So, should I try out to be in Courtney Love's backing band?

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oop, but not recording

stevem (blueski), Thursday, 1 May 2003 14:08 (twenty-one years ago) link

I mean camera. I don't know if there were ever any videos made of the Lollies. Maybe there were on the Bangles tour, but I'd have no access to them. :-(

I don't even know if I want to get involved with the music industry again. I've been more and more of the "Well, actually, I'd like to have a normal life for a while, you know, have a boyfriend, go back to school, get a job I don't hate, etc..." tip lately. And I'm wondering if I should be dragged back in.

But being a rock star when you're on *that* level (as evidenced even by my short exposure on the Bangles tour) is fucking fun. Oh, I don't know. What can it hurt to try? What do I have to lose? Except to set myself up with a huge big pile of expectations which will only be dashed when cruel reality impinges again like it always does.

I wish I weren't so freaking DOWN today. I hate PMS. I will make the decision next week when I'm not all PMS-ing to hell.

kate, Thursday, 1 May 2003 14:12 (twenty-one years ago) link

Email Joe - he's good for pep talks!

sonny m, Thursday, 1 May 2003 14:14 (twenty-one years ago) link

notice how she makes no mention of the horse.

piscesboy, Thursday, 1 May 2003 14:20 (twenty-one years ago) link

heh, i bought the lollies cd YESTERDAY! so now you can afford to give up the day job for, oh, about 2 minutes prolly

zebedee (zebedee), Thursday, 1 May 2003 14:22 (twenty-one years ago) link

I was going to ask "what horse?" then figured out what you were on about.

Vegetarian non-smoking non-drug-taking Kate vs. C.Love - who do you think would drive who mad?

kate, Thursday, 1 May 2003 14:22 (twenty-one years ago) link

Actually you would hate it, Kate, come to think of it, you would really really hate it.

sonny m, Thursday, 1 May 2003 14:26 (twenty-one years ago) link

Kate, I'm kind of worried about this.

Sarah McLUsky (coco), Thursday, 1 May 2003 14:33 (twenty-one years ago) link

i would dig out those pics of her and mr lemonhead
on a bed in a terrible state circa 94 and ask myself
'is this how i want my social life to turn out' ?
remember them ? they were found in a bin or something.

piscesboy, Thursday, 1 May 2003 14:34 (twenty-one years ago) link

It would be nice to have someone else be the STAR all the time, and always have to be ON and have to do the interviews and deal with all the CRAP and all that.

And someone next to whom, I looked fairly normal. ;-)

kate, Thursday, 1 May 2003 14:35 (twenty-one years ago) link


If you mean you want a NTSC dub of a VHS tape, or vice versa go here, but it might cost you. Say you're a student.

Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Thursday, 1 May 2003 14:36 (twenty-one years ago) link

What I want, really, is just ANY bloody tape, fullstop. Sigh.

kate, Thursday, 1 May 2003 14:38 (twenty-one years ago) link

Joe said that yer solo stuff is ace. Maybe you should get a tape of you - doing - the solo stuff?

sonny m, Thursday, 1 May 2003 14:40 (twenty-one years ago) link

Remember Bastard? When Courtney tried to start an all-girl band with all these different famous females? MTV news had a few news bits on that back in 2001.
Courtney said, "I had some problems with some of the ladies and I don't want to talk about that, and I hope they don't want to talk about it either...I have really high standards, and it's not a joke anymore. I love Kittie, but it needs to be Zeppelin-level. And if we can't kick Fred Durst's ass, I don't want to do it. I'm not happy unless it's going to be f---ing great."


Here's more:
COURTNEY'S BANDMATES BAIL
Source: Sorelle Saidman - August 31, 2001

Louise Post and Corey Parks have left Courtney Love's new band Bastard. Bastard have been recording a punk CD for Epitaph Records, while Love's primary band, Hole, remains on hiatus due to a label dispute. Post defected because of a personality clash with Love. "It was sad to leave, but I felt I had no choice," says Post, who quit after one day of recording with the band and an intensive period of writing and practicing. "I felt Courtney was becoming a friend, and I was very close to [drummer] Patty Schemel -- it was so great getting to play with her. But things just went in a different direction." "I wish her well," Post continues. "Courtney is a powerful force, and she'll do whatever she wants to do. It's a shame we couldn't get along." Love praises Post's vocals and guitar work on her Web site. "She could be excellent if she applied herself," reads a recent note. "I love her playing."
Bastard's original lineup was Love, Post, Schemel, guitarist Kat Bjelland and Rockit Girl bassist Gina Crosley, who recently joined Post's main project, Veruca Salt replacing Suzanne Sokol. Bjelland, who has a long history of clashes with Love, pulled out soon after, and Crosley was put on ice while Love courted Parks, the fire-breathing, leggy blonde best-known for her stint in Nashville Pussy. Parks did eventually join the project, says Post, but left after just a week or so.

