The First Session
Encyclopedia
The First Session is an EP
by American
alternative rock
band Hole
, released on August 26, 1997 on Sympathy for the Record Industry
. The EP features the entire recording of the band's first ever studio session on March 17, 1990 and also a twenty-page booklet focusing on the band's early career prior to the release of their debut studio album, Pretty on the Inside
(1991). The EP marked Hole's final release on Sympathy for the Record Industry.
replied to an advertisement, placed by frontwoman Courtney Love
, in the Los Angeles
-based punk rock fanzine The Reycler. The band's first rehearsal took place in Fortress Studios in Hollywood, where Love, Erlandson and original bassist Lisa Roberts "played something noisy" while "they [Courtney and Lisa] started screaming their poetry at the top of their lungs for two or three hours." Drummer Caroline Rue and a third guitarist, Mike Geisbrecht were then recruited and the band began performing shows in October 1989. Songs that would be later featured on The First Session were played at these series of live shows. Before Hole began to develop a fanbase, Geisbrecht left and was replaced briefly by Errol Stewart, who also left a few weeks later. Roberts also left the group at some point in early 1990 and was replaced by Jill Emery
on bass.
's president Long Gone John for a studio recording session, which was initially meant to include only "Retard Girl." The allocated studio was known as Rudy's Rising Star, which Hole later described as "a tiny LA basement studio," and the recording session took place on March 17, 1990.
"Turpentine
" was recorded first, followed by "Phonebill Song" and "Retard Girl
." The final song, "Johnnie's in the Bathroom," was an avant garde-inspired noise jam and included segments of recorded phonecalls. Love's then-husband, "Falling" James Moreland, recorded and produced the session and Erlandson also took part in the production process. The final recordings were mastered by John Vestman. Moreland, despite mixed reports, would not produce Hole's next session at Radio Tokyo in November 1990, which featured "Dicknail
" and "Burn Black."
The following month, in April 1990, Sympathy for the Record Industry took three songs from the session and officially released them as Hole's debut single, "Retard Girl
." This release omitted "Turpentine."
(1991). The booklet focuses strictly on Hole's early career and includes a full transcipt of one of the band's first interviews for Flipside
in October 1990, accompanying photographs by Al Flipside, the cover of the "Retard Girl" single, flyers and posters for some of Hole's early shows and various text written by Courtney Love, including a quote of Proverbs 9:13 from The Bible. On the final credits page of the booklet, Hole gives special thanks to an someone of the nickname "Miss K. Sugarheart Belljar," labelmate Mia Ferraro of the band Spoons and a member of staff at Olympia
's Evergreen State College.
According to Broadcast Music Incorporated
's official web site, the songwriting credits on The First Session are mistaken. Although all the songs are listed as being written collectively written by Hole, Love wrote and composed "Retard Girl" solely by herself and the rest of the songs were written by both her and Erlandson.
(1995), on August 26, 1997 and was only issued in the United States
. The release almost identically coincided with the release of the band's first compilation album, My Body, the Hand Grenade
, released a month later on City Slang
. Three songs from The First Session later appeared on My Body, the Hand Grenade and "Johnnie's in the Bathroom" was omitted. Both albums were released during Hole's reported hiatus, due in part to Love's acting career, and during the transitional period between Live Through This
(1994) and Celebrity Skin
(1998).
Upon its release, the EP failed to attract much critical or commercial reception. Jason Akeny of Allmusic rated the album two and a half out of five stars, calling it "the same abrasive, barbed-wire juvenilia it's always been" and but praises "Eric Erlandson's lumpy, lurching guitar", "Courtney Love's ear-splitting screech" that "does achieve some kind of catharsis" and refers to "Johnnie's in the Bathroom" as "The Patti Smith
homage."
and Eric Erlandson
unless otherwise noted.
Technical personnel
Design personnel
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band Hole
Hole (band)
Hole is an American alternative rock band that originally formed in Los Angeles in 1989. The band is fronted by vocalist/songwriter and rhythm guitarist Courtney Love, who co-founded Hole with former songwriter/lead guitarist Eric Erlandson...
, released on August 26, 1997 on Sympathy for the Record Industry
Sympathy for the Record Industry
Sympathy for the Record Industry is a mainly independent garage rock and punk label formed in 1988 by record industry anti-mogul Long Gone John...
. The EP features the entire recording of the band's first ever studio session on March 17, 1990 and also a twenty-page booklet focusing on the band's early career prior to the release of their debut studio album, Pretty on the Inside
Pretty on the Inside
Pretty on the Inside is the debut studio album by American alternative rock band Hole. Released August 23, 1991 on Caroline Records, it was Hole's first major label release after their formation in 1989 by vocalist/rhythm guitarist Courtney Love and lead guitarist Eric Erlandson...
(1991). The EP marked Hole's final release on Sympathy for the Record Industry.
