Courtney Love is everyone’s favourite Looney with a Tune. She’s been nipped, tucked, sucked and f*&$#d and still looks like she’s pushing 85. She’s been disowned by her meanie- Francis- Bean-ie daughter, and she keeps trying to tell the world she’s sober, as she parties like its 1999. Then again, the world would be a lesser place without her. For starters, you wouldn’t be able to look in the mirror after a big night and say, “wow, shit is rough, but at least I don’t look like Courtney Love”, bag ladies wouldn’t have a style icon, and Malibu would only have ever been a place and a tacky drink, and never a killer song.
It’s been 11 years since their last gig, but (a new version of) Hole performed last night at London’s Shepherd’s Bush Empire, promoting the group’s forthcoming album Nobody’s Daughter, to be released on the 27th of April. Love said she was “…not so bad for an old lady”. I say, chillself Court, your only 45, lay off the booze and the pharmaceuticals and you’ll have many- a- year ahead of you, and many- an- awesome tune. I, for one, am really excited about this new album, co-produced by Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan and former 4 Non Blondes frontwoman Linda Perry. Partly conceived whilst Love was completing a stint in rehab back in 2005, Perry said of the album, “I wanted to make a record with her that gave a little bit of Hole and who Courtney is right now, after the s**t she’s been through, because what people forgot about with Courtney, is the music.” Although the new Hole’s only semblance to the former, is it’s fabulous frontwoman, I was only ever in it for the Love anyway. Even last night’s outfit of a black- laced suit and a pink and blue tutu probably couldn’t have detracted from the awesomeness of hearing her rendition of the Rolling Stones’ hit Sympathy for the Devil, or a solo acoustic version of Northern Star and new track Never go Hungry Again.
In an interview, Love told how her daughter asked, “What are you going to do if the record fails? To which she replied, “Well Frances, it can’t fail because I love it, and I’ve worked really hard to make sure that I love it.” In the end, I suppose all you have is love; and my love for Courtney could withstand botox and rehab, and a couple (probably more) bad wardrobe choices. It will CERTAINLY not be forgotten if this album fails. I mean, Rolling Stone called her “the most controversial woman in the history of rock”. So lets cheers to Love; but make it a mocktail.
