An Uncontrollable Urge: The song that made Dave Grohl take down his Kiss poster
Being a fan of Foo Fighters always brings an element of surprise. On the one hand, fellow fanatics might eagerly dive in, asking about your favourite tunes. On the other, it turns into a delightful game of musical Tetris as people try to decode whether your love for the band stems from rock or punk roots. Fortunately, Dave Grohl has navigated each and every response his whole life. And with his vast array of influences, it’s no wonder his journey could fill an entire book.
Grohl has always had a natural affinity with great rock bands, which makes complete sense, considering the sonic sensibilities that influenced Nirvana and his former bandmate Kurt Cobain. As he stepped into the role of group leader, however, his musical horizons expanded, as did the posters on his bedroom wall. Bands like Led Zeppelin and Kiss were no longer Foo Fighters’ sole driving force, and Grohl discovered the wonderful world of new wave and punk rock.
This path led Grohl to discover bands like Devo, signifying a major turning point in his musical tastes, which hadn’t previously ventured outside of the realm of rock and metal. “I put all other records in the attic,” Grohl said, describing his excitement after stumbling across the artistry of Devo. The transformation of his interests wasn’t random, though; there was a chronology that perhaps shines more light on the evolution of Foo Fighters than any other influencing factors.
A lot of the music that Grohl grew up listening to was almost always suggested by friends or family – his cousin turned him on to Rush’s 2112, for instance. When he came across Devo, he remembers it feeling like the first real “introduction to punk rock”. This wasn’t just a regular resonance; it flicked a switch in his mind, making him want to reinvent his entire approach to music. “I took the Kiss poster down and just wanted to get weird,” he said.
Grohl has a particular appreciation for their highly energetic song ‘Uncontrollable Urge’, which incorporates the same kind of rhythm and celebration of rebellion and defiance that you might find in many of Foo Fighters’ hits. It also reflects Grohl’s love for melody, which is often one of the most attractive elements of Foo Fighters’ music. Similar to Devo, Grohl’s sound often transcends mere noise; they boast genuinely infectious hooks that draw listeners back time and again.
However, his gravitation towards heavier, more meaningful music also explains his love for hardcore punk. This is especially understandable considering Grohl’s heavy involvement in the early resurgence of the genre before its transformation into the diverse genre that it is today. In fact, he frequently cites two of hardcore’s seminal acts, Minor Threat and Bad Brains, among his favourites, describing the latter as an influence that he “fucking loved”.
Maybe all of this is why being a Foo Fighters fan feels like declaring, “I love a lot of music”. Grohl, with his boundless curiosity for unearthing the latest and greatest, infused this same fervour into his own music. As a result, the band’s dynamic sounds serve as a beacon, showcasing the cream of the crop from the myriad genres Grohl encountered on his musical journey.
