feature=related

Skinny Little Bitch
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCYO9FXWz_k&feature=related

Pacific Coast Highway
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTZc0PqGTXc&feature=channel

[lori_b]

 

[BlowUpYourVideo]

Bought Nobody's Daughter yesterday and just listened to it. Having heard it just the once, I think it's alright, but not as good as the last two albums. I think it might be one of those albums that takes time to get into. There seemed to be a lot of acoustic guitars for a Hole album I tought....

Someone Else's Bed, How Dirty Girls Get Clean and Never Gon Hungry were the standouts to me the first time.