Grohl is the shit

**ex-powderbroker** · 09-04-2018, 06:33 AM

i think it’s that crowd pleasingness of trying to write hits that rubs some of us the wrong way. there aren’t that many rock bands post nirvana that tried to be a radio friendly hit machine, but foo fighters did it without apology. who else were radio stations going to push? like, radiohead and nin are from the era but after success with early hits like ‘head like a hole’ and ‘creep’ they went entirely the other way, writing more abstract music for their fans.

besides that, why give extra points for playing all the instruments? i mean, he’s not miles davis raising a whole genre, merely some affable rich dude with his own studio playing open chords and 2-4 rock drums like cool dads across the country in their garages.

someone post up a deep cut that isn’t 20 minutes long cause i don’t get the praise.

**FLS** · 09-04-2018, 07:51 AM

Just because it doesn't speak to you doesn't mean it sucks or not worthy of "praise".

It's just music/art for fucks sake. Sometimes I like it, sometimes I don't, with no rhyme or reason.

**I've seen black diamonds!** · 09-04-2018, 11:22 AM

This thread got me listening to some Foo Fighters intentionally for the first time.

Meh.

Lot's of songs I've heard many times and never really noticed. For a reason. If I was more into this particular sub genre I might dig it, but it certainly doesn't transcend. Grohl seems like a good dude though. That's worth plenty.

**ex-powderbroker** · 09-04-2018, 12:09 PM

Originally Posted by FLS

Just because it doesn't speak to you doesn't mean it sucks or not worthy of "praise".

It's just music/art for fucks sake. Sometimes I like it, sometimes I don't, with no rhyme or reason.

I mean, you started a thread calling him 'the shit', that seems to beg at the very least for some comparison.

**toast2266** · 09-04-2018, 12:16 PM

Originally Posted by steepconcrete

Grohl era QOTSA rawks hard.

Definitely.

I wish Mark Lanegan would do a bit more. His solo stuff is... ok. Screaming Trees were great though.

And yeah, like others have said, I don't think there's any denying that Grohl is a talented guy. I just wish he'd do something a little more interesting with that talent than churn out generic rock.

**Ted Striker** · 09-04-2018, 08:13 PM

^^^ agree.

**yeahman** · 09-05-2018, 10:26 AM

Originally Posted by toast2266

Definitely.

I wish Mark Lanegan would do a bit more. His solo stuff is... ok. Screaming Trees were great though.

And yeah, like others have said, I don't think there's any denying that Grohl is a talented guy. I just wish he'd do something a little more interesting with that talent than churn out generic rock.

I still listen to Whiskey for the Holy Ghost once in a while, that's a masterpiece...but generally speaking I agree with you about Mark Lanegan's solo work. Saw the Screaming Trees perform at the University Theater on the UM campus in the 90s. Interestingly the warmup band was the Tree People, so it was two tree bands in one night. Great show in a great setting.

But I see a contradiction here. On the one hand you are criticizing Grohl for being a prolific solo artist making hits for a wide fan base, and on the other hand you are criticizing Lanegan for doing pretty much the exact opposite, putting out obscure solo work that is difficult to listen to except for hardcore fans.

You're a tough guy to please.

**FLS** · 09-05-2018, 11:05 AM

Maybe he is not listening with in his proper demographic?

**toast2266** · 09-05-2018, 11:27 AM

Originally Posted by yeahman

But I see a contradiction here. On the one hand you are criticizing Grohl for being a prolific solo artist making hits for a wide fan base, and on the other hand you are criticizing Lanegan for doing pretty much the exact opposite, putting out obscure solo work that is difficult to listen to except for hardcore fans.

You're a tough guy to please.

The issue I have with Mark Lanegan's solo work isn't that it's hard to listen to. It's that he's great, but his backing band is pretty lackluster. Some of that criticism is actually pretty similar to why I dislike the Foo Fighters - the music is just super generic. Lanegan's good enough that I'll still listen to it (whereas Grohl on vocals isn't enough to salvage his generic band). But if Lanegan had a better backing band, he could be producing great music instead of ok music. Take Lanegan's work with QOTSA as an example: good band + Lanegan's vocals = great music.

But yeah, tough to please. When there's a shitload of easily accessible music out there, I get to be picky.

**yeahman** · 09-05-2018, 06:11 PM

The idea that Grohl's music is "generic" is laughable to anybody who's really familiar with it. Reminds me of the idiots I had to deal with in high school who used to tell me that the punk rock I listened to was "nothing but screaming" and other such comments. I mean if it's generic, it must sound like every other rock band, right? Or something like that? So tell me what other bands the Foo Fighters sound like, or vice versa.

**ex-powderbroker** · 09-05-2018, 06:28 PM

Lanegan has had a hell of a career.

still doing shit

Foo Fighters just don't sound very different to me than every 'rock' radio band from the 90s.

