Birthdate: January 14, 1969
Band: Scream, Nirvana, Foo Fighters
Instrument: Drums, Guitar, Bass Guitar, Vocals, Production
Age in 2023: 55
There has never been an artist quite like Dave Grohl. Who else could break out of the D.C. hardcore scene to play in the most recognizable grunge band of all time and form one of the most prolific rock groups in history? The answer, is Dave Grohl. Born in 1969 in Warren, Ohio Grohl moved to Virginia as a child. Grohl’s formative music experiences were similar to those of many other rock fans. A fan of Bad Brains, Rush, and anyone who played the 9:30 club in D.C. Grohl is a massive punk fan. Introduced to punk by his cousin he spent his high school years playing in various D.C. hardcore bands including Dain Bramage and Scream. Rumor has it Grohl was even offered a spot in shock rock group GWAR but ultimately turned it down!
Shortly after Scream disbanded Grohl became the new drummer of Nirvana. Grohl put out two albums with the band Nevermind and In Utero. As time went on Grohl took a larger role in the group’s songwriting process after Kurt Cobain heard Grohl working on music and liked his sound. With Nirvana Grohl has a diamond certified record in Nevermind, a multi-platinum record with In Utero, and won a Grammy in 1996. After touring extensively and becoming a cultural behemoth Nirvana ultimately disbanded after the untimely death of Kurt Cobain.
Grohl has been open about his personal struggles and his disdain for music after Cobain’s death. Turning down offers from bands such as Danzig, Grohl eventually got back into music by producing and recording the first Foo Fighters completely on his own. If you didn’t know Dave Grohl before 1995, it was certainly hard to miss him after. His debut Foo Fighters album cracked the US Billboard Top 200 chart. 11 studio albums and nearly 20 years later Foo Fighters are still going strong thanks to Dave Grohl. One of the most popular bands touring today they have made Grohl a household name. Dave Grohl went from a Washington D.C. 80s hardcore kid to a Grammy winning artist who has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame not once, but twice.
Check out five of Dave Grohl’s best songs below!
