Hole's Eric Erlandson to release Kurt Cobain book

Hole's co-founder has announced a book tribute to Kurt Cobain, published without the permission or co-operation of Courtney Love. Composed of prose and poetry, Eric Erlandson's Letters to Kurt will be released by Akashic Books on 8 April, 18 years after the Nirvana frontman's suicide.

"I never mentioned to [Courtney] that I had written the book, [but] I'm sure she's heard of it now," Erlandson explained to the New York Times. The tome is a collection of 52 chapters reflecting on rock'n'roll, drug abuse and the death of Cobain, Erlandson's close friend. "I had a lot of hesitation," Erlandson said. "[But] at some point [the book] just started to click and I started to honour it ... It just came out of me."

Things are still strained between Erlandson and Love, Cobain's widow, with whom he founded Hole in 1989. The guitarist was not brought back when Love resurrected the band name in 2009, and Love has dismissed proposals of a reunion tour. But "up until September of last year, October," Erlandson revealed, "she was asking me to play with her." Now it is Erlandson who seems reluctant to reunite the old lineup. "I'm just not thinking that way," he said. His interactions with Love follow the same well-worn patterns. "I felt like there was no transformation in our relationship at all. So that kind of worked its way into the book."

Erlandson released three albums as a member of Hole, including the 1998 hit Celebrity Skin. Since the band's dissolution in 2002, the guitarist has worked with artists including Vincent Gallo and members of Urge Overkill.