Foo Fighters
Encyclopedia
Foo Fighters is an American alternative rock
band originally formed in 1994 by Nirvana
drummer Dave Grohl
as a one-man project following the dissolution of his previous band. The band 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 fighter
s. Prior to the release of the Foo Fighters' 1995 debut album Foo Fighters
, which featured Grohl as the only official member, Grohl recruited bassist Nate Mendel
and drummer William Goldsmith
, both formerly of Sunny Day Real Estate
, as well as fellow Nirvana touring bandmate Pat Smear
as guitarist to complete the lineup. The band began with performances in Portland, Oregon
. Goldsmith quit during the recording of the group's second album, The Colour and the Shape
(1997) when most of the drum parts were re-recorded by Grohl himself. Smear's departure followed soon afterward. They were replaced by Taylor Hawkins
and Franz Stahl
, respectively, although Stahl was fired before the recording of the group's third album, There Is Nothing Left to Lose
(1999).
The band briefly continued as a trio until Chris Shiflett
joined as the band's lead guitarist after the completion of There Is Nothing Left to Lose. The band released its fourth album, One by One, in 2002. The group followed that release with the two-disc In Your Honor
(2005), which was split between acoustic
songs and heavier material. Foo Fighters released its sixth album, Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace
, in 2007. In 2010, it was confirmed that Smear had officially rejoined the band after touring with the Foo Fighters as an unofficial member between 2006 and 2009. Over the course of the band's career, three of its albums have won Grammy Awards for Best Rock Album
, and all six albums have been nominated. The band's seventh studio album, Wasting Light
, was released in 2011.
group Nirvana
as its drummer. During tours, he took a guitar with him and wrote some small songs. Grohl held back these songs from the rest of the band; he said in 1997, "I was in awe of [frontman Kurt Cobain
's songs], and [I was] intimidated. I thought it was best that I keep my songs to myself." Grohl occasionally booked studio time to record demos and covers of songs he liked and even issued a cassette of some of those songs called Pocketwatch
under the pseudonym "Late!" in 1992.
Frontman Kurt Cobain
was found dead after committing suicide in his Seattle home on April 8, 1994, and Nirvana subsequently disbanded. Grohl received offers to work with various artists; he almost accepted a permanent position as drummer in Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
. Ultimately Grohl declined and instead entered Robert Lang Studios
in October 1994 to record fifteen of the forty songs he had written. With the exception of a guitar part on "X-Static," played by Greg Dulli
of the Afghan Whigs, Grohl played every instrument and sang every vocal on the tracks. "I was supposed to just join another band and be a drummer the rest of my life," Grohl later said. "I thought that I would rather do what no one expected me to do. I enjoy writing music and I enjoy trying to sing, and there's nothing anyone can really do to discourage me." Grohl completed an album's worth of material in five days and handed out cassette copies of the sessions to his friends for feedback.
Grohl hoped to keep his anonymity and release the recordings in a limited run under the title "Foo Fighters", taken from the World War II
term "foo fighter
", used to refer to unidentified flying object
s. However, the demo tape circulated in the music industry, creating interest among record labels. Grohl formed a band to support the album. Initially, he talked to former Nirvana band mate Krist Novoselic
about joining the group, but both decided against it. "For Krist and I, it would have felt really natural and really great", Grohl explained. "But for everyone else, it would have been weird, and it would have left me in a really bad position. Then I really would have been under the microscope." Having heard about the disbanding of Seattle-based rock band Sunny Day Real Estate
, Grohl drafted the group's bass player, Nate Mendel
, and drummer, William Goldsmith
. Grohl asked Pat Smear
, who served as a touring guitarist for Nirvana after the release of its 1993 album, In Utero, to join as the group's second guitarist. Grohl ultimately licensed the album to Capitol Records
, releasing it on his new record label, Roswell Records.
Foo Fighters made their live debut on March 3, 1995 during a show at The Satyricon
in Portland. They followed that with a show at the Velvet Elvis in Seattle on March 4. The first show had been part of a benefit gig to aid the finances of the investigation into the rape and murder of The Gits
singer Mia Zapata
. Grohl refused to do interviews or tour large venues to promote the album. Foo Fighters undertook their first major tour in the spring of 1995, opening for Mike Watt
. The band's first single, "This Is a Call
", was released in June 1995, and its debut album Foo Fighters
was released the next month. "I'll Stick Around
", "For All The Cows
", and "Big Me
" were released as subsequent singles. The band spent the following months on tour, including their first appearance at the Reading Festival in England in August.
with producer Gil Norton
to record its second album. While Grohl once again wrote all the songs, the rest of the band collaborated on the arrangements. With the sessions nearly complete, Grohl took the rough mixes with him to Los Angeles, intending to finish up his vocal and guitar parts. While there, Grohl realized that he was not happy with how the mixes were turning out, and the band "basically re-recorded almost everything". During the L.A. sessions, Grohl had played drums on the songs, removing Goldsmith's drumming part. Goldsmith said Grohl did not tell him that he recorded new drum parts for the record and, feeling betrayed, left the band.
In need of a replacement for Goldsmith, Grohl contacted Alanis Morissette
's touring drummer Taylor Hawkins
to see if he could recommend anybody. Grohl was surprised when Hawkins volunteered his own services as drummer. Hawkins made his debut with the group in time for the release of its second album, The Colour and the Shape
, in May 1997. The album included the singles "Monkey Wrench
", "My Hero
", and "Everlong
".
Pat Smear announced to the rest of the group that he wanted to leave the band to pursue other interests. Four months later in September 1997 at the MTV Video Music Awards, Smear simultaneously announced his departure from the band and introduced his replacement, Grohl's former Scream
bandmate Franz Stahl
. Stahl toured with the band for the next few months, and appeared on two tracks that the band recorded for movie soundtracks, a re-recording of "Walking After You
" for The X-Files
and "A320
" for Godzilla
. A B-side of the album, "Dear Lover", appeared in the horror film Scream 2
.
in 1999, "in those few weeks it just seemed like the three of us were moving in one direction and Franz wasn't". Grohl was distraught about the decision to fire Stahl, as the two had been friends since childhood. The remaining trio of Grohl, Mendel, and Hawkins spent the next several months recording the band's third album, There Is Nothing Left to Lose
, in Grohl's Virginia home studio. The album spawned several singles, including "Learn to Fly
", the band's first single to reach the US Hot 100.
Before the release of the album, Capitol president Gary Gersh was forced out of the label. Given Grohl's history with Gersh, Foo Fighters' contract had included a "key man clause" that allowed them to leave the label upon Gersh's departure. They subsequently left Capitol and signed to RCA
, who later acquired the rights to the band's Capitol albums.
After recording was completed, the band auditioned a number of potential guitarists, and eventually settled on Chris Shiflett
, who performs with Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
, and previously performed with California punk band, No Use for a Name
. Shiflett initially joined the band as touring guitarist, but achieved full-time status prior to the recording of the group's fourth album.
Around 2001 Foo Fighters established a relationship with rock band Queen
, of whom the band (particularly Grohl and Hawkins) are fans. In March of that year, Grohl and Hawkins inducted the band into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and joined them on stage for a rendition of the Queen 1976 classic "Tie Your Mother Down
", with Hawkins playing drums alongside Roger Taylor
, while Grohl was playing rhythm guitar and handling vocal duties. Guitarist Brian May
added a guitar track to Foo Fighters' second cover of Pink Floyd
's "Have a Cigar
", which appeared on the soundtrack to the movie Mission: Impossible II
. In 2002, guitarist May contributed guitar work to "Tired of You" and an outtake called "Knucklehead". The bands have performed together on several occasions since, including VH1 Rock Honors
and Foo Fighters' headlining concert in Hyde Park
, as well as the band's concert at the O2 arena
in London in November 2007.
complete their 2002 album Songs for the Deaf
. Once the Queens of the Stone Age album was finished, and touring had started for both Foo Fighters and Queens of the Stone Age, the band was on the verge of breaking up entirely as the animosity grew amongst the members. Grohl reconvened with Hawkins, Shiflett and Mendel to have them play at the Coachella Festival
, with Foo Fighters playing one day and Queens of the Stone Age the following. After the Queens of the Stone Age played, Hawkins and Grohl talked about retrying the One by One album and had agreed to finishing it and seeing where they would go from there. The group went and re-recorded nearly all of the album (save "Tired of You") in a ten-day stretch at Grohl's home studio in Alexandria, Virginia
. The original version of One by One has never been heard in its entirety, except for snippets which leaked before the album's premiere, and a few more snippets leaked by a fan on the band's website in 2007. The original album sessions have become known as the "Million Dollar Demos", and are highly sought after by Foo Fighters fans.
The final album was released in October 2002 under the title One by One. Singles from the album included "All My Life
", "Times Like These
", "Low
", and "Have It All".
