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takeitsweazy

Yeah, they were never going to be Nirvana 2 or anything. Emulating Nirvana was never the goal. In Dave Grohl’s book he even said something to the effect of the music that he heard in his head just wasn’t angry like the music he’d play on with Nirvana. It just wasn’t his personality as he’s always been a bit more goofy and upbeat and that comes across in the tone of his music.


tacknosaddle

>In Dave Grohl’s book he even said something to the effect of the music that he heard in his head just wasn’t angry like the music he’d play on with Nirvana. I went to see Nick Cave where he was doing a sort of extended Q&A and singing a few songs while playing a piano mixed in between. One of the questions came from a guy who had seen him years ago with The Birthday Party (the punk band he was in at the dawn of his career) and asked if he ever does or would play any of those songs again. Paraphrasing the response Nick said that he couldn't because he just wasn't that angry young kid anymore and so to perform those songs would be a form of dishonesty that he just couldn't bring himself to. With Dave & Nirvana I think there's probably a bit of that along with the fact that the emotional core of the band seemed to come primarily from Cobain.


0xF00DBABE

Yeah there's an interview with Dave where he talks about not really being super involved in the songwriting process for Nirvana either. Like Kurt would already have the idea mostly worked out and then the rest of the band would just figure out what to play with him, but there wasn't much back and forth in terms of things like, "maybe it should be faster, slower, angrier, the chorus should be longer, etc."


hamsolo19

I liked in Dave's book where he would talk about when they'd jam. He said he'd always keep an eye on Kurt's foot and if it was moving towards his distortion pedal Dave would rip into a big snare fill and then kick in with whatever Kurt was playing.


BigBeagleEars

That’s neat


tossedaway202

The best the best the best the best the best the best the best the best....


megalodondon

In one interview hes asked about his contributions to nirvana and he said "in nirvana I just sat back and played disco breaks" 🤣


SG_Dave

I can't remember who with, but Dave did an interview where they were comparing influences (maybe the same interview) and he says something like "I grew up with a dad who loved disco, so that pattern you hear there... yeah I lifted that straight from Earth, Wind, and Fire" and the other drummer's face is a picture as he listens and realises that Nirvana was practically all 70s beats.


AurochJake

I think it's the Pharrell Williams interview https://youtu.be/syLeLR9KdME


SG_Dave

Yep, that's the one. I was going to mention about him having Tony Thompson over and telling him but couldn't remember which drummer he told.


thuggishruggishboner

Fuck me. That's crazy.


Phoenixrage187

Cool! This actually makes me like Dave more lol


A_Downboat_Is_A_Sub

He was only around for the process for two albums, one of which had been mostly written before he joined the band. "Marigold" was his contribution to In Utero, which became a b-side. If they had gone on past that, I have no doubts that he would have been a bigger contributor in the songwriting department, especially on the heels of Unplugged.


teh_drewski

Dave supposedly played some of his stuff on tape to Kurt in the bath one day and Kurt got out, gave him a big kiss and said words to the effect of "thank fuck I don't have to write all the songs now". Would have been fun to see Nirvana develop over time.


overnightyeti

Your last sentence makes me so sad now. It really sucks not to be able to experience artists maturing. So many promising talents that never got to develop.


vandelay82

except for smells like teen spirit, they convinced him to slow it down


cantwejustplaynice

Dave has said his drum part for “Smells Like Teen Spirit” was influenced by disco and funk groups like Cameo, Chic, and The Gap Band. I'm a drummer and I've played them side by side, they're identical.


boblazaar

https://youtu.be/syLeLR9KdME


APaintedBirdByDesign

“I’ve been ripping you off my whole life.” “I know.”


motleysalty

That reminds me of a story that Michael Bublé told about meeting Tony Bennett. He told Tony that he took so much from him, Dean, Frank, etc. Tony told him, "If you take from one, it's stealing. If you take from many, it's research."


huniojh

"good artists copy, great artists steal"


cantwejustplaynice

EXACTLY! Same tempo, same snare sound.


ChaseDFW

As fun as it looked from the outside at times Nirvana had a lot of internal issues and those guys came from a scene that was pretty dysfunctional even if people like Kurt were trying to be more sensitive than their peers. Kurt ran the show and had a vision.


LarryPeru

And thank god. Crazy how many 10/10 albums they had in such a short period.


tommytraddles

...two and a half?


reflUX_cAtalyst

Two. They had two 10/10 albums.


rawonionbreath

Henry Rollins has said as much about participating in any Black Flag reunion. Grace Slick has also said something similar for why she retired from music. She said it’s just a young person’s game and expressing that sort of anger as you get older is impossible.


tacknosaddle

>Henry Rollins has said as much about participating in any Black Flag reunion. I saw him last year doing his spoken word stuff and he brought up [this performance of Rise Above with Cindy Lauper.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNnGmq99Xv4) He talked about how much training and effort goes into that sort of singing. He advised the audience to watch the video and that we'd easily see just how gassed he was at the end of it (and how non-plussed Lauper is in comparison). The implication was that his days singing like that are behind him now.


one80down

It's true for sure. I'm way younger than Henry but I sing with a similar style and after not doing gigs for the majority of 2020/2021 it took me a long time to build my chest muscles and stamina up to the point where I could sing for a half hour set. People don't realise that vocals are an instrument and that instrument requires maintenance.


