Linda Perry Wants To Save 'Queen Of Rock And Roll'

[R!ck]

MTV News

Linda Perry Wants To Save 'Queen Of Rock And Roll' Courtney Love

Songwriter behind Pink, Christina Aguilera calls Love's last release a 'crap-ass record.'

HOLLYWOOD — She asked the world "What's going on?," made Christina Aguilera feel beautiful, got the party started with Pink and discovered James Blunt, who made us feel beautiful. Now Linda Perry has a new mission.

"My dedication right now is to bring back the queen of rock and roll, and that's Courtney Love," Perry said at Thursday's "I Create Music" Expo for songwriters, put on by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. "That woman is brilliant, and I can't allow myself as a music lover and someone who really respects that artist to go down with America's Sweetheart. That record sucked. She knows it. The world knows it. It was a horrible, crap-ass record."

Perry, the former 4 Non Blondes singer who has also written and produced for Gwen Stefani and Kelly Osbourne, is in the early stages with the former Hole frontwoman, but she says she's confident nonetheless.

"She's really focused, pleasure to be around, looks great, sounds great, really great ideas, great songs she's written ... so rehab was really good," Perry said, laughing. "My job now is to make that [Courtney Love] rock n roll record that everybody's gonna love."

Perry's certainly got her hands full with Love, but that's hardly her only job. She also has her own label, Custard Records, and living up to the success of the label's first release, James Blunt's Back to Bedlam, will be no easy task. "I was telling people about James three years ago when I signed him," Perry said. "And now it's like James is [high] on the charts ... and to me, it's still just the beginning."

Perry has since signed another singer/songwriter, Ben Jelen, whom she is also producing, and a rock band called Big Elf. "When Big Elf comes out next year, everybody's gonna think I'm a genius," Perry said. "They are the Black Sabbath of today. Nobody's doing old-school rock and roll, like with the vibe, the look, the whole thing. So Big Elf is that band."

Next on the Custard Records release schedule is Sierra Swan, whose Ladyland is due May 23. "Sierra is just really sexy. She's like today's chanteuse, like a lounge singer but a very alternative lounge singer with this very husky, sexy voice and dark charisma," Perry said. "Some people don't like her when they first meet her because she's very blunt, no pun intended. She's very in-your-face, but after you hear her voice — I'm telling you, it's like chocolate. It's just rich and good."

Last year, Perry re-released her 1996 solo album, In Flight (see "Beneficiaries Of The Linda Perry Makeover: Christina, Gwen, Now Kelly Osbourne"), and even toured behind it, but said Thursday her career as an artist is over. "I wouldn't know how to write a song for myself to save my life, to be quite honest," she said. "I'm really good at collaborating with people and for people, but Linda is too complicated to even dive into. It'll never happen. I love, love, love my job, and I own a record company. ... I own my own studio, I have just a great life, so why would I [!@#$%^&*] with that?"

— Corey Moss

[Bree]

I wouldn't touch Courtney with a 30 foot pole. That would be like Linda trying to produce Whitney Houston's comeback album.

[Shawn]

Courtney Love is so talented its a shame that she's a trainwreck. Hole's album "Live Through This" is incredible, proof that her songwriting skills were bar none back then. She does deserve a second chance, but knowing her, she'll blow it.

[R!ck]

I agree Shawn, She deserves a second chance, and she probably will blow it, but if anyone can help her it's Linda Perry. I just hope she stays off the drugs and works her ass of on the new album.

[Chris B]

I actually loved America's Sweetheart and think it would've been a hit had Courtney not lost the plot right before it was released. The difference between this and Whitney Houston is that Love is a rocker. Rockers can do drugs and be trashy and move past it. I can't wait for her next record, she truly is quite brilliant.

[R!ck]

I liked America's Sweethreat too.

Uncool, Never Gonna Be The Same, Hold On To Me, and Julian were great songs and could have been hits had everything not blown up. no tour, no talk shows, no promotion, but she got press for her drug addiction and assault charges

I have been a Love/Hole Fan since I bought the casette "Pretty on The Inside" with money I got from mowing my neighbors lawn way back in the summer of 1991. It was brutal, with lots of guitar buzz, and white noise, and the anger in her voice, I fell in Love with Love lol I still crank up Garbage Man and Teenage Whore from time to time.

There's such a lack of female rockers anymore, and I really hope she can get get it all together again.

[MarlandRulez]

People are really unfair and judgemental when it comes to Courtney. She has a true artistic talent and ITA with the poster above that LIVE THROUGH THIS is an incredibly powerful record.

Violet, Miss World, Doll Parts all INCREDIBLE.

Then on Celebrity Skin, i FLOVED Malibu, i want that song played at my funeral i think!

AMERICA'S SWEETHEART is fun and underrated i think, Perry's only saying it was crap because it didnt do well. I thought it was awesome! I remember screaming "HOLD ONTO ME AAAAAAAH!" lol "If I was the battle, well baby YOU... have won THE WAR!!!"

Courtney is fantastic, i loved Kurt too and its such a shame that two extremely creative and intelligent people had such a tragic life together.

[David_Vickers]

I liked Hole and Courtney Love. I can't wait for her new cd. I hope she has major success.

[R!ck]

AHhhhhh! You and I finally agree on something

[Ms. Walsh]

I feel about Courtney the same way I feel about Whitney Houston. They're both such talented women who have let drugs destroy their lives and the lives of their children. I absolutely adore Courtney and I think she is an amazing singer and I loved Hole. So I hope that her new CD is a success b/c I loved her last one.