The classic rock legend Dave Grohl and Elton John agreed was “irreplacable”
When it comes to archetypal rock stars, Dave Grohl and Elton John sit at opposite ends of the spectrum.
After all, while one plays into the typical role associated with such figures – with messy hair, a raspy, rock ‘n’ roll voice and an on-stage demeanour that panders to that sharp-edged attitude connected with most rock legends – the other emerged as the antithesis, playing on expectations of what rock should look like and sound like.
But when you look at it in another way, both of them achieved similar things for the rock landscape, smashing the glass ceiling with two distinctive approaches to music creativity and innovation. After all, Grohl emerged from one of the greatest grunge bands of all time, playing from the literal sidelines where he was often overshadowed by the genius of Kurt Cobain.
Coming out of that would have been a challenge for anybody, not just creatively, but in terms of existing in the music world when you’ve just lost someone close to you. But Grohl channelled much of this energy into his own project, focusing on what he had to bring to the table, even if it wasn’t going to reach anywhere near the same levels as Nirvana.
But it went even further, and Foo Fighters ultimately changed the entire game for modern rock, with Grohl at the forefront of an explosive resurgence that proved its place in mainstream spaces. The Foos weren’t just a success for Grohl’s second coming; they were a success for the genre in a broader sense, and the result of complete and utter commitment to creating an entirely new channel of music expression at the tail-end of an era.
John, by comparison, completely ripped out the rulebook and made a new one, all while creating new community siloes where there were previously none. After all, when you think of queer communities in music, it doesn’t take long before John’s name comes up, and that’s without considering all the other boundaries he smashed along the way, like completely going against what is expected for a rock singer to look like, for one.
Considering their opposing territories, you’d think they wouldn’t have much in common, but the fact that they both managed to achieve so much when the odds were stacked against them means that they do actually share common ground, and not just in terms of achievements, and in fact, when it comes to influences and legends, both Grohl and John believe that Tom Petty was it.
“Tom Petty’s music and songs are timeless,” John wrote on social media. “They sound as relevant now as ever. He was a wonderful writer, musician and singer. Irreplaceable and unique. This is such a sad, sad day.” Elsewhere, Grohl said that Petty was one of the most influential songwriters in history, with many of his songs, including ‘Breakdown’, ‘American Girl’, and Refugee’, sitting among his all-time favourites.
Grohl and John might not seem to be cut from the same cloth, but they’re rooted in many of the same influences, emerging from the same pool that taught all the greats about what a true legend actually is. They might’ve broken off into their respective arenas, but when you really look, there are more similarities than meets the eye.
