Band of the Week #13 - Foo Fighters

Foo Fighters was a band that was formed directly after the end of Nirvana, the band lead singer/guitar player David Grohl played drums for. David went into the studio for a week after hearing the news of Nirvana's lead singer Kurt Cobain's suicide. He recorded songs about how he felt, and released it as a demo tape dubbed "Foo Fighters".  Grohl wanted to stay anonymous for a while since Nirvana was one of the most famous bands at the time, and he didn't want to be under the microscope of the public for a short while. The demo tape garnered a lot of attention, and almost two decades later, the Foo Fighters are still going strong, writing hit songs like "Rope", "Monkey Wrench", and "The Pretender"

I initially got into this band when my old friend Jason showed me "The Pretender" music video back when it came out in 2007. The lyrics were almost mystical to me at the time, but what really made my jaw drop were the instrumentals. I never really heard anything quite like the Foo Fighters at that point. After hearing "The Pretender", I didn't really listen to them a lot until four to five years later. It wasn't because I didn't like them, it was just that I never listened to full albums a lot at that point. I only listened to a track here and there, but one day I just decided to listen to The Colour and the Shape and Echoes, Silence, Patience, & Grace from cover to cover and it was quite possibly one of the greatest decisions I ever made as a musician. There were songs on the albums that were soft acoustic tracks, and then there were tracks that were loud, kickass rock tracks. Each album had a perfect blend of soft tracks and loud tracks, thus providing the fans a very dynamic, strong catalog.

Foo Fighters have a lot to offer musically. They were never a four chord band, and they always wanted to push the envelope as musicians. Drummer Taylor Hawkins is a monster drummer and knows how to embellish tracks without overplaying and making pieces sound awkward. Bassist Nate Mendel keeps a great groove, and if you listen closely, adds nice tags to his bass lines to make sure that they don't just follow the simple root notes of the guitar. Chris Shiflett, the lead guitar player, plays very percussive lead parts that add a lot of flavor to the songs. Pat Smear, David Grohl's guitar player whilst in Nirvana, lays down a great rhythm guitar along with lead singer David Grohl. Grohl's vocals are an even blend of old school punk screaming, and melodic phrases make the band truly unique. Lyrically, their songs are varied and stretch across various topics. They don't strictly stick to romance and love as a point of topics, thus making them a well rounded band lyrically. The Foo Fighters have been one of those bands that has stood the test of time and I am sure they will be relevant in the music industry for years to come due to the bands' unique songs and their sheer creativity when it comes to writing songs. 

Rope: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbpqZT_56Ns

The Pretender: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBjQ9tuuTJQ

Monkey Wrench: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7rCNiiNPxA

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Music's Image

Why does music have to have an image? Why do musicians have to look or act a certain way to get a record label? What is with the stereotypes that rock stars have to do drugs, and have lots of sex, or the stigma that all country artists wear cowboy hats and the whole cowboy, lone ranger shebang? This concept is one of the most annoying things I see when I see how record labels sign artists; by their "image."

Musicians should be judged based on their merits. How well they can play, not just as band, but as individuals. How well the drummer can play his beat, or how well the guitar or bass players play when a string snaps. They should be judged on how well they play it, and how much energy or a crowd they can draw. If a local band is drawing a huge crowd of people that want to watch them, why should it matter how they look? Why should it matter if they look like the belong in Led Zeppelin or Avenged Sevenfold? Last time I checked, people like good music, music that they are interested in or that they can relate to, looks should come second. I understand that if a musician looks good, a fan might be more drawn to the band, but that should not play a large factor if the person like the act or not.

I know bands that look like they do not belong in the "scene" they claim they are part of, but they sound amazing and sure as hell belong in that "scene". Those bands, those groups of people writing music in someone's basement or in a big recording space, those are really people. We were always told as kids to not judge a book by its cover, why should we do so when it comes to bands and signing then. I thought it was the content of the book that mattered, not the pretty looking digitally remastered cover that was done with Photoshop. I remember hearing how record labels signed bands, and maybe they still do it this way... I recall hearing how record labels would send out a representative into a club where they had local bands playing. They would dress how they chose, whether it be casual or professional. Then they would watch the full set, all the bands and groups that performed. If they liked what they see, they might go to another show or two of the bands of interests, and then if they still like what they hear, they will give them card as an offer and from there it is up to band. Why can they not do things like that anymore, listen to the music, feel the energy, hear the crowd signing these local songs as loud as they can.

Music is something that should be limited to how one looks. I look like a guy that listens to post hardcore or "emo" music (kind of), but I fucking love Rage Against the Machine, System of a Down, 311, Paramore, Foo Fighters etc with every fiber in my body and would kill to see any of these bands live. It just seems really stupid and illogical to judge a band by their looks, and not by what they are creating and making. Labels should be more focused on the sound of the music, and how both the artist and the label could benefit from such a partnership, and not how the lead singer's hair looks, or how "brutal" the band looks. Image shouldn't be a credential for a band, and damn the person who first thought it should. 

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