Dave Grohl facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dave Grohl
|
|
|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg)
Grohl performing in Washington, D.C. in September 2023
|
|
| Born |
David Eric Grohl
January 14, 1969 Warren, Ohio, U.S.
|
| Occupation |
|
| Years active | 1982–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Jennifer Leigh Youngblood
(m. 1994; div. 1997)Jordyn Blum
(m. 2003) |
| Children | 4, including Violet Grohl |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | |
| Instruments |
|
David Eric Grohl (born January 14, 1969) is a famous American musician. He is best known for starting the rock band Foo Fighters, where he is the lead singer, guitarist, and main songwriter. Before that, he was the drummer for the popular grunge band Nirvana from 1990 to 1994.
Grohl's music journey began when he joined the punk rock band Scream at age 17. After Scream broke up, he joined Nirvana and played on their hit album Nevermind (1991). When Nirvana ended in 1994, Grohl created Foo Fighters as a one-man project. The first album, Foo Fighters, was released in 1995. He then formed a full band, and they have released 11 studio albums together.
Besides Foo Fighters, Grohl is the drummer for the rock group Them Crooked Vultures. He has also worked with bands like Queens of the Stone Age and Tenacious D. He has directed music videos, documentaries like Sound City, and even starred in a movie with the Foo Fighters called Studio 666.
Grohl has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice: once with Nirvana in 2014 and again with Foo Fighters in 2021.
Contents
Early Life and First Bands
Dave Grohl was born in Warren, Ohio, on January 14, 1969. His mother, Virginia, was a teacher, and his father, James, was a newswriter. When he was a child, his family moved to Springfield, Virginia. His parents divorced when he was seven, and he grew up with his mother.
At age 12, Grohl started learning to play the guitar. He didn't like lessons, so he taught himself by listening to music. He and his older sister, Lisa, both loved music, especially artists like David Bowie.
When he was 13, Grohl visited his cousin in Evanston, Illinois. She introduced him to punk rock by taking him to concerts. This experience changed his life. He said, "From then on we were totally punk."
Back in Virginia, Grohl played in several local bands during high school. He taught himself to play the drums by listening to bands like Rush and punk rock artists. He was very influenced by drummers like John Bonham of Led Zeppelin.
Music Career
Scream (1986–1990)
At 17, Grohl auditioned to be the drummer for the local punk band Scream. He lied about his age to get the part. To his surprise, they asked him to join. He decided to leave high school to tour with the band. "I was 17 and extremely anxious to see the world, so I did it," he said.
Grohl toured with Scream for four years. He recorded a live album and two studio albums with them. He even wrote and sang a song called "Gods Look Down." In 1990, Scream suddenly broke up in the middle of a tour.
Nirvana (1990–1994)
While in Scream, Grohl became friends with the band the Melvins. After Scream ended, Grohl asked Melvins' guitarist Buzz Osborne for advice. Osborne told him that the band Nirvana needed a drummer and gave him the phone numbers for Kurt Cobain and Krist Novoselic. They invited Grohl to Seattle, and he soon joined the band.
Nirvana's second album, Nevermind (1991), was a huge success all over the world. It made the band one of the biggest in music. During this time, Grohl also wrote and recorded his own songs, which he released on a cassette called Pocketwatch under the name "Late!"
Grohl started to contribute more songs to Nirvana. He wrote the guitar riff for the song "Scentless Apprentice." He also wrote a song called "Marigold," which was released as a B-side on the "Heart-Shaped Box" single.
Before a tour in 1994, Grohl and Novoselic worked on demos for some of Grohl's songs. These included early versions of future Foo Fighters songs like "Big Me" and "February Stars." Nirvana ended after the death of Kurt Cobain in April 1994. Grohl was later inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Nirvana.
Foo Fighters (1994–present)
After Nirvana ended, Grohl wasn't sure what to do. He went to Ireland to think about his future. He said he saw a hitchhiker wearing a Kurt Cobain T-shirt, which made him realize he couldn't run away from his past. He decided to continue with music.
