In Your Honor
Encyclopedia
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.
during the 2004 presidential election
. "We'd pull in to small towns, and thousands of people would come to be rescued by this man," said Grohl. "It's not a political record, but what I saw inspired me."
Grohl has stated that the song "Friend of a Friend
" was written about himself and his former Nirvana
bandmate Kurt Cobain
during the time they shared an apartment together in 1990. Grohl also recorded the song under the pseudonym 'Late!', which was released on Pocketwatch
. Despite the sombre tone of the song, it was written before Cobain's death in 1994.
In Your Honor features a number of special guests on its second, mellower disc, including Norah Jones
, John Paul Jones
(of Led Zeppelin
fame) and Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age
. Dave Grohl has described John Paul Jones' guest appearance as the "second-greatest thing to happen to me in my life."
On an episode of Making the Video
on MTV
, for the single "Best of You," Grohl said that he hopes that the Foo Fighters are most remembered for this album.
set that contains a "making of" documentary, and the second disc in 5.1 surround sound.
In the U.S., the MediaMax CD-3
copy protection
system is used. This copy protection only appears on the standard CD
version of the album, but not on the DualDisc
version.
The release was promoted with the In Your Honor Tour. The tour began in the summer of 2005, and ran through to June 2006.
's X&Y
(the worldwide best selling album of 2005) with the strongest initial sales of their entire career this far. In Your Honor sold 310,500 copies in its first week of release in the United States and as of October 2006 stands at 1,261,000 units sold.
This album was the third Foo Fighters album to have a song reach the top of the Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart, and the first to top the chart with two songs, "Best of You
" and "DOA
".
In Your Honor found the most success in Canada where it is certified 3X Platinum, making it their best seller there as well.
Their Greatest Hits
album, released 2009, only contains one track from In Your Honor (this track being "Best of You"), the least amount of songs from a Foo Fighters album to be featured on the compilation.
Foo Fighters
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...
, released on June 14, 2005 on BMG
BMG
Bertelsmann Music Group, , was a division of Bertelsmann before its completion of sale of the majority of its assets to Japan's Sony Corporation of America on October 1, 2008. It was established in 1987 to combine the music label activities of Bertelsmann...
. It consists of two discs. The first contains up beat rock songs and the second disc contains mellower 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.
Development
Much of the album's theme and content came after Grohl spent time on the campaign trail with John KerryJohn 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...
during the 2004 presidential election
United States presidential election, 2004
The United States presidential election of 2004 was the United States' 55th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2004. Republican Party candidate and incumbent President George W. Bush defeated Democratic Party candidate John Kerry, the then-junior U.S. Senator...
. "We'd pull in to small towns, and thousands of people would come to be rescued by this man," said Grohl. "It's not a political record, but what I saw inspired me."
Grohl has stated that the song "Friend of a Friend
Friend of a Friend (song)
"Friend of a Friend" is an acoustic song by Foo Fighters, featured on their 2005 album In Your Honor. The song is performed solely by Foo Fighters' guitarist/lead vocalist Dave Grohl....
" was written about himself and his former 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...
bandmate 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...
during the time they shared an apartment together in 1990. Grohl also recorded the song under the pseudonym 'Late!', which was released on 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:...
. Despite the sombre tone of the song, it was written before Cobain's death in 1994.
In Your Honor features a number of special guests on its second, mellower disc, including Norah Jones
Norah Jones
Norah Jones is an American singer-songwriter and occasional actress.In 2002, she launched her solo music career with the release of the commercially successful and critically acclaimed album Come Away With Me, which was certified a diamond album in 2002, selling over 20 million copies...
, 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...
(of Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
fame) and Josh Homme of 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...
. Dave Grohl has described John Paul Jones' guest appearance as the "second-greatest thing to happen to me in my life."
On an episode of Making the Video
Making the Video
Making the Video is an MTV show, consisting of half-hour episodes, which chronicles the process of filming various music videos. Usually the director outlines the concept of the video and the show often includes light-hearted and humorous moments. It always concludes with a premiere of the...
on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
, for the single "Best of You," Grohl said that he hopes that the Foo Fighters are most remembered for this album.
Release
There is also a special edition DualDiscDualDisc
DualDisc was a type of double-sided optical disc product developed by a group of record companies including EMI Music, Universal Music Group, Sony/BMG Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group, and 5.1 Entertainment Group and later under the aegis of the Recording Industry Association of America...
set that contains a "making of" documentary, and the second disc in 5.1 surround sound.
