Hole

Hole's identity can't be separated from that of its frontwoman Courtney Love, who during the band's heyday was arguably the most loved and hated figure in indie rock. Born in San Francisco and raised among hippies, Love studied as an actress and began to make a name in the '80s, playing a minor role in Alex Cox's "Sid & Nancy" (1996), and becoming visible on the punk circuit. Her early band Pagan Babies included Kat Bjelland and Jennifer Finch, respectively future members of Babes in Toyland and L7.

After following her acting career to New York, she relocated to Los Angeles and supported herself working in a strip club. Through a classified ad she recruited the original members of Hole including her longtime musical partner, guitarist Eric Erlandson. Sonic Youth bassist Kim Gordon produced Hole's 1991 debut, Pretty on the Inside, the rawest and angriest of their albums. It became an influence on the riot grrl movement, which Love came to disdain (along with the album itself).

Before making the album Love had her first meeting with Kurt Cobain at Portland's Satyricon nightclub (different reports state that the band playing that night was the Dharma Bums or Nirvana). They were married in 1992 and their daughter Frances Bean Cobain was born six months later.

During their reign as indie rock's decadent glamor couple Love worked on Hole's sophomore album, Live Through This. The album introduced Hole's best-known lineup (with drummer Patty Schemel and bassist Kristen Pfaff; the latter died of an overdose after the sessions) and featured a more streamlined, Nirvana-like sound. The extent of Cobain's participation has long been debated (he at least sings a few backup vocals) and Love also denied rumors that credited backup singer Dana Kletter with handling some of the leads. In any case the album became in alt-rock touchstone, thanks partly to the empowering tone of Love's lyrics. It also proved cathartic for fans, being released just a week after Cobain's death in April 1994.

The tours behind the album (with Melissa Auf der Maur joining on bass) included some legendary trainwrecks. On a good night Love would verbally confront the audience; on a bad one she'd jump off the stage and confront them physically. During the 1995 Lollapalooza tour Love took a swing at tourmate Kathleen Hanna of Bikini Kill (who later sued), and squabbled backstage with estranged friends Sonic Youth.

Hole reappeared in 1997 with Celebrity Skin, a shockingly glossy pop album bearing out the Fleetwood Mac influence that Love had long claimed. Despite a few verbal swipes at coheadliner Marilyn Manson, Love was generally well-behaved on the supporting tour; but the band splintered afterwards and was formally ended by Love and Erlandson in 2002.

Love began a solo career, but in 2010 announced that her second album-originally titled When Dirty Girls Get Clean and written during a spell in rehab-would instead be the new Hole album, Nobody's Daughter. Released over the objections of Erlandson (who didn't participate), the low-key album flopped and Hole again ended after a brief tour. Love teased the possibility of a full reunion during various interviews throughout 2014, but this never came to fruition.