Courtney Love on the Song That Made Everything Click for Hole: ‘That Song Just Arrived’
· Vice
Hole was a hugely influential band in the 90s alt-rock scene, and they continue to inspire emerging groups today. This year, more than ever, perhaps, as they reissued their first three albums in September 2026. It may seem like Hole was always a prominent fixture in the rock scene, but looking back this year, Courtney Love could recall a specific moment when the band became fully realized.
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Speaking with Uncut in September 2026, Courtney Love remembered the exact song that made Hole what they were. Guitarist Eric Erlandson shared in the recollection, both remembering the moments when everyone knew they had something great to offer.
When asked for the moment when the band “clicked,” Love replied with the song, “‘Teenage Whore’,” which appeared on their 1991 debut Pretty on the Inside. “That song just arrived,” she added. “It’s the first song on Pretty on the Inside, and it came out all at once. No polite little warm-up.”
Courtney Love Knew Hole Had Clicked As a Band From Their Very First Song
According to Courtney Love, the moment when Hole solidified came pretty early. It came easily as well, it seems. “Teenage Whore” was the lead single off Pretty on the Inside, so Love wasn’t exaggerating when she said there was no warm-up. Hole introduced themselves to the world like a runaway freight train.
Love continued, “There are songs you have to wrestle into existence, and then there are songs that kick the door down and tell you exactly what the band is. That was one of those moments. That was the click.”
For Erlandson, there didn’t seem to be a specific song where he felt the band clicked. “By the time we were in the studio with each new rhythm section for each of these albums, there were already weeks and weeks of rehearsals,” he said.
“So that feeling where everything was starting to gel usually happened way before we entered the studio,” he added. “Though, hearing the raw songs come to life, blasting back from the playback speakers, was always a wow moment for me.”
While Courtney Love knew exactly when everything came together for Hole, Eric Erlandson seemed to have a more amorphous view. As if every time they got together was a new “click”. Either way, there’s no denying that Hole’s longevity is attributed to how well their music clicked.
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