Foo Fighters |
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Mon. February 16.1998 11:56 AM EST |
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Foo Fighter Dave Grohl Struggles With Leadership RoleEx-Nirvana drummer explains why he is now the quintessential anti-frontman. by Addicted To Noise correspondent Andrew Tanner |
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"I feel like I'm not charismatic enough or I haven't really said enough funny things to the crowd," Grohl said. Photo by Jay Blakesberg |
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MELBOURNE, Australia -- From the loss of original drummer William
Goldsmith to the more recent blow of guitarist and longtime bandmate Pat
Smear's
sudden departure, Dave Grohl has seen Foo Fighters through a lot in a
short
period.
But now he's here to say that the comings and goings and changes in his bandmates have not necessarily been by his choice. In fact, he said, the Foos are as much about the rest of the band as they are about him. "The thing that makes me feel uncomfortable is this popular misconception that I'm the leader of the band, that just because I was in Nirvana means I somehow rule this band with an iron fist, which is absolutely untrue," Grohl said a day after a recent gig at the Festival Hall here. As leader of one of the most high-energy bands in the business, Grohl is almost the archetypal anti-frontman with his uncoordinated stage moves, gum-chewing nonchalance and laid-back stage patter. Witness a moment in Monday night's show as Grohl tried to discuss the relative merits of Hobart (the band's next tour stop), all to loud heckling from an over-hyped audience member, who finally yelled for the singer to shut up. Some rockers would have spat at the heckler or directed the nearest bouncer to remove him body and spirit. But Grohl mildly countered, "OK, I'll shut up. I don't really have anything much to say anyway," and counted in the next song. Hoping to shed light on his new role as frontman, the former Nirvana drummer talked about his ongoing struggle with playing spokesperson and public face for the band: "It's totally collaborative. As far as being the frontman, there's definitely times where I feel like I'm not charismatic enough or I haven't really said enough funny things to the crowd -- maybe their expectations are that you'll be more like Ozzy Osbourne or David Bowie. But there's no point in trying to live up to those -- you'll just end up looking like a fuckin' idiot." The show Monday was the largest for the Foos thus far on their Australian tour and despite the fact that both band and crowd seemed to oscillate between bouts of extreme manic energy and a curiously tentative stand-off, Grohl seemed pleased. Interviewed after the show, drummer Taylor Hawkins chalked the weird energy up to the fact that the event was being taped by national network Triple J for broadcast later in the week. Whatever the reason, Grohl was on high energy that night, playing his part of the anti-frontman to a T. Opening with Grohl and Hawkins drumming along to the theme from "Shaft," Grohl leapt off the kit and strapped on a guitar for the set-opener "Monkey Wrench," which pummeled along at breakneck speed. This was followed in swift order by a majestic "Hey, Johnny Park" and a ferocious rendition of "Alone + Easy Target" from the band's 1995 debut. New kid on the block Franz Stahl has none of the imperious stagemanship of predecessor Smear, but he has the chops, and his steady-as-she-goes demeanor contrasts well with Grohl's puppy-off-the-leash enthusiasm. It's this kind of chemistry that keeps the Foos going, Grohl said. "When every band begins, you're making a great noise, having a blast, and it's a commitment -- if any one leaves, then the band breaks up. Every fucking band says that," Grohl said. "I just felt with both William and Pat leaving that there was too much potential, too many good songs and too many great shows to let it all turn to shit. So, new drummer, new guitarist -- here we are." Perhaps some of the uneasiness of the night was down to Grohl's seeming disregard for pacing or build up through the set. During the short pause that marks the boundary between the quieter first verse of "Up In Arms" and the power pop of its remainder, Grohl stood calmly in the spotlight wrapping his chewing gum around his tongue and staring out at the audience. He introduced one of his finest moments, "Big Me," in a heavily sarcastic tone as "This is me being really sensitive and introspective." The crowd saved its most frenzied moshing for "Weenie Beenie" and the encore appearance of "This Is a Call" (RealAudio excerpt), during which Grohl announced, "I could divide the hall and get you to sing along Freddie Mercury-style, but I won't." That didn't stop the room from bellowing out the entire song anyway. Earlier in the set, "My Poor Brain" also ignited the hall when Grohl screamed, "Sometimes I feel I'm getting stuck between the handshake and the fuck." It's an odd line but one that speaks volumes about Grohl and his attitude toward rock stardom, if not for its content then for its shear frankness. Initially dead-against a confessional style of songwriting, the singer says he came to see it as inevitable for the songs that ended up on the Foos' last LP, The Colour And The Shape: "You're sort-of torn when you write something so beautiful or powerful or that you think is special. Then once it's on paper, you have to step back and think, 'OK do I want to hold this up to anyone else, do I want anyone to know this stuff?' "There were things I felt needed to make their way into the songs," Grohl said. "I know that sounds hokey and pretentious, but it's true. If you have something like music as one of your only vehicles to express things you couldn't otherwise, then that's what happens." [Mon., Feb. 16, 1998, 9 a.m. PST] |
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