On Hole (You Remember. . .Courtney Love's Band)

I thought to add a rather brief musical interlude and talk a little about Hole.
While you might know Hole only as Courtney Love's old band, the one that released an album, Live Through This, the week of Kurt Cobain's death, or 1998's Celebrity Skin, which featured a slim and glossy Love, these are, in my view, lesser works.

Hole's debut album, Pretty on the Inside, came out when I was in my early twenties. I can say in all honesty that it knocked me on my ass with its anger, its pain, and its rawness. That album has stayed with me like few albums have. "Teenage Whore," "Garbageman," "Pretty on the Inside". . .the music articulated my own anger, pain, and loathing of the world around me (what can I say? I was in my twenties. I've mellowed out since). I'd forgive Courtney Love (nearly) anything because she provided a catharsis by expressing all the noise bubbling inside of me. Consider Hole's riotousness in an age of Tori Amos and Suzanne Vega: there was no contest as to who could "do" power rage (as a rape victim, I knew I was supposed to find Amos's "Me and a Gun" cathartic, but I didn't). Sure this was the age of the Riot Grrrl (is that term now antiquated or what?), but in my opinion, nothing by groups like Bikini Kill, L7, Seven Year Bitch and other valuable bands, ever touched Pretty on the Inside.

I'd like to add a bit more, but I'm too lazy at the moment. And I'm supposed to watch Into the Wild with my beloved. Perhaps I'll add to this later; if not, toodles.