Nobody's Daughter

Untitled

Nobody's Daughter is the fourth studio album by Hole and is set for release in April 2010.

Album information

History

In September 2005, after violating a legal drug probation, Courtney Love was sentenced to a six-month program in a lock down rehabilitation center, which she was released after one half of the sentenced time and completed the other three months left in house arrest. During the period on the clinic, friend and producer Linda Perry visited Love and supported her by encouraging to write new songs, giving her a Martin acoustic guitar. The musician then borrowed a Panasonic compact cassette recorder and penned eight songs on rehab, among them "My Bedroom Walls", "The Depths of My Despair", "Sad But True" and "How Dirty Girls Get Clean". She declared about the new guitar-playing and songwriting stint: "My hand-eye coordination was so bad, I didn't even know chords anymore. It was like my fingers were frozen. And I wasn't allowed to make noise (in rehab). So I'd sit there and try to quietly write and struggle. I never thought I would work again. No one is ever going to talk to me. I'm never going to get a record deal. I'm never going to get on stage again. So, I just kept writing. This is a very personal album."

Only a few days after her release in November 2005, Love dubbed "The Rehab Tapes" demos with Perry and Billy Corgan. After having returned for the third time to her Nichiren Buddhist practice, Love allegedly started writing a song a day (according to her, the tune "Pacific Coast Highway" was written in a Los Angeles hotel on Christmas Eve, and "Never Go Hungry Again" was penned in the same day she got out of rehab). In a sequel, the trio put together a backup band to Love—including guitarist Paul Thorn, bassist Paul Ill and drummer Nathan Washington—and started recording the actual album, with Linda Perry in charge of production and Corgan as a guitarist and arranger. Anthony Rossomando (Dirty Pretty Things) and Ben Gordon (The Dead 60s) are also said to be present on the work as guest musicians. {{citation}}: Empty citation (help) Love and her band then began rehearsing at a studio in West Hollywood. Many of these rehearsals, as well as various other studio sessions, were featured in the 2006 documentary, The Return of Courtney Love.

In a September 2006 interview, Love declared that the album would be mixed in London by Danton Supple, best known for his work with Coldplay, and was predicted to be released in February 2007. However, in January the singer stated that she had March 1 as a deadline for the release of the album. Otherwise, the work would only hit the stores in Winter, probably because of record company issues. Love declared she "can't be a winter release", or else she would "go insane". Later in November, Love listed the songs that would not make the album, "Wildfire", "The Depths of My Despair", "Sad But True", "Good In Bed" (adding that they really tried to make the latest two work) and "My Bedroom Walls", though the lyrics of this one were used on another. The song "How Dirty Girls Get Clean" (which also was the working title of the album) was reworked and isn't known if it's going to be featured in the release. Later, she also confessed that she felt the album needed one more song for the work, which apparently had been written in January. Courtney describes the tune, which carries the working title of "Can You Make Me Cry", as being influenced by White Stripes, and she would be "fine-toothing" the lyrics and finishing it with Linda Perry on the following days. In the same month, Moby, who was rumoured to be involved in the album's production in the early stages, declared to Billboard: "Courtney sent me a CD of demos and I thought the music was remarkably good, It reminded me of Irish protest songs or old Bob Dylan. It was just her with an acoustic guitar." Besides Dylan, -- mainly the album Blood on the Tracks -- Love has confirmed R.E.M., Radiohead, U2 and Fleetwood Mac as influences on the album.

More information regarding possible songs to be featured on the album were leaked in early February 2007. According to Love, there are another five songs that could be on the album, named "I See Red", "Too Much Dope", "In My Gutters", "Samantha" and "Honey". Nevertheless, Love later stated that these songs were mostly demos, except "Samantha", which was the last song to be recorded in late March 2007 (over a year after the beginning of the sessions) and is being considered as a possible first single of the album.

In the January 2009 issue of Elle Magazine, Courtney Love announced that the album would be released to download on her website on 1 January 2009, however the album failed to appear on that date. On 2 January Love's MySpace administrator posted a blog entry on the site explaining that with much regret the album had again been delayed, in part, due to technical sound issues at the studio where the album was recorded.

