17 September 2021

Band: HOLE
Who: Grunge punk band formed by loudmouth
Courtney Love and guitarist Eric Erlandson in L.A.
Active: 1989–2002, 2009–2012 / 4 studio albums

Anniversary album: PRETTY ON THE INSIDE
The band’s debut LP
Released: 17 September 1991 – 30 years ago today

Pop Matters said: “When Love sings, “In the dark I destroy what I began”,
“I Knife me…I slash my”, Love is inevitably tracing back to her own roots of
self-loathing. This simplistic lyrical delivery is a truly remarkable feat. Her
words are easy to understand, and entirely accessible. The band’s songs are
catchy, and perpetually thumping with hyper guitars, and feedback-laden
reverbs. And as such, they are especially easy to sing along to, which in turn,
makes their content equally poignant and satirical… When Love spurts out her
final lines: “It’s life’s illusions I recall”, “I really don’t know life at all!” over Eric
Erlandson’s withering guitar…one is left feeling nothing short of gobsmacked,
and that my friends, is a good thing.” Full review here. Score: 8/10.

Turn Up The Volume: You either love or hate Courtney Love. I love her,
most of all her guts. Her youth was a succession of misery, abuse, no
safe family, poorness, and loneliness leading to sex work, drugs and
alcohol, psychiatric problems, manic depressions, and mental issues.
Actually, a wonder that she survived all this devastating mess.

On this debut LP Love tries to get rid of all her ugly demons and screams
her lungs to pieces. This is the punkiest grunge record ever made and paved
the way to their best one Live Through This.

Single: Teenage Whore

HOLE: HISTORY