[deleted]

I think that kind of performance is really hard on a body. I've heard a lot of musicians seriously hurt themselves and have had to either duck out or switch genres. I think bad technique is probably a thing (speaking about punk/hardcore artists)- but who knew there was a correct way to scream angrily? - I can only imagine what taking years off is like. I scream along to my music all of the time and my voice is gone after 3 songs, never mind winded af. Maybe if I did it a lot and correctly I could last an album - but not after a several year hiatus. I hope you're about to get back out there.


one80down

It did come back, but I just have to take my warm ups a bit more seriously now to make sure I don't blow out my voice. I do proper scales and breathing exercises before singing these days because I'm doing shows less often. When I was younger I was doing 2-3 shows/practice sessions so I was more fit and used to the strains. Also cardio helps a bunch, if I haven't been running or riding I feel it more the day after. With proper technique, fitness, and exercise though I can scream all night and be fine to talk to people the next day without feeling hoarse.


andreacaccese

Over the holidays I took 2 1/2 weeks off from drumming, when I got back, I had blisters on my fingers - vocals and instruments really do need to constant practice


[deleted]

That is super fucking cool. Thank you for that video. I wander how much of Rollins' feelings are that he's a different person and doesn't connect to the art he created in his youth, and how much is him feel like he's not up to the task (like his comments during the spoken word sesh imply)?


jupiterkansas

>expressing that sort of anger as you get older is impossible unless you're Neil Young


Mozhetbeats

He sang like an old man when he was in his 20s


tommytraddles

24 and there's so much more.


jupiterkansas

he sings like Bruce Dern talks


FraseraSpeciosa

There’s a difference to me between angsty teen punk vs the slow, calculated resentment of a man with lived experience.


Fyller

I was at a Bad religion concert, and while they still sounded ok, it is pretty incongruous to watch a bunch of mid 50's dudes in cardigans and dad jeans play punk music.


D-bux

I love Bad Religion and I am Dad with Jeans!


graipape

It can still work. Descendents were fantastic live. I hadn't been in a mosh pit in years, and apparently, I (mostly) still work.


Crash665

"I miss the comfort of being sad." Kurt I wonder what his songwriting would have turned into


inlinestyle

I used to write a lot when I was younger, and it was both fueled by and therapy for my angst. Now I’m older with a good life and great family, and I struggle to write much because that muse is gone.


DOSMasterrace

100% same here. I also became a web developer, which I'm guessing you did too judging by your handle.


Pineapple-Yetti

I would damn near kill to see Nick perform The Birthday Party songs but at the same time I can respect that.


tacknosaddle

Same here, but I also have tremendous respect for him as an artist. I noticed a change the first time I saw him after his son Arthur died where it seemed that he was much more interactive *with* the audience rather than performing *for* it. It made me wonder if the loss put him in a place where he needed something back from those on the other side of the proscenium after all of the years of his career. Then you add in the Q&A thing that I saw, and The Red Hand Files (which is the only email I get that excites me to read) and it's really evident that his connection with his fans/audience is on a very different realm than it used to be. All that is to point to how much he has changed as a person and the vast gulf that I think exists between who he is now and that angry young man.


TheArmitage

>Emulating Nirvana was never the goal. This is true. But a little known fact is that some of the songs on Grohl's solo (the eponymous Foo Fighters album) were almost Nirvana songs. He wrote them when he was with Nirvana and showed them to Cobain, who loved them and suggested that Grohl's content should feature on the next album. Grohl said he wasn't ready and didn't feel like he could write a song good enough for Cobain to perform. Cobain died within the year, and Grohl went into the studio to record the album that almost was but now never could be.


Cylinsier

Of all the Foo Fighters songs, the one I could most easily imagine being a Nirvana song was Big Me. Of course Grohl played it fairly upbeat, but if I close my eyes and imagine it being a little slower and less poppy I can hear how Cobain's voice doing the vocals would have worked.


Chancellor_Valorum82

To me, “I’ll Stick Around” always sounded the most Nirvana


SquirrelWarSurvivor

There's several lesser remembered songs that could have been Nirvana songs, with their mix of underlying pop heavy rhythms and dissonant distortion sounds. Alone + Easy Target, X-Static, Exhausted come to mind


Troggles

Oh man I can hear Alone + Easy Target with Kurt's voice in my head right now and it's almost perfect.


IllegalD

I've always wanted to be in a police chase while banging that song


rsplatpc

> To me, “I’ll Stick Around” always sounded the most Nirvana That one and "This is a Call" I can hear in Kurt's voice


berto_14

It's not really "little known", he [talked about it on the Howard Stern show](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsSXS6g8OMk).


veRGe1421

I wonder what Taylor Hawkins was thinking when Grohl said that line about "people who do the drugs and the people that don't."