For most of its history, the band chose to stay away from the political realm. However, in 2004, upon learning that George W. Bush
's presidential campaign was using "Times Like These" at rallies, Grohl decided to lend his public support to John Kerry
's campaign. Grohl attended several Kerry rallies and occasionally performed solo acoustic sets. The entire band eventually joined Grohl for a performance in Arizona coinciding with one of the presidential debates.
was released in June 2005. The album's singles included "Best of You", "DOA
", "Resolve
" and "No Way Back/Cold Day in the Sun
".
During September and October 2005, the band toured with Weezer
on what was billed as the 'Foozer
Tour' as the two bands co-headlined the tour. On June 17, 2006, Foo Fighters performed their largest non-festival headlining concert to date at London's Hyde Park
. The band was supported by Juliette and the Licks
, Angels & Airwaves
, Queens of the Stone Age
, and Motörhead. Motörhead's Lemmy joined the band on stage to sing "Shake Your Blood" from Dave Grohl's Probot album. Also, as a surprise performance, Brian May
and Roger Taylor
of Queen
jammed with Foo Fighters, playing part of "We Will Rock You" as a lead into "Tie Your Mother Down".
In further support of In Your Honor, the band decided to organize a short acoustic tour for the summer of 2006. The tour included former member Pat Smear
, who rejoined the band as an extra guitarist, Petra Haden
on violin and backup vocals, Drew Hester
on percussion, and Rami Jaffee
of The Wallflowers
on keyboards/piano. While much of the setlist focused on In Your Honors acoustic half, the band also used the opportunity to play lesser-known songs such as "Ain't It The Life", "Floaty", and "See You". The band also performed "Marigold", a Pocketwatch-era song that was best-known as a Nirvana B-side.
In November 2006, the band released their first ever live CD, Skin and Bones
, featuring fifteen performances captured over a three-night stint in Los Angeles. An accompanying DVD was released, and featured tracks not available on the CD.
was released on September 25, 2007. The album's first single, "The Pretender", was issued to radio in early August. In mid-to-late 2007 "The Pretender" topped Billboard
' s Modern Rock chart for a record 19 weeks; it also gave the band their third consecutive year at the top (a record). The second single, "Long Road to Ruin
", was released in December 2007, supported by a music video directed by longtime collaborator Jesse Peretz
(formerly of the Lemonheads
).
In October 2007, Foo Fighters started their world tour in support of Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace. The band performed shows throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Asia, including headlining the Virgin Mobile Festival in Baltimore
on August 9. At the European Mtv Music Awards in 2007 Pat Smear confirmed his return to the band. The band finished its world tour in September 2008 at the Virgin Festival
at Toronto Island Park in Canada.
Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace was nominated for five Grammy Awards in 2008. Foo Fighters went home with Best Rock Album and Best Hard Rock Performance (for "The Pretender"). The album was also nominated for Album of the Year, while "The Pretender" was also nominated for Record of the Year and Best Rock Song.
Throughout the tour for "Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace", the Foo Fighters had been writing and practicing new songs at sound checks. After the Foo Fighters had completed this tour in September 2008, they recorded 13 new songs in studio 606, shortly after announcing a hiatus from touring (which would last until January 2011). These sessions likely lasted from late 2008 - early 2009. While the Foo Fighters had initially planned for their new album (composed of songs from this recording session) to have come out in 2009 with almost no touring support, they ultimately decided to shelve most of the songs from these sessions. Three of these songs were later released - "Wheels" and "Word Forward" (which were directly placed on their greatest hits album), and a newly recorded version of "Rope" (which ended up making the final cut of "Wasting Light").
On November 3, 2009, the band released a compilation album, Greatest Hits
, which features two new songs, "Word Forward" and the single "Wheels". These songs were recorded during a session which occurred between "Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace" and "Wasting Light" coming out. In order to promote their greatest hits album, the Foo Fighters performed a show at studio 606 in October 2009 (which was broadcast online), during which they took fan requests.
, who had previously produced the two new tracks for the band's Greatest Hits album. The album was recorded in Dave Grohl's garage using only analog equipment. Vig said in an interview with MTV that the album was entirely analog until post-mastering. Pat Smear was present in many photos posted by Grohl on Twitter and a press release in December confirmed Smear played on every track on the album and was considered a core member of the band once again, having initially left as a full-time member in 1997 before returning as a touring guitarist in 2006.
The first single from Wasting Light
, "Rope", was released to radio in February 2011. On April 16, 2011, The Foo Fighters released an album of covers, Medium Rare
, as a limited-edition vinyl for Record Store Day
. The promotion for the album has been highly praised for its originality. Wasting Light debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart, being the first Foo Fighters album to do so.
Alongside Wasting Light's release, the Foo Fighters released a rock documentary, Back and Forth, chronicling the band's career -- from the dissolution of Nirvana due to the death of frontman Kurt Cobain to the formation of Foo Fighters as Dave Grohl's "one-man band" to the status of the band in 2011. Various people directly involved with Foo Fighters -- among these Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett, Taylor Hawkins, and Pat Smear -- tell the story of the band through interviews. The film depicts changes in the Foo Fighters lineup including the departure of the original drummer William Goldsmith, the addition and departure of Franz Stahl, and the re-addition of guitarist Pat Smear. It was eventually released on DVD last June 2011.
On March 24, 2011, Foo Fighters played their longest ever concert at a secret location on Goat Island in the middle of Sydney Harbour, Australia. The set lasted close to 3 and a half hours, and comprised a total of 39 tracks.
On May 21, 2011, Foo Fighters headlined the middle day of the Hangout Music Festival in Gulf Shores, Alabama. On June 4, 2011, they played a surprise set at the 2011 KROQ Weenie Roast. They headlined the final night at the 20th anniversary of Lollapalooza
in Chicago's
Grant Park
on August 7, 2011, performing part of their set in a driving rainstorm. They had recently released a music video for their second single "Walk
".
On July 2 and 3, 2011, the Foo Fighters played two concerts at the Milton Keynes National Bowl in the U.K to over 140,000 fans, with support from Biffy Clyro
on both nights, plus Death Cab for Cutie
and Tame Impala on the Saturday, with The Hot Rats and Jimmy Eat World
supporting on the Sunday. On both nights, the Foo Fighters were joined on stage by Bob Mould
of Husker Du
to perform "Dear Rosemary" from Wasting Light
, and played with artists such as Alice Cooper
(who performed "School's Out" and "I'm Eighteen" on the Saturday), Roger Taylor
of Queen
(who played drums on "Cold Day in the Sun" on the Saturday), Seasick Steve
and John Paul Jones
(who appeared together on Sunday). The concerts received overwhelmingly positive reviews and were stated by Dave Grohl to be The Biggest Foo's shows for a long, long time.
On August 30, 2011, the Foo Fighters announced their upcoming U.S. tour through a viral video on their YouTube account. The video entitled "Hot Buns" depicts the band members dressed in wigs eating at a truck stop. The band members pay their tab and walk into a hot shower where they dance in the nude.
It was announced on September 28, 2011, that the Foo Fighters would be performing during the closing ceremony of Blizzard Entertainment
's annual video game convention, BlizzCon. The band have also self confirmed for Reading Festival and Leeds Festival
On November 16, 2011, the Foo Fighters finished their American tour with a final show in Boston, MA.
, Bay City Rollers
, Beatles
, and ABBA
as much as we liked Flipper
and Black Flag
, I suppose". Writing and recording songs for the first Foo Fighters album by himself, Grohl wrote the guitar riffs to be as rhythmic as possible. He approached the guitar in a similar manner to his playing a drumkit, assigning different drum parts to different strings on the instrument. This allowed him to piece together songs easily; he said, "I could hear the song in my head before it was finished." Once Grohl assembled a full band, his bandmates assisted in song arrangements.
The members of Foo Fighters meld melodic elements with harder sounds. Grohl noted in 1997, "We all love music, whether it's the Beatles or Queen
or punk rock
. I think the lure of punk rock was the energy and immediacy; the need to thrash stuff around. But at the same time, we're all suckers for a beautiful melody, you know? So it is just natural." Grohl said in 2005, "I love being in a rock band, but I don't know if I necessarily wanna be in an alternative rock band from the 1990s for the rest of my life. It might be nice to broaden our range, open up the dynamic, so we can go out and just make music". Grohl noted that the band's acoustic tour was such an attempt to broaden the group's sound.
Touring members
Former members
described Grohl and the band as "his generation's answer to Tom Petty
— a consistent hit machine pumping out working-class rock."
Foo Fighters first received a Grammy Award
for their music video for "Learn to Fly
" in 2000 and have won six others in total. These include 3 for Best Rock Album for There Is Nothing Left To Lose
, One by One, and Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace
; and 2 for Best Hard Rock Performance for the songs "All My Life
", and "The Pretender".
