Dave Grohl is one of those guys that I’d like to appreciate more. He seems like the nicest famous dude ever, and I was the biggest Nirvana fan. Do you remember where you were the first time you heard “Smells Like Teen Spirit”? That song blew my mind. Dave was one third of that groundbreaking band, and he went on to great success in the aftermath. Sadly, Foo Fighters’ music has always smelled like a migraine to me. But Dave as a person? He’s awesome. A big family guy who’s grateful for his success and sees the spectacle of show business for what it is. Dave recently sat down with journo Allison Langson for Australia’s 60 Minutes. I’m not embedding the video because of … butts (but you can see the NSFW clip at the Mail). Here are some interview excerpts:
On rockstar egos:“Any f—ing rockstar who calls himself a rockstar is a complete f—ing a-hole, so there’s no way that I’d say, ‘Oh yeah, I’m a rockstar. I just can’t do that. [Gestures towards his van.] It’s more Scooby Doo than rock ‘n’ roll, okay?”
Was he good in school? “F— no! I’m sorry, I’m going to cuss a little bit in this one.”
On Kurt Cobain’s death: “I stopped listening to music after Kurt died because it was so emotional, just hearing it. I didn’t want to hear it on the radio, I didn’t want to play it, I didn’t want to join another band and then after a while realised it was the one thing that was going to help me through everything.”
On Swaggy: “I actually have sympathy for Justin Bieber sometimes. You just gave a 16 year old a $100 million. What the f— would you do?”
On Mr. Coldplay: “I’ve never said anything bad about Chris Martin. He was the one who contacted us and said, ‘Hey, is it okay if I give Prince Harry your cell phone number?’ I said, ‘Okay … like, of England?'”
Selling out 2 nights at Wembly: “Watching [Nirvana] reach these incredible highs and then just end. To have this second chance was just like, oh my god it’s crazy.”
[From 60 Minutes Australia]
What do you think of Dave’s opinion on self-declared rockstars? He speaks as an insider, so his words carry a lot of weight. I think maybe Mick Jagger has the right to walk around calling himself a rockstar because he’s so iconic. The rest of the frontmen out there? Have a seat.
Hearing Dave talk about Cobain is so sad because (and yes, I’m old) his death impacted Nirvana’s fans so much. Dave eventually realized that he could heal his wounds through music, and he’s forged his own path. Good for him.
FYI, Anderson Cooper also spoke with Grohl in New Orleans for the US version of 60 Minutes. You can check out that interview here.
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet & WENN
He does seem like a nice guy. But I have never thought that the way in which he engages with Courtney Love is becoming of him. I understand why he does it, she infuriates me too, but I just think that he should let her garbage wash over him.
I’ve always loved him. I think he’s such a cool guy and I love Foo Fighters so much! I think if they weren’t famous and his deceased best friend’s wife was a raging lunatic and told people he had hurt their daughter (that’s one of the things she accused him of, right?) then he wouldn’t have acted any differently and I commend him for that!
My brother in law has worked many times with Dave.He was also in the Sound City movie with Dave.Dave is a 100 percent nice man.There is nothing fake about him.He is as real as they come.As far as the Courtney Love thing goes he has put up a lot from that woman.More then anyone knows.Him just being kind to her at the induction of Nirvana must have been very hard for him.She is a monster.And no him and Kris do not like her.I wouldn’t either if I were them.Anyway he is really a rockstar and one hell of a great guy.
Petee, I’ve seen him out and about in my neighborhood, and he shares his giant smile with everyone! He really is just a joyous and kind dude. You can tell he is such a fan of music (totally evident in Sound City), and I think that has kept him out of asshole territory. He cares more about craft than fame.
Love him too.
I think there’s the Courtney you read about and the Courtney you have to deal with in person. I think he’s dealt with Courtney and her unique brand crazy for so long he’s got much class for not taking it further and being worse.
She directly and publicly attacks him and for the most he’s quiet. If this is the worst, good for him.
“Like of England?” I choked on my tea laughing.