Sarah McLUsky (coco), Thursday, 1 May 2003 14:44 (twenty-one years ago) link

I have a camcorder. Its PAL but you can get the tape converted.

Ed (dali), Thursday, 1 May 2003 14:45 (twenty-one years ago) link

My point is that lots of great female guitarists have been unable to work with Courtney for one reason or another. So, if it didn't end up working out, you wouldn't need to feel at all that it was because you simply weren't good enough.

Sarah McLUsky (coco), Thursday, 1 May 2003 14:48 (twenty-one years ago) link

This is the most interesting thread (to me) in a long time.

What all do you need to audition, kate?

Sarah McLUsky (coco), Thursday, 1 May 2003 14:52 (twenty-one years ago) link

I'll forward you the mail if you like. Please email me yer address (I'm not registered so I can't see yers) at the yahoo account and I'll send it on to you.

kate, Thursday, 1 May 2003 14:53 (twenty-one years ago) link

Kate, you should definitely go for it. If you get rejected - well, there are probably going to be a large number of people in the same boat. See it as not winning the lottery rather than, say, being dumped. But I reckon you've got it done and dusted :)

And Sonny, sorry to be blunt, but re your contact, you don't seem to be being much of a friend.

Mark C (Mark C), Thursday, 1 May 2003 15:02 (twenty-one years ago) link

I've forwarded it to you, Sarah. Let me know if it doesn't turn up, because my email went all funny as it was sending it... :-(

kate, Thursday, 1 May 2003 15:21 (twenty-one years ago) link

It's your choice, but FYI. I don't know how relevant this is, but :
COURTNEY LOVE has been snubbed by fellow female grunge icon KAT BJELLAND after offering the ex-BABES IN TOYLAND singer a songwriting role in her new band BASTARD.

Bjelland told NME.COM that she was approached by Courtney's management with a list of rules stipulating how she should conduct herself if she was appointed - before she had heard any Courtney's new music.

Prospective members of Bastard - which Courtney is said to have described as a "female Megadeth" - were also told that they would be under contract to Courtney, not to Epitaph Records.

Kat told NME.COM: "(Courtney) didn't approach me personally; her manager called my manager. She had this whole concept down, outlined something like 15 rules.

"It was crazy stuff, like 'no talking about the past', 'no doing drugs in the studio', 'you're practising this many hours of the day', 'you'll get this amount of money'. It was really crazy, really restricting. I thought it was just kind of hilarious, 'cos aren't you meant to just ask someone if they're interested before you start doing that!

"I said I was flattered that they thought of me, but I can't write songs for someone else."

No Way, Thursday, 1 May 2003 15:22 (twenty-one years ago) link

please go for it.

RJG (RJG), Thursday, 1 May 2003 15:24 (twenty-one years ago) link

we have nothing to lose

Ronan (Ronan), Thursday, 1 May 2003 15:25 (twenty-one years ago) link

can't be worse than being trapped in some office

Simeon (Simeon), Thursday, 1 May 2003 15:42 (twenty-one years ago) link

I would stipulate in your audition tape that when you join the band, you demand to be the one wearing the Donald Duck suit.

Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 1 May 2003 15:47 (twenty-one years ago) link

I want to be the one wearing the Donald Duck suit, work dress code be damned.

Nicole (Nicole), Thursday, 1 May 2003 15:50 (twenty-one years ago) link

I would do it (but would try to keep my expectations as low as possible) just to be able to say that I had tried.

j.lu (j.lu), Thursday, 1 May 2003 15:53 (twenty-one years ago) link

It's weird that there aren't many guidelines for what's to go on the video. I mean, is there some sort of precedent for what goes on an audition video? Are you supposed to be creative with it or is there a suggested format? Just wondering as I've never done a video audition.