Bush? Everclear? STP? Candlebox? I can't really differentiate it. Kind of like ISBD said, I am familiar with the songs cause they're around, not because of any attachment. I'll stop shitting on this famous rich funny guy though that was in nirvana though.

**FLS** · 10-13-2018, 08:44 PM

Good times...

**detrusor** · 10-13-2018, 09:18 PM

Saw them in Denver on Wednesday. Great show, played forever!

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**SkiBall** · 10-13-2018, 09:26 PM

Originally Posted by detrusor

Saw them in Denver on Wednesday. Great show, played forever!

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I was there as well. Kicked ass for 2.5 hours. So good.

Saw above vid earlier today...so fucking rock n roll. As it should be.

**skajah** · 10-14-2018, 01:19 PM

FRESH POT!!!!!

**thefrush** · 10-15-2018, 11:34 AM

Originally Posted by detrusor

Saw them in Denver on Wednesday. Great show, played forever!

Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

Originally Posted by SkiBall

I was there as well. Kicked ass for 2.5 hours. So good.

Saw above vid earlier today...so fucking rock n roll. As it should be.

I also fought the foo in Denver. Great set.

**dufferdan** · 01-09-2019, 10:11 PM

Dave Grohl has something many don”t. Genuine stage presence. His music is solid craft. A quote I lift from Rolling Stone magazine referring to a late Rolling Stones release. But see him live, he brings it every night. The schicht may be there, but I do believe he really loves his job and aims to please every night. Some artists, the studio album is the reference. With Grohl and others (MacCartney another) they live for the live performance. I saw the Foo at their last show of the most recent tour in Calgary. 3 hours of laying it out there. Some camp, some fun, never held back. A lot of staged, but fo those who hadn’t seen the tricks, it was a lot of fun. Springsteen is another of those where I feel the live performance defines the artist.

Musically, Grohl isn’t incredibly complex. His recent TV series of recording in a number of cities would show that. But he has a sense of history and empathy. And he has occasional touches of brilliance, which I think is all we can each aspire to in our own vocations. The Foo acoustic live album (name escapes me) is a good example of how the songs hold up.

Call me a fan. But I do appreciate those who come to work and entertain every night. They don’t suck. They are doing a good job.

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**dookeyXXX** · 01-10-2019, 07:08 PM

Originally Posted by Kirby

He should stick to the drums...

I'm no musician myself and my taste in drummers tends to lean towards Phil Collins, Neil Pert, Bill Bruford, and Jerry Marotta (to name but a few), however, I saw Grohl when he sat behind the kit on this QOTSA tour roughly a decade-and-change ago.
This was back when QOTSA were still small enough to play smedium-sized, intimate venues (I saw the show at Slim's in SF).
Grohl absolutely slayed the skins.
One of the best shows I've ever seen.

I also enjoy reading interviews with Grohl. The ones from years ago where he talks about his expensive cheese habit/fetish are really funny.

As for Foo Fighters? Meh. They have a few songs that I dig, but overall I can take or leave 'em just the same.

**muted** · 01-10-2019, 07:30 PM

Originally Posted by dookey67

This was back when QOTSA were still small enough to play smedium-sized, intimate venues (I saw the show at Slim's in SF).

I saw them in PDX right when or before their first album came out, I don't think I had a clue who the drummer was. I don't think it was grohl, but who knows. I don't remember the venue but it was tiny and it was the loudest performance I've ever been to. Even in the shitter it was too loud, ha.

**SkiBall** · 01-10-2019, 07:54 PM

Originally Posted by dookey67

I'm no musician myself and my taste in drummers tends to lean towards Phil Collins, Neil Pert, Bill Bruford, and Jerry Marotta (to name but a few), however, I saw Grohl when he sat behind the kit on this QOTSA tour roughly a decade-and-change ago.
This was back when QOTSA were still small enough to play smedium-sized, intimate venues (I saw the show at Slim's in SF).
Grohl absolutely slayed the skins.
One of the best shows I've ever seen.

I also enjoy reading interviews with Grohl. The ones from years ago where he talks about his expensive cheese habit/fetish are really funny.

As for Foo Fighters? Meh. They have a few songs that I dig, but overall I can take or leave 'em just the same.

DG killed on drums in Them Crooked Vultures as well. There is a reason he plays with so many other musicians.

**toast2266** · 01-10-2019, 10:40 PM

Originally Posted by muted

I saw them in PDX right when or before their first album came out, I don't think I had a clue who the drummer was. I don't think it was grohl, but who knows. I don't remember the venue but it was tiny and it was the loudest performance I've ever been to. Even in the shitter it was too loud, ha.

Grohl was only on drums for qotsa for a year or two in the early 2000's. There was a different guy before him, and I think a couple different guys after him.

But grohl was on drums on songs for the deaf, which was their first big(ger) album.

Edit: apparently their first drummer was Matt Cameron (of soundgarden). Hadn't realized that. There's so many noteworthy musicians that have worked with qotsa at some point... it's pretty impressive.