As an eclectic rock music fan, Dave Grohl always takes great pride in that. In addition to his work with Nirvana and Foo Fighters, Grohl has played with everyone from Tenacious D to Queens of the Stone Age to Nine Inch Nails. In the spotlight, he took intriguing musical turns, filling his resume with some of the most unconventional choices. Grohl brought back every aspect of his musical lexicon to the punk rock genre, even with his distinct musical sensibilities.
Grohl’s musical sense started with The Beatles, long before he became exposed to the heavy sounds of bands like Black Sabbath or Led Zeppelin. Grohl spent his early years trying to get every song to sound just right. Armed only with a guitar and a songbook full of the Fab Four’s greatest hits, he pursued his musical journey.
But Grohl started paying attention to what else the genre had to offer after he started hearing the songs of bands like Kiss and Aerosmith. Listening to bands like Led Zeppelin for the first time transformed Grohl into a hardened rock fan. This was aside from the great singalongs from John Lennon and Paul McCartney.
While many aspiring musicians struggled to play the complex solos of their favorite bands, a new genre was emerging. This genre was going to completely change the hard rock landscape. Punk music featured bands destined to play the barest minimum whenever they took the stage. It was a strong protest against the status quo following years of progressive rock ruling the album charts.
Even though Ramones may have started the whole thing in America, Sex Pistols’ album Nevermind the Bollocks was the catalyst for the movement’s peak. John Lydon wrote some of the most biting lyrics anyone had ever heard. Lydon wanted nothing more than to diminish the previous generation of rock and roll. His debut punk release was one of the most influential of its era.
When Grohl first heard the album, he was amazed at what could be achieved with just a few chords. Grohl believed that the album deserved a place among the best records ever released by a rock and roll band. Despite not being as sophisticated as The Beatles or Led Zeppelin.
Regarding the record’s longevity, Grohl would name “God Save the Queen” as among the most significant releases ever made. He said to NME, “Is there any rock musician who doesn’t think that’s one of the best rock ‘n’ roll records ever made? It’s a classic, and it motivated everyone to carry out the current actions.
Grohl approached the punk ethos with more humour, despite Lydon’s determination to burn down everything in his path. Grohl understood that the strength of the music originated from the inner feeling rather than any kind of external aggression. Even outside of the various punk fashion statements. Even though punk was all about playing straightforward music, Grohl knew that his heart’s form would ultimately shape future generations’ musical tastes.
