Hole’s Courtney Love and Melissa Auf Der Maur were back in the studio again this week for the first time in over two decades – check out the photos below.
Auf Der Maur joined the band in 1994 following the death of bassist Kristen Pfaff, and remained for five years, recording the 1998 album ‘Celebrity Skin’.
Now, the two musicians have reunited in a recording studio for the first time in 24 years, with a series of photos having been shared on Instagram. It is not clear whether they were recording anything together.
In February, Love reignited speculation about a possible Hole reunion when she told a crowd in London that she will be returning with the band “later”.
During a surprise performance with Green Day‘s Billie Joe Armstrong, which included performances of ‘He’s A Whore’ and ‘Surrender’ by Cheap Trick and ‘Even The Losers’ by Tom Petty, she said: “Later… I’ll be back in Hole”.
Speculation has been swirling about the chances of a comeback for the band for many years. They did appear on stage together in October 2018 in Hudson, New York, playing Hole songs ‘Doll Parts’, ‘Miss World’ and ‘Softer Softest’.
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In 2019, Love entertained an idea of getting the band back together full-time during an interview with The Guardian, telling the outlet: “We are definitely talking about it. There’s nothing wrong with honouring your past.”
This coincided with later comments she’d make with NME the following year, when she revealed that she had “had a good session” at a rehearsal with ex-bandmates Patty Schemel and Auf der Maur. When NME asked her if the band would be coming back officially, she responded: “It’s something I’d love to do and I’ve been taking guitar lessons over Zoom during lockdown and I’m writing again so we’ll see!”
However, during a discussion with Vogue in 2021, Love went on to put a dampener on the prospect, saying that fans shouldn’t get their hopes up for an announcement coming any time in the foreseeable future.
“A proper Hole reunion will absolutely not [be happening],” she said at the time. “You guys have gotta get over it. Our old manager Peter Mensch calls once a year to ask about a reunion. I’m so honoured to be in that company, but it’s just not gonna happen.”
She added: “We’re all really good friends and Melissa and I are especially close – we talk every day. But Eric [Erlandson] is kinda off-the-grid right now – I think he’s in Japan literally becoming a monk.
“I’m not even kidding. Melissa, Patty and I think he’s become a monk or something on that level of aestheticism.”
Auf Der Maur, meanwhile, who also played with the Smashing Pumpkins from 1999-2000, reflected last year on her relationship with Dave Grohl, and explained why they eventually split.