More recently, Love has revealed that David LaChapelle will direct the music videos for her forthcoming album. She states "i miss videos so happy Lachapelle is doing mine!". Also on Love's Twitter, she revealed through a twitpic, three new song titles, "Everything I Touch", "The Light" and "Don't You Forget About Me", which is a cover of the Simple Minds song "Don't You (Forget About Me).

Recording process

Billy Corgan and Linda Perry are the principal personnel involved in the recording of the album. Corgan has helped Love lay down some of the demos at the Village Recorder and assumed the role of guitar player on most of the songs, as well as writing the main riff to song "Samantha", while Perry co-wrote some of the new songs and is heading the production. She stated in a May 2006 interview: "my dedication right now is to bring back the queen of rock and roll, and that's Courtney Love... My job now is to make that (Courtney Love) rock and roll record that everybody's gonna love." Although she has had support from friends in the progress of the album, Love has clarified that most of the songs are indeed her own work: "Make no mistake, I've written these songs by myself. It's great to have good musicians, but this is me and a guitar."

The Dead 60s guitarist Ben Gordon met Love through friends and heard her play some of the new material in the studio. He told NME, "I had an amazing time. I think she's got some really good ideas. The songs sound fresh. Some of it has a (Bob) Dylan quality to it. It's quite raw and more personal". Gordon considered 'Sunset Marquis', named after a Los Angeles hotel, as one of the standout cuts: "It has a really good story in (the lyrics). It sounds like a classic Courtney Love song and feels like it could be a big hit."

Poptones' boss Alan McGee also said in an interview that "she is in excellent shape. Her state of mind and being is the best that I've seen her in five years. Her Buddhist techniques are keeping her strong mentally and physically. And the songs? The songs are classic. They are acoustic demos but they are the strongest songs that I've heard out of Courtney in ages. They are heavy blues numbers... the one that they talked about in The Guardian, 'How Dirty Girls Get Clean', is a classic Courtney Love billowy number. And the others are like PJ Harvey, heavy rock blues on acoustic. I was just there as her mate and I've got to say that I'm really pleased that she's got herself sorted."

Love has stated in a recent blog that her "final producer on this record is very strong as a man and has opinions very strongly- he did Celebrity Skin". This indicates that Love is working with Michael Beinhorn, who produced Hole's Celebrity Skin. Love has also stated that the record was finished with the completion of the song "Honey", "the widow song" she never wanted to record, but is extremely pleased with. Through her Twitter account love has revealed she is recording at Purple Studios.

Record and management deal

Love signed with Linda Perry's label, Custard Records, for the release, and Universal Music -- the company which Hole has been in a legal battle a few years prior over getting out of contract—may be the worldwide distributor of the album. Love declared she was "not holding any grudges about it". Around the same time, some of the new lyrics, such as "Letter To God" and "Sunset Marquis", plus excerpts from "Sad But True" and "Stand Up Motherfucker", were released on the Internet. Some of them (plus others, like "My Bedroom Walls" and "The Depths of My Despair") are featured in their original handwritten versions on Love's memoir/journal entry-collection hardcover book Dirty Blonde, released in October 2006.

In July, Perry talked again about working with Love in an interview with rock journalist Morley Seaver, from RocknWorld.com. Between great comments about Courtney's lyrics, emotional voice and rock'n'roll power, she revealed that "(...) Working on this record has been just a pleasure. It's been a slow process because we've been really horning in on a vibe. Like the thing I wanted to do with Courtney is create a real cool vibe. There's some fast songs on there, but the majority of it are kinda mid-tempo, hypnotic type songs, that, you just kinda get lost in her songs and then here's her voice and all we're doing musically is kinda creating a cool little landscape, an atmosphere for her to showcase her voice. And then there'll be the big punky rock song but personally, I wanted to hear on this record with Courtney, who Courtney is at 42. She's definitely not a stage diver, you know what I mean? She's not going out play a concert and dive into the audience anymore. So I wanted to make a record with her that gave a little bit of Hole and who Courtney is right now, after the shit she's been through because what people forgot about with Courtney is the music."

By the end of January 2007, Love signed with The Firm, a notorious Californian management company, for representing her on the sale of the upcoming album. Also on August 7, Love struck a distribution deal with Universal Records sub label W14 Music, a London UK based label, although Love is signed directly to Linda Perry's Custard Records. On January 5, 2009, it was revealed that the album will be endorsed by a tequila and menstrual brand. According to her administrator, the sponsorship accounts for more than 30 million dollars.

