Courtney Love sat down for a sprawling conversation with Billy Corgan that covered everything from their shared hate of Kim Gordon to Marlon Brando, who the Hole lead singer thought was her grandfather for years. Toward the end of the nearly two-hour chat, the topic turned to Love and Dave Grohl‘s extremely rocky relationship dating back to the Nirvana days when she dated (and married) the band’s frontman, the late Kurt Cobain.
When discussing fellow friends and musicians speaking ill of them in the media during Corgan’s podcast The Magnificent Others, Love brought up Grohl, who she appeared to make a truce with in 2014 when Nirvana was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. “Come out with it and just say we’re cool,” said Love, referencing Grohl. “Be man enough to man up, because you’re the Uberman. [You have] all the straight males and we’re cool, but you won’t say it because you’re afraid you’ll lose your audience. You’re afraid it’ll affect your relationship with literal Paul McCartney.” In 2014, Love criticized a 12-12-12 Hurricane Sandy benefit concert performance between the surviving members of Nirvana and Paul McCartney, saying (among other things) that she was not “not amused” by the Beatles member’s involvement.
After noting that Grohl doesn’t have same “talent” as McCartney, Love said, “They both have the wife — haunting, dark shadow. They both have the cool guy dying — haunting, tragically haunted. So they’re buddies. Is that why?” She continued, “Dave, it would really behoove me if the straight white males that are your base will stop picking on me,” adding, it was “the millennials in particular, Gen Z is not picking on me.”
“Your heart drops whenever somebody that you’re cool with, or maybe just remotely cool with disses you in the press,” said Love.
Corgan, who has had his own frenemy relationship with Love, attempted to alleviate any misunderstandings and said, “I can confirm that I’ve spent time with you and Dave together, and Dave doesn’t have any issue with you.” The Smashing Pumpkins frontman added, “There’s the stuff that goes on behind the castle walls, and there’s stuff goes out front.”
Before Corgan could expand on that thought, Love interjected and said Grohl has written four songs about her and that her friend, Scott Weiland, has written two. Love called it “lazy” writing and asked, “Why have you written mean songs about me?” before continuing onto the next topic.