And has he gotten better with age? He looks better.
I’ve never been able to think of Dave Grohl as a ‘nice guy’ since the early 2000’s. That’s when his band was saying that HIV doesn’t cause aids, and that folks shouldn’t wear condoms, or take aids medication (it was on the foo fighters website for a while) because it prevented the spread of HIV, but that it wouldn’t prevent them from getting aids. Foo fighters participated in a benefit concert for a aids deniers.
He gives a great interview, but he and most of his band are big anti science guys. (Tyler has done a bunch of work for anti-vaxxers)
and he is friends with that Chelsea Handler. She’s a diesase all on her own.
1. They withdrew all support for Alive and Well almost as soon as they offered it, and deleted any mention of them from their website some time ago.
2. If you’re going to make stuff up about Taylor, at least get his name right.
3. He has a family member with autism and put his band up for a charity event to raise money for research/awareness because he thought he was doing a good thing. It did not mean explicitly endorsing every last questionable thing the organization is about. So we’re just hating people based on guilt by association now? Grow up.
Love him, love the Foo Fighters. Few things can get me going on the treadmill as much as his music.
It sounded like a typically British thing to say to me, the rockstar thing: other people can do it if they must but it’s just so darned ill-mannered to do it yourself. Bit like queuing! But a Nirvana-esque thing too, I suppose.
Mmm my ‘music husband’. I love this man.
Besides Mick Jagger, David Bowie can also call himself anything he wants.
Agreed Prairie girl! Those two pop into my mind as real rock stars. As for Grohl, I really dislike the Foo, but he gives such great sound bites and seems like such a nice guy. It’s like I try really hard to like him and his band but I just don’t.
I second that, Prairiegirl.
David Bowie is not a rockstar, he is an Alien God. 🙂
You forgot Keith Richards.
Basically the three remaining Rolling Stones.
Aren’t there 4 remaining Rolling Stones? Charlie Watts is the coolest Rolling Stone, IMO.
LOL, I was about to say “rock star” would imply that Bowie is of the corporal realm inhabited by us mere mortals.
I love him!
Love him, love the Foo Fighters.
Dave Grohl is one of my favorite musicians ever. He’s got a touch of everything: extreme musical talent, an ego that sometimes pushes it, passion for every project he’s involved it, appreciation for musical history, and a desire to keep learning. So stones he’s spot on with what he says and sometimes he’s completely wrong. But he puts his whole heart into life and appreciates it all, so I’m just a huge fan.
I’m going to be the lone dissenter: I think he’s one of the most pretentious, self important musician out there. I thought the foo fighters were/are mediocre and have one of the dumbest band names in existance. I ran seriously? Who the f#&$ is he to be shooting his mouth off telling rock fans what we should think? And as mentioned above, he’s right up there with the anti vaccination people for spewing dumb medical opionons.
The group got its name from the UFOs and various aerial phenomena that were reported by Allied aircraft pilots in World War II, which were known collectively as foo fighters.
and Grohl is a huge SciFi freak which is why the name appealed to him
You are not alone. The dude is boring, and foo fighters are lame.
Read him joking about offering a record deal to any musician/rocker who ever tries to date his daughters when pressed about if he’d let them date musicians like him when they grow up. Adorable and made me love him more.
I love that he’s from where I live. He used to come to town quite often to visit since his father still lived here (sadly he passed a few months back). We have a tourist attraction here dedicated to him, called Dave Grohl Alley, which also houses the world’s largest drum sticks. He actually came to the initial unveiling ceremony a few years back 🙂 It was nice that something so small town wasn’t beneath him. My heart warms every time he says Warren, Ohio
He’s such a cool guy, he makes me wish I liked the Foo Fighters but I just never got into them. His side projects like Them Crooked Vultures were awesome though.
We have the exact same opinion of Grohl, Foo Fighters and “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” I kind of like Queens of the Stone Age, but always wanted to like Foo Fighters more than I do.