Sarah McLusky (coco), Thursday, 1 May 2003 19:42 (twenty-one years ago) link

Do you have the attittude to deal with a personality like Courtney's?

Jimmy Trueluck, Thursday, 1 May 2003 19:50 (twenty-one years ago) link

Yes!

felicity (felicity), Thursday, 1 May 2003 20:40 (twenty-one years ago) link

(to k8)

felicity (felicity), Thursday, 1 May 2003 20:40 (twenty-one years ago) link

Bastard's original lineup was Love, Post, Schemel, guitarist Kat Bjelland and Rockit Girl bassist Gina Crosley

Whoah: the last of whom is now Rockit Girl frontwoman Gina Crosley, who has two of my friends on guitar and bass now. This, umm, explains much.

nabisco (nabisco), Thursday, 1 May 2003 21:12 (twenty-one years ago) link

(I.e., explains why she still has this "step off, bitch, I was in a band with Courtney Love" vibe.)

nabisco (nabisco), Thursday, 1 May 2003 21:15 (twenty-one years ago) link

Kate, you should totally do it! I can help with the PAL->NTSC video transfer if necessary.

Chris Barrus (Chris Barrus), Thursday, 1 May 2003 21:29 (twenty-one years ago) link

NB, Kate: I hate to sound like an unencouraging spoil-sport stomping all over dreams, but it appears to me that pretty much no person on Earth ever has been able to get along with Courtney Love during the past decade. Asking third-hand about Bastard still gives this impression at first-hand magnitude, and the idea of a well-connected industry insider putting up ads for sidemen seems to indicate some problems as well. Would you really be up for it? I ask this because -- from what I've heard -- you'd be good enough for it, without a doubt. So would you want to?

nabisco (nabisco), Thursday, 1 May 2003 21:35 (twenty-one years ago) link

(That said, you should give it a shot, just to see! If she wanted you you could always say "hahaha no way, yr nuts.")

nabisco (nabisco), Thursday, 1 May 2003 21:37 (twenty-one years ago) link

See Simeon's contribution upthread.

felicity (felicity), Thursday, 1 May 2003 21:38 (twenty-one years ago) link

(The descriptions of being in a band with Courtney I'm hearing sound pretty much exactly like being trapped in an office, only with a boss far more psycho than any mmm-kay Lumberg sort.)

nabisco (nabisco), Thursday, 1 May 2003 21:41 (twenty-one years ago) link

Hypothesis 1:
If you are as annoying as Ms Love then you will survive the band.

Hypothesis 2:
If you are as annoying as Ms Love then the band will not survive you.

No Found Glory, Thursday, 1 May 2003 21:46 (twenty-one years ago) link

Thanks Bisco, I now have a mental image of Lumberg sprawled across a sofa while getting a Brazilian.

Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 1 May 2003 21:52 (twenty-one years ago) link

C'mon, Kate, you have to try out. You'll regret it more if you had the chance and didn't take it, you know!

daria g, Thursday, 1 May 2003 21:59 (twenty-one years ago) link

kate i knew this thread was yours. go for it, i know you'll rock. don't think too much at this stage about the politics of being in Love's band. if you make it, it'll be a great ego boost, and then you can decide whether its a good career move.

di smith (lucylurex), Thursday, 1 May 2003 22:57 (twenty-one years ago) link

do it do it do it do it do it

electric sound of jim (electricsound), Thursday, 1 May 2003 23:02 (twenty-one years ago) link

Oh, just do it. I mean, you know what kind of madness to expect. Do a cover of the Gun Club's "Mother Earth", she'll hire you on the spot.

Arthur (Arthur), Thursday, 1 May 2003 23:06 (twenty-one years ago) link

everyone here is right. send it in. you have nothing to lose, if you get in, imagine how great it'll be, and even if it is difficult to get along etc, or you decide its not for you, you'll have had some fun along the way!

and dont worry about not getting it, you have a good chance i'm sure, and even if you don't get it, you'll have had a go. the failure is not failing at something, the failure is not trying, that is the ultimate failure. send in the tape and you'll have already done something good in itself, regardless of outcome

gareth (gareth), Friday, 2 May 2003 09:22 (twenty-one years ago) link

I mean, what else am I going to do with my life? Go back to university and study mathematics?
-- kate (********@*****), May 1st, 2003.

