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Wanted: Band For Courtney Love; Only Goddesses Need Apply

Ex-Hole singer assembling touring band to support upcoming solo debut.
By Joe D'Angelo

Courtney Love
Photo: Geffen

Courtney Love is looking for a few good women.

With about 28 songs written for her solo debut, Courtney Love has issued an open casting call for touring bandmembers. "Women required for international rock revolution," reads the opening line of a full-page ad in the weekly New York newspaper The Village Voice. "Join Courtney Love's touring band and get famous, see the world."

Similar ads also ran in the LA Weekly and papers in the U.K. and Australia. Applicants need only to meet two requirements: they can play bass or guitar and they look like a goddess.

The first concert Love has scheduled isn't until late August, when she'll take the stage alongside Metallica, System of a Down, Good Charlotte and Sum 41 at the Reading and Leeds festivals in England. A U.S. tour is expected to begin this fall. It would be Love's first Stateside trek in four years.

Prospective players will have an idea whether they meld with Love by meeting some points of reference, also listed in the ad. Love and the people she has on board thus far like the misanthropically themed Emily the Strange clothing line, the sexy and sinister Lolita Goth image, the unsung psychedelic '60s bands that comprise the various Nuggets compilations, and the swinging London gangster flick "Performance." They also fancy former Hole drummer Patty Schemel's playing style.

The only other guideline is the "no boys" clause.

Those interested in applying for the job are asked to send video cassettes to PO Box C238, New York, NY 10011. A phone number listed in the ad — (212) 802-7269 — reaches a voice mailbox that was full at press time.

Although Love has written enough songs to fill two albums, she has not yet secured a label deal for one, which she plans to call America's Sweetheart. Talks with labels are expected to yield a deal by the end of the month. Among the tracks being recorded in a studio in the south of France, with help from Christina/Pink collaborator and former 4 Non Blondes frontwoman Linda Perry, is a cover of Kim Carnes' 1981 hit, "Bette Davis Eyes."

America's Sweetheart is expected to surface in the fall. It will be Love's first studio album since 1998's Celebrity Skin by Hole, who officially called it quits last May after an 11-year recording career (see "Courtney Makes It Official — Hole Are No More").

• Courtney Love
• Hole

Courtney Love Dresses Up As Donald Duck, Strips Down At Benefit Show

Love sings Elton John's 'Bitch Is Back' at show to raise funds for London's Old Vic Theatre.
By Jon Wiederhorn

Courtney Love at the Old Vic Theatre benefit
Photo: Dave Hogan/Mission/WireImage.com

Courtney Love, who made headlines on Tuesday for being arrested after causing a disturbance on a flight from Los Angeles to England, became a rock-and-roll cartoon again the following night — literally.

The former leader of Hole ended a star-studded benefit performance to raise funds for London's historic Old Vic Theatre by coming onstage dressed as Donald Duck, then stripping down to fishnets and underwear while she sang Elton John's "Bitch Is Back" with John on piano. Elton was known to rock a similar duck suit when performing back in the '70s.

The show was organized by actor Kevin Spacey, who has taken over as artistic director of the theater.

During the evening, Love also belted out "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me," Sting sang "Come Down in Time," Elvis Costello performed "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word," Sinead O'Connor sang "Sacrifice" and Craig David crooned "Candle in the Wind."

Spacey performed "Harmony" alone, and later he dressed like Elton, sprawled across a piano and sang "Someone Saved My Life Tonight" surrounded by a gospel choir. Partway through the song, the choir parted, revealing the real Elton at the piano.

Among those attending the event were actors Peter O'Toole and Joseph Fiennes, and Virgin Air founder Richard Branson, on whose airline Love had her troubles (see "Courtney Love Arrested For Disorderly Conduct Aboard London Flight").

When Love and Branson met at a party in connection with the benefit, both seemed polite and smiley with one another, a publicist for the event said.

• Courtney Love
• Hole
• Elton John