Courtney Love is to leave the drug rehab centre where she was to be held for 180 days, following an order by a California court. The singer was ordered to the facility in September by Judge Rand Rubin after violating her probation by using drugs. As you may remember, Love was on probation over previous drug offences as well as that 2004 incident when she attacked musician Kristin King with a whisky bottle and a large candle, after finding King at her boyfriend's home. King is, as previously reported, suing Love over the attack.
Anyway, Judge Rubin told Love on Friday: "You're doing really well. I'm really pleased with the reports," and continued "I certainly hope you keep up the good progress. You're definitely going in the right direction." Love will still be required to submit to twice-weekly drug and alcohol tests and will be forced to stay at home unless certain circumstances demand that she goes out, such as visits to the doctor or her probation officer. Love's Lawyer Howard Weitzman told reporters: "Things are going great. She's moving forward and taking the process very seriously. She hopes this is the beginning of the next chapter in her life."
Meanwhile, Love has revealed to The Guardian that rehab has been useful for more than just getting her off the drugs; she says it's helped her write lots of new material. She says there are eight tracks so far, which she's been working on with Linda Perry, her collaborator on previous solo outing 'America's Sweetheart'. She also says that being in rehab has given her time to acquaint herself with some new bands, amongst them Kings Of Leon, Maximo Park and The Duke Spirit. On the latter, she said "I really, really like the Duke Spirit. It's a chick who obviously writes her own lyrics, which is hugely progressive for this day and age. I just don't see ads for females in bands and it's very depressing. It's like Steps or something. The nightmare that is Steps is just taking over!"
On her recent troubles, Love said: "I just sort of lost faith in myself last year. Getting dragged off to Bellevue [New York mental institution] in front of the whole fucking world, it can really zap a person's confidence."