At the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards
, the band won Best Rock Video for "Walk
".
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band originally formed in 1994 by Nirvana
Nirvana (band)
Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
drummer Dave Grohl
Dave Grohl
David Eric "Dave" Grohl is an American rock musician, multi-instrumentalist, and singer-songwriter who is the lead vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter for Foo Fighters; the former drummer for Nirvana and Scream; and the current drummer for Them Crooked Vultures...
as a one-man project following the dissolution of his previous band. The band 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 fighter
Foo fighter
The term foo fighter was used by Allied aircraft pilots in World War II to describe various UFOs or mysterious aerial phenomena seen in the skies over both the European and Pacific Theater of Operations....
s. Prior to the release of the Foo Fighters' 1995 debut album Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters (album)
Foo Fighters is the debut album by the Foo Fighters. At the time, the only official member of the Foo Fighters was Dave Grohl, who wrote and recorded the entire album himself at Robert Lang Studios in Seattle, Washington in 1994, prior to organizing the band...
, which featured Grohl as the only official member, Grohl recruited bassist Nate Mendel
Nate Mendel
Nathan Gregor "Nate" Mendel is an American bassist for the bands Foo Fighters, The Jealous Sound, Sunny Day Real Estate, and The Fire Theft.-Biography:...
and drummer William Goldsmith
William Goldsmith
William Goldsmith is an American drummer best known for being the drummer of the popular Seattle Alternative band Sunny Day Real Estate and for his tenure as the drummer of the alternative rock band Foo Fighters...
, both formerly of Sunny Day Real Estate
Sunny Day Real Estate
Sunny Day Real Estate is an American rock band from Seattle, Washington. In the 1990s, the group expanded upon the grunge style that was popular in the local scene to make a more melodic sound. While not the first band to be classified as emo, they were instrumental in establishing the genre. In...
, as well as fellow Nirvana touring bandmate Pat Smear
Pat Smear
Pat Smear is a rock musician who has been a guitarist in several well-known bands including The Germs and Nirvana. He is currently a guitarist for the Foo Fighters...
as guitarist to complete the lineup. The band began with performances in Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
. Goldsmith quit during the recording of the group's second album, The Colour and the Shape
The Colour and the Shape
-Track information:DollGrohl stated that is "basically a song about being afraid to enter into something you're not prepared for."Monkey WrenchGrohl stated that it was "a song about realising that you are the source of all of the problems in a relationship and you love the other person so much, you...
(1997) when most of the drum parts were re-recorded by Grohl himself. Smear's departure followed soon afterward. They were replaced by Taylor Hawkins
Taylor Hawkins
Oliver Taylor Hawkins is an American musician, best known as the drummer of the rock band Foo Fighters....
and Franz Stahl
Franz Stahl
Franz Stahl was the guitarist of the Washington, DC hardcore punk band Scream. Stahl is the brother of Scream lead singer Peter Stahl. Stahl was also briefly a member of Foo Fighters from 1997 to 1999, replacing the band's original guitarist Pat Smear...
, respectively, although Stahl was fired before the recording of the group's third album, There Is Nothing Left to Lose
There Is Nothing Left to Lose
Reviews for There Is Nothing Left to Lose have generally been positive. Rolling Stones Greg Kot rated the album three-and-a-half out of five stars. He started by explaining that "the first thirty seconds [...] are a bridge to singer Dave Grohl's past"...
(1999).
The band briefly continued as a trio until Chris Shiflett
Chris Shiflett
Christopher Aubrey "Chris" Shiflett is best known as the lead guitarist for the rock band Foo Fighters as well as the punk rock cover band Me First and the Gimme Gimmes. He is the younger brother of musician Scott Shiflett.-Career:Shiflett joined Foo Fighters after the release of their third...
joined as the band's lead guitarist after the completion of There Is Nothing Left to Lose. The band released its fourth album, One by One, in 2002. The group followed that release with the two-disc In Your Honor
In Your Honor
In Your Honor is the fifth studio album by Foo Fighters, released on June 14, 2005 on BMG. It consists of two discs. The first contains up beat rock songs and the second disc contains mellower acoustic songs.-Development:...
(2005), which was split between acoustic
Acoustic music
Acoustic music comprises music that solely or primarily uses instruments which produce sound through entirely acoustic means, as opposed to electric or electronic means...
songs and heavier material. Foo Fighters released its sixth album, Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace
Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace
The album debuted at the top of the UK album chart, selling 135,685 albums in its first week. The album also went platinum in its first week in both Australia and New Zealand. In the U.S., it entered the Billboard 200 album chart at #3, selling 168,000 copies in its first week, and has since been...
, in 2007. In 2010, it was confirmed that Smear had officially rejoined the band after touring with the Foo Fighters as an unofficial member between 2006 and 2009. Over the course of the band's career, three of its albums have won Grammy Awards for Best Rock Album
Grammy Award for Best Rock Album
The Grammy Award for Best Rock Album is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality albums in the rock music genre...
, and all six albums have been nominated. The band's seventh studio album, Wasting Light
Wasting Light
Wasting Light is the seventh studio album by American alternative rock band Foo Fighters, released April 12, 2011, on RCA Records. It was produced by Butch Vig and described by the band's lead vocalist and guitarist Dave Grohl as their "heaviest album yet." The title is taken from the lyrics of the...
, was released in 2011.
Formation and debut album (1994–1995)
Dave Grohl joined the grungeGrunge
Grunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged during the mid-1980s in the American state of Washington, particularly in the Seattle area. Inspired by hardcore punk, heavy metal, and indie rock, grunge is generally characterized by heavily distorted electric guitars, contrasting song...
group Nirvana
Nirvana (band)
Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
as its drummer. During tours, he took a guitar with him and wrote some small songs. Grohl held back these songs from the rest of the band; he said in 1997, "I was in awe of [frontman Kurt Cobain
Kurt Cobain
Kurt Donald Cobain was an American singer-songwriter, musician and artist, best known as the lead singer and guitarist of the grunge band Nirvana...
's songs], and [I was] intimidated. I thought it was best that I keep my songs to myself." Grohl occasionally booked studio time to record demos and covers of songs he liked and even issued a cassette of some of those songs called Pocketwatch
Pocketwatch (album)
Pocketwatch is a cassette album by Dave Grohl, under the pseudonym Late!, released in 1992 on the now defunct indie label, Simple Machines, as part of their Tool Cassette Series.-Background:...
under the pseudonym "Late!" in 1992.
Frontman Kurt Cobain
Kurt Cobain
Kurt Donald Cobain was an American singer-songwriter, musician and artist, best known as the lead singer and guitarist of the grunge band Nirvana...
was found dead after committing suicide in his Seattle home on April 8, 1994, and Nirvana subsequently disbanded. Grohl received offers to work with various artists; he almost accepted a permanent position as drummer in Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers are an American rock band from Gainesville, Florida. They were formed in 1976 by Tom Petty , Mike Campbell , Benmont Tench , , Ron Blair and Stan Lynch...
. Ultimately Grohl declined and instead entered Robert Lang Studios
Robert Lang Studios
Robert Lang Studios is a recording studio in Shoreline, Washington, United States, just north of Seattle. Numerous bands have recorded at Robert Lang Studios including Alice in Chains, Candlebox and Bush. Perhaps the most famous recording session at Robert Lang Studio was in late January 1994 when...
in October 1994 to record fifteen of the forty songs he had written. With the exception of a guitar part on "X-Static," played by Greg Dulli
Greg Dulli
-Biography:Greg Dulli was born and brought up in the working-class city of Hamilton, Ohio. Although he was raised a Catholic, he is now agnostic. Dulli first came to public attention in the late 1980s with The Afghan Whigs when he joined D.C. transplant bassist John Curley and Louisville, Kentucky,...
of the Afghan Whigs, Grohl played every instrument and sang every vocal on the tracks. "I was supposed to just join another band and be a drummer the rest of my life," Grohl later said. "I thought that I would rather do what no one expected me to do. I enjoy writing music and I enjoy trying to sing, and there's nothing anyone can really do to discourage me." Grohl completed an album's worth of material in five days and handed out cassette copies of the sessions to his friends for feedback.
Grohl hoped to keep his anonymity and release the recordings in a limited run under the title "Foo Fighters", taken from the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
term "foo fighter
Foo fighter
The term foo fighter was used by Allied aircraft pilots in World War II to describe various UFOs or mysterious aerial phenomena seen in the skies over both the European and Pacific Theater of Operations....
