The Foo Fighters are one of the most popular rock bands in the world, and they have sold millions of albums since they formed in 1994. The band’s founder, Dave Grohl, was previously the drummer for Nirvana – one of the most influential bands of all time. Grohl’s transition from being the drummer for Nirvana to the frontman for the Foo Fighters was a massive accomplishment, but it wasn’t all smooth sailing. In fact, one of the most interesting stories from the early days of the Foo Fighters is about the first song that Kurt Cobain heard from the new band: “Friend of a Friend.”
The Early Days of the Foo Fighters
After the death of Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain in 1994, Dave Grohl wasn’t sure what he wanted to do next. He took some time off and eventually started recording some songs on his own as a way to work through his grief and try to make sense of everything that had happened. Grohl played all the instruments himself, and at first, he didn’t plan to release any of the music he was making. But as he continued to work on the songs, he realized that he had something special.
In the summer of 1994, Grohl released a cassette tape called “Pocketwatch” under the pseudonym Late! The tape featured a number of songs that would eventually be reworked for the first Foo Fighters album, along with some new material. But it wasn’t until later that year that Grohl started to think seriously about forming a new band.
Initially, Grohl didn’t want to be the frontman for the new band – he just wanted to play drums. But he struggled to find a singer who fit with his vision for the music, so he decided to take on the role himself. The first lineup of the Foo Fighters included Grohl on vocals and guitar, Pat Smear on guitar, and Nate Mendel on bass. William Goldsmith joined on drums shortly after.
The Story of “Friend of a Friend”
“Friend of a Friend” was one of the first songs that Dave Grohl wrote for the Foo Fighters. It was originally recorded in secret in 1990, during his time with Nirvana, and it features Grohl on acoustic guitar and vocals. Grohl wrote the song shortly after he met Kurt Cobain and Krist Novoselic, and it’s about his first impressions of the two of them.
The story goes that one day, while the three of them were hanging out, Cobain heard Grohl playing the song on guitar and asked him what it was. Grohl said it was a new song he had written, and Cobain asked if he could hear it. After listening to Grohl play the song all the way through, Cobain reportedly said, “That’s a good song, you should record that.”
Grohl took Cobain’s advice and recorded the song later that year, but it didn’t surface until after Nirvana broke up. In 1995, a live version of “Friend of a Friend” was included on the Foo Fighters’ debut album, along with a number of other songs that Grohl had recorded on his own.
Conclusion
“Friend of a Friend” is a fascinating song for many reasons – not least of which is the fact that it was the first song Kurt Cobain heard from the new band that Dave Grohl was forming. The song may have been nearly five years old by the time it was released on the Foo Fighters’ debut album, but it still holds up as a classic example of Grohl’s songwriting style. And while it may be impossible to say exactly what Cobain thought of the song, it’s clear that he saw potential in his friend’s music – potential that Grohl would go on to fully realize with the success of the Foo Fighters.
FAQ
How many Foo Fighter songs are about Kurt Cobain?
Dave Grohl, the frontman of the Foo Fighters, was a close friend and bandmate of Kurt Cobain, the late lead singer of Nirvana. Grohl has spoken publicly about their friendship and the impact that Cobain had on his life and music career. Many fans of Nirvana and the Foo Fighters wonder how many of the latter’s songs are about Cobain.
While it is undeniable that Cobain’s death had a profound effect on Grohl, he has only written one song about his late friend. The song in question is “Friend of a Friend,” which appeared on the Foo Fighters’ debut album in 1995. The lyrics of the song reflect Grohl’s emotional journey as he grapples with the loss of Cobain, whom he describes as his “mentor” and “hero.” The song is a haunting acoustic ballad that showcases Grohl’s raw and vulnerable side.
