Questions
Who founded Hole and when?
Hole was formed in Los Angeles in 1989 by singer and rhythm guitarist Courtney Love and lead guitarist Eric Erlandson.
How did Courtney Love and Eric Erlandson meet?
Love placed an ad in The Recycler magazine saying her influences were Big Black, Sonic Youth, and Fleetwood Mac, and Erlandson answered it. Reportedly, when they met at a coffee shop, Love told him right away, "I know you’re the right one."
Where did the name Hole come from?
Love reportedly took inspiration from a line in Euripides’ play Medea and a conversation with her mother about not living with a hole running through her. She had first considered calling the band "Sweet Baby Crystal Powered by God."
What are Hole’s studio albums?
The band released Pretty on the Inside (1991), Live Through This (1994), Celebrity Skin (1998), and Nobody’s Daughter (2010).
What are Hole’s best known songs?
Fan favorites include "Doll Parts," "Violet," "Miss World," "Celebrity Skin," and "Malibu."
Who produced their first album?
Pretty on the Inside, released in 1991, was produced by Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth.
How successful was Hole commercially?
Hole sold over 3 million records in the United States and earned four Grammy nominations. Live Through This went platinum and was named Album of the Year by Spin magazine in 1994.
Did Kurt Cobain secretly write Live Through This?
Despite persistent rumors, drummer Patty Schemel stated that Courtney and Eric wrote the album. Reportedly, producers noted Cobain seemed completely unfamiliar with the songs when he recorded backing vocals.
What was the writing dispute over Celebrity Skin?
Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins, who was involved in the album, reportedly claimed he deserved writing credit for the whole thing, while Erlandson countered that Corgan merely facilitated songs he and Love had already written.
What happened to bassist Kristen Pfaff?
Pfaff, who joined in 1993, died of a heroin overdose in June 1994, about two months after Kurt Cobain’s death.
Who were the other notable members of Hole?
The lineup included drummer Patty Schemel, bassist Melissa Auf der Maur, and drummer Samantha Maloney across the 1990s. Schemel came out as a lesbian in a 1995 Rolling Stone interview.
What is the "kinderwhore" look associated with the band?
Hole’s stage style of babydoll dresses, smeared makeup, and slip dresses became known as the "kinderwhore" look, reportedly influenced by actress Carroll Baker’s wardrobe in the 1956 film Baby Doll.
Why did Hole leave the tour with Marilyn Manson?
In 1998 and 1999 Hole opened for Marilyn Manson on the Beautiful Monsters Tour but dropped out after nine dates, reportedly over crowds focused on Manson and an unfavorable 50/50 financial split.
When did Hole break up and later reunite?
Love and Erlandson disbanded Hole via a website message in May 2002 after nearly 13 years. The classic lineup of Love, Erlandson, Auf der Maur, and Schemel reunited publicly in 2012 at a documentary screening at MoMA, performing two songs together.
What is Hole’s legacy?
Hole is remembered as one of the most commercially successful female-fronted alternative rock bands, cited as an influence on artists like Lana Del Rey, Sky Ferreira, Tove Lo, and Tegan and Sara, and was ranked number 77 on VH1’s 100 Greatest Hard Rock Artists list.