Love has quashed rumours that she had signed a deal with Linda Perry's label, Custard Records. Love's Facebook information states that Nobody's Daughter will in fact be released by "CherryForever on various Majors Internationally."

Love has hired agency Stoked PR to handle her PR across UK and Europe in an attempt to raise awareness of her upcoming Hole record, due out in April. Stoked PR founder Kate Head has said she wants to ‘shift the emphasis from Love as a notorious celebrity to Love as an iconic artist.’

Hole/Courtney Love

On June 17, 2009, NME posted two in-depth blogs, and two interviews, of Courtney Love announcing the reunion of Hole. The article was primarily focused on Nobody's Daughter and claimed with the "rock Courtney back in action, this music could only come out under one name, HOLE." According to the NME post, Melissa Auf der Maur would once again be bassist, with Micko Larkin replacing Eric Erlandson, and a drummer was not mentioned. There was also mention of "tours next year". Hole founder, Eric Erlandson also suggested in an interview with Spin magazine that no reunion can take place without his involvement. Whether Erlandson or Love have any legal right to the name remains to be seen. In response to this, Love stated "MY Band MY name and MY Trademark" suggesting that she is the legal owner of the name and not Erlandson. Some still speculate whether or not Nobody's Daughter will be a Hole or Courtney Love record. Though Love has said numerous times that she plans to release under the name Hole, no valid confirmation has yet been found. Courtney recently stated to a fan on her facebook page that Melissa did not end up being a part of the album or the band. "melissa is a darling girl she never came down and sang she ws as touring and she has feelings that were put in her head by guys who are wrong about stuff Former managers i really really like who are trying to relive a past that doesnt exist". She also stated that she and Auf Der Maur would be launching a tour next summer called "Incendia". Hole opened a Facebook page and new website promoting Nobody's Daughter on January 1, 2010.

Promotion

In efforts to promote the album, Hole performed "Samantha" on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross on 12 February, 2010. Love was also interviewed prior to the performance. The band also played a Shockwaves NME Awards show at London's 02 Shepherd's Bush Empire on 17 February, 2010, their first show since their reunion. The band performed two other European dates at Milan's Magazzini Generali, and Amsterdam's Paradiso on 19 February and 21 February, 2010 respectively.

Hole performed "Samantha" and "Skinny Little Bitch" at Shockwaves NME Awards on 24 February, 2010. Highlights from the show, including a shortened version of "Samantha", were broadcast on 26 February, 2010 on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Love also appeared on Alan Carr: Chatty Man on 25 February, 2010 to promote the album.

For promotion in the United States, Hole will perform at Spin's annual South by Southwest party in Austin, Texas on 19 March, 2010. The show will be the band's first tour date since their final tour in 1999.

Hole will play the O2 Academy Glasgow on 3 May, 2010, the O2 Academy Brixton on 5 May, 2010 and the O2 Academy Birmingham on 9 May, 2010.

Singles

Skinny Little Bitch

The first single, described by NME as,

"a balls-out, low-down dirty rock song, and as fine a signature tune for the new Hole as you could imagine. Tapping the same lyrical vein as 'Samantha', it's The Stooges fronted by a Joan Jett re-imagined as the Bride Of Frankenstein. And it’s the sound of Courtney having fun."

Samantha

The second single,

"Originally tagged on the end of the Linda Perry sessions, its rockular nature inspired the direction that would lead to the resurrection of Hole. Powered by a Billy Corgan riff and firing from all nu-grunge cylinders the rest of the way, 'Samantha' announces Hole’s return doing what Courtney does best – skewering a hooker waitress/model actress who’s no better than she ought to be. “Watch her wrap her legs around this world”, snarls Courtney, as only she can."