Don't do it! I know whereof I speak.

mei (mei), Friday, 2 May 2003 09:29 (twenty-one years ago) link

I mean, what else am I going to do with my life? Go back to university and study mathematics?

Your tone seems to be that the end of result of studying mathematics at uni is far less important that a life spent on the coat tails of Ms Love.
Guitar players may become more famous and make a lot more money and lead "cooler" lives than most people but I don't any serious person would consider their existence very important in any sense of the word.

Roman (Roman), Friday, 2 May 2003 10:51 (twenty-one years ago) link

Guitar players may become more famous and make a lot more money

with the emphasis on "may".

electric sound of jim (electricsound), Friday, 2 May 2003 10:52 (twenty-one years ago) link

Thanks for judging my "tone" so defensively, Roman. It was actually a serious consideration.

Going back to university has been something that has been on my mind a lot lately. Certainly that seems like a preferable option to rotting in this office.

kate, Friday, 2 May 2003 10:57 (twenty-one years ago) link

Guitar players are important. Art is just as important as Math. It just serves a different function.
Ok, carry on.

Sarah McLUsky (coco), Friday, 2 May 2003 11:22 (twenty-one years ago) link

THAT GIRL KATE SHE'S A GENIUS FO' SURE / SHE FINGERSNAP HANDCLAPS FIZZ POP WHIRR / HOBBES-STYLE TIGER HUGS AND GOODWILL TO SHE / A BRAND NEW STALKER AND SHITE POETRY

Alex in Rotherham (alexfack), Thursday, 8 May 2003 08:39 (twenty-one years ago) link

Think of the satisfaction you'll have if you get it and she doesn't!

Matt DC (Matt DC), Thursday, 8 May 2003 08:39 (twenty-one years ago) link

Think of the desolation if she gets it and I don't, which is far more likely. :-(

kate, Thursday, 8 May 2003 08:42 (twenty-one years ago) link

b-b-b-but just imagine how many stories you'll have to tell the ILxors! it'll be like my Chris thread only we all know the stories' star!

M Matos (M Matos), Thursday, 8 May 2003 08:52 (twenty-one years ago) link

Tonya Harding to thread!

dave q, Thursday, 8 May 2003 08:59 (twenty-one years ago) link

i think any of the grrls that go should make sure
they take some cake.

piscesboy, Thursday, 8 May 2003 11:14 (twenty-one years ago) link

Kate, I think that if you want to try out, you still should.

Sarah McLusky (coco), Thursday, 8 May 2003 11:28 (twenty-one years ago) link

I think I'm wanting to try out less and less. And this provides a convenient excuse not to.

Or maybe I'm just severely depressed because we got the sales figures from our album today and we're even more unpopular (and therefore I'm even less talented) than I previously believed.

Can this week get any more crap? :-(

kate, Thursday, 8 May 2003 12:07 (twenty-one years ago) link

But kate - it's almost the weekend! Things can only get better.
I'm sorry the sales weren't very high. Do they play the lollies on the radio over there? Or maybe college radio?

Sarah McLusky (coco), Thursday, 8 May 2003 12:16 (twenty-one years ago) link

We sold less copies of the album than of the single, it seems. God, that's rubbish. No radio play, at least not national radio. There's no such thing as college radio here.

I really do feel like this is just final confirmation of my total talentlessnes. The sales figures have spoken. I truly am shit as a songwriter and a musician. I should just give up, burn any dreams I might have had left and go home. I will never be anything other than an office slob who hates her job.

I really just want to cry. Oh christ, I am crying. Time to go hide in the bathroom for a bit.

kate, Thursday, 8 May 2003 12:26 (twenty-one years ago) link

cheer up, kate, you managed to put out an album and single which could be the conclusion of a lot of people's dreams.

RJG (RJG), Thursday, 8 May 2003 12:30 (twenty-one years ago) link

oh kate, don't be so down! It makes me sad.

hstencil, Thursday, 8 May 2003 12:59 (twenty-one years ago) link

All those millions of promotional dollars for nought!

Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Thursday, 8 May 2003 13:19 (twenty-one years ago) link

Kate, PLEASE cheer up. Or learn to count your blessings when you feel like this. You get so down sometimes you get incapable of seeing up: the EBA is coming! You have *strong musical allies*! You can play guitar *and* bass beautifully, just learn Gun Club and Bunnymen covers for the Courtney campfire to add to New Order ones. You know more about music than anyone else I know that would try out. I would never have forwarded the Courtney audition ad to you if I didn't think you would be good for the job (my only caveat is that CL might hijack the term DDB).

As to the cavilling about sales, talent and the rest: my first book never sold as well as it should have after I'd worked damned hard to make it good. Disappointing as that was, it still means a great deal to me to meet people six years later who not only bought it, but cherish it. At the time I was concerned that a) my PR wasn't doing enough with the contacts I gave her and b) the marketing department were even worse. Hence not very many sales after mostly brilliant reviews. If you beat yourself up over an apparent lack of interest, it only hurts you and kind of makes all the people who *did* go and see your gigs and buy the records feel a bit chopped liverish.

suzy (suzy), Thursday, 8 May 2003 13:20 (twenty-one years ago) link

What Suzy said, I thinks. :-) All them Lollies songs I have heard are all supercoolpopchewyfun! And despite what others might think, I do like fun. :-) Yay Kate and her coolness!

Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 8 May 2003 13:36 (twenty-one years ago) link

Well, not to further discourage auditioning, but I've talked to some people in the past who auditioned to be Hole's bass player. (This was early to mid 90s, now). Here was a sample of the interview process:

Courtney: "So, do you like the Ramones?".
My friend:"Well..(pause)... I think they are incredibly influential, though I don't listen to them every day, day in and day out,..."

My friend found out the desired answer was "No". She never got the gig. (based on that question alone, or other reasons, I have no idea)

donut bitch (donut), Thursday, 8 May 2003 18:52 (twenty-one years ago) link

Alex in NYC not to thread.

Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 8 May 2003 18:54 (twenty-one years ago) link

oh kate, don't be so down! It makes me sad.

Yes, Kate - Cheer up! Look at the Top 40, ferchrissakes, record sales do not correlate with talent! I love the Lollies tracks I've heard, and I know talent. And you're one of the most talented ILX posters! ;)

Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Thursday, 8 May 2003 19:06 (twenty-one years ago) link

haha Hole's version of ILX: instead of fill-outable text fields there are two radio buttons for every question:


Yes
No

Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Thursday, 8 May 2003 19:09 (twenty-one years ago) link

(kate if you get the job be prepared to use the above template in all discussion with ms love, actually you will just need this one:
Yes
)

Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Thursday, 8 May 2003 19:12 (twenty-one years ago) link

So, should I try out to be in Kate's backing band?

g--ff c-nn-n (gcannon), Thursday, 8 May 2003 19:15 (twenty-one years ago) link

As a (semi-professional) performer, the biggest problem I find with the "Sales are rubbish!" argument is that if you're actually trying to make a living, sales are actually more important than talent. Also, marketing aside, sales can be an indicator of how people are responding to your music. (Although it's a proportional thing; you have to look at the base of people you're reaching and correlate that with the number of people actually buying. If you sell 50 CDs out of 20 shops, that's better than selling 50 CDs out 2000 shops, etc etc.)

So, while I don't think you should let it get you down or discourage you, Kate, I can DEFINITELY empathize with where you're coming from. I also think you should audition for Courtney, if only for the opportunity to call her an asshat if she does something stupid.

Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 8 May 2003 19:24 (twenty-one years ago) link

She'll probably give you a quiz on spiritual beliefs as well. I believe she's one of those people who won't work with anyone who is not "spiritual".

Kerry (dymaxia), Thursday, 8 May 2003 19:45 (twenty-one years ago) link

I may be Spiritualized, but no way in hell I'm spiritual.

No, I've decided not to do it, for more reasons than I can outline. Not the least of which is, my gut reaction says "don't do it" and I'm trying to listen to my gut more. Hell, it's big enough.

I'm recording this weekend, I've decided to concentrate more on making music (even if it's just in my bedroom) that makes *me* happy, and stop trying to make a "career" out of music. You have to make too many sacrifices that I'm not prepared to make.

kate, Friday, 9 May 2003 08:12 (twenty-one years ago) link


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