Double Nickels on the Drums: Dave Grohl at 55
Looking back at a driven and definitive rock star
Dave Grohl, who turns 55 today, is a rock star in the truest sense.
Of course that goes without saying, given his essential role in Nirvana, a band that brought grunge to the mainstream, and later his founding of Foo Fighters, an outfit which has enjoyed worldwide success and brought him fame and fortune in the process.
While that would be enough for most musicians, his ambitions didn’t end there, having played a pivotal role in two other essential outfits, Them Crooked Vultures, with former Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones and Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age.
Consequently, if credits and credentials alone were enough to ensure his stature, he could tout plenty of similar associations as well. He’s so well circulated in fact that he’s often had to use a pseudonym to reference his outside activities. He released a music cassette titled Pocketwatch under the alias of “Late!” and adopted the handle “Dale Nixon” when he played on the solo EP, King Buzzo by Buzz Osborne of the Melvins.
He used another handle when he wrote and recorded an entire album devoted to heavy metal, adapting the name “Probot.” He then took full advantage of his rock star connections by enlisting the help of some of favorite metal vocalists — among them, Lemmy of Motörhead, Conrad Lant of Venom, and members of Void, King Diamond and Sepultura.
VIDEO: Probot feat. Lemmy “Shake Your Blood”
As if that wasn’t enough to prove his prowess, he also guested with David Bowie, Mike Watt, Tom Petty, Pearl Jam, Killing Joke, Slash Duff McKagan, Prodigy, Tenacious D, and Ghost, among others at various points his career. He holds the distinction of appearing on Saturday Night Live more times than any other musician, and has frequently made cameos with the cast while participating in their various comedic sketches.
Naturally, it takes a rock star to run in rock star circles, and clearly Grohl operates at the highest tier. He performed as part of an ad-hoc supergroup alongside Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello and Steven Van Zandt while paying homage to the Clash’s Joe Strummer. It wasn’t the first time he mingled in rock star circles; in 1993, he helped organize an all-star outfit to perform the early music of the Beatles for the film Backbeat, forming a band that consisted of Mike Mills of R.E.M., Greg Dull of the Afghan Whigs, Soul Asylum’s Dave Pirner and Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth.
VIDEO: Paul McCartney feat. Dave Grohl “Band On The Run” (Live at Glastonbury 2022)
Speaking of the Beatles, his association with Paul McCartney may be his greatest accomplishment of all. In June 2008, he was invited by McCartney to participate in a concert that took place in Macca’s hometown of Liverpool as part of the city’s designation as a European Capitol of Culture. He performed several songs with McCartney and his band and them repeated the feat at the Grammy Awards by playing drums on a rendition of “I Saw Her Standing There.” When McCartney was inducted as a Kennedy Center honoree, Grohl was one of the artists that paid him tribute.
McCartney returned the favor at the 12-12-12 Concert for Sandy Relief when he joined the surviving members of Nirvana — Grohl, Krist Novoselic and Pat Smear — and stood in for Kurt Cobain for the first combined performance by the three former Nirvana bandmates in 18 years. In 2022, Grohl guested with McCartney at the Glastonbury music festival.
Suffice it to say, when Paul McCartney gives you the nod, you are a rock star indeed!
The fact that Grohl, a self-taught musician who taught himself to play by ear, excels on drums, guitar and vocals (he’s actually made various individual recordings entirely on his own) clearly adds to his rock star acumen. He initially proved his potential when he joined his first band, Scream, at age 17. Still, it takes attitude as well as ability to achieve special distinction. He certainly looks the part, given his long black locks and a bemused expression that clearly reflects the fact he relishes the opportunity to stand in the spotlight. During a keynote speech at South By Southwest, in March 2013, he mentioned that it was the song “Frankenstein” by Edgar Winter that inspired him to become a musician.
Clearly, he exceeded his early ambitions. Twice inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame — once with Nirvana, and more recently with the Foo Fighters — he’s released eleven Foo Fighters studio albums, a memoir, various self-produced documentaries, band’s videos — he’s achieved worldwide recognition and ongoing influence.
In the process, this Everyman could easily be considered the epitome of every kid’s rock star dream.
VIDEO: Dave Grohl SXSW speech 2013
In that same SXSW address, Grohl suggested the following: “There is no right or wrong—there is only your voice … What matters most is that it’s your voice. Cherish it. Respect it. Nurture it. Challenge it. Respect it.”
In that regard. Grohl’s true rock star qualities shine through. He’s been an advocate for sane gun laws, a supporter of marriage equality and gay rights, a proponent of drug education, and a committed campaigner for Presidents Barrack Obama and Joe Biden. Foo Fighters performed at the Democratic National Convention when Obama received his nomination and later, at Biden’s inaugural celebration.
Not surprisingly, a road in his former hometown of Warren Ohio was renamed “David Grohl Alley.”
David Grohl is rumored to be the third richest drummer in the world, behind Ringo Starr and Phil Collins, with an estimated worth of $260 million. The fact is, he’s attained rock star riches that are measured as much by merit as they are by material wealth.
VIDEO: Dave Grohl vs. Animal on Jimmy Kimmel Live
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