Foo Fighters – A Short Biography
Dave Grohl booked studio time in October 1994 to record a handful of demos. The former Nirvana drummer, distraught by friend and bandmate Kurt Cobain’s untimely death, intended to hand out a few tapes to friends, and decide what to do with his short-lived but highly influential career.
Grohl, not well known by fans as a multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, played all the instruments and sang on the demo, except a guitar part on “X-Static” by Afghan Whig guitarist friend, Greg Dulli. Grohl labeled the tapes “Foo Fighters” and proceeded with his modest “friendly ears only” plan. What happened next made modern rock history, and Dave Grohl an even more well respected artist.
Licensing the album to Capital, but releasing it under his own “Roswell Records” label, With Grohl on guitar and vocals, the Foo Fighters were assembled with guitarist Pat Smear, bassist Nate Mendel, and drummer William Goldsmith. The Foos debuted in Portland Oregon in March 1995, and continued on a support tour for the well received record. The band’s energetic performances, kicking rock sound, and well crafted songs made them instantly popular, and the singles “This Is A Call”, “I’ll Stick Around”, “For All The Cows”, and “Big Me” were instant modern rock hits, and enjoyed heavy commercial and alternative radio airplay.
In May 1997, the Foo Fighters released “The Colour and the Shape.” Prior to the recording, Goldsmith left the band, and was replaced by Taylor Hawkins. “The Colour and the Shape” included the highly successful singles, “Monkey Wrench”, My Hero”, and “Everlong”. Pat Smear became an ex-Foo four months later, and was replaced by Fran Stahl, who toured with the Foo Fighters for several months before leaving the group.
Grohl, Mendel, and Hawkins recorded the Foo’s “There Is Nothing Left To Lose” in Grohl’s home studio in 1999, which included the single, “Learn To Fly”. Shortly after the record’s release, the Foo Fighter’s signed with RCA records, and hired guitarist Chris Shiflett.
October 2002 marked the Foo Fighters fourth album release, “One By One”, with the singles, “All My Life”, “Times Like These”, “Low”, and “Have It All”. Grohl embarked on several side projects around this time period, including work with Queens Of The Stoneage, but continued writing and releasing acoustic single versions of well known Foo Fighter songs.
The band built a new studio in Los Angeles, called Studio 606 West, and released “In Your Honor”, a two disc set with acoustic and rock sides, in June 2005. “Best of You”, “DOA”, “Resolve“, “No Way Back”, and “Miracle” were released as singles from the recording, and the band toured extensively in support of “In Your Honor”. The tour’s success prompted the Foos to record a live CD called “Skin And Bones”, which was released along with a live DVD in November 2006.
“Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace” was released in September 2007, with the single, “The Pretender” topping Billboard’s Modern Rock chart for a record breaking 18 weeks. In support the album, the band left for an eleven month world tour in October 2007. To top it off, “Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace” was nominated for five 2008 Grammy Awards. The nominations netted Best Rock Album and Best Hard Rock Performance (”The Pretender”). Other nominations included, Album of the Year, Record of the Year and Best Rock Song (The Pretender”).
Foo Fighters – The Pretender – Live In Concert
“Wheels”, a Foo Fighters greatest hits compilation, was released in November 2009. “Wheels” included a new track, “Word Forward“, and the ultra-popular, but never released acoustic version of “Everlong”.
In September 2008, Grohl appeared on The Chris Moyles Show, announcing that “the band would be taking a long break from music so that they could return with a new sense of purpose”. Foo Fighters fans are waiting patiently around the globe for what Dave Grohl and the boys will come up with when they’re well rested and ready to fly again.
Foo Fighters Biography
By Scotty Smith
Guitarist Rock ©2008-2009
