Celebrity Skin

Rating

Album: Celebrity Skin
#	Song Title		Time
1)	Celebrity Skin Album Version	More Info...	2:42
2)	Awful Album Version	More Info...	3:16
3)	Hit So Hard Album Version	More Info...	4:01
4)	Malibu Album Version	More Info...	3:50
5)	Reasons To Be Beautiful Album Version	More Info...	5:19
6)	Dying Album Version	More Info...	3:45
7)	Use Once & Destroy Album Version	More Info...	5:05
8)	Northern Star Album Version	More Info...	4:58
9)	Boys On The Radio Album Version	More Info...	5:10
10)	Heaven Tonight Album Version	More Info...	3:31
11)	Playing Your Song Album Version	More Info...	3:21
12)	Petals Album Version	More Info...	5:29
2)	Awful	More Info...	0:03
3)	Hit So Hard	More Info...	0:04
4)	Malibu	More Info...	0:04
5)	Reasons to Be Beautiful	More Info...	0:05
6)	Dying	More Info...	0:03
7)	Use Once and Destroy	More Info...	0:05
8)	Northern Star	More Info...	0:05
9)	Boys On the Radio	More Info...	0:05
10)	Heaven Tonight	More Info...	0:03
11)	Playing Your Song	More Info...	0:03
12)	Petals	More Info...	0:05

Album: Celebrity Skin
#	Song Title		Time
1)	Celebrity Skin Album Version	More Info...	2:42
2)	Awful Album Version	More Info...	3:16
3)	Hit So Hard Album Version	More Info...	4:01
4)	Malibu Album Version	More Info...	3:50
5)	Reasons To Be Beautiful Album Version	More Info...	5:19
6)	Dying Album Version	More Info...	3:45
7)	Use Once & Destroy Album Version	More Info...	5:05
8)	Northern Star Album Version	More Info...	4:58
9)	Boys On The Radio Album Version	More Info...	5:10
10)	Heaven Tonight Album Version	More Info...	3:31
11)	Playing Your Song Album Version	More Info...	3:21
12)	Petals Album Version	More Info...	5:29
2)	Awful	More Info...	0:03
3)	Hit So Hard	More Info...	0:04
4)	Malibu	More Info...	0:04
5)	Reasons to Be Beautiful	More Info...	0:05
6)	Dying	More Info...	0:03
7)	Use Once and Destroy	More Info...	0:05
8)	Northern Star	More Info...	0:05
9)	Boys On the Radio	More Info...	0:05
10)	Heaven Tonight	More Info...	0:03
11)	Playing Your Song	More Info...	0:03
12)	Petals	More Info...	0:05

Performer Notes

Hole: Courtney Love (vocals, guitar); Eric Erlandson (guitar); Melissa Auf Der Maur (bass); Patty Schemel (drums).
Additional personnel: David Campbell, Craig Armstrong (strings); Michael Beinhorn, Paul DeCarli, Max Risenhoover, Chris Vrenna, Nick Franglen (programming).
Principally recorded at Conway Studios, Los Angeles, California.
CELEBRITY SKIN was nominated for the 1999 Grammy Award for Best Rock Album.
"Celebrity Skin" was nominated for the 1999 Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or A Group With Vocal and Best Rock Song. "Malibu" was nominated for the 2000 Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal.
Personnel: David Campbell , Craig Armstrong (strings); Chris Vrenna , Michael Beinhorn, Nick Franglen, Paul DeCarli (programming).
Audio Mixers: Chris Lord-Alge; Jack Joseph Puig; Tom Lord-Alge.
Recording information: Olympic Studios, London, England; Quad Recording, New York, NY; Quad Studios, Los Angeles, CA; Record Plant, Los Angele.
Photographers: Robert Dawson ; Richard Prince.
Unknown Contributor Roles: Courtney Love; Eric Erlandson; Patty Schemel; Melissa Auf der Maur.
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's strength 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 domestic abuse 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 "Boys On The Radio."

Professional Reviews

Rolling Stone (9/17/98, pp.95-96) - 4 Stars (out of 5) - "...high-impact, rock-fueled pop....The album teems with sonic knockouts....It's accessible, fiery and intimate--often at the same time. Here is a basic guitar record that's anything but basic..."

Spin (1/99, p.91) - Ranked #11 on Spin's list of "Top 20 Albums of '98."

Spin (10/98, pp.136-138) - 9 (out of 10) - "...this is a magnificent pop record....CELEBRITY SKIN carries the conversation beyond the traditional postpunk loop of raw power and pretty poison, dirty glam and curdled self-loathing...."