Background
Hole in mid-1989 after lead guitarist Eric ErlandsonEric Erlandson
Eric Erlandson is an American musician known as the co-founder, former songwriter and lead guitarist of alternative rock band Hole.-Early life and career:...
replied to an advertisement, placed by frontwoman Courtney Love
Courtney Love
Courtney Michelle Love is an American rock musician. Love is the lead vocalist, lyricist, and rhythm guitarist for alternative rock band Hole, which she formed in 1989, and is an actress who has moved from bit parts in Alex Cox films to significant and acclaimed roles in The People vs...
, in the Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
-based punk rock fanzine The Reycler. The band's first rehearsal took place in Fortress Studios in Hollywood, where Love, Erlandson and original bassist Lisa Roberts "played something noisy" while "they [Courtney and Lisa] started screaming their poetry at the top of their lungs for two or three hours." Drummer Caroline Rue and a third guitarist, Mike Geisbrecht were then recruited and the band began performing shows in October 1989. Songs that would be later featured on The First Session were played at these series of live shows. Before Hole began to develop a fanbase, Geisbrecht left and was replaced briefly by Errol Stewart, who also left a few weeks later. Roberts also left the group at some point in early 1990 and was replaced by Jill Emery
Jill Emery
Jill Emery is an American artist and former musician based in Los Angeles, California. Best known as the bassist for the alternative rock band Hole from 1990 until 1992, Emery left the band after the subsequent tour for the band's debut album, Pretty on the Inside and was replaced by Kristen Pfaff...
on bass.
Recording
In March 1990, Hole were given a budget of $500 by Sympathy for the Record IndustrySympathy for the Record Industry
Sympathy for the Record Industry is a mainly independent garage rock and punk label formed in 1988 by record industry anti-mogul Long Gone John...
's president Long Gone John for a studio recording session, which was initially meant to include only "Retard Girl." The allocated studio was known as Rudy's Rising Star, which Hole later described as "a tiny LA basement studio," and the recording session took place on March 17, 1990.
"Turpentine
Turpentine (Hole song)
"Turpentine" is a song by American alternative rock band Hole, written collectively by frontman/rhythm guitarist Courtney Love and lead guitarist Eric Erlandson. The song, one of the band's first compositions, remained unreleased for seven years before being released on the band's second EP, The...
" was recorded first, followed by "Phonebill Song" and "Retard Girl
Retard Girl
"Retard Girl" is a song by American alternative rock band Hole, written by vocalist and rhythm guitarist Courtney Love. The song was released as the band's debut single in April 1990 on 7" vinyl by Sympathy for the Record Industry. The single was produced by Love's then-husband, James Moreland,...
." The final song, "Johnnie's in the Bathroom," was an avant garde-inspired noise jam and included segments of recorded phonecalls. Love's then-husband, "Falling" James Moreland, recorded and produced the session and Erlandson also took part in the production process. The final recordings were mastered by John Vestman. Moreland, despite mixed reports, would not produce Hole's next session at Radio Tokyo in November 1990, which featured "Dicknail
Dicknail
"Dicknail" is a song by American alternative rock band Hole, written by vocalist/rhythm guitarist Courtney Love and lead guitarist Eric Erlandson. The song was released as the band's second single in March 1991; however, like the band's first single, "Retard Girl", it was only released on 7" vinyl....
" and "Burn Black."
The following month, in April 1990, Sympathy for the Record Industry took three songs from the session and officially released them as Hole's debut single, "Retard Girl
Retard Girl
"Retard Girl" is a song by American alternative rock band Hole, written by vocalist and rhythm guitarist Courtney Love. The song was released as the band's debut single in April 1990 on 7" vinyl by Sympathy for the Record Industry. The single was produced by Love's then-husband, James Moreland,...
." This release omitted "Turpentine."
Packaging
The album's cover artwork features a black and white photograph of the band in 1990, taken by photographer Vicki Berndt, and an early Hole logo in pink text. Another Berndt photograph is featured on the first page of the EP's twenty-page booklet and was used by Sympathy for the Record Industry as an official promotional photograph a year later around the time of the release of Hole's debut studio album, Pretty on the InsidePretty on the Inside
Pretty on the Inside is the debut studio album by American alternative rock band Hole. Released August 23, 1991 on Caroline Records, it was Hole's first major label release after their formation in 1989 by vocalist/rhythm guitarist Courtney Love and lead guitarist Eric Erlandson...