", used to refer to unidentified flying object
Unidentified flying object
A term originally coined by the military, an unidentified flying object is an unusual apparent anomaly in the sky that is not readily identifiable to the observer as any known object...
s. However, the demo tape circulated in the music industry, creating interest among record labels. Grohl formed a band to support the album. Initially, he talked to former Nirvana band mate Krist Novoselic
Krist Novoselic
Krist Anthony Novoselic II is a Croatian-American rock musician, best known for being the bassist and co-founder of the grunge band Nirvana. After Nirvana ended, Novoselic formed Sweet 75 and then Eyes Adrift, releasing one album with each band...
about joining the group, but both decided against it. "For Krist and I, it would have felt really natural and really great", Grohl explained. "But for everyone else, it would have been weird, and it would have left me in a really bad position. Then I really would have been under the microscope." Having heard about the disbanding of Seattle-based rock band Sunny Day Real Estate
Sunny Day Real Estate
Sunny Day Real Estate is an American rock band from Seattle, Washington. In the 1990s, the group expanded upon the grunge style that was popular in the local scene to make a more melodic sound. While not the first band to be classified as emo, they were instrumental in establishing the genre. In...
, Grohl drafted the group's bass player, Nate Mendel
Nate Mendel
Nathan Gregor "Nate" Mendel is an American bassist for the bands Foo Fighters, The Jealous Sound, Sunny Day Real Estate, and The Fire Theft.-Biography:...
, and drummer, William Goldsmith
William Goldsmith
William Goldsmith is an American drummer best known for being the drummer of the popular Seattle Alternative band Sunny Day Real Estate and for his tenure as the drummer of the alternative rock band Foo Fighters...
. Grohl asked Pat Smear
Pat Smear
Pat Smear is a rock musician who has been a guitarist in several well-known bands including The Germs and Nirvana. He is currently a guitarist for the Foo Fighters...
, who served as a touring guitarist for Nirvana after the release of its 1993 album, In Utero, to join as the group's second guitarist. Grohl ultimately licensed the album to Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
, releasing it on his new record label, Roswell Records.
Foo Fighters made their live debut on March 3, 1995 during a show at The Satyricon
Satyricon nightclub
Satyricon Nightclub was a nightclub in the Old Town neighborhood of Portland, Oregon, United States, best known for providing a place for local and touring alternative rock bands to play. Located at 125 N.W...
in Portland. They followed that with a show at the Velvet Elvis in Seattle on March 4. The first show had been part of a benefit gig to aid the finances of the investigation into the rape and murder of The Gits
The Gits
The Gits were an American punk rock band, formed in Yellow Springs, Ohio in 1986. Known for their part in the burgeoning Seattle music scene of the early 1990s, their distinct punk rock sound gained a reputation for its bluesy street punk aesthetic...
singer Mia Zapata
Mia Zapata
Mia Katherine Zapata was the lead singer for the Seattle punk band The Gits.-Life and career:Zapata was born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky...
. Grohl refused to do interviews or tour large venues to promote the album. Foo Fighters undertook their first major tour in the spring of 1995, opening for Mike Watt
Mike Watt
Michael David Watt is an American bassist, singer and songwriter.He is best known for co-founding the rock bands Minutemen, dos, and Firehose; , he is also the bassist for the reunited Stooges and a member of the art rock/jazz/punk/improv group Banyan as well as many other post-Minutemen...
. The band's first single, "This Is a Call
This Is a Call
"This Is a Call" is the first major single released by the Foo Fighters from their self-titled debut album. It was released in 1995. No video was made for the song.Dave Grohl said about the song: "The chorus says 'This is a call to all my past resignation'...
", was released in June 1995, and its debut album Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters (album)
Foo Fighters is the debut album by the Foo Fighters. At the time, the only official member of the Foo Fighters was Dave Grohl, who wrote and recorded the entire album himself at Robert Lang Studios in Seattle, Washington in 1994, prior to organizing the band...
was released the next month. "I'll Stick Around
I'll Stick Around
"I'll Stick Around" is the second major single released by the Foo Fighters from their 1995 self titled debut album Foo Fighters. From its release, the song was believed to have been written about Kurt Cobain's widow, Courtney Love, with whom the surviving members of Nirvana were constantly...
", "For All The Cows
For All the Cows
"For All the Cows" is the third major single released by the Foo Fighters from their self-titled debut album Foo Fighters. The band had discussed the creation of a music video for this single which would feature the band dressing up in cow costumes. No video was made, however...
", and "Big Me
Big Me
"Big Me" is the fourth major single, released in 1996, by the Foo Fighters from their self-titled debut album Foo Fighters. Although it never charted on the Billboard Hot 100, the song became a crossover hit for the band on pop radio during the spring of 1996, when it reached #13 on the Billboard...
" were released as subsequent singles. The band spent the following months on tour, including their first appearance at the Reading Festival in England in August.
The Colour and the Shape (1996–1997)
After touring through the spring of 1996, Foo Fighters entered a studio in Woodinville, WashingtonWoodinville, Washington
Woodinville is a city in King County, Washington, United States. The population was 10,938 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Seattle metropolitan area. There is also a much larger population with Woodinville mailing addresses in adjacent unincorporated areas of King and Snohomish counties...
with producer Gil Norton
Gil Norton
Gil Norton is a British record producer known for his work with such bands as Pixies, Echo & the Bunnymen, Foo Fighters, Tribe, Jimmy Eat World, Dashboard Confessional, Feeder, The Distillers, Maxïmo Park, Counting Crows, Terrorvision, The Triffids, Del Amitri, James, The Feelers, The Beekeepers,...
to record its second album. While Grohl once again wrote all the songs, the rest of the band collaborated on the arrangements. With the sessions nearly complete, Grohl took the rough mixes with him to Los Angeles, intending to finish up his vocal and guitar parts. While there, Grohl realized that he was not happy with how the mixes were turning out, and the band "basically re-recorded almost everything". During the L.A. sessions, Grohl had played drums on the songs, removing Goldsmith's drumming part. Goldsmith said Grohl did not tell him that he recorded new drum parts for the record and, feeling betrayed, left the band.
In need of a replacement for Goldsmith, Grohl contacted Alanis Morissette
Alanis Morissette
Alanis Nadine Morissette is a Canadian-American singer-songwriter, guitarist, record producer, and actress. She has won 16 Juno Awards and seven Grammy Awards, was nominated for two Golden Globe Awards and also shortlisted for an Academy Award nomination...
's touring drummer Taylor Hawkins
Taylor Hawkins
Oliver Taylor Hawkins is an American musician, best known as the drummer of the rock band Foo Fighters....
to see if he could recommend anybody. Grohl was surprised when Hawkins volunteered his own services as drummer. Hawkins made his debut with the group in time for the release of its second album, The Colour and the Shape
The Colour and the Shape
-Track information:DollGrohl stated that is "basically a song about being afraid to enter into something you're not prepared for."Monkey WrenchGrohl stated that it was "a song about realising that you are the source of all of the problems in a relationship and you love the other person so much, you...
, in May 1997. The album included the singles "Monkey Wrench
Monkey Wrench (song)
"Monkey Wrench" is the first single released from the second Foo Fighters album, The Colour and the Shape. Blistering lyrics chronicled the 1997 disintegration of singer/song writer Dave Grohl's four year marriage to Jennifer Youngblood...
", "My Hero
My Hero (song)
"My Hero" is the third single from the Foo Fighters' second album The Colour and the Shape. It was released as a single in 1998, though has been played live as early as 1995. According to Dave Grohl, the song is dedicated to ordinary, everyday heroes, as he himself never had musical or sports...
", and "Everlong
Everlong
"Everlong" is the second single released from the Foo Fighters' second album The Colour and the Shape, released in 1997. The song was conceived when Dave Grohl returned home to Washington, DC following the initial recording sessions for the album...
".
Pat Smear announced to the rest of the group that he wanted to leave the band to pursue other interests. Four months later in September 1997 at the MTV Video Music Awards, Smear simultaneously announced his departure from the band and introduced his replacement, Grohl's former Scream
Scream (band)
Scream is a hardcore punk band from Bailey's Crossroads, Virginia active from 1981 to 1990. As of 2009, the band has reunited to play several shows.-Biography:...
bandmate Franz Stahl
Franz Stahl
Franz Stahl was the guitarist of the Washington, DC hardcore punk band Scream. Stahl is the brother of Scream lead singer Peter Stahl. Stahl was also briefly a member of Foo Fighters from 1997 to 1999, replacing the band's original guitarist Pat Smear...
. Stahl toured with the band for the next few months, and appeared on two tracks that the band recorded for movie soundtracks, a re-recording of "Walking After You
Walking After You
"Walking After You" is a 1998 single from the Foo Fighters and appears on the soundtrack album to the original X Files movie.An earlier version of the song first appeared on the band's 1997 album The Colour and the Shape...
