Love quit the ill-fated Manson tour last weekend — and it's no surprise why.

Manson has been heaping abuse on the rocker ever since they started their nationwide concert stint in February with Love as the opening act.

After Love warmed up the audience at the Idaho Center in Nampa earlier this month, Manson asked the crowd: "Who was stupid enough to let their mom come up here and play for an hour?"

About the same time, Manson gave an interview with the Idaho Statesman in which he drubbed the singer. "Courtney thinks she knows everything," he said. "I try to set her straight on who the real rock star is."

Love doesn't appear to be a big Manson fan either. She reportedly has been repulsed by his atheistic stunts, such as ripping pages from a Bible and hoisting a flaming cross made of television sets on stage.

Love, who has battled heroin, even told audience members at Thursday night's Sacramento, Calif., gig that she was bothered "as an ex-junkie" by Manson's gimmick of erecting a giant sign flashing "DRUGS."

By Saturday's date in L.A., it looked as if she had had enough. Love told the audience Manson's show was "evil." After she'd left the stage, Manson proceeded to slag off on her again, apologizing to fans "who had to endure that nonsense before us."

Love — who, during an earlier Manson performance, pounced on the shock rocker while he was playing — must have found it sweet on Sunday when Manson fell onstage, injuring his ankle.

Love's manager, Gail Fine, blamed the breakup on "production problems" and said her departure had nothing to do with personal issues.

-- Midknight with AP - 3/15/99