Dave Grohl has established a profession by being able to play everything a musician throws at him. Despite his major roles in Foo Fighters and Nirvana, Grohl collaborates widely, working with any artist who interests him. He has played alongside Nine Inch Nails and added his signature flair to jam sessions with artists such as Prince and Paul McCartney. Grohl claimed that, despite all of his collaborations, one song still tripped him up when performed live.
Grohl was already looking to go outside his role as Foo Fighters’ leader at the start of the 2000s. After a pause following the tour for There is Nothing Left to Lose, Grohl returned to Queens of the Stone Age. He collaborated with Josh Homme to create the concept album Songs for the Deaf.
While Grohl’s work on the record caused a schism between him and the rest of the band when he returned, it also sparked a successful creative connection with Homme. Homme appeared on the song ‘Razor‘ on their album In Your Honor. When both bands took vacations from each other, Grohl and Homme would rekindle their musical flame. Led Zeppelin’s John Paul Jones helped facilitate this collaboration.
Much of ‘Them Crooked Vultures‘ namesake album was created during various jam sessions between their main shows. Grohl would contribute to incredible pieces of hard rock like ‘New Fang’ and ‘Dead End Friends‘. However, one of the darkest tracks on the album ended up messing with his brain.
As the album neared its conclusion, ‘Reptiles‘ became one of the most challenging songs for the band to record in the studio. Grohl described the song as a nightmare when he first stood behind the kit to record it. Numerous distinct drum patterns played in sync with one another, adding to the challenging nature of the recording process.
Grohl reflected on his time in the studio and expressed his growing aggravation with not playing the tempo perfectly, adding, “I only started comprehending that song three weeks ago. It’s insane. Josh said he wanted me to hear all the different beats playing on one stereo, so I sat there as the guinea pig, wearing headphones. I was so furious that day and was angry. I was in the worst fucking mood because I didn’t understand the song, but now I do.”
Dave Grohl was not the only one who struggled to complete the tune. When creating the song, Homme stated how tough it was to internalize the various sections. The song frequently featured guitar parts that played in stark contrast to one another throughout.
The recording would not be Grohl’s only setback while working on the album. Grohl ended up in the hospital owing to chest symptoms while working on a new Foo Fighters record and ‘Them Crooked Vultures.‘ He was diagnosed with drinking too much coffee to get through the sessions. Despite numerous creative aspects, Grohl never encountered an obstacle he couldn’t manage during this period in the band’s history.