I loved Dave Grohl until a friend told me he was not as awesome as we all thought he was. Totally vague and she wouldn’t explain! So, like a blind item, no reason, just a shadow. ALSO: is he throwing shade at P!nk? That’s the only person I can think of that called herself a rockstar, in a song even. I bet anyone cracked out enough to call himself a rockstar gives zero bothers as to what Mr. Grohl thinks
His hbo sonic highways miniseries is really cool and well done. I’ve never been a huge fan of foo but after watching the process for the album I’m hooked. He comes off as self deprecating, intelligent and thoughtful. Not a bad filmmaker either.
ditto! see my comment, below 🙂
I LOVE Dave Grohl. I’m old enough to have seen both Nirvana and the Foo Fighters live. Dave is beyond talented…He sings, plays the drums and guitar, tells stories and dances! He told a story about how he loved Molly Ringwald growing up and had a crush on her then proceeded to imitate her dancing in the Breakfast Club. He had a drumming contest with the opening band. One of the best shows I’ve ever seen and I’ve been to hundreds of concerts. He is repeatedly called one of the nicest guys in Rock by his peers for a reason. I’d call him an Entertainer not a Rockstar…that’s so much better!
HBO Sonic Highways is amazing. For my taste, it’s the best Foo Fighters album (by far) and his respect and understanding for his influences (and their influences) is impressive. Watching the songs being created, in context, really does add to the experience of listening to them.
So, can we stop calling little kids “rock stars” whenever they accomplish something?
Robert Plant is THE rockstar!
His HBO documentary Sonic Highways is outstanding. It takes you behind the scenes into legendary recording studios and introduces you to some of the fascinating people and processes that have gone into making some great music. I love that stuff. Netflix had another great series like that called Classic Albums that I think was originally done by VH1.
I am a science lover, so the hippie, granola loving types who can’t tell the difference between enormously beneficial meds and an adulterated hot shot of street s**t annoy the hell out of me. I won’t be taking medical advice from Grohl, but I will listen to his views on musical influences. Disagree with him about rock stars, though. Some people have definitely earned that title.
He played an impromptu show in Moorpark, CA at a tiny pizza place. He hung around and chatted and grubbed with everyone after. He is great!
I thought I was the only one that loves dave but hates foo fighters. At one point in my early twenties I felt like I was the only person I knew that didn’t love them.
Love him, love the Foo – Sonic Highways has been an incredible HBO series he’s doing beautifully. Very poetic and wonderful guy. His burden is that he’s never going to be able to be rid of Courtney Love and her brand of psychopathy, but he’s made sure to be there for Francis Bean – in a totally not creepster way – which infuriated Courtney, who accused him of terrible things and can’t connect that it’s driven her daughter away from her. Check out Francis’s artwork to get some insight into the real Courtney Love from someone who had daily contact for about 16 years, then went to court in order to escape her own mother. Nothing good happening there. For that alone Dave is a saint.
I have had a crush on this guy forever. I remember Jennifer from L7 (where are you, Cirque28??) talking about sex with him under the stage, the good kind that left bruises and I swear, my husband would just have to understand if I ever ran into Dave…. Incredible musician, amazing person and the stage story? O.M.G!!
One of my friends hooked up with him too! Late 90s/early 2000s. She said that once it was clear to him where it was going back at the hotel… he literally ripped her clothes off. Tore her shirt in half, broke the bra clasp, and gave it to her until her eyes rolled back in her head. I didn’t find him attractive, but she was VERY convincing in describing his skills!
I may have to stalk him at this rate! I saw Nirvana in 1991 (I think?) at the Marquee and just the sight of him pouring sweat and pounding his drums…. my eyes were rolling back in my head just watching him. And back then, everyone was into Kurt.
I know this makes me sound like a TOTAL a-hole and a name-dropper and all those awful things, but I was actually hanging out with Dave the other day (friend of a friend) and he is definitely one of the coolest guys I’ve ever met. Gracious, VERY funny, and an all-around dude.
And I’m not a Foo Fighters fan, typically, but Dave is a pretty great frontman.
Ugh, I DO sound like an a-hole. Forgive me.