" for The X-Files
The X-Files (film)
The X-Files is a 1998 American science fiction-thriller film written by Chris Carter and Frank Spotnitz, and directed by Rob Bowman. It is the first feature film based on The X-Files series created by Carter that revolves around a fictional FBI paranormal investigation unit called the X-Files...
and "A320
A320 (song)
"A320" is a song by the Foo Fighters, that is "track 9" on the soundtrack album of Godzilla: The Album.-Personnel:*Dave Grohl – vocals, drums, guitars, bass*Franz Stahl - lead and rhythm guitars*Nate Mendel - bass*Taylor Hawkins - drums, percussion...
" for Godzilla
Godzilla (1998 film)
Godzilla is a 1998 science fiction monster disaster film film co-written and directed by Roland Emmerich. It is a loose remake of the 1954 giant monster classic Godzilla. The storyline was conceived from a screenplay written by Emmerich and Dean Devlin. The film relates a tale of a nuclear incident...
. A B-side of the album, "Dear Lover", appeared in the horror film Scream 2
Scream 2
Scream 2 is a 1997 American slasher film created and written by Kevin Williamson and directed by Wes Craven, starring Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Jamie Kennedy and Liev Schreiber, released on December 12, 1997 as the second installment in the Scream film series...
.
There Is Nothing Left to Lose (1998–2001)
In 1998, Foo Fighters traveled to Grohl's home state of Virginia to write music for its third album. However, Grohl and Stahl were unable to co-operate as songwriters; Grohl told Kerrang!Kerrang!
Kerrang! is a UK-based magazine devoted to rock music published by Bauer Media Group. It was first published on June 6, 1981 as a one-off supplement in the Sounds newspaper...
in 1999, "in those few weeks it just seemed like the three of us were moving in one direction and Franz wasn't". Grohl was distraught about the decision to fire Stahl, as the two had been friends since childhood. The remaining trio of Grohl, Mendel, and Hawkins spent the next several months recording the band's third album, There Is Nothing Left to Lose
There Is Nothing Left to Lose
Reviews for There Is Nothing Left to Lose have generally been positive. Rolling Stones Greg Kot rated the album three-and-a-half out of five stars. He started by explaining that "the first thirty seconds [...] are a bridge to singer Dave Grohl's past"...
, in Grohl's Virginia home studio. The album spawned several singles, including "Learn to Fly
Learn to Fly
For other results, see Learning to fly."Learn to Fly" is the first single from the Foo Fighters' third album There Is Nothing Left to Lose. It was released on two different singles in the UK in 1999...
", the band's first single to reach the US Hot 100.
Before the release of the album, Capitol president Gary Gersh was forced out of the label. Given Grohl's history with Gersh, Foo Fighters' contract had included a "key man clause" that allowed them to leave the label upon Gersh's departure. They subsequently left Capitol and signed to RCA
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
, who later acquired the rights to the band's Capitol albums.
After recording was completed, the band auditioned a number of potential guitarists, and eventually settled on Chris Shiflett
Chris Shiflett
Christopher Aubrey "Chris" Shiflett is best known as the lead guitarist for the rock band Foo Fighters as well as the punk rock cover band Me First and the Gimme Gimmes. He is the younger brother of musician Scott Shiflett.-Career:Shiflett joined Foo Fighters after the release of their third...
, who performs with Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes is a punk rock supergroup and cover band that formed in 1995. The Gimmes work exclusively as a cover band. The band is named after a children's book of the same name by Gerald G. Jampolsky and Diane V. Cirincione...
, and previously performed with California punk band, No Use for a Name
No Use for a Name
No Use for a Name is a punk rock band from San Jose, California, United States formed in 1987 by Chris Dodge , Steve Papoutsis , Rory Koff and John Meyers...
. Shiflett initially joined the band as touring guitarist, but achieved full-time status prior to the recording of the group's fourth album.
Around 2001 Foo Fighters established a relationship with rock band Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
, of whom the band (particularly Grohl and Hawkins) are fans. In March of that year, Grohl and Hawkins inducted the band into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and joined them on stage for a rendition of the Queen 1976 classic "Tie Your Mother Down
Tie Your Mother Down
"Tie Your Mother Down" is a song by the English rock group Queen, written by guitarist Brian May. It is the opening track and the second single from their 1976 album A Day at the Races...
", with Hawkins playing drums alongside Roger Taylor
Roger Meddows-Taylor
Roger Meddows Taylor , known as Roger Taylor, is a British musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He is best known as the drummer, backing vocalist and occasional lead vocalist of British rock band Queen. As a drummer he is known for his "big" unique sound and is considered one of...
, while Grohl was playing rhythm guitar and handling vocal duties. Guitarist Brian May
Brian May
Brian Harold May, CBE is an English musician and astrophysicist most widely known as the guitarist and a songwriter of the rock band Queen...
added a guitar track to Foo Fighters' second cover of Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
's "Have a Cigar
Have a Cigar
"Have a Cigar" is the third track on Pink Floyd's 1975 album Wish You Were Here. It follows "Welcome to the Machine" and on the original LP opened side two...
", which appeared on the soundtrack to the movie Mission: Impossible II
Mission: Impossible II
Mission: Impossible II is a 2000 action film directed by John Woo, and starring Tom Cruise, who also served as the film's producer...
. In 2002, guitarist May contributed guitar work to "Tired of You" and an outtake called "Knucklehead". The bands have performed together on several occasions since, including VH1 Rock Honors
VH1 Rock Honors
The VH1 Rock Honors were an annual ceremony paying homage to bands who influenced the sound of rock music. The events began in 2006, and the final event took place in 2008. The general format of each show is for modern bands to "pay tribute" to classic greats of the rock/metal world , after which...
and Foo Fighters' headlining concert in Hyde Park
Hyde Park, London
Hyde Park is one of the largest parks in central London, United Kingdom, and one of the Royal Parks of London, famous for its Speakers' Corner.The park is divided in two by the Serpentine...
, as well as the band's concert at the O2 arena
The O2 arena (London)
The O2 Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in the centre of The O2, a large entertainment complex on the Greenwich peninsula in London, England.With a capacity of up to 20,000 depending on the event, it is second largest...
in London in November 2007.
One by One (2001–2004)
Near the end of 2001, the band reconvened to record its fourth album. After spending four months in a Los Angeles studio completing the album, the album "Just didn't sound right" and the band had no confidence in the album to sell many records. With the album not reaching their expectations, and much infighting amongst the members, Grohl spent some time helping Queens of the Stone AgeQueens of the Stone Age
Queens of the Stone Age is an American rock band from Palm Desert, California, United States, formed in 1997. The band's line-up has always included founding member Josh Homme , with the current line-up including longtime members Troy Van Leeuwen and Joey Castillo , alongside Michael Shuman and...
complete their 2002 album Songs for the Deaf
Songs for the Deaf
-Production and release:In September 2002, Josh Homme explained the band's goals with the release of the album:In the same month, Nick Oliveri explained the band's aims in an interview with retail company HMV:...
. Once the Queens of the Stone Age album was finished, and touring had started for both Foo Fighters and Queens of the Stone Age, the band was on the verge of breaking up entirely as the animosity grew amongst the members. Grohl reconvened with Hawkins, Shiflett and Mendel to have them play at the Coachella Festival
Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is a three-day annual music and arts festival, organized by Goldenvoice and held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, in the Inland Empire's Coachella Valley...
, with Foo Fighters playing one day and Queens of the Stone Age the following. After the Queens of the Stone Age played, Hawkins and Grohl talked about retrying the One by One album and had agreed to finishing it and seeing where they would go from there. The group went and re-recorded nearly all of the album (save "Tired of You") in a ten-day stretch at Grohl's home studio in Alexandria, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. The original version of One by One has never been heard in its entirety, except for snippets which leaked before the album's premiere, and a few more snippets leaked by a fan on the band's website in 2007. The original album sessions have become known as the "Million Dollar Demos", and are highly sought after by Foo Fighters fans.
The final album was released in October 2002 under the title One by One. Singles from the album included "All My Life
All My Life (Foo Fighters song)
"All My Life" is a song by the American alternative rock band Foo Fighters, released as the first single from their fourth album, One by One...
", "Times Like These
Times Like These (song)
"Times Like These" is the second single released from the Foo Fighters' fourth album One by One. It was released on two main discs in 2003....
", "Low
Low (Foo Fighters song)
"Low" was the third single to be released from the Foo Fighters' fourth album One by One, released in 2002. It was released on two main discs in 2003.The song was used in a TV commercial for Best Buy featuring office workers becoming rowdy....
", and "Have It All".
For most of its history, the band chose to stay away from the political realm. However, in 2004, upon learning that George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
's presidential campaign was using "Times Like These" at rallies, Grohl decided to lend his public support to John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
's campaign. Grohl attended several Kerry rallies and occasionally performed solo acoustic sets. The entire band eventually joined Grohl for a performance in Arizona coinciding with one of the presidential debates.
