Posts Tagged ‘Dave Grohl’
Foo Fighters get ready to record new album
Back in January, fellow writer Dan argued that Dave Grohl is the greatest rock artist of at least the modern era, if not ever. So he should be ecstatic to hear that Grohl’s main band, Foo Fighters, are preparing to record their seventh album.
Grohl announced the news on Friday at the Independent Spirit Awards, saying that Butch Vig would produce the record.
In a change of pace from previous albums, which were recorded in a high-tech studio in California, the new disc will be recorded entirely in analog in Grohl’s garage. No release date has been set, but September has been discussed as a possibility. The album will be accompanied by a documentary on the band’s history and the making of the newest album.
And of course, the news was accompanied by the obligatory, and profusely infuriating insistence that, according to Grohl, “I think this could be our heaviest album yet.” I really need to start keeping track of how often that phrase is used in the run-up to a new album.
-Sam
Greatest Rock Artist Ever…
Submitting for your approval… Mr. David Grohl. 
I know. You are upset. You may be angry. How in the world could I pick Dave Grohl? What about Jagger, McCartney, Lennon, Hendrix, Morrison, Cobain, Page, Plant, Hetfield, Presley, Vedder, and a list that goes on and on? What in the world could I be thinking? The greatest rock artist ever? He wasn’t even the best rocker in Nirvana.
My assertion may strike many as over the top or simply off the mark, but I think if you take a step back and put down your headphones for a few minutes, you may be swayed ever so slightly. Let us take a small trip down memory lane and see just how well Dave Grohl stacks up.
After playing for a short time with the band Scream, Grohl was approaced by Kurt Cobain and Krist Novoselic to join Nirvana. The grunge band had already released one album, Bleach, and were set to record a small little album called Nevermind. Smells Like Teen Spirit spent 20 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at 6. Grohl played on the seminole grunge album, Nirvana’s In Utero. The tour de force including tracks Heart-Shaped Box, Rape Me, and All Apologies debuted at number one and remained on the charts for 87 weeks.
So at this point in our brief history lesson, Grohl was the dummer for Nirvana. A band whose place in rock history can not be protested. They have been hailed, time and time again, as one of the most influential groups of all time. If Grohl had packed up his drum kit and gone home, like he almost did following the suicide of Kurt Cobain, he would be hailed as a great drummer from one of the breakthrough bands that changed a generation. His name would be mentioned in the same breath as Ringo Starr and John Bonham.
But there was plenty of work to be done. Near the end of Nirvana, Grohl had started working on a solo project. He played all the instruments on his project called Foo Fighters. The album produced some solid singles for a debut, including Big Me and This is a Call, which hit number 2 on the Billboard’s Alternative Charts. Next up for the Foo Fighters was The Color and the Shape which spent 74 weeks in the Billboard Top 200, peaking at number 10. Grohl and his bandmates pushed out classic rock songs like Monkey Wrench, My Hero, Everlong, and Walking After You. So, just to keep a running score - two albums with six songs that most anyone would know the chorus.
As we neared the start of a new decade and new century, the Foo Fighters were firmly established as one of the top rock bands in the world. There Is Nothing Left to Lose, the bands third album, hit number 10 on the Billboard 200 and gave the world the great single Learn to Fly (13 on the Billboard Hot 100). From there the Foos continued to add their amazing calalogue of hits and accomplishments. I don’t want to bore you with every album title and song up to our current date but…
One By One – 2002 – Number 3 on the Billboard 200 – Big Single All My Life
In Your Honor - 2005 – Number 3 on the Billboard 200 – Big Single – Best of You (18 on Billboard Hot 100)
Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace - 2008 – Number 3 on the Billboard 200 – Big Single – Long Road to Ruin
Throw in a couple of compilation/greatest hits CDs and the Foo Fighters have been all over the charts for well over 15 years. In 2001, Grohl branched out from the Foo Fighters and latched on to another rising rock band, playing drums for the Queens of the Stone Age. And most recently, Grohl and Queens of the Stone Age front man Josh Homme came together with Led Zeppelin stalwart John Paul Jones to form Them Crooked Vultures.
A fun fact about Mr. Grohl’s various groups : On November 23, 2002, Grohl achieved a unique historical milestone by replacing himself on the top of the Billboard Modern Rock chart, when “You Know You’re Right” by Nirvana was replaced by “All My Life” by Foo Fighters. When “All My Life” ended its run, after a one week respite, “No One Knows” by Queens of the Stone Age took the number one spot. Between October 26, 2002 and March 1, 2003 Grohl was in the number one spot on the Modern Rock charts for 17 of 18 successive weeks, as a member of three different groups. If that doesn’t get you to lean his way, I don’t know what will.
Dave Grohl may not be the first artist who comes to mind when you discuss the best of all time. There are a ton of names that are sexier and more popular. But I beg you to take a step back and think of what the last twenty years of rock music would be without this gentleman sharing his love for music with us.
And at this point – I double dog dare you to name somone more deserving of my newly created title of Greatest Rock Artist Ever.