Courtney Love

Courtney Love (born Courtney Michelle Harrison on July 9, 1964 in San Francisco, California) was the singer for the now-defunct band Hole. Currently in and out of rehab and on the verge of losing custody of her daughter, Love is also an occasional model and actress. Love is the widow of Kurt Cobain (1967–1994), lead singer of the band Nirvana, with whom she has one daughter, Frances Bean Cobain.

Controversy

Since Cobain's death, rumors have circulated that he was in fact murdered at Love's instigation. Countering the popular claim that Cobain had taken so much heroin before his death that he would not be able to hold a gun, director Nick Broomfield's 1998 documentary Kurt and Courtney interviewed forensic experts who claimed that Kurt Cobain was not actually intoxicated enough on heroin that he would not be able to hold a gun and shoot himself, showing a photo of a methadone addict on twice the amount. Conspiracy theorists point out that methadone is not heroin, and there is a furious debate over whether Cobain would have been too intoxicated or already dead, by the amount of heroin taken to fire a gun.

Related Topics:
Murdered - Heroin - Nick Broomfield - 1998 - Documentary - Kurt and Courtney - Forensic - Methadone

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The unofficial and unendorsed (at least by Love's camp) documentary also featured people claiming to be Cobain's intimate friends who said the Cobains' marriage was on the rocks and that Kurt Cobain wanted a divorce, while others claimed Courtney wanted a divorce, while others still said Courtney wanted rid of him. One of these "insiders" was Love's own father, whom Love had severed ties with years earlier. Love has steadfastly denied these allegations.

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The fact that Love's musical career skyrocketed after she married Cobain has fueled some speculation among Nirvana fans that it was in fact Cobain who wrote most of the songs featured on Live Through This, despite the fact that Hole's first album, Pretty on the Inside, was actually outselling Nirvana's "Bleach" when Kurt and Courtney met. Hole fans and Hole's lead guitarist Eric Erlandson deny this, explaining that he and Courtney were responsible for most of the melody and riffs, whilst fans point out that Pretty on the Inside (Hole's debut album) was written before interactions with Kurt Cobain and has a much "heavier sound," which proves the band's musicianship. Further accusations have been made that Billy Corgan wrote most of the songs for 1998's Celebrity Skin. At present, neither of these allegations have been officially made against Love in a court of law.

Related Topics:
1998 - Celebrity Skin

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Love has been a strong critic of the music industry, especially the RIAA. In 2000, she publicly announced her admiration for Napster which, at the time, was being accused of fostering illegal file-sharing. She became known for her criticism of unfair record contracts and mistreatment of artists.

Related Topics:
Music industry - RIAA - 2000 - Napster - File-sharing - Mistreatment of artists

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With Hole having fallen into disarray, Love attempted to begin a "punk rock femme supergroup" called Bastard during summer/autumn of 2001, though this project never reached fruition. Hole broke up that year amid continuing litigation. Love in October 2001 performed in some solo shows as an opening act.

Related Topics:
Punk rock - 2001

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In 2003, Love pleaded not guilty to felony drug charges related to possession of painkillers. In February of 2004, an arrest warrant was issued for Love after she failed to appear at a preliminary hearing; the warrant was subsequently rescinded when she appeared in court on February 18. She released her first solo effort America's Sweetheart just eight days earlier on February 10.

Related Topics:
2003 - Felony - Drug - Painkiller - 2004 - February 18 - February 10

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Early on the morning of March 19, 2004 Love was arrested in New York City for allegedly throwing a microphone stand and hitting a man on the head. Earlier in the night, she appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman and flashed her breasts at David Letterman six times.

Related Topics:
March 19 - 2004 - New York City - The Late Show with David Letterman - David Letterman

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On her 40th birthday, July 9, 2004, she missed a scheduled court appearance relating to an attempted break-in at a boyfriend's house and was found in contempt of court. Her attorney later said she missed the appearance due to medical problems; later in the month she appeared in court and was sentenced to an 18-month probation and drug rehabilitation program.

Related Topics:
July 9 - Contempt of court - Drug rehabilitation

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In August of 2004, Love alienated some fans when she allowed a bill for a message board tied into her website to go unpaid. Love had agreed to pay (and had been paying) the bill though the board was owned by a fan, which she had decided to reimburse in order to influence aspects of the website's design and usage. The site is now separately managed and no longer affiliated with Love.

Related Topics:
August - Website

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Love recently regained the custody of her daughter after beginning a state-enforced rehabilitation program, although it is still in jeopardy due to a possible drug-related incident which is the subject of current legal action.

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On August 19, 2005, Love admitted using drugs in violation of her probation terms. The rocker-actress was ordered into a 28-day drug treatment program by a judge who initially said "my belief was that you need to go to the county jail." This program was also violated and 0n September21she was sentenced to 6 moths in lock down rehab. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1507991/20050819/love_courtney.jhtml?headlines=true

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Love was cast to star as legendary cowgirl Texas Guinan in the story of her life, called Hello Sucker!. The film was never made.

Related Topics:
Cowgirl - Texas Guinan - Hello Sucker!

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Love is set to release her sophomore solo album, Exile In Blonde, under Virgin Records in 2006.

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In August 2005, tabloid papers such as News of the World began reporting that Love became pregnant during an affair with British actor and comedian Steve Coogan. Coogan's spokeswoman has discredited the story as "nonsense". http://breakingnews.iol.ie/entertainment/story.asp?j=153365086&p=y5336579z

Related Topics:
News of the World - Steve Coogan

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