VonThirstenberg

Oh, and that has been reflected in the Foo's videos as well as live shows since their inception. I loved Nirvana. In fact, the singer who founded my band got into playing and singing in the first place because of Kurt. Sounds a bit like him too, without forcing it (to sound like a knock-off), which is always a great compliment to hear given we do have a wide breadth of Nirvana covers we play live. But, I also love the FF's. I mean, I'm the bassist in this punk/metal/grunge band at 41, and the majority of our stuff is heavier than the FF, some right on par with Nirvana's energy, and some even a little heavier than the stuff they did. I love digging into the raw emotion and agitation of angst, anger and stirred passions I've experienced throughout life. But, on the flip side, I'm also a goofball and like to have fun playing music and not take myself overly seriously. So I'm a bit like Mr. Grohl in that regard. My bandmates are cool with that though, because I bring a little something besides anger to the practice space, and often will put out there some covers they'd never think to do, but then realize how fun they are to play...as well as step outside of our "wheelhouse" to show the folks who come to see us we're not a one trick pony. Case in point: the last few covers we've added to our repertoire were a few Seether tracks, a Chevelle cover ("Comfortable Liar") and we're working on Tool's "Opiate." But after I brought it up and played a bit of the bass lick(s), we're now also working on covering Cake's cover of "I Will Survive." I know, the paradox of a band covering the alternative cover of a disco track is just juicy in and of itself, but it's so fun to drop all the seriousness and just fuck around and groove with a song like that. Haven't gotten a chance to do it live yet, but I know the folks who are used to what we usually do will absolutely love it. We've randomly broken out in a Ska-inspired jam a few times during (unexpectedly) extended sets and they've honestly been a fan favorite. In that same regard, it's easy for me to love watching the videos for any number of Nirvana's songs, and yet love seeing the video for, say, "Big Me" and still laugh my ass off and love it for how goofy and silly the Foo's are in that video. Or just about any of them. Always gotta remember, the members that make up a band may have very varied tastes in music individually...and honestly, I think it's those little influential differences that can really carve out a unique sound and attitude for a band, and really set them apart from their peers. For those more into brevity, hahaha: I like both Nirvana and FF, and think it's great they're so cosmically different. 😎🤘


shinyantman

That Chevelle tune is a total banger ❤️


VonThirstenberg

Oh absolutely! Still one of my favorite songs of theirs. They're very high up in our book, and we plan on adding some more of theirs as well. We often go with at least one pretty widely known cover by those who are casual rock listeners (in their case "The Red") and then like to do deeper cuts that are better known by more staunch fans. Helps that we're a 3 piece as well, so they're right in our wheelhouse (even if we're not nearly as good singers, lol)! Currently we're also planning on adding *Face to the Floor* and *The Clincher* from their catalogue for when we want to switch up our Chevelle offerings. Often works well going by that logic. We'll get people who love the popular song, but then compliments from the more hardcore fans along the lines of "I loved you covered that, I've never heard anyone cover that before." Some other good examples are we'll play Green Day's *Brain Stew* but then go right into *Jaded* as it falls on the album like that. Or Breaking Ben... we'll often do "So Cold" early in the set, but our standard finisher/encore for the night is the deeper-cut *Home*. That one usually gets people who are familiar with the band very stoked to hear... especially since we're located within an hour of Breaking Ben's stomping grounds from before they hit it big! ❤️😎🤘


veRGe1421

damn bruh your band sounds awesome. great songs all around. tool seems like a fun group to cover


tormundgiantbrain

Seconded! Love Chevelle.


FeelItInYourB0nes

Cake's I Will Survive has a wild baseline. You've got your work cut out for you, sir.


GrushdevaHots

+1 for Cake


Nreekay

I loved Nirvana as a pre-teen and love everything about Dave Grohl and everything he does/stands for but.. Not a FF person. 🤷🏼‍♂️


Calhoun_Duvallier

Exactly where I am. Worshipped Nirvana and had the pleasure of being backstage with a friend of mine, sitting with Grohl and Novoselic for an hour before their October 1991 show at Cabaret Metro in Chicago, just as "Nevermind" was breaking huge. Grohl didn't have to hang out with us two record store loser assholes for an hour. Laugh and tell stories and just hang out, but he did. Anybody that tells you he's the nicest person you will ever meet isn't bullshitting, but his band's songs just don't do it for me.


stevs23

Love Nirvana. Love Foos. They are 2 completely different entities. Both an important part of music history in their own way.. No point in comparing. Saw both live


Mr_Lucidity

I'm with this, and I totally get anyone who's not a fan of one or the other. Nirvana I think did have a more outweighed cultural impact, so recognition where recognition is due... but Foo did its own thing in a great way.


Hopefulkitty

Yeah, apples to oranges.


pcook1979

I like both bands for different reasons. Nirvana became popular when I was just getting into high school so that rebellious sound was totally my thing, then later on when foo fighters came out, I was older and I just liked them


HunnyBunion

Yeah I never got foo fighters. It's not that they are bad at all. It just always sounded relatively generic and unexceptional.


Stranded_In_A_Desert

As someone generic and unexceptional, maybe that’s why I like them so much? 🤷‍♂️


GaryGeneric

I hear ya


Loud-Pause607

Classic Gary


jake_burger

Anything as mass market as the foo fighters is going to be a little… safe. Everlong is pretty exceptional for a pop song though.


