The drummer Dave Grohl called “an inspiration to millions”
As the drummer of Nirvana, Dave Grohl quickly asserted his name amongst the finest to sit behind the kit. From hits such as ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ to fan favourites like ‘Scentless Apprentice’, his elemental approach to rhythm proved to be the final piece of the puzzle for the grunge band. It’s no surprise that they rose so meteorically after he joined.
Whilst the era-defining trio might have tragically come to an end following the suicide of frontman Kurt Cobain in April 1994, after a period of intense soul-searching and existential questions, Dave Grohl returned with a new band, Foo Fighters. Writing and playing all the songs on their eponymous debut, he once again asserted his chops as a drummer before resoundingly demonstrating his breadth of talent outside the kit.
However, the band’s success would also open Grohl up to many other artistic opportunities to continue to show why he is one of the greatest drummers the modern world has ever seen. Whether it be bringing the thunder to Queens of the Stone Age’s 2002 masterpiece, Songs for the Deaf, Killing Joke’s self-titled 2003 effort, or Nine Inch Nail’s With Teeth, Grohl has provided much evidence to confirm his status as one of the finest rhythmic maestros the world has ever known.
Given that he is such an accomplished drummer, Grohl is regularly asked to name his heroes in this field. One man he has effused about several times is the late Rush drummer Neil Peart, a technical maestro who provided many scintillating moments. He made a significant impact on Grohl when he was a young prodigy trying to make his mark on the breakables.
As a deeply self-aware music fan, Grohl knows it wasn’t just his life that Neil Peart changed for the better. After the Canadian passed away in 2020, the Foo Fighters leader led the tributes, writing in a statement: “An inspiration to millions with an unmistakable sound who spawned generations of musicians (like myself) to pick up two sticks and chase a dream. A kind, thoughtful, brilliant man who ruled our radios and turntables not only with his drumming but also his beautiful words.”
He continued: “I still vividly remember my first listen of ‘2112′ when I was young. It was the first time I really listened to a drummer. And since that day, music has never been the same. His power, precision, and composition was incomparable. He was called ‘The Professor’ for a reason: we all learned from him.”
Watch Neil Peart in action below.
