Though Dave Grohl is best known today as the frontman and guitarist for Foo Fighters, he has always considered himself a drummer at heart. His career began behind the drums with Nirvana, where he contributed to their final two studio albums, Nevermind and In Utero. After Kurt Cobain’s tragic death in 1994, Grohl went on to establish himself as a multi-talented songwriter with Foo Fighters, turning the band into one of rock’s most influential acts over the past 30 years.
It’s unlikely that Grohl would have ever limited himself to just one musical role, as his talent and creativity would have driven him to explore new projects and release his own material regardless of Nirvana’s untimely end. Although he has kept active as a drummer in various projects, such as his work with Queens of the Stone Age and Them Crooked Vultures, Grohl’s primary focus has remained on Foo Fighters and the band’s success.
Despite his time now spent fronting Foo Fighters, Grohl’s experience as a drummer still heavily influences his approach to playing other instruments. His unorthodox guitar-playing techniques, particularly his rhythmic style, are directly shaped by his drumming background. Grohl is widely known as a rhythm guitarist rather than a lead player, often leaving the more intricate melodic parts to guitarist Chris Shiflett. Given that drums are inherently a rhythm-based instrument, it makes sense that Grohl’s guitar playing reflects this sensibility.
In a 2010 interview, Grohl expanded on his rhythm-driven approach to guitar, emphasizing its importance to Foo Fighters’ sound. “For me, it’s important in the Foo Fighters that we have that textural side and there’s color in what we do, but I consider myself Malcolm Young. That’s how I like to play guitar. I like to play guitar like a drummer.” He pointed to songs like “Everlong” and “The Pretender” as examples of this rhythm-heavy style.
Grohl went on to elaborate that he imagines each guitar string as a different part of the drumkit. The low E string, he said, represents the kick drum, the A and D strings are akin to the snare, and the three highest strings mimic the cymbals. “If a chorus comes up,” he continued, “you can imagine me washing on the cymbals. So when I play it on guitar, I’m usually letting the bottom strings ring out underneath a chord that moves around.”
While Grohl is often praised for his rhythm guitar skills, he humbly acknowledges the many others who excel far beyond his own abilities. “I have the most respect for the rhythm guitarists of the world,” he said. “James Hetfield? That guy is an unbelievable rhythm guitarist. Malcolm Young, he’s amazing. Keith Richards too – he’s got swing and groove in the way he plays. It’s a big part of the song, so I don’t fuck around too much – just get in there and go.”
These legendary players are widely considered some of the greatest rhythm guitarists in rock history. However, Grohl’s own playing has undoubtedly influenced just as many young musicians, and while he may joke about being a drummer with a guitar in his hands, his contributions to the genre deserve to be recognized alongside these iconic figures.
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