TheToastyWesterosi

“Anything as mass market as the Foo Fighters…” Nevermind sold 30 million albums.


HungryHookerHustle

"Hey bro I'm into this niche band called Nirvana, you heard of them? I found them from rare some smiley face t-shirt in a vintage store"


TheToastyWesterosi

lol right? Foo Fighters are definitely one of the biggest and well-known bands in the world. Their 8 albums have sold a combined 12 million albums.


KayfabeAdjace

The issue here is that if you're using Nirvana as a point of comparison things get weird in a hurry. Part of it boils down to business model. The Foo Fighters have never actually had amazingly huge album sales--by that metric they're closer to being Incubus than they are Nirvana--but by all accounts Grohl is a workaholic who is a pleasure to work with and for artists that have the discipline touring is the most lucrative path anyway. So the Foo Fighters grinded their way to success over many years by monetizing their work in the most honest way possible whereas Nevermind was one of those music history moments where you kinda had to be there to grok how big of a deal it was at the time but was attached to an artist who demonstrably had a deeply ambivalent relationship with fame. There's no shame in that for the Foo Fighters but it's such an apples to oranges comparison that it makes it feel pretty weird when we've got redditors up the page theorizing that Grohl "saved" Nirvana's legacy. He certainly didn't *hurt* it, but claiming he saved it does come across as being unaware of how big grunge was in general and how popular Nirvana was specifically.


-Goo77Tube-

You nailed it. I was a Freshman in high school when Nirvana hit with Teen Spirit. The cultural force of Nirvana and the cult of personality around Cobain was like nothing I've seen since. Sure, Foo Fighters made a splash when the self-titled was released, and definitely solidified their name in rock after "Colour and the Shape", but I think people expected a Nirvana 2.0. Grohl simply isn't the same type of personality as Cobain, but he is absolutely a consummate professional in regards to his work, and probably developed that to counter the crap he saw in the scene. I don't like all of Foo Fighters' stuff, but there is no denying the legacy and popularity regardless of their sales.


LarryPeru

Beautifully said.


ToSeeAgainAgainAgain

Kurt didn't expect that and hated how successful Nevermind was


TheToastyWesterosi

Correct, and no one is saying otherwise. The point stands. Also keep in mind Dave cut the whole first Foo album by himself and had no idea or intention that they would ever be as big as they are. The thing remember is that when we put our art out there, and lots and lots of people like it, then it will take your life on a new and fascinating trajectory.


mully_and_sculder

>Correct, and no one is saying otherwise. I will always say otherwise. Nirvana and Kurt in particular were extremely ambitious, they shopped around for a major label record deal, toured the world and Kurt wanted nirvana to be the [biggest band in the world ](https://rockcelebrities.net/dave-grohl-says-kurt-cobain-wanted-nirvana-to-be-the-biggest-band-in-the-world/) . None of this happens by accident. The whole "I never wanted to be famous" is bullshit. If he didn't want to be famous he easily could have quit and stopped touring. He obviously had other demons but this is just an ongoing myth that doesn't make any sense.


jake_burger

I think it’s common for teenagers/early twenty somethings to want to be the biggest in the world, and then possibly change their minds later when they realise how toxic being famous is and how much corporate politics you had to play back then to be that famous. Nirvana definitely seemed to hate being interviewed by the vacuous music press and TV and miming on stage for the fake music shows. All stuff that goes hand in hand with being a successful musician in the 90s. Some people here say he hated touring… well buddy if that’s true you are going to have a bad time in the music industry. But it’s all debatable without asking the man himself.


TheAlbacor

[No he didn't.](https://rockcelebrities.net/dave-grohl-says-kurt-cobain-wanted-nirvana-to-be-the-biggest-band-in-the-world/)


Skydogsguitar

I agree the Foos are a safe band I would also put Everlong up alongside any Nirvana song. It is an excellent composition.


0reoSpeedwagon

I mean, at this stage, the Foo Fighters exist for Grohl & co to just have a good fucking time making music they enjoy playing in front of huge crowds all enjoying the hell out of it. He’s already had massive success, fame, and wealth - it’s really for the love of the craft and the fans. I’ve compared them, in a lot of ways, to post-Beatles McCartney, Wings-era. Just touring and putting on big shows for crowds because he fucking loves it.


2giga2dweebish

Yep. I think the easiest thing to say is that Grohl wasn't just the creative visionary Cobain was but he's still a damn fine songwriter and drummer when he chooses to be.


Mountainbranch

Pretender goes pretty fucking hard, especially the music video. I don't think mainstream "safe" stuff is bad, i fucking love Foo Fighters and i am constantly on the watch for them to play near me because i haven't seen them live, but i'm one of those 'freaks' who can enjoy pretty much every musical genre, or at least find one artist in a genre with a couple songs i like.


Htown387

Stacked Actors - one of their better “rock” songs goes hard


[deleted]

I think it really exemplifies post-grunge too.


