Despite the name’s suggestion, the Foo Fighters were not always a band. In truth, it was initially nothing more than a placeholder meant to be modified later.
Some bands appear destined for stardom, such as My Chemical Romance. Guitarist Mikey Way discovered the appropriate moniker in the title of an Irvine Welsh book. Others, such as Wet Leg, rely on luck, spinning a wheel of random phrases until inspiration strikes. Then some find the entire process too difficult, leaving the critical choice in the hands of their label.
On the other hand, Dave Grohl himself admitted that he originated the name “The Foo Fighters” as a fun joke, intending it to be only a temporary stamp. As a member of Nirvana, Dave Grohl largely left the singing and writing to Kurt Cobain. But following his untimely death in 1994, the then-drummer wanted to stay in the music business. So he composed a handful of songs solo. However, apprehensive of how people would react to new songs penned to him, published it under the name ‘Foo Fighters’.
Grohl had developed an interest in unidentified flying objects (UFOs) and UFO novels at the time. Allied aircraft pilots during WWII used the phrase ‘Foo Fighter’ to describe UFOs or unusual aerial phenomena.
People frequently described these occurrences as luminous orbs, balls of light, or odd flying objects. The object seemed to