Thanks for Going Online, Courtney, but Could You Mind Your Language?

Now that we know that it really is Courtney Love sending all those messages to fans through America Online, we’re getting a rare chance to hear an artist speak directly to her fans.

Unlike print and television profiles, there’s no way in computer bulletin boards that your words can be tampered with, right?

Well. . . .

Some America Online regulars are up in arms over the fact that some of Love’s computer missives have been deleted--possibly because of profanity or potentially inflammatory comments.

“When subscribers sign up, they agree to our terms of service,” says AOL spokeswoman Pam McGraw. “They agree not to submit or display any defamatory, inaccurate, abusive or obscene language. Judgments about what is appropriate are made by forum leaders, who are not employees, but participants who want to manage the discussions on line.”

Love’s postings have been among the hottest items on the service. She’s been regularly signing on using the code names CMLC (her full initials) and BRRRKNSTOK but has done little to hide her identity, sometimes even signing the notes with her real name. They can usually be found in the folders labeled “Hole” (the name of her band), “Cobain” and “International Pop Underground.”

In recent notes, Kurt Cobain’s widow has attacked her biological father, various figures in the Northwest rock underground and those who would capitalize on Cobain’s death through quickie books and films.

Her complaint about her father, author Hank Harrison (whom Love refers to as “biodad”), stems from his going on “Geraldo” to discuss Cobain’s life and death even though he never met the Nirvana leader.

Another favorite target: Slim Moon, owner of the small Olympia-based record label called Kill Rock Stars. Love claims that Moon owes her substantial royalties stemming from the inclusion of one of her songs on a compilation released by the company several years ago.

Both Moon and Harrison are America Online users as well and have used the forum to respond to Love’s accusations.

Slim Moon says that he considers Love’s statements about him to be both defamatory and inaccurate.

“She said I made $200,000 off a record that her husband’s band contributed one song to and that I did not pay the royalties,” he says. “Both those statements are false . . . and I don’t think a public forum was the place to discuss it anyway.”

He and Love continued the debate via private e-mail, through which he says he provided documentation about the royalties.

Here are some samples of Love’s on-line writings--typos and misspellings left as she wrote them:

* “im home, surrounded by much needed 24 hour security . . . a new cylone electronic fence w sensors, a rottweiler, a german shepard and a baby chowdog for the bean” (describing the current home life of her and daughter Frances Bean Cobain).

* “IM LITIGATING JUST FOR FUN, THERES NO ASSETS BUT IT OUGHT TO COST YOU EVERYTHING YOU EVER MADE OFF KURT OR ME, THAT WAS THE LAST STRAW SLIM, YOU WERE NOT HIS FRIEND” (part of a message directed at Kill Rock Star’s Slim Moon, who she says owes her back royalties).

* “a note to all you biographers out there; YOU ARE ALL WRITING ME THE SAME LETTER AND AT THIS POINT YOU ARE ALL MALE i wish i could show you all the form letter you are sening, the vaguelt threatening ton, the “This book WILL be written” platitudeand the im the guy to do it blanket statement”