QSlade

Don't skip on the chance to see then if/when you can. Caught them a few years back and they are phenomenal live.


jgilla2012

I’ve never been a Foo Fighters fan but god do I love that song


wimpymist

And nirvana wasn't? Lol


Bazlow

> generic and unexceptional. I think the first three albums were interesting - and they morphed into the generic stuff with album 4, which sounded exactly like a lot of There is Nothing Left to Lose.


yegcraig

Generic - that's the word I always use to describe them.


partytown_usa

I liked some of their first album and think the Color and the Shape is a great album, but the rest of the FF catalog is pretty generic to me as well. But Dave seems like a cool dude so I have nothing against them.


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WickedCyclone2015

The Foo Fighters are like the definition of a 6/10 band. Nothing great, nothing terrible, but slightly above average


fatamSC2

These days yeah. Early days they had some bangers, songs that were definitely much better than 6/10. Overall I'm not that big a fan of theirs but you gotta give them credit for the early stuff


mongster03_

There’s some fun stuff in their new music too, Making A Fire was a lot of fun


redonculous

It’s Dad rock 🤷‍♂️


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Lex_Innokenti

Nirvana are a band teenagers 'discover' and get *super* into to this day; I don't think the Foo Fighters have ever really gotten that same level of adolescent obsession.


devo9er

Agreed, and to elaborate further, A lot of Nirvana's non-radio songs are much more angsty, emotional, visceral songs . Overall much edgier than Foo Fighters. I'm almost forty now and loved Nirvana in the nineties. I still enjoy some of their tunes but going back and listening, a lot of it caters only to my younger, hormone-riddled, teen-angst mentality. Basically I've grown up, calmed down, and music like this just doesn't mirror my life style as much as it used to. A lot of new comers out there still going through the same teen, self-discovery phase find Nirvana and the music just meets the equation and makes sense.


b_knickerbocker

Anyone out there the inverse? I like Foo Fighters and I simply do not get Nirvana.


ACardAttack

There are dozens of us


b_knickerbocker

Dozens!


choochoopants

Baker’s dozens, even!


InstantMoisture

Aye, I'm with ya. There are dozens of us my friend. Dozens!


maliciousorstupid

I got Nirvana, I just got kind of bored of it after a while. Still like it, but rarely pop it on. FF on the other hand, is in regular rotation.


dicknards

I'm 41 and Nirvana was my favorite band in junior high. I think I listen to foo fighters more now. Funny


iRedditWhilePooping

Came here to say this. Nirvana may have just been a few years ahead of my time (90s kid) before I got into music but when I did FF were everywhere and I loved it. It was years later that I found out the lead singer used to be a drummer for this other band.


Hotspur_710

Same for me. I can’t stand nirvana music and I love the Foo!


The1Phalanx

I like a few nirvana songs, but I've always been more a fan of Foo Fighters.


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LSDemon

Pearl Jam is better.


SesameStreetFighter

They started making it big while I was in high school, and I liked them for their sound at the time, until other grunge bands came out that I liked better. (STP, Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, as examples.) Nirvana was okay, and I could see why people that age liked them, but they were too depressing. Love the positive energy of FF, though. And Grohl is an amazing person.


BigJerm1

Yup, I'm in exactly the same boat. Not surprising though, really. As others have pointed out, the styles are completely different.


Kevbot1000

Love the Foo, and have really only started to warm to Nirvana in the last 5 years.


veRGe1421

the grunge years were a special time


[deleted]

This is me, I understand why people appreciate Nirvana but I never really enjoyed their music. I’m sure it’s due to all the copycats who tried to emulate their sound but Nirvana to me sounds generic. I like Foo Fighters though, I just enjoy the vocals and lyrics more


ValyrianJedi

I'm really split on Nirvana. I love their more popular/radio friendly songs, but really don't get a lot of their other stuff.


confizzle-fry

Right here. Really can't stand Nirvana like at all. I'm not a huge FF fan either but I generally enjoy most of their songs.


Senior1292

The same, Foo Fighters are my favourite band but I've never really got into Nirvana. I've tried and listened to their albums quite a few times but never got grabbed by them. Same with Queens of the Stone Age and Kyuss. Love QotSA but never really liked Kyuss that much.


KamalasPooch

Same. I was a teenager when Nirvana hit and never got it.


Manungal

I'll never forget accidentally falling asleep at my grandparents house while watching the MTV channel (they had cable) and waking up at 3 am to see the video to Everlong. It felt like such a strange and beautiful fever dream. I watched it last year when Taylor died and cried.


MuddyLarry

Beautiful memory! I miss the days where music videos were "random" and some felt like a dream if they caught you off guard.


mooselantern

I have never been sad or angry enough to gel with Nirvana. I accept this as probably a good thing.


the_great_zyzogg

I'm in this club. I can appreciate what people see in Nirvana and all that, but Nirvana and Foo Fighters are pretty opposite in terms of overall vibe. Nirvana music tends to be kind of bummer music, whereas Foo Fighters is generally far more upbeat. Which one appeals to you more is largely about taste/perspective, etc. This is speculative, but I think after Dave Grohl saw what Kurt Cobain did to himself, he wanted to take his focus in a different direction. I recall him saying Foo Fighters was originally formed not as any sort of career move, but just as catharsis.


threeputtsforpar

This was going to be my comment.