In the U.S., the MediaMax CD-3
MediaMax CD-3
MediaMax CD-3 is a software package created by SunnComm and was sold as a form of copy protection for compact discs. It was used by the record label RCA Records/BMG, and targets both Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X. Some users regard the software as a form of malware since its purpose is to...
copy protection
Copy protection
Copy protection, also known as content protection, copy obstruction, copy prevention and copy restriction, refer to techniques used for preventing the reproduction of software, films, music, and other media, usually for copyright reasons.- Terminology :Media corporations have always used the term...
system is used. This copy protection only appears on the standard CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
version of the album, but not on the DualDisc
DualDisc
DualDisc was a type of double-sided optical disc product developed by a group of record companies including EMI Music, Universal Music Group, Sony/BMG Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group, and 5.1 Entertainment Group and later under the aegis of the Recording Industry Association of America...
version.
The release was promoted with the In Your Honor Tour. The tour began in the summer of 2005, and ran through to June 2006.
Reception
In Your Honor was generally met with positive reviews. It entered the U.S. and UK charts at #2 behind ColdplayColdplay
Coldplay are a British alternative rock band formed in 1996 by lead vocalist Chris Martin and lead guitarist Jonny Buckland at University College London. After they formed Pectoralz, Guy Berryman joined the group as a bassist and they changed their name to Starfish. Will Champion joined as a...
's X&Y
X&Y
X&Y is the third studio album by English rock band Coldplay, released 6 June 2005 in the United Kingdom via the record label Parlophone. The album, which features influences of electronic music, was produced by the band and British record producer Danton Supple...
(the worldwide best selling album of 2005) with the strongest initial sales of their entire career this far. In Your Honor sold 310,500 copies in its first week of release in the United States and as of October 2006 stands at 1,261,000 units sold.
This album was the third Foo Fighters album to have a song reach the top of the Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart, and the first to top the chart with two songs, "Best of You
Best of You
"Best of You" is a song by American alternative rock band Foo Fighters, and the first single released from the band's fifth studio album, In Your Honor...
" and "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....
".
In Your Honor found the most success in Canada where it is certified 3X Platinum, making it their best seller there as well.
Their 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:...
album, released 2009, only contains one track from In Your Honor (this track being "Best of You"), the least amount of songs from a Foo Fighters album to be featured on the compilation.
Track listing
Band line-up during recording
- 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, backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
, rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
, drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
on "Cold Day in the Sun" - 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 guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure... - 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:...
– bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Taylor HawkinsTaylor HawkinsOliver Taylor Hawkins is an American musician, best known as the drummer of the rock band Foo Fighters....
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
, lead vocals and rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
on "Cold Day in the Sun"
Additional musicians
- Joe Beebe – guitar on "Virginia Moon"
- Danny ClinchDanny ClinchDanny Clinch is a photographer and film director who was born in Toms River, New Jersey in 1964. He graduated from Toms River High School East in 1982 and after attending Ocean County College, he attended the New England School of Photography, a two-year institution located in Boston, MA.Clinch...
– harmonicaHarmonicaThe harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
on "Another Round" - Petra HadenPetra HadenPetra 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,...
– violinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
on "Miracle" - Josh Homme - guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
on "Razor" - John Paul JonesJohn 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...
- mandolinMandolinA mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
on "Another Round" and piano on "Miracle" - 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....
– keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
on "Still", "What If I Do?", "Another Round", "Over and Out", "On the Mend" and "Cold Day in the Sun" - Norah JonesNorah JonesNorah Jones is an American singer-songwriter and occasional actress.In 2002, she launched her solo music career with the release of the commercially successful and critically acclaimed album Come Away With Me, which was certified a diamond album in 2002, selling over 20 million copies...
– vocals and piano on "Virginia Moon" - Nick RaskulineczNick RaskulineczNick Raskulinecz is a Grammy-winning American record producer. He resides in Nashville, Tennessee.-Production career:Raskulinecz is from the Bearden area of Knoxville, Tennessee. He first produced and recorded bands in Knoxville on a 8-track recorder that his grandfather bought for him...
- double bassDouble bassThe double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
on "On the Mend" and bass on "Cold Day in the Sun"
Production
- Nick RaskulineczNick RaskulineczNick Raskulinecz is a Grammy-winning American record producer. He resides in Nashville, Tennessee.-Production career:Raskulinecz is from the Bearden area of Knoxville, Tennessee. He first produced and recorded bands in Knoxville on a 8-track recorder that his grandfather bought for him...
– production - Foo Fighters – production
- Mike TerryMike TerryMike Terry is a music producer, recording engineer, and mixer residing in Los Angeles, California. Terry grew up in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Terry eventually moved west in the mid 90's and landed his first jobs at L.A.'s The Village, and Sound City recording studios as an assistant...