(1991). The booklet focuses strictly on Hole's early career and includes a full transcipt of one of the band's first interviews for Flipside
Flipside (fanzine)
Flipside was a punk rock fanzine published in Los Angeles, California from 1977 to 2000.As one of the first and longest running US punk rock fanzines, this publication extensively chronicled the world of independent and underground music during this era. Known for its highly opinionated cast of...
in October 1990, accompanying photographs by Al Flipside, the cover of the "Retard Girl" single, flyers and posters for some of Hole's early shows and various text written by Courtney Love, including a quote of Proverbs 9:13 from The Bible. On the final credits page of the booklet, Hole gives special thanks to an someone of the nickname "Miss K. Sugarheart Belljar," labelmate Mia Ferraro of the band Spoons and a member of staff at Olympia
Olympia, Washington
Olympia is the capital city of the U.S. state of Washington and the county seat of Thurston County. It was incorporated on January 28, 1859. The population was 46,478 at the 2010 census...
's Evergreen State College.
According to Broadcast Music Incorporated
Broadcast Music Incorporated
Broadcast Music, Inc. is one of three United States performing rights organizations, along with ASCAP and SESAC. It collects license fees on behalf of songwriters, composers, and music publishers and distributes them as royalties to those members whose works have been performed...
's official web site, the songwriting credits on The First Session are mistaken. Although all the songs are listed as being written collectively written by Hole, Love wrote and composed "Retard Girl" solely by herself and the rest of the songs were written by both her and Erlandson.
Release
The First Session was released as Hole's second EP, following Ask for ItAsk for It
Ask for It is the first EP by alternative rock band Hole, released on September 8, 1995. It was the band's second and last release on Caroline Records, the first being their debut album Pretty on the Inside . Although the EP was released after 1994's platinum-selling Live Through This, its contents...
(1995), on August 26, 1997 and was only issued in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The release almost identically coincided with the release of the band's first compilation album, My Body, the Hand Grenade
My Body, the Hand Grenade
My Body, the Hand Grenade is a compilation album by alternative rock band Hole that includes b-sides, demo recordings, live songs, and other rarities and unreleased tracks by the band...
, released a month later on City Slang
City Slang Records
City Slang is an independent record label based in Berlin, Germany. It was created in 1990 by former tour agent Christof Ellinghaus. Its main goal was to provide American, Canadian and German independent artists with a way to distribute their records in the European market, particularly the UK,...
. Three songs from The First Session later appeared on My Body, the Hand Grenade and "Johnnie's in the Bathroom" was omitted. Both albums were released during Hole's reported hiatus, due in part to Love's acting career, and during the transitional period between Live Through This
Live Through This
Live Through This is the second studio album by American alternative rock band Hole. It was released by Geffen Records on April 12, 1994, just four days after frontwoman Courtney Love's husband, Kurt Cobain, was found dead in their home....
(1994) and Celebrity Skin
Celebrity Skin
Celebrity Skin is the third studio album by American alternative rock band Hole, released worldwide by Geffen Records on September 7, 1998 and one day later in the United States...
(1998).
Upon its release, the EP failed to attract much critical or commercial reception. Jason Akeny of Allmusic rated the album two and a half out of five stars, calling it "the same abrasive, barbed-wire juvenilia it's always been" and but praises "Eric Erlandson's lumpy, lurching guitar", "Courtney Love's ear-splitting screech" that "does achieve some kind of catharsis" and refers to "Johnnie's in the Bathroom" as "The Patti Smith
Patti Smith
Patricia Lee "Patti" Smith is an American singer-songwriter, poet and visual artist, who became a highly influential component of the New York City punk rock movement with her 1975 debut album Horses....
homage."
Track listing
All songs written by Courtney LoveCourtney Love
Courtney Michelle Love is an American rock musician. Love is the lead vocalist, lyricist, and rhythm guitarist for alternative rock band Hole, which she formed in 1989, and is an actress who has moved from bit parts in Alex Cox films to significant and acclaimed roles in The People vs...
and Eric Erlandson
Eric Erlandson
Eric Erlandson is an American musician known as the co-founder, former songwriter and lead guitarist of alternative rock band Hole.-Early life and career:...
unless otherwise noted.
Personnel
Hole- Courtney LoveCourtney LoveCourtney Michelle Love is an American rock musician. Love is the lead vocalist, lyricist, and rhythm guitarist for alternative rock band Hole, which she formed in 1989, and is an actress who has moved from bit parts in Alex Cox films to significant and acclaimed roles in The People vs...
- vocals, rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together... - Eric ErlandsonEric ErlandsonEric Erlandson is an American musician known as the co-founder, former songwriter and lead guitarist of alternative rock band Hole.-Early life and career:...
- lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure... - Jill EmeryJill EmeryJill Emery is an American artist and former musician based in Los Angeles, California. Best known as the bassist for the alternative rock band Hole from 1990 until 1992, Emery left the band after the subsequent tour for the band's debut album, Pretty on the Inside and was replaced by Kristen Pfaff...
- bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Caroline Rue - drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
Technical personnel
- James Moreland - producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, engineerAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including... - Eric Erlandson - assistant producer
- John Vestman - masteringAudio masteringMastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced...
Design personnel
- Vicki Berndt - photographyPhotographyPhotography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
- Al Flipside - photography