Tracks

Expected album tracks

• Codine
• Don't You (Forget About Me) (Forsey, Schiff)
• How Dirty Girls Get Clean "Candy Version" (Love, Perry, Corgan)
• How Dirty Girls Get Clean "Filthy Version" (Love, Perry, Corgan)
• Everything I Touch
• For Once In Your Life (Love, Perry)
• Happy Ending Story (Love, Perry)
• Honey
• Letter To God (Perry)
• Never Go Hungry Again
• Nobody's Daughter ("A complete rewrite of the version that was played live on her UK tour.")
• Number One Genius
• Pacific Coast Highway
• Samantha (Love, Perry, Corgan)
• Skinny Little Bitch
• Someone Else's Bed
• Suffer Little Children (Marr, Morrissey)
• The Light

B-sides

• Sunset Marquis (Love, Perry, Corgan)

Other

• Amen (Larkin)
• Can You Make Me Cry
• Car Crash (Love, Thorn)
• Good In Bed
• I See Red
• I'll Keep It With Mine (Dylan)
• In My Gutters
• Last Will And Testament
• Leading Man
• Loser Dust
• My Bedroom Walls
• Nobody's Daughter (Love, Perry, Washington, Ill, Thorn)
• Sad But True
• Stand Up Motherfucker
• The Depths Of My Despair
• Too Much Dope
• Wildfire

Live comeback

On April 29, 2006, Love returned to stage, playing at the Gay and Lesbian Community Center benefit at the Henry Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles. With the help of Billy Corgan and Linda Perry, she played acoustic versions of "Sunset Marquis" and "Pacific Coast Highway", as well as a rare performance of Fleetwood Mac's "Rhiannon". A few weeks later, Love then treated NME reporters to a private acoustic performance of a few more songs in her London hotel room, featuring "Stand Up Motherfucker", "Good in Bed" and "Dirty Girls". Love played four songs from her new album at the Los Angeles House of Blues on June 1, 2007. Linda Perry was also performing that night and Courtney was introduced as a "special guest". Linda sang back-up for Courtney and played acoustic guitar.

A month later, on July 4, Love performed in Paris, France and on July 9, 2007, performed a "secret" birthday show at London's Bush Hall. During the show, her band and the crowd sang "happy birthday" to her before she performed "Loser Dust". Love's final two shows of 2007 were held in the Hiro Ballroom in New York on July 12 and the famous Roxy Theater in West Hollywood on July 17. The Hiro performance was recorded by music website IMEEM and footage from the show was released on Love's official IMEEM page. Love's performance at the Roxy Theater was also recorded partially by MySpace.com and six songs were posted on Love's official page a few days after the show.

Love performed at Carnegie Hall as part of the (RED) Nights concert series on October 4, 2009. The concert benefited the (RED) Campaign Campaign.

Love will also be performing on December 31, 2009 at The Standard Hotel as part of its New Year celebration. The tickets for the event range from $250 (standing room) to $750 (seat).

The Return of Courtney Love and previewed songs

On September 27, 2006 the documentary The Return Of Courtney Love was aired on More4 in the United Kingdom. It was directed by Will Yapp and followed Love while she recorded "How Dirty Girls Get Clean", the original incarnation of "Nobody's Daughter". It also showed how Love was coping with life after rehab. Throughout the documentary excerpts of new songs were played, which included "Dirty Girls", "Sunset Marquis", "Letter to God", "Pacific Coast Highway" and "Stand Up Motherfucker", as well as others which remain unidentified.

In October 2006, during an interview for Rolling Stone concerning Dirty Blonde, the singer played an impromptu and "raspy, absurdly awesome" version of the track "Never Go Hungry Again". The comments were pleasant: "This proud confessional combines simple folk-rock soundcraft with the guttural scream and lyrical fire of a never-to-be-retired riot grrrl (...) It's 1994 all over again."

In early November, a rough recording of "Never Go Hungry Again" was released to the Internet from a podcast interview for The Times.

In late November, Love exclusively played two separate clips of "Pacific Coast Highway" from the unmixed album on BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour and Russell Brand's Radio Show. Love has since appeared on Russell Brand's Radio Show for a second time and sang an acoustic version of "Sunset Marquis".

Press comments on previews of the album are rather positive, rating it as a potential masterpiece and even comparing the work to Marianne Faithfull's Broken English, Patti Smith's Horses and The Eagles' Hotel California.

The first single, "Skinny Little Bitch", aired for the first time on the radio on March 3, 2010.

Release history

Region	Date	Format	Ref.
Ireland	23 April 2010	CD, digital download
United Kingdom	26 April 2010
United States	27 April 2010
Canada