Dave Grohl has always felt comfortable behind the kit. Playing at a pace that would leave most punk drummers in chaos, Grohl aimed to make as much noise as possible from behind the kit. This was before he ever considered becoming the lead singer of a band like Foo Fighters. Grohl can appreciate the power of restraint in other drummers, even though he carries some weight in his delivery.
Grohl, who hails from the school of masterful drumming, was always drawn to musicians like Neil Peart and John Bonham. The primary component that made both bands successful was the amount of power that went into every single strike. This ranged from Peart’s technical masterworks to Bonham’s raw, animalistic abilities, even though Led Zeppelin shared many similarities.
Dave Grohl applied all those lessons to Nirvana, using his drumming to write rhythmic hooks that resulted in the chaotic sound of “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” He also employed playful uses of his signature drum sound on songs like “Heart Shaped Box.” Grohl could pound a drumkit until it was begging for forgiveness, but one of his heroes is on the other extreme of the spectrum.
The White Stripes were starting to make their first moves toward success long after Foo Fighters had begun touring stadiums. Meg hammered away on the drums, adding a ramshackle spontaneity to the music, while Jack White wrote every track. Despite the band’s intention to return rock and roll to its origins, Meg’s drumming was unfairly viewed by many. This was because she only played the necessary parts of each song, leading to a perception of weakness.
Even though some rock fans objected, Grohl was among the first to praise Meg’s contributions to The White Stripes albums. He said, “She’s one of my favorite drummers!” For me, that has always been the gold standard because she is one of those drummers that you can tell who she is just by listening to 15 seconds of her recording.
Even though Grohl and Meg appear to have two distinct drumming styles on paper, both of their styles have a lot in common. On albums like Elephant and Nevermind, the drums aim to support the song, avoiding excessive accentuation of any note. Grohl and Meg compared their approach to that of children’s songs, lending a certain innocent quality to even their heaviest material.
Above all, Grohl expressed admiration for Meg’s sonic signature, saying, “That’s always been the challenge.” When you hear something and realize, “Oh, that’s John Bonham,” you want to know. That’s Charlie Watts, I see. That is Ringo. Stewart Copeland is that. Meg White is that person.
Meg could have remained one of the most recognizable voices in rock percussion. The White Stripes quit post-Icky Thump due to creative tension with Jack and Meg’s reluctance to tour. But even with all of Jack’s solo endeavors, his writing will never have the same intensity without Meg at his side.