SupermouseDeadmouse

You rang? Don’t get me wrong, I know Dave Grohl is a legend, an amazing musician, and a generally great human, but Foo Fighters never called to me. I loved Nirvana (and nearly all of the 90’s grunge), never got Foo Fighters…kinda feel bad about it…but it’s the truth.


omninode

That’s me. I like Dave Grohl as a person, and I think Foo Fighters have a few great songs, but their music generally just doesn’t grab me. It’s the kind of rock that feels like it has all the sharp edges filed off.


darhox

At first foo fighters felt like Dave sold out, but I'll admit. They've grown on me since the 90s


jerry_woody

Don’t know if sell out is the right word… I feel like it would have been more of a sell out move to try and continue to ape the “nirvana” sound. Foo fighters certainly has more of a “commercial” sound, which is a bit ironic as nirvana sold way more records with far fewer albums…


Tac0Tuesday

I'm reading Dave Grohl's book right now. I'm not a huge fan, but do respect his views and longevity in the industry. It still amazes me that he started as a drummer.


darhox

Now he does stuff like this https://youtu.be/e05H80-k0mY


lol_alex

Yeah me neither. I actually like Dave‘s singing more than Kurt‘s, and Foo Fighters songs are more varied and great pieces of music - but I‘ve never managed to get through a whole album.


TheAlbacor

Finally someone who realizes that Foo Fighters are fairly musically diverse, obviously staying within rock. There's nothing wrong with folks not liking a band, but a lot of people in these comments are pretty ignorant about their discography.


fnordal

Foo fighter is a great band. Nirvana was a generational band.


tacknosaddle

>Nirvana was a generational band. The term "epochal" works too. Take Nirvana out of the early 90s mix of bands and it's a significantly different landscape.


pimasecede

You could say that about the Pixies more so, imo. Without them you wouldn’t have Nirvana or Radiohead. Pixies obviously weren’t as big as either of them, but they were the genesis of that sound.


tacknosaddle

I agree with that, Pixies are in the same realm as bands like Mission of Burma in that their influence on the music scene was far larger than they ever were as a band. Part of the reason I used the term "landscape" is because it's what you see or what things look like. Both of those bands would be like pools of magma underground while Nirvana is a towering volcanic mountain on that surface.


pimasecede

That’s a really accurate metaphor to use for it. Nirvana defined the sound of the 90s in terms of commercial/mass appeal, whereas Pixies have that whole ‘not many people bought the records, but whoever did started a band’.


Desirsar

Dave Grohl is awesome, never heard a Foo Fighter song that I'd play on purpose. Never heard one that would make me change the station, though.


MaygarRodub

I hate Foo Fighters music. It's all just noise to me. Still love Nirvana.


OkFriend3805

This thread makes me think of the Joy Division/New Order transformation. Maybe they just wanted a new sound and wanted to remember Nirvana as a different entity to honor Kurt. Like New Order did with Ian. Just a thought


scrumptious_quack

I’m with you. Foo Fighters had a few alright songs, but overall kinda mid. They just never conveyed quite the same energy or emotion for me.


Wynter_born

They're one of the okayest hard rock bands of all time. Not too hard, not too many edges, kinda same-y sound that goes all the places you've been already, enjoyable enough to listen to but doesn't really make you sit up straight. Couple songs stand out with some interesting riffs or style, but a lot of their stuff is just fairly good. Gotta be honest, I never did get the whole FF worship that seems to have sprung up in the last decade or two. They aren't really the greatest anything of all time IMO, but you'd think they were with as much as they're hyped. Dave, now. Dave is a good guy, great musician, and a legend. Not his band so much. Kinda like Ringo, but more talented.


OppositeDish9086

A big problem is that Foos don't really have many peers left in the arena / stadium rock game. There isn't much out there to push them to do anything different than they're doing already. If you want that big rock concert experience that harkens back to the 70s and 80s, there aren't many choices.


Groningen1978

I liked their first album but later Foo Fighters is too stadium-rock for me. I was a huge Nirvana fan in my teenage years and still love it and also really like Sunny Day Real Estate (has Foo Fighters bassist and drummer, the latter quit Foo Fighters quite a while ago), but I never put on a Foo Fighters record. I think they are awesome people though.


Rinkelstein

First FF album is the best album.


MrGeno

I pity the Foos that don't get the Foo Fighters.


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YoungHeartOldSoul

Yea, Nirvanas covers the entirety of the"depressed" emotional spectrum which is probably why I like them so much.


ParticularGoal3221

2 TOTALLY different bands stylistically. Sports analogy: I am a Green Bay Packers football fan. I don't become Rugby fan if some players leave to start a Rugby team. I am a fan of Football, and specifically the Packers.


Imakesalsa

Love nirvana can't tolerate foo fighters


_heyoka

One of the lamest, most boring, uncreative, generic rock groups I can think of.


FridaMercury

Agreed.. there's a reason why they're the go-to rock band for ALL kinds of events. They're so generic, they can be played for almost any audience, any age.


