Eric Erlandson

Eric Erlandson

Eric Erlandson (born January 9, 1963, in Los Angeles, California, United States) is an American musician known as the co-founder, former songwriter and lead guitarist of alternative rock band Hole.

Early life and career

Erlandson was born and raised in San Pedro, California. He is of Swedish descent and during his college years, he worked for the now-defunct Licorice Pizza record store chain. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in economics with a minor in marketing from Loyola Marymount University, where his father, Theodore Erlandson, served as Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Prior to forming Hole, Erlandson worked for Capitol Records, managing Paul McCartney's and Tina Turner's royalties. In late 1988, Erlandson travelled Europe for a number of months "trying to decide what he wanted to do with his life."

Hole and later disputes

In mid-1989, Erlandson responded to an advertisement placed by Courtney Love in Flipside magazine. Erlandson describes the band's first rehearsal session — which featured original bassist Lisa Roberts — as:

these two girls show up dressed completely crazy, we set up and they said, "okay, just start playing something." I started playing and they started screaming at the top of their lungs for two or three hours. Crazy lyrics and screaming. I said to myself, "most people would just run away from this really fast." But I heard something in Courtney's voice and lyrics.

Love, Erlandson and Roberts were later joined by drummer Caroline Rue and third guitarist Mike Geisbrecht and this line-up performed Hole's first live performances. A new line-up, consisting of new bassist Jill Emery and the departure of Geisbrecht, recorded their debut album, Pretty on the Inside, in 1991. Receiving underground success in the United Kingdom, Rue was kicked out of the band after the band's excessive touring in 1991 and Emery left soon after in 1992. Recruiting new members Patty Schemel and Kristen Pfaff, respectively, Hole signed a contract with their new label DGC in 1992 and a year later, began touring and recording for their sophomore and major label debut, Live Through This. The album, regarded as one of the top albums of all time, received unanimous critical acclaim and is Hole's most successful record to date. Pfaff died of a heroin overdose in 1994 just weeks before the band's appearance at the Reading Festival and Canadian bassist Melissa Auf der Maur was recruited on suggestion of Billy Corgan. After a reported hiatus in 1996, Hole released their third studio album, Celebrity Skin, in 1998. More pop-orientated than their previous albums, the album was a commercial success and was the last material by Hole to feature Erlandson. Auf der Maur left the group in 1999 to pursure other musical projects and on May 22 2002, Erlandson and Love disbanded Hole through their official website noting that they would "no longer record or tour together."

In 2009, Love announced that her upcoming solo album, Nobody's Daughter, was being released under the name Hole and described the band's reunion, which included Love's guitarist Micko Larkin replacing Erlandson. Auf der Maur was first to respond to the news, describing it as "jeopardis[ing] a real Hole reunion" and Erlandson stated that he and Love "have a contract", which was later revealed to be a contract preventing either from reforming Hole without mutual involvement. In a later interview, just days before the expected release of Hole's Nobody's Daughter, Erlandson explained how "[Courtney's] management convinced me that it was all hot air and that she would never be able to finish her album. Now I'm left in an uncomfortable position." Neither Love nor Erlandson have commented on the reunion further.

Other musical projects

During Hole's reported hiatus in 1996, Erlandson formed a short-lived side project, Rodney & the Tube Tops, in 1996 with Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth and various other musicians. Releasing one single, "I Hate The '90s", the project dissolved shortly afterwards. Following Hole's disbandenment, he contributed to Melissa Auf der Maur's debut solo album Auf der Maur, playing lead guitar on the track, "Would If I Could." Erlandson has also performed as a guitarist for Melaine C and in 2007, he formed an improvisational music project, RRIICCEE, with his neighbor Vincent Gallo. The band toured the United States and Canada, and performed at the Fuji Rock Festival in Japan. Erlandson has since the group. In 2010, he noted that he has "new musical projects in the works."

Other endeavours

Erlandson is currently studying Creative Writing, Tai Chi, health cultivation and raw food/vegan cuisine. He is also set to release a book in late 2010.

Personal life

Erlandson once dated Courtney Love after the duo formed Hole in 1989. He was also involved with former Hole bassist Kristen Pfaff from 1993 until her death and with actress Drew Barrymore in 1995 until 1997. Erlandson has practiced Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism since 1990 and continues to hold strong Buddhist faith. He also introduced former bandmate Courtney Love to the religion.