Apart from “Friend of a Friend,” none of the Foo Fighters’ other songs are explicitly about Cobain. However, some fans have speculated that certain lyrics and themes in the band’s music may be inspired by Grohl’s feelings towards his friend’s tragic passing. For example, the song “Everlong” has been interpreted by some as a tribute to Cobain, with its refrain of “If everything could ever feel this real forever / If anything could ever be this good again.” However, Grohl has not confirmed this interpretation, and it remains purely speculative.
While the Foo Fighters’ music is undoubtedly influenced by Grohl’s relationship with Cobain, the band has only ever released one song that directly deals with his death and the impact it had on their friendship. Grohl has always been clear that he wants the Foo Fighters to stand on their own as a separate entity from Nirvana, and he has never tried to capitalize on his connection to Cobain for commercial gain.
How long after Kurt Cobain died did Dave Grohl start Foo Fighters?
Kurt Cobain, the lead singer and guitarist of the legendary grunge band Nirvana, passed away on April 5, 1994, leaving his bandmates and fans in shock and mourning. One of Cobain’s bandmates, Dave Grohl, was the drummer of Nirvana and had been with the band throughout its eight-year career. However, after Cobain’s death, Grohl was uncertain about his future in the music industry.
Just after Cobain’s death, Grohl went to a friend’s house with a guitar that Kurt Cobain had given him. He began writing songs and recording them with a simple 4-track recorder, under the pseudonym “Late!” which he would later change to Foo Fighters. He never intended to release the songs commercially and instead, used the recording process as a therapeutic activity to deal with the tragedy of Cobain’s death.
In the summer of 1994, Grohl returned to Seattle and recorded twelve more songs under the name Foo Fighters. Six months after Cobain’s death, Grohl signed a contract with Capitol Records for the release of an album and officially formed a band under the name Foo Fighters. The band’s first album, self-titled “Foo Fighters,” was released in 1995 and included all the songs that Grohl had put together in his initial sessions.
The album was an instant hit and received critical acclaim for its use of melody and Grohl’s songwriting skills. With its success, Grohl continued his music career, and Foo Fighters became one of the most successful bands of the 1990s and early 2000s. Although he never intended for the music to be anything other than a personal outlet, Grohl’s decision to form Foo Fighters following Cobain’s death has become a huge part of his legacy.
Did Dave Grohl know Kurt Cobain?
Yes, Dave Grohl and Kurt Cobain knew each other quite well. Grohl was the drummer for Cobain’s band Nirvana from 1990 until the band disbanded after Cobain’s death in 1994. While it’s unclear exactly how close the two were, they did live together in a small apartment in Olympia, Washington during the early years of Nirvana.
Grohl has spoken about his relationship with Cobain in interviews over the years. In an interview with Howard Stern in 2020, Grohl said, “Living with him in that tiny apartment in Olympia, Washington, there was some sort of bond. But it was much different than his relationship with Krist Novoselic.” Novoselic was the bassist for Nirvana.
Despite living together and playing together in Nirvana, the two reportedly weren’t particularly close on a personal level. In an interview with Rolling Stone in 2019, Grohl reflected on his friendship with Cobain, saying, “It was a strange thing, because Kurt and I were really close in some ways, and really distant in others. We had a lot of respect and admiration for each other, but there were other times when we didn’t speak at all. We both had our demons, and sometimes they got in the way.”
Grohl also spoke about his last encounter with Cobain in a 2014 interview with NPR. He said, “I remember the last conversation I ever had with Kurt. It was around three in the morning. We were backstage in Munich, Germany. We had just finished playing this big festival. We were standing in this hallway, and he said, ‘Hey, man. You know, I think I’m done. I think I’m just gonna go home.’ And I was like, ‘What do you mean?’ He said, ‘I think I’m done with music. I just can’t do it anymore.’ And I just hugged him, I didn’t know what else to do.”
While the exact nature of Grohl and Cobain’s friendship may have been complicated, it’s clear that they knew each other well and had a shared history playing together in one of the most influential bands of the 1990s.