In October 1994, he recorded a 15-song demo by himself, playing all the instruments. He didn't want it to be a solo project, so he formed a band. He asked guitarist Pat Smear (who had toured with Nirvana) and two members of the band Sunny Day Real Estate, Nate Mendel (bass) and William Goldsmith (drums), to join him.
The demo was released in 1995 as the first Foo Fighters album, Foo Fighters. The band then went on tour.
Building the Band
.jpeg)
For the second album, The Colour and the Shape (1997), there was some tension in the band. Grohl ended up re-recording most of the drum parts himself. After this, drummer William Goldsmith left the band. He was replaced by Taylor Hawkins. This album had hit singles like "Everlong", "My Hero", and "Monkey Wrench".
Over the years, the band's lineup changed. Guitarist Pat Smear left and was replaced by Franz Stahl, who was later replaced by Chris Shiflett. The band continued to release successful albums, including There Is Nothing Left to Lose (1999) and One by One (2002).
Continued Success
Foo Fighters released their fifth album, In Your Honor, in 2005. It was a double album, with one disc of rock songs and one disc of acoustic songs. It featured guest artists like John Paul Jones from Led Zeppelin.
Their next albums, Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace (2007) and Wasting Light (2011), were also very popular. Wasting Light was the band's first album to reach number one in the United States.
In 2014, the band released Sonic Highways. For this album, they recorded each of the eight songs in a different American city. The project was also turned into a TV series for HBO.
The Broken Leg Tour and Beyond
.jpg)
On June 12, 2015, during a concert in Sweden, Grohl fell off the stage and broke his leg. He left for a short time but came back to finish the show with a cast on his leg. To continue their North American tour, Grohl designed a giant "throne" to sit on while he played.
The band released Concrete and Gold in 2017 and Medicine at Midnight in 2021. In March 2022, the band's drummer, Taylor Hawkins, passed away. The band canceled their tour dates. In June 2023, Foo Fighters released the album But Here We Are, which is dedicated to Hawkins and Grohl's mother, Virginia, who also passed away in 2022.
Other Projects
Grohl has worked on many music projects outside of his main bands.
- Probot: In the early 2000s, he created a heavy metal project called Probot. He invited his favorite metal singers from the 1980s to sing on the album.
- Them Crooked Vultures: In 2009, he formed a supergroup with Josh Homme (from Queens of the Stone Age) and John Paul Jones. They released one album together.
- Collaborations: He has played drums for many artists, including Queens of the Stone Age, Tenacious D, Paul McCartney, Nine Inch Nails, and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.
- Filmmaking: Grohl directed the 2013 documentary Sound City about a famous recording studio. He also directed the TV series Sonic Highways and the 2021 documentary What Drives Us.
Personal Life
Grohl was married to Jennifer Leigh Youngblood from 1994 to 1997. In 2003, he married Jordyn Blum. They live in Los Angeles and have three daughters, born in 2006, 2009, and 2014. In September 2024, Grohl announced he had a fourth daughter. In March 2025, it was reported that he and his wife were working on their marriage.
Grohl has hearing loss in his left ear from years of playing loud music. He often reads lips to understand people, especially since people started wearing masks.
In 2012, he was named the third-wealthiest drummer in the world.
Honors
In 2009, Grohl was given the key to his hometown of Warren, Ohio. A street in the city, "David Grohl Alley," was named after him and features murals painted by local artists.
In 2012, Warren also created the world's largest drumsticks, which weigh over 900 pounds (409 kg), in his honor.
Grohl has appeared as a musical guest on Saturday Night Live 15 times, more than any other musician. He has performed with Nirvana, Foo Fighters, and other artists on the show.
Images for kids
-
Foo Fighters in 2009; from left to right: Hawkins, Shiflett, Grohl, Mendel
-
Grohl in 2005
-
Grohl in July 2008
-
Grohl with his signature Gibson DG-335 guitar
-
Dave Grohl with his Gibson Dove acoustic guitar in 2008
See also
In Spanish: Dave Grohl para niños