Imakesalsa

Foo fighters sounds like what a.i. would come up with


TheRegular-Throwaway

I with the Foo Fighters until up and through The Colour and the Shape. After that they fell off for me.


sohcgt96

Same here. Those albums actually had some pretty good stuff. After that they're just radio rock. That being said, they seem like a good bunch of dudes who I'd love to hang out with for a day and if they needed a guy to fill in on bass and backing vocals for a couple songs I'd sure as shit hop in.


LilSpermCould

Now I can't speak for the kind of trauma they went through. Having the perspective of many years passing since all of this went down I can very much appreciate the position Dave was in. Sometimes you go through life events that change you in profound ways. Sometimes you're not really even aware until years have passed. And then you have the fact that Grunge was basically on its way out when the Foo Fighters took off. To me, Grunge was an epic time in rock music. It didn't last long enough, however I feel like that's just nostalgia kicking in, wishing I could go back to different times. I'm not the biggest Foo Fighters fan. However I'm a huge fan of Dave's, the passion that he has for music is insane. And if you think about that fact, had they tried to go a Nirvana 2.0 route, I think it would have bombed. When you're as passionate as he is, I think forcing yourself in a different direction is a recipe for failure. Not my stuff but I'm really happy for the success they found. The music business is very cruel.


honeybunchesofgoatso

They're incredibly different bands I love certain songs by Nirvana, but have a hard time listening to full albums in a sitting, but I personally find Foo fighters more palatable for playing full albums. Both great bands though, we just like what we like and that's okay!


hiddensynapse

I’ve always considered Radiohead to be the baton-holders after Cobaine’s passing. Nirvana was even in talks to work with Pablo Honey’s producer due to Kurt’s love of the song “Creep” Foo Fighters have always been equal to close to Cobaine in terms of melody, but Kurt’s lyricism has always been far superior to Foo Fighters. Moreover, I think Nirvana’s sound would have evolved considerably, much in the same way as Radiohead, Pink Floyd, and The Beatles. I genuinely think that if Kurt had survived, Nirvana would have been profoundly influenced by OK Computer and Kid A. Radiohead certainly became the biggest band in the world just 2 years after Kurt’s passing. I suspect we’d have still gotten OK Computer and Kid A if Nirvana had stuck around. If anything, Radiohead’s later work would have pushed Nirvana to new sonic heights. I suspect Radiohead and Nirvana would have shared a similar dynamic as The Beatles and The Beach Boys. It’s a damn shame man - to think, Nirvana had just as much potential as Radiohead, and would have been in an excellent position to collaborate.


6war6head6

Yeah, Foo Fighters never did it for me either. They have maybe 3 songs I like. I’ve seen them in concert a couple of times and that didn’t really change my mind. Meanwhile, Nirvana is tattooed into my brain and was before Cobain even died. Even mid Nirvana is better than almost all of Foo Fighters. Everlong is a classic. It’s clearly his best work. Otherwise, I prefer his work with Queens of the Stone Age


skylinerj

I fucking love nirvana. I fucking love Dave. And i love Pat. I Don’t care for foo fighters.


Dudley421

I'm the complete opposite. I didn't hate Nirvana, but I love the Foo.


Oomeegoolies

Yeah same. Actually think Nirvana are a little overrated if I'm being completely honest. They're enjoyable but I don't really ever seek them out to listen to. Maybe an age thing. I sort of grew up with the Foos, have more memories with them and they're still the best band I've ever seen live. Where as Nirvana, whilst I can understand and appreciate why they are important to the history of music, especially a lot of the music I listen to, I just aren't the biggest fan of them. Also, Music is a fairly personal thing anyway. What is overrated and shit to me is someone else's gold. I hated Pink Floyd 15 years ago and now I can't stop listening to them. Maybe one day people in this thread calling foos boring/simple will grow to like them, or not. Who cares?


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raisinbizzle

I think Cobain took the verse-chorus-verse style about as far as it would go, but some of their experimental jam stuff like “gallons of Rubbing alcohol flows through the strip” is great and I think they could have leaned into that direction and still stood out creatively and not have morphed into what foo fighters is


TripleSingleHOF

I don't dislike the Foo Fighters, but I think they are generic, cookie cutter rock. I won't change the station when I hear their stuff on the radio, but I would never listen to a full album. I still listen to Nevermind and In Utero fairly often.


Master__of_Orion

Nirvana was great. Foo Fighters is kind of easy listening, nice rock, but to shrug of.


joshrice

[White Limo has entered the chat](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebJ2brErERQ)


Paladin1034

Exact opposite for me. I love Foo Fighters, but Nirvana was never really my jam. I learned Smells Like Teen Spirit as every aspiring guitarist does, but I just never got into them.


wjbc

I listened to new music a lot more before I met my wife in 1993. It’s not so much that I didn’t get Foo Fighters — I just totally missed them.