– engineering - Nick RaskulineczNick RaskulineczNick Raskulinecz is a Grammy-winning American record producer. He resides in Nashville, Tennessee.-Production career:Raskulinecz is from the Bearden area of Knoxville, Tennessee. He first produced and recorded bands in Knoxville on a 8-track recorder that his grandfather bought for him...
– mixing (disc one) - Elliot ScheinerElliot ScheinerElliot Scheiner is a record producer and record engineer. Scheiner has received 23 Grammy Award nominations, 6 of which he won, and he has been awarded four Emmy nominations, one Emmy award for his work with the Eagles on their farewell tour broadcast, three TEC Awards nominations, a TEC Hall of...
– mixing (disc two) - Bob LudwigBob LudwigBob Ludwig is an American mastering engineer.He is a well known and respected figure within the music industry. His name is credited on the covers of albums released across the world, and he has won numerous awards....
– mastering
Artwork
- Dan Winters – photography
- Danny ClinchDanny ClinchDanny Clinch is a photographer and film director who was born in Toms River, New Jersey in 1964. He graduated from Toms River High School East in 1982 and after attending Ocean County College, he attended the New England School of Photography, a two-year institution located in Boston, MA.Clinch...
– photography - Brett Kilroe – additional art and "Crest" concept
- Robin C. Hendrickson – additional art and "Crest" concept
- Kevin Reagan – art direction
- Kevin Reagan – design
- Bret Healey – design
Album charts
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Australian Albums Chart | 1 |
| 2005 | Austrian Albums Chart | 5 |
| 2005 | Belgium Albums Chart | 3 |
| 2005 | Canadian Albums Chart | 3 |
| 2005 | Czech Republic Albums Chart | 34 |
| 2005 | Denmark Albums Chart | 5 |
| 2005 | Finland Albums Chart | 1 |
| 2005 | French Albums Chart | 21 |
| 2005 | German Albums Chart | 4 |
| 2005 | Greece Albums Chart | 19 |
| 2005 | Holland Albums Chart | 5 |
| 2005 | Irish Albums Chart | 2 |
| 2005 | Italian Albums Chart | 20 |
| 2005 | New Zealand Albums Chart | 1 |
| 2005 | Norway Albums Chart | 2 |
| 2005 | Portugal Albums Chart | 20 |
| 2005 | Spanish Albums Chart | 31 |
| 2005 | Sweden Albums Chart | 1 |
| 2005 | Switzerland Albums Chart | 7 |
| 2005 | U.S. Billboard 200 | 2 |
| 2005 | UK Albums Chart | 2 |
| 2007 | UK Rock Albums Chart | 1 |
Grammy nominations
Although it was the band's first album since The Colour and the Shape to not receive a Grammy, it got the most nominations with 5. (This has since been tied by the album's successor, Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace)- Best Rock AlbumGrammy Award for Best Rock AlbumThe 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...
- Best Rock SongGrammy Award for Best Rock SongThe Grammy Award for Best Rock Song is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality songs in the rock music genre...
- "Best of You" - Best Pop Collaboration with VocalsGrammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with VocalsThe Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals was an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality pop songs on which singers collaborate...
- "Virginia Moon" - Best Surround Sound AlbumGrammy Award for Best Surround Sound AlbumThe Grammy Award for "Best Surround Sound Album" was first awarded in 2005, as the first category in a new "Surround Sound" field.-Nominees::*An Evening With Dave Grusin...
- Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with VocalGrammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with VocalThe Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal was awarded between 1980 and 2011.The award was discontinued after the 2011 award season in a major overhaul of Grammy categories...
- "Best of You"
Song use in media
- "No Way BackNo 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...
" was a song included in Madden NFL 06. - "DOA" was released on 12/23/08 as DLCDownloadable contentDownloadable content is official additional content for a video game distributed through the Internet. Downloadable content can be of several types, ranging from a single in-game outfit to an entirely new, extensive storyline, similarly to an expansion pack. As such, DLC may add new game modes,...
for the Rock Band video game series. - "Miracle" has appeared in episodes of ScrubsScrubs (TV series)Scrubs is an American medical comedy-drama television series created in 2001 by Bill Lawrence and produced by ABC Studios. The show follows the lives of several employees of the fictional Sacred Heart, a teaching hospital. It features fast-paced screenplay, slapstick, and surreal vignettes...
, The West Wing and Cold Case. "Resolve" also appeared in the same West Wing episode. - "No Way Back" is a playable song in the video game Guitar Hero: Warriors of RockGuitar Hero: Warriors of RockGuitar Hero: Warriors of Rock is a music video game and the sixth main entry in the Guitar Hero series for the PlayStation 3, Wii, and Xbox 360 consoles. The game was released September 24, 2010 in Europe, September 28, 2010 in North America and September 29, 2010 in Australia...
. - "Razor" appears in the 2007 film Catch and Release.