I'm finally in the mood, and I really need to be in the right mood to talk about certain things, especially things that mean so much to me. Like, Courtney Love.
July 10th, almost a month ago now, I ventured to Toronto with my friend Meghan, to see "Hole" in concert. Meghan is one of my musical soulmates, so I knew she'd be the perfect companion for such an event. It was an experience I'll never forget. The Sound Academy was packed with a huge range of people. Old, young, punk, grunge, whatever. Lots of Courtney look-a-likes. I even spotted some Nirvana tees.
One man in particular really caught my eye.. he was standing in line behind us waiting to get in. 40 or older, Caucasian, well dressed, and by himself. In one hand he held a dozen red roses, in the other a present in a fancy "Happy Birthday" bag complete with card. It made sense, as it was Courtney's 46th birthday the previous day. And I just thought, damn, that's dedication and love.
I'm not going to lie, I didn't rush out to buy the "Nobody's Daughter" cd when it came out. I read a bunch of stuff online prior to it being released and when they finally cleared up the confusion that Melissa Auf Der Mar was in fact NOT going to be a part of the reunion, as well as the fact that Eric Erlandanson wasn't involved and the only founding member was Courtney.. well I figured it wasn't going to be very good. Don't get me wrong, I know that Courtney is the roots of Hole and it wouldn't be anything without her, but I have to give credit to the others because Hole was this unbelievable package and it wasn't the same when she did her solo project. I've come to accept the fact that all the music I love from decades before is never going to be the same; I can go see the Smashing Pumpkins in concert but it will never be as good as if I had gone in 1993, and I didn't think Hole was an exception.. But a few days before the concert, I downloaded the new CD. And it was fucking good.
People tease me about being so in love with Courtney Love. I'm sure you can imagine all the things they say, I don't know a lot of people who appreciate her as much as I do. Going to the concert and being immersed in a crowd of screaming sweaty fans renewed my faith. And that doesn't even take into account the incredible vibe I got off of her. Not only did she look fantastic; she sounded incredible, as good as on CD if not better. The set list was perfect. And anyone who thinks she is a washed out junkie, I seriously urge you to go see her in concert. She's more real than any "rock star" I've ever seen in person. The way she spoke to the crowd in between songs, her mannerisms, everything she did just made me question all of the crazy shit I've heard about her.
I'm not saying she's the perfect role model. I'm not saying she's the perfect person. But, like many other musicians before her, she's been seriously misunderstood. She's been labelled and called all the names in the book and the fact that she still pushes on and makes music and stands up for what she believes in.. it's just phenomenal. And when it comes down to it, it's not hard to understand her. She once said "I might lie a lot but never in my lyrics." And I believe her.
She recently did a fantastic interview with Russh magazine, that you should really check out. Also check out this post, by someone who knows exactly how I feel... http://www.thestylerookie.com/2010/07/love_11.html
Hairclips being sold at the Merch table. They were sold out when we went to go check it out, but this gorgeous girl was lovely enough to let me photograph her wearing it.
Merch table. The biggest seller was the Skinny Little Bitch shirt. Even girls that weren't skinny bought it. I always get embarrassed by the people that buy the shirt and put it on right away... A good 20% of the crowd was wearing the same tee.
The Queen of Grunge.
Miss World.
Celebrity Skin.
Sassy.
Asking For It.
On stage, she mentioned a blog project of hers, or whoevers; a daily chronicle or her outfits to show the world that she can be a classy, fashionable woman. And it delivers... how incredible is it that this woman who seems to outline all of my inner thoughts and feelings perfectly into words I could never articulate along with the most beautiful music I've ever heard... also has fantastic fashion sense?? Decked out in Yohji, and Azzedine, and even McQueen?!?http://whatcourtneyworetoday.com/ It's just fantastic.
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