Track Listing

1. Celebrity Skin - Hole, Michael Beinhorn, Eric Erlandson, Tom Lord-Alge
2. Awful
3. Hit So Hard - Eric Erlandson, Hole, Jack Joseph Puig, Michael Beinhorn
4. Malibu - Hole, Michael Beinhorn, Eric Erlandson, Chris Lord-Alge
5. Reasons To Be Beautiful - Chris Lord-Alge, Eric Erlandson, Hole, Michael Beinhorn
6. Dying
7. Use Once & Destroy
8. Northern Star - Chris Lord-Alge, Eric Erlandson, Hole, Michael Beinhorn
9. Boys On The Radio
10. Heaven Tonight - Chris Lord-Alge, Eric Erlandson, Hole, Michael Beinhorn
11. Playing Your Song
12. Petals

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #7317 in Music
• Released on: 1999-03-29
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .22 pounds
• Running time: 50 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
When last we saw Courtney Love, she was performing on the silver screen and posing for Versace, a far cry from her formative days stumbling across stages wearing ripped thrift-store clothing. But Love's Hollywood transformation is just the latest in her crusade for adoration, whatever the environment. And Celebrity Skin is just the latest manifestation of that obsession. Instead of screaming in rage over a muscular din of power chords, Love sings in a restrained, melodic alto voice; the band matches the euphony with rhythms and hooks that draw from such mainstream acts as Fleetwood Mac, the Go-Go's, and, of course, Smashing Pumpkins, whose frontman, Billy Corgan, co-wrote five songs. What makes Celebrity Skin more than another good rock album, however, is Love's lyrics, which remain confessional and scathing, addressing such topics as physical abuse ("Hit So Hard"), drugs ("Use Once and Destroy"), the music industry ("Awful", "Boys on the Radio"), and her late husband's suicide ("Reasons to Be Beautiful"). If nothing else, Celebrity Skin is proof to all the skeptics that superstars have feelings, too. --Jon Wiederhorn

CD Description
After getting more press than O.J. Simpson, Courtney Love and Hole went underground to put together this quality, guitar-driven rock/pop release. CELEBRITY SKIN is packed from beginning to end with up-tempo, hard rock gems that show Love'sstrength and direction as a songwriter. Co-writing several tracks on CELEBRITY SKIN is Smashing Pumpkins front man Billy Corgan ("Malibu", "Petals").
The title track is co-penned by Corgan with Love scripting the lyrics. Kicking into overdrive from the first chord, the song talks about the often-comical pursuit of fortune and fame. The lyrics on "Hit So Hard" make you wonder whether Love is talking about domesticabuse or the drop-dead feeling that results from spotting the most beautiful boy in the world across the room? The lyrics are smart enough to support both theories. Other tracks to check out are "Awful", "Reasons To Be Beautiful" and "BoysOn The Radio".

Customer Reviews

Sell-outs - NOT Hole
...I've got to say that I love this album. It's a far cry from Pretty On The Inside and Live Through This, but bands are always being critised for churning out the same music - it's a good change. I must admit I like punk Hole best, but this without a question is rock album, just not punk/grunge. The songs are flawlessly written - music and lyrics, and the album has been very well produced. There is a variety of different songs from the pure pop of 'Heaven Tonight', to the punk os 'Reasons to Be Beautiful' and 'Playing Your Song', to the atmospheric nature of 'Northern Star' and 'Dying'. The variety is amazing, and all the tracks are strong. Celebrity Skin is a brilliant opening track and things only get better. The tunes might sound 'pop' to Hole's hardcore fans, but there are messages in the lyrics and plenty of references to the late Kurt Cobain. I doubt very much that Hole have 'sold-out' - just changed. Standout tracks include: Celebrity Skin, Petals, Reasons to Be Beautiful, Playing Your Song, Boys on The Radio, in fact to me all of them are standout tracks. This isn't as good as Live Through This, however it is difficult to compare them as they are so different. I'd recommend this to Hole fans (even Pretty On The Inside fans), give it a try and don't write Courtney off as a sellout, she may be a movie star now, but she still has the punk ethics that sh has always had. Also new Hole material suggests that this 'pop' stage may well be only temporary. Just enjoy the album for what it is - a work of art.

Hole have got it to perfection!
As soon as the song 'Celebrity Skin' hit my ears I knew I'd made the right decision when buying this album. It has a wonderfull track listing full of songs that are unique in sound, style, and rythmn. Its one of those albums that makes you sit down, drop everything and just listen. It is a beautifully written, composed, and performed album. The track 'Reasons to be beautiful' explores the thoughts of LOVE and has a very deep and meaningful undertone. The album shows a more mature side to the band, with LOVE expressing herself over death, life, and love. This album is a mix of emotions which fit together perfectly to create a sensational album.

Rip Your Heart Out ( nevertoolate #005 )
Ms Love has never been her own best friend.
This is self-evident.
Looking for love in all the wrong places.
Chasing that elusive spotlight.
(It's there / It's gone / It's there /...It's gone).
Conspicuous rock and roll celebrity desperation.

The last time I saw her she seemed to have ditched
the booze and pills and powders and with the aid
of a little meditation appeared to be squaring up to
a new solo album.
I was hopeful. I find myself rooting for her against
my better judgement. I want her to succeed.

That was sometime in late 2007. Her website records
no activity since then. The album did not appear.

1998 (God was it really that long ago ?) saw the release
of Hole's 'Celebrity Skin'.

12 blisteringly raw rock songs, the majority of which bear
evidence of Ms Love's pen and not insignificant passion.

Her performances are focussed, powerful and convincing.

The band create a dense wall of sound; sometimes grindingly
hard and heavy; at other times fleet of foot and demonstrating
a finely tuned pop sensibility.

There's not an ounce of spare fat on this album.
The production is wholly committed to the spirit of the music.

Ms Love's finest moment for sure.

I wish at least one more for her.