BBC Radio 6 Music and BBC Sounds have announced a new series called Courtney Love’s Women.
The series will see the music legend share her “ultimate soundtrack to her life” as she reflects on the women in music who have “shaped her journey, her sound and her next chapter”.
Across eight episodes that will air from April 8 to April 15, the Hole founder and singer will journey through the eras of her life and the music that made her alongside her friend and music podcaster and writer, Rob Harvilla.
Love will recall the musical moments from throughout her formative years as part of the series, including when she discovered disco through the record collection at a childhood care home and recited Sylvia Plath poetry for a Mickey Mouse Club audition.
She will also detail her love of Billie Holiday and Nina Simone and recall her time at an all-girl boarding school in New Zealand and in juvenile detention, before she reflects on couch-surfing across America and struggles with drug abuse.
Other topics covered in the series will include her acting career, her attempts to creatively matchmake Stevie Nicks and Billy Corgan, hanging out with Debbie Harry at a Limp Bizkit album launch at the Playboy Mansion, Gwen Stefani – after years of public feuding between the pair – her relationship with Nirvana‘s Kurt Cobain, taking pandemic guitar lessons with The Big Moon’s Juliet Jackson and more.
Samantha Moy, Head of BBC Radio 6 Music, said in a press statement: “Courtney Love is an icon and a trailblazer – her influence on music and culture over the decades is undeniable. At 6 Music, we invite artists to share their stories directly with their fans and our listeners and I’m very proud that Courtney will be hosting a series of incredible shows for us in April.
“Halfway through the series, on Friday 12th April, we’ll celebrate the 30th anniversary of one of Courtney’s most powerful works – Hole’s ‘Live Through This’ – by dedicating the schedule to her music, the music that influenced her and the artists she’s inspired in Courtney Love Forever.”
A press release describes the series as a “soundtrack across musical eras” while “championing female artists along the way”.
Episodes 1-4 of the new series will be available on BBC Sounds from Monday, April 8 April and broadcast on 6 Music on April 8-11 from 11pm-12pm GMT.
Episodes 5-8 will then be available on BBC Sounds from Monday, April 15 and broadcast on 6 Music from April 15-18 from 11pm-12pm GMT.
BBC 6 Music will continue its celebration of Courtney Love on Friday, April 12 with Courtney Love Forever.
On the 30th anniversary of Hole’s second album, ‘Live Through This’ 6 Music will be celebrating Courtney Love throughout the day from 7am to 7pm GMT.
Tracks will be introduced by voicenotes from musicians and other famous fans of Love including Lambrini Girls, Sprints, The Last Dinner Party, Kate Nash and the producers of ‘Live Through This’, Paul Q. Kolderie and Sean Slade.
Last month, Love joined Billie Joe Armstrong‘s covers band The Coverups onstage in London where she delivered a joint performance of Hole‘s ‘Celebrity Skin’.
She also made a surprise appearance at the first show, assisting Armstrong and co. on covers of Tom Petty‘s ‘Even The Losers’, and Cheap Trick’s ‘He’s A Whore’ and ‘Surrender’.
Armstrong subsequently told NME about his longtime friendship with Love at the BRIT Awards 2024, sharing: “We’ve known her since ’94, she’s always great! She’s a wild woman, she has a lot of great stories and I love Courtney… She’s definitely like a rock n’ roll-er in herself. She’s got her sea legs back so we’ll maybe be hearing more from her.”