Hole
Formed: 1989
Location: Hollywood, California, USA
Genre: Noise Rock, Grunge, Alternative Rock
Years Active: 1990 - 2002; 2009 - 2012
Meaning of the Name: Often mistaken as meaning vagina. Love claims the name is inspired by a line from Euripedes' Medea.
Core Members: Courtney Love, Eric Erlandson (guitar)
Way of Working: Led by Love and Erlandson
Associated: Nirvana
Essential Releases
Live Through
This (1994)
A raw, visceral grunge album that channels grunge into feminine anger and vulnerability.
Celebrity Skin (1998)
More melodic and mainstream album. A broad satire of Hollywood glitz.
The adage "absence makes the heart grow fonder" takes on a grim irony when considering Courtney Love's turbulent childhood. Estranged from her father, who had reportedly dosed her with LSD, she eventually spent a year in juvenile detention and foster homes at just 14.
When choosing a stage name, she settled on 'Love'. Perhaps it sounded cooler than the Harrison she was born with, but she could have picked another edgy moniker like 'Rose' or 'Snake'. Yet, 'Love' isn't inherently 'cool' in a way that radiates icy detachment.
Instead, it precisely indicated the type of singer Courtney aspired to be: emotional, raw, honest, all-consuming, and unapologetic. More than that, she either chose the name because, deep down, everyone craves love, or it was a stark reminder of her time as a stripper.
One year after forming Hole in '89 she began a relationship with Kurt Cobain. Nirvana were about to conquer the world, and the tumultuous odyssey of Cobain & Love played out for all to witness in song.
Nirvana's 1993 single 'Heart-Shaped Box' takes its name from an apology gift Love gave Cobain after their chaotic first meeting, which ended with the pair wrestling.
The 'doll parts' morosely repeated in Hole's 1994 song of the same name refers to the contents of that very same box: a porcelain doll, scented with Courtney's perfume, symbolising her. This doll was later broken after she caught Cobain cheating, crushing her heart again, a wound first inflicted by her father, and now by Nirvana's frontman. With lyrics such as "he only loves those things because he loves to see me break," the pain is palpable.
Only a year earlier, Billy Corgan of The Smashing Pumpkins had also two-timed Love, bringing her face to face with her familiar friend: betrayal. Her response to him was 'Violet', which shows a clear pattern of heartbreak in her songwriting.
When a spurned Love was again cast aside by Cobain, the lyrics erupted from her in a cathartic, 20 minute blaze of fury that saw her run out of paper and continue writing on her arm. Wounded, rejected, yet hopelessly in love, she desperately yearned for Cobain to reciprocate her feelings. As she famously stated: "It was my way of saying, 'You’re a fucking idiot if you don’t choose me, and here is all the desire and fury and love that I feel for you'".
Love, the emotion, for all its positives, can be one of the most destructive forces on the planet. The pair endured a toxic marriage that ended tragically when Cobain took his own life in April 1994.
In hindsight, 'Doll Parts' resonates differently. Knowing Cobain is dead and Love widowed, one cannot help but interpret the song as the wails of a broken woman tormented by grief.
Similar sentiments could be expressed about Live Through This (1994) in its entirety. It is an anguished cry of an album, released only a week after Cobain's suicide and two days after his funeral. Cobain was 27 when he died, no longer able to bear his life despite its riches. Tragically, Hole's bassist, Kristen Pfaff, also 27, died in June of the same year, just two months after Cobain, from a heroin overdose.
Under the weight of compounded loss, the band's performances from 1994 and 1995 were visceral, raw, and emotionally charged. Even though the songs themselves remained the same, the singer was forever changed. When played live, the agony was keenly felt, not only by the band, but the audience, who were also grieving.
It's this intense sense of fury and absence that makes Hole such an interesting listen. Here they were, a rock band seemingly on top of the world, selling millions of records while surrounded by drugs and death.
In a similar situation many groups would take time off to heal. Instead, Hole toured relentlessly, headlining shows and selling out venues. Courtney Love achieved her dream of becoming a star adored by many, and all it cost her was her heart.
Skills
*This is a work in progress. Values are subjective.Emotional Impact
90
Mental Impact
50
Originality
55
Artistry
80
Authenticity
95
Live
80
Production
70
Musicianship
70
Singing
70
Songwriting
85
Danceability
70
Fun
45
Consistency
70
Range
70
Cool
20
Charisma
40
Commercial & Critical Success
Awards >>>
- Grammy Nomination x4
Certifications >>>
- Live Through This - Platinum in the US, Australia & Canada; Gold in the UK
- Celebrity Skin - Platinum in the US, Australia & Canada; Gold in the UK
Charts >>>
- Celebrity Skin - #3 in Canada; #4 in Australia; #9 in the US
Critics >>>
- Los Angeles Times: Celebrity Skin - Best Albums of 1998: 5th
- NME: Live Through This - Best 500 Albums of All Time (2020): 84th
- Rolling Stone: Live Through This - Best 500 Albums of All Time (2020): 106th
- Time: Celebrity Skin - Best Albums of 1998: 9th
CRITICISM
- Alleged drug use during pregnancy.
- Numerous feuds with rock stars. She said of Dave Grohl "He's just sub-mediocre kind of [guy] who does this 'nice guy' nonsense." She dedicatd her song 'Violet' to Billy Corgan with the phrase "I wrote this about a jerk. I put a hex on him and now he's losing all of his hair." She called Madonna a "narcissist" and "corporate".