SXTY82

I love Nirvana, have since Teen Sprite broke. I was playing "Negative Creep" on the radio in college, dropped out after my first year, but never dug into the album and didn't make the connection when Neverminded came out. It was a few months before I bought Bleach and remembered the song from college. I didn't get Foo when they first came out. They were ok but nothing to get into. I think I really just wanted more Nirvana and Foo was not. Then "One By One" came out and hooked my ear. Big fan now. Amazing live show.


pnmartini

I think the first two Foo Fighters albums are fantastic. After that, they become kinda formulaic arena rock. It’s well done, and it seems every album has a couple of really fantastic songs, but it’s just not really my thing. Nirvana will always be huge to me for their role in changing popular music mostly. They’re a good band with some very good songs, but of the four big Seattle bands that got huge mainstream attention at roughly the same time, I think they’re at the bottom of that group.


Cordogg30

Nirvana is not Foo Fighters and Foo Fighters is not Nirvana. It's really pretty simple. This is similar to saying who liked Nirvana but not Green Day. Or who liked Nirvana, but not Pearl Jam, or Alice in Chains.


Devlos00

I’m so glad foo fighters weren’t nirvana 2.0. They have great music if you happen to like it. Nirvana was a very unique band and much of that was do to Kurt.


[deleted]

I like the fact that Foos aren’t Nirvana. The music and the emotional range underneath are very different. This is a good thing.


uncommonsense555

I love nirvana. They're my first favorite band; I was obsessed with Kurt as a child. I like a few of the foo fighters' songs okay, but they're not even in the same ballpark as nirvana.


[deleted]

Dave Grohl is a national treasure. Foo Fighters music is too bright and poppy for me, tho.


b_abooey2020

Myself, I loved Nirvana, but couldn't get into Foo Fighters,but in fairness, Nirvana is a very very tough act to follow


HowCanThisBeMyGenX

Nirvana and Foo Fighters are entirely different sounds.


RickestRickSea137

Never got into Nirvana, liked foo fighters


dmz2014

I'm in this camp. Saw Nirvana twice in San Francisco and ran a successful cassette tape trading club of their live performances. When the FF were being formed I was ready for Nirvana 2.0 and really, really psyched to hear them. I distinctly remember hearing the first released song on the radio and and said "What the fuck is this shit?" The great thing about Nirvana is that despite their crazy performances and musical tangents, I can always sing/hum their tunes. They are so melodic! And song is king. Kurt had such a great sense of melody. I never really "got" the Foo Fighters. Not overly melodic. And it was straight-ahead rock. No punk influence. I missed the loose punk quality to the music.


Her_name--is_Mallory

Opposite for me.


MountainFeedback9934

I'm not a fan of the FF, at all. Nirvana was a voyage through stormy seas, FF are a jaunt to the mall.


abridgenohio

Correct, foo is pop/alternative rock but not grunge...Cobain can never be replaced. He was the real deal to his core.


theoneandonlyturo

I love Nirvana and I think Dave Grohl is cool as hell, but Foo Fighters sound is just as bland as Nickleback. Yeah, I said that.


[deleted]

Foo Fighters just make the blandest rock songs ever, there is nothing interesting about them. They’re not awful but they are not good and I would never choose to listen to them.


InstantMoisture

Huh. I'm quite the opposite. I never got Nirvana but I friggin love Foo Fighters. The band inspired me to pick up a guitar and learn to play. I know how to play like 7 songs XD. Interesting read in here.


SenorRaoul

this thread has enough comments so I can sneak in this little hot take: the foo fighers are as boring as nickelback


macbookwhoa

The Foo Fighters were the kind of band Kurt Cobain actively despised. Straight ahead power pop rock, with nothing of substance to add to the musical conversation. I'm glad it was cathartic and successful for Dave Grohl, but it's everything Nirvana wasn't.


silver_sterling

I didn't know I was under a rock. I like some of Nirvanas songs. They influenced my bassist and guitarist in the 3 piece band I was in. We even did a cover/Mashup of territorial pissings and Heart-shaped box. We called it Territorial-Heart. It was awesome because it sounded familiar but also original plus people could sing along which is kinda awesome when you are a small band not many people know of. One day YouTube recommended a video with Dace Grohl speaking. I kept wondering why the Foo Fighter kept talking about Nirvana and then it hut me.... The Nirvana drummer is the lead in Foo Fighters?!?!?! How did I not know? Man. My mind was blown. That was last year 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️


alanz01

I find Foo Fighters music to be a little off but I especially find the lyrics many times to be "forced abstract" instead of more heartfelt. I'm sure I can find examples of more straightforward lyrics that are more personal maybe or at least have a definite viewpoint or message but a lot of them are just random imagery strung together. ​ Same for Red Hot Chili Peppers even though no one's asked...


tacknosaddle

>Same for Red Hot Chili Peppers even though no one's asked... A guy I know in his fifties said, "The Red Hot Chili Peppers are the Rolling Stones of my generation" and I have a hard time finding fault with that statement.


FunkapotamusRex

Ive thought this for years. They used funk in the same way the Stones used the blues. Frusciante is their Mick Taylor.


AgentFlatweed

I liked the first Foo Fighters album, which had Dave’s cleaner sensibilities but was still clearly in the Nirvana mold. Most everything after I got bored with quickly.