In Your Honor, Foozer Tour, and acoustic tour (2005–2006)
Having spent a year and a half touring behind One by One, Grohl did not want to rush into recording another Foo Fighters record. Initially Grohl intended to write acoustic material by himself, but eventually the project involved the entire band. To record its fifth album, the band shifted to Los Angeles and built a recording studio, dubbed Studio 606 West. Grohl insisted that the album be divided into two discs–one full of rock songs, the other featuring acoustic tracks. In Your HonorIn Your Honor
In Your Honor is the fifth studio album by Foo Fighters, released on June 14, 2005 on BMG. It consists of two discs. The first contains up beat rock songs and the second disc contains mellower acoustic songs.-Development:...
was released in June 2005. The album's singles included "Best of You", "DOA
DOA (song)
-Video:The video for the single shows the band in a 360° revolving room and on a train where objects act as if the train is rotating. The band said that the video made them feel ill and they felt like wetting themselves. It was directed by Michael Palmieri....
", "Resolve
Resolve (song)
"Resolve" is the third single from Foo Fighters album In Your Honor. It was released on 21 November 2005. It has been released on two different discs...
" and "No Way Back/Cold Day in the Sun
No Way Back/Cold Day in the Sun
"No Way Back"/"Cold Day in the Sun" is the fourth single released from Foo Fighters' fifth album In Your Honor. It is a double A-side single, including "No Way Back" and "Cold Day in the Sun", which is from the second disc of the album...
".
During September and October 2005, the band toured with Weezer
Weezer
Weezer is an American alternative rock band. The band currently consists of Rivers Cuomo , Patrick Wilson , Brian Bell , and Scott Shriner . The band has changed lineups three times since its formation in 1992...
on what was billed as the 'Foozer
Foozer
Foozer was the title given to the Fall 2005 co-headlining concert tour of Foo Fighters and Weezer. Various openers for the bands included Mae, Kaiser Chiefs and Hot Hot Heat...
Tour' as the two bands co-headlined the tour. On June 17, 2006, Foo Fighters performed their largest non-festival headlining concert to date at London's Hyde Park
Hyde Park, London
Hyde Park is one of the largest parks in central London, United Kingdom, and one of the Royal Parks of London, famous for its Speakers' Corner.The park is divided in two by the Serpentine...
. The band was supported by Juliette and the Licks
Juliette and the Licks
Juliette and the Licks was an American rock band led by actress Juliette Lewis. Other band members included guitarist Craig Fairbaugh and guitarist Emilio Cueto, bassist Jason Womack and drummer Ed Davis. Their popular songs include "You're Speaking My Language" and "Hot Kiss"...
, Angels & Airwaves
Angels & Airwaves
Angels & Airwaves is an American alternative rock supergroup led by Blink-182 guitarist/vocalist Tom DeLonge, also including guitarist David Kennedy from Over My Dead Body, Hazen Street and Box Car Racer, bass guitarist Matt Wachter from 30 Seconds to Mars and former Lostprophets and Nine Inch...
, Queens of the Stone Age
Queens of the Stone Age
Queens of the Stone Age is an American rock band from Palm Desert, California, United States, formed in 1997. The band's line-up has always included founding member Josh Homme , with the current line-up including longtime members Troy Van Leeuwen and Joey Castillo , alongside Michael Shuman and...
, and Motörhead. Motörhead's Lemmy joined the band on stage to sing "Shake Your Blood" from Dave Grohl's Probot album. Also, as a surprise performance, Brian May
Brian May
Brian Harold May, CBE is an English musician and astrophysicist most widely known as the guitarist and a songwriter of the rock band Queen...
and Roger Taylor
Roger Meddows-Taylor
Roger Meddows Taylor , known as Roger Taylor, is a British musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He is best known as the drummer, backing vocalist and occasional lead vocalist of British rock band Queen. As a drummer he is known for his "big" unique sound and is considered one of...
of Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
jammed with Foo Fighters, playing part of "We Will Rock You" as a lead into "Tie Your Mother Down".
In further support of In Your Honor, the band decided to organize a short acoustic tour for the summer of 2006. The tour included former member Pat Smear
Pat Smear
Pat Smear is a rock musician who has been a guitarist in several well-known bands including The Germs and Nirvana. He is currently a guitarist for the Foo Fighters...
, who rejoined the band as an extra guitarist, Petra Haden
Petra Haden
Petra Haden is an American violinist and singer. She is or has been a member of several bands, including That Dog, Tito & Tarantula, and The Decemberists; has contributed to recordings by The Twilight Singers, Beck, Mike Watt, Luscious Jackson, Foo Fighters, Green Day, Queens of the Stone Age,...
on violin and backup vocals, Drew Hester
Drew Hester
Drew Hester is a drummer / percussionist / record producer who plays drums with Joe Walsh , Jewel drums, Foo Fighters percussion, Chicago drums and percussion, Lisa Marie Presley drums, Common Sense drums, Taylor Hawkins and the Coattail Riders drums and percussion and many others.In...
on percussion, and Rami Jaffee
Rami Jaffee
Rami Jaffee, born March 11, 1969, in Los Angeles, is best known as the keyboardist of The Wallflowers and work for several bands and artists, including Foo Fighters, Pete Yorn, Soul Asylum, Pearl Jam, Stone Sour, Joseph Arthur and Coheed and Cambria....
of The Wallflowers
The Wallflowers
The Wallflowers is a rock band from Los Angeles, California, fronted by Jakob Dylan. Formed in 1989 and originally known as The Apples, the ensemble has gone through numerous personnel changes with Dylan the only constant....
on keyboards/piano. While much of the setlist focused on In Your Honors acoustic half, the band also used the opportunity to play lesser-known songs such as "Ain't It The Life", "Floaty", and "See You". The band also performed "Marigold", a Pocketwatch-era song that was best-known as a Nirvana B-side.
In November 2006, the band released their first ever live CD, Skin and Bones
Skin and Bones
-Live in Los Angeles :-Live in Hyde Park :Note: The whole setlist is not included on the DVD. The song "The One" is excluded, as Taylor Hawkins made a mistake on the drums...
, featuring fifteen performances captured over a three-night stint in Los Angeles. An accompanying DVD was released, and featured tracks not available on the CD.
Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace and Greatest Hits (2007–2009)
For the follow-up to In Your Honor, the band decided to call in The Colour and the Shape producer Gil Norton. Echoes, Silence, Patience & GraceEchoes, Silence, Patience & Grace
The album debuted at the top of the UK album chart, selling 135,685 albums in its first week. The album also went platinum in its first week in both Australia and New Zealand. In the U.S., it entered the Billboard 200 album chart at #3, selling 168,000 copies in its first week, and has since been...
was released on September 25, 2007. The album's first single, "The Pretender", was issued to radio in early August. In mid-to-late 2007 "The Pretender" topped Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Long Road to Ruin
"Long Road to Ruin" is the second single from the Foo Fighters' sixth studio album Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace . The music video was released on November 1, 2007, with the single released on December 3, 2007...
", was released in December 2007, supported by a music video directed by longtime collaborator Jesse Peretz
Jesse Peretz
Jesse Peretz is an American bass guitar player, feature film director, and Grammy-Award winning music video director.-Life and career:...
(formerly of the Lemonheads
The Lemonheads
The Lemonheads are an American alternative rock band first formed in 1986 by Evan Dando, Ben Deily and Jesse Peretz. Dando has remained the band's only constant member....
).
In October 2007, Foo Fighters started their world tour in support of Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace. The band performed shows throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Asia, including headlining the Virgin Mobile Festival in Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
on August 9. At the European Mtv Music Awards in 2007 Pat Smear confirmed his return to the band. The band finished its world tour in September 2008 at the Virgin Festival
Virgin Festival
The Virgin Fest is a rock festival held in the United States and Canada, a spin-off from the V Festival held in the UK...
at Toronto Island Park in Canada.
Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace was nominated for five Grammy Awards in 2008. Foo Fighters went home with Best Rock Album and Best Hard Rock Performance (for "The Pretender"). The album was also nominated for Album of the Year, while "The Pretender" was also nominated for Record of the Year and Best Rock Song.
Throughout the tour for "Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace", the Foo Fighters had been writing and practicing new songs at sound checks. After the Foo Fighters had completed this tour in September 2008, they recorded 13 new songs in studio 606, shortly after announcing a hiatus from touring (which would last until January 2011). These sessions likely lasted from late 2008 - early 2009. While the Foo Fighters had initially planned for their new album (composed of songs from this recording session) to have come out in 2009 with almost no touring support, they ultimately decided to shelve most of the songs from these sessions. Three of these songs were later released - "Wheels" and "Word Forward" (which were directly placed on their greatest hits album), and a newly recorded version of "Rope" (which ended up making the final cut of "Wasting Light").
On November 3, 2009, the band released a compilation album, Greatest Hits
Greatest Hits (Foo Fighters album)
-DVD:At the main menu, there is bullet hole that you can click, and shows Dave Grohl performing "Home" on the piano.-Personnel:...
, which features two new songs, "Word Forward" and the single "Wheels". These songs were recorded during a session which occurred between "Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace" and "Wasting Light" coming out. In order to promote their greatest hits album, the Foo Fighters performed a show at studio 606 in October 2009 (which was broadcast online), during which they took fan requests.
Wasting Light (2010–present)
In August 2010, the band began recording their seventh studio album with producer Butch VigButch Vig
Butch Vig is an American musician and record producer, best known internationally as the drummer of the Madison, Wisconsin-based alternative rock band Garbage and the producer of multi-platinum selling album Nevermind by Nirvana....
, who had previously produced the two new tracks for the band's Greatest Hits album. The album was recorded in Dave Grohl's garage using only analog equipment. Vig said in an interview with MTV that the album was entirely analog until post-mastering. Pat Smear was present in many photos posted by Grohl on Twitter and a press release in December confirmed Smear played on every track on the album and was considered a core member of the band once again, having initially left as a full-time member in 1997 before returning as a touring guitarist in 2006.
The first single from Wasting Light
Wasting Light
Wasting Light is the seventh studio album by American alternative rock band Foo Fighters, released April 12, 2011, on RCA Records. It was produced by Butch Vig and described by the band's lead vocalist and guitarist Dave Grohl as their "heaviest album yet." The title is taken from the lyrics of the...
, "Rope", was released to radio in February 2011. On April 16, 2011, The Foo Fighters released an album of covers, Medium Rare
Medium Rare (Foo Fighters album)
Medium Rare is a covers album by Foo Fighters. The album was released on April 16, 2011 as a limited-edition vinyl for Record Store Day, an event that celebrates independent record stores...
, as a limited-edition vinyl for Record Store Day
Record Store Day
Record Store Day is an internationally celebrated day observed the third Saturday of April each year. Its purpose, as conceived by independent record store employee Chris Brown, is to celebrate the art of music...
. The promotion for the album has been highly praised for its originality. Wasting Light debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart, being the first Foo Fighters album to do so.
Alongside Wasting Light's release, the Foo Fighters released a rock documentary, Back and Forth, chronicling the band's career -- from the dissolution of Nirvana due to the death of frontman Kurt Cobain to the formation of Foo Fighters as Dave Grohl's "one-man band" to the status of the band in 2011. Various people directly involved with Foo Fighters -- among these Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett, Taylor Hawkins, and Pat Smear -- tell the story of the band through interviews. The film depicts changes in the Foo Fighters lineup including the departure of the original drummer William Goldsmith, the addition and departure of Franz Stahl, and the re-addition of guitarist Pat Smear. It was eventually released on DVD last June 2011.
On March 24, 2011, Foo Fighters played their longest ever concert at a secret location on Goat Island in the middle of Sydney Harbour, Australia. The set lasted close to 3 and a half hours, and comprised a total of 39 tracks.
On May 21, 2011, Foo Fighters headlined the middle day of the Hangout Music Festival in Gulf Shores, Alabama. On June 4, 2011, they played a surprise set at the 2011 KROQ Weenie Roast. They headlined the final night at the 20th anniversary of Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza is an annual music festival featuring popular alternative rock, heavy metal, punk rock and hip hop bands, dance and comedy performances, and craft booths. It has also provided a platform for non-profit and political groups. The music festival hosts more than 160,000 people over a...
in Chicago's
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
Grant Park
Grant Park (Chicago)
Grant Park, with between the downtown Chicago Loop and Lake Michigan, offers many different attractions in its large open space. The park is generally flat. It is also crossed by large boulevards and even a bed of sunken railroad tracks...
on August 7, 2011, performing part of their set in a driving rainstorm. They had recently released a music video for their second single "Walk
Walk (Foo Fighters song)
"Walk" is the eleventh and last track and the second single from American rock band Foo Fighters' seventh studio album Wasting Light. It was written by Dave Grohl and co-produced by Butch Vig. The song can be heard in the background of the bar scene and in the closing credits in the movie Thor. The...
".
On July 2 and 3, 2011, the Foo Fighters played two concerts at the Milton Keynes National Bowl in the U.K to over 140,000 fans, with support from Biffy Clyro
Biffy Clyro
Biffy Clyro are a Scottish rock band from Kilmarnock, comprising Simon Neil , James Johnston and Ben Johnston...
on both nights, plus Death Cab for Cutie
Death Cab for Cutie
Death Cab for Cutie is an American alternative rock band formed in Bellingham, Washington in 1997. The band consists of Ben Gibbard , Chris Walla , Nick Harmer and Jason McGerr ....
and Tame Impala on the Saturday, with The Hot Rats and Jimmy Eat World
Jimmy Eat World
Jimmy Eat World is an American alternative rock band from Mesa, Arizona, that formed in 1993. The band is composed of lead vocalist and guitarist Jim Adkins, guitarist and backing vocalist Tom Linton, bassist Rick Burch and drummer Zach Lind....
supporting on the Sunday. On both nights, the Foo Fighters were joined on stage by Bob Mould
Bob Mould
Robert Arthur "Bob" Mould is an American musician, principally known for his work as guitarist, vocalist and songwriter for alternative rock bands Hüsker Dü in the 1980s and Sugar in the 1990s.-Early life:...
of Husker Du
Husker Du
Husker Du means "Do you remember" in Danish and Norwegian, and may refer to:*Hüsker Dü, American punk band*Hūsker Dū?, a Danish board game*Husker Du, a Danish documentary series about the 1970s...
to perform "Dear Rosemary" from Wasting Light
Wasting Light
Wasting Light is the seventh studio album by American alternative rock band Foo Fighters, released April 12, 2011, on RCA Records. It was produced by Butch Vig and described by the band's lead vocalist and guitarist Dave Grohl as their "heaviest album yet." The title is taken from the lyrics of the...
, and played with artists such as Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades...
(who performed "School's Out" and "I'm Eighteen" on the Saturday), Roger Taylor
Roger Meddows-Taylor
Roger Meddows Taylor , known as Roger Taylor, is a British musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He is best known as the drummer, backing vocalist and occasional lead vocalist of British rock band Queen. As a drummer he is known for his "big" unique sound and is considered one of...
of Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
(who played drums on "Cold Day in the Sun" on the Saturday), Seasick Steve
Seasick Steve
Steven Gene Wold, commonly known as Seasick Steve, is an American blues musician. He plays guitars, and sings, usually about his early life doing casual work.-Childhood and early life:...
and John Paul Jones
John Paul Jones (musician)
John Paul Jones is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, composer, arranger and record producer. Best known as the bassist, mandolinist, and keyboardist for English rock band Led Zeppelin, Jones has since developed a solo career and has gained even more respect as both a musician and a...
(who appeared together on Sunday). The concerts received overwhelmingly positive reviews and were stated by Dave Grohl to be The Biggest Foo's shows for a long, long time.
On August 30, 2011, the Foo Fighters announced their upcoming U.S. tour through a viral video on their YouTube account. The video entitled "Hot Buns" depicts the band members dressed in wigs eating at a truck stop. The band members pay their tab and walk into a hot shower where they dance in the nude.
It was announced on September 28, 2011, that the Foo Fighters would be performing during the closing ceremony of Blizzard Entertainment
Blizzard Entertainment
Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. is an American video game developer and publisher founded on February 8, 1991 under the name Silicon & Synapse by three graduates of UCLA, Michael Morhaime, Allen Adham and Frank Pearce and currently owned by French company Activision Blizzard...
's annual video game convention, BlizzCon. The band have also self confirmed for Reading Festival and Leeds Festival
Leeds Festival
Leeds Festival may refer to:*Reading and Leeds Festivals , a rock music festival in Leeds , West Yorkshire, England*Leeds Festival , European classical music festival in Leeds...
On November 16, 2011, the Foo Fighters finished their American tour with a final show in Boston, MA.
Musical style
When Grohl first started the band, its music was often compared to that of his previous group, Nirvana. Grohl acknowledged that Nirvana singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain was a major influence on his songwriting. Grohl said, "Through Kurt, I saw the beauty of minimalism and the importance of music that's stripped down." Foo Fighters also utilize the technique of shifting between quiet verses and loud choruses, which Grohl said was influenced by the members of Nirvana "liking the KnackThe Knack
The Knack was an American New Wave rock quartet based in Los Angeles that rose to fame with their first single, "My Sharona", an international number one hit in 1979.-Founding :...
, Bay City Rollers
Bay City Rollers
The Bay City Rollers were a Scottish pop band who were most popular in the 1970s. The British Hit Singles & Albums noted that they were "tartan teen sensations from Edinburgh", and were "the first of many acts heralded as the 'Biggest Group since The Beatles' and one of the most screamed-at...
, Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, and ABBA
ABBA
ABBA was a Swedish pop group formed in Stockholm in 1970 which consisted of Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Agnetha Fältskog...
as much as we liked Flipper
Flipper (band)
Flipper is a punk band formed in San Francisco, California in 1979, continuing in often erratic fashion until the mid-1990s, then reuniting in 2005. The band influenced a number of grunge,, punk rock and noise rock bands...
and Black Flag
Black Flag (band)
Black Flag was an American punk rock band formed in 1976 in Hermosa Beach, California. The band was established by Greg Ginn, the guitarist, primary songwriter and sole continuous member through multiple personnel changes in the band...
, I suppose". Writing and recording songs for the first Foo Fighters album by himself, Grohl wrote the guitar riffs to be as rhythmic as possible. He approached the guitar in a similar manner to his playing a drumkit, assigning different drum parts to different strings on the instrument. This allowed him to piece together songs easily; he said, "I could hear the song in my head before it was finished." Once Grohl assembled a full band, his bandmates assisted in song arrangements.
The members of Foo Fighters meld melodic elements with harder sounds. Grohl noted in 1997, "We all love music, whether it's the Beatles or Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
or punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
. I think the lure of punk rock was the energy and immediacy; the need to thrash stuff around. But at the same time, we're all suckers for a beautiful melody, you know? So it is just natural." Grohl said in 2005, "I love being in a rock band, but I don't know if I necessarily wanna be in an alternative rock band from the 1990s for the rest of my life. It might be nice to broaden our range, open up the dynamic, so we can go out and just make music". Grohl noted that the band's acoustic tour was such an attempt to broaden the group's sound.
Campaigning and activism
In September 2011, before a show in Kansas City, the band performed a counter-protest parody song in front of a protest by the Westboro Baptist Church. The song mocked the Church's opposition to homosexuality, and was performed in the same faux-trucker garb that was seen in the band's "Hot Buns" promotional video.Band members
- Dave GrohlDave GrohlDavid Eric "Dave" Grohl is an American rock musician, multi-instrumentalist, and singer-songwriter who is the lead vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter for Foo Fighters; the former drummer for Nirvana and Scream; and the current drummer for Them Crooked Vultures...
- lead vocals, rhythm & lead guitars, drums (1995-present) - Nate MendelNate MendelNathan Gregor "Nate" Mendel is an American bassist for the bands Foo Fighters, The Jealous Sound, Sunny Day Real Estate, and The Fire Theft.-Biography:...
– bass guitar (1995–present) - Taylor HawkinsTaylor HawkinsOliver Taylor Hawkins is an American musician, best known as the drummer of the rock band Foo Fighters....
– drums, backing vocals (1997–present) - Chris ShiflettChris ShiflettChristopher Aubrey "Chris" Shiflett is best known as the lead guitarist for the rock band Foo Fighters as well as the punk rock cover band Me First and the Gimme Gimmes. He is the younger brother of musician Scott Shiflett.-Career:Shiflett joined Foo Fighters after the release of their third...
– lead & rhythm guitars, backing vocals (1999–present) - Pat SmearPat SmearPat Smear is a rock musician who has been a guitarist in several well-known bands including The Germs and Nirvana. He is currently a guitarist for the Foo Fighters...
– rhythm guitar (1995-1997, 2006-present),backing vocals (1995-1997)
Touring members
- Rami JaffeeRami JaffeeRami Jaffee, born March 11, 1969, in Los Angeles, is best known as the keyboardist of The Wallflowers and work for several bands and artists, including Foo Fighters, Pete Yorn, Soul Asylum, Pearl Jam, Stone Sour, Joseph Arthur and Coheed and Cambria....
- keyboards, piano, organ, accordion, harmonica (2006-present)
Former members
- William GoldsmithWilliam GoldsmithWilliam Goldsmith is an American drummer best known for being the drummer of the popular Seattle Alternative band Sunny Day Real Estate and for his tenure as the drummer of the alternative rock band Foo Fighters...
– drums (1995–1997) [He is only featured on the songs "Doll" and "Up In Arms (Slow)" from the 1997 "The Colour And The Shape" album. Dave Grohl plays drums on all other tracks.] - Franz StahlFranz StahlFranz Stahl was the guitarist of the Washington, DC hardcore punk band Scream. Stahl is the brother of Scream lead singer Peter Stahl. Stahl was also briefly a member of Foo Fighters from 1997 to 1999, replacing the band's original guitarist Pat Smear...
– lead & rhythm guitars, backing vocals (1997–1999) [He was with the band between the 2nd and 3rd albums. He played live during that time but is not featured on any studio or live albums]
Discography
- Foo FightersFoo Fighters (album)Foo Fighters is the debut album by the Foo Fighters. At the time, the only official member of the Foo Fighters was Dave Grohl, who wrote and recorded the entire album himself at Robert Lang Studios in Seattle, Washington in 1994, prior to organizing the band...
(1995) - The Colour and the ShapeThe Colour and the Shape-Track information:DollGrohl stated that is "basically a song about being afraid to enter into something you're not prepared for."Monkey WrenchGrohl stated that it was "a song about realising that you are the source of all of the problems in a relationship and you love the other person so much, you...
(1997) - There Is Nothing Left to LoseThere Is Nothing Left to LoseReviews for There Is Nothing Left to Lose have generally been positive. Rolling Stones Greg Kot rated the album three-and-a-half out of five stars. He started by explaining that "the first thirty seconds [...] are a bridge to singer Dave Grohl's past"...
(1999) - One by One (2002)
- In Your HonorIn Your HonorIn Your Honor is the fifth studio album by Foo Fighters, released on June 14, 2005 on BMG. It consists of two discs. The first contains up beat rock songs and the second disc contains mellower acoustic songs.-Development:...
(2005) - Echoes, Silence, Patience & GraceEchoes, Silence, Patience & GraceThe album debuted at the top of the UK album chart, selling 135,685 albums in its first week. The album also went platinum in its first week in both Australia and New Zealand. In the U.S., it entered the Billboard 200 album chart at #3, selling 168,000 copies in its first week, and has since been...
(2007) - Wasting LightWasting LightWasting Light is the seventh studio album by American alternative rock band Foo Fighters, released April 12, 2011, on RCA Records. It was produced by Butch Vig and described by the band's lead vocalist and guitarist Dave Grohl as their "heaviest album yet." The title is taken from the lyrics of the...
(2011)
Awards
Pitchfork MediaPitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
described Grohl and the band as "his generation's answer to Tom Petty
Tom Petty
Thomas Earl "Tom" Petty is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He is the frontman of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and was a founding member of the late 1980s supergroup Traveling Wilburys and Mudcrutch. He has also performed under the pseudonyms of Charlie T...
— a consistent hit machine pumping out working-class rock."
Foo Fighters first received a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for their music video for "Learn to Fly
Learn to Fly
For other results, see Learning to fly."Learn to Fly" is the first single from the Foo Fighters' third album There Is Nothing Left to Lose. It was released on two different singles in the UK in 1999...
" in 2000 and have won six others in total. These include 3 for Best Rock Album for There Is Nothing Left To Lose
There Is Nothing Left to Lose
Reviews for There Is Nothing Left to Lose have generally been positive. Rolling Stones Greg Kot rated the album three-and-a-half out of five stars. He started by explaining that "the first thirty seconds [...] are a bridge to singer Dave Grohl's past"...
, One by One, and Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace
Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace
The album debuted at the top of the UK album chart, selling 135,685 albums in its first week. The album also went platinum in its first week in both Australia and New Zealand. In the U.S., it entered the Billboard 200 album chart at #3, selling 168,000 copies in its first week, and has since been...
; and 2 for Best Hard Rock Performance for the songs "All My Life
All My Life (Foo Fighters song)
"All My Life" is a song by the American alternative rock band Foo Fighters, released as the first single from their fourth album, One by One...
", and "The Pretender".
At the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards
2011 MTV Video Music Awards
The 2011 MTV Video Music Awards took place on August 28, at Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, honoring the best music videos from the previous year. On July 20, the nominees were announced...
, the band won Best Rock Video for "Walk
Walk (Foo Fighters song)
"Walk" is the eleventh and last track and the second single from American rock band Foo Fighters' seventh studio album Wasting Light. It was written by Dave Grohl and co-produced by Butch Vig. The song can be heard in the background of the bar scene and in the closing credits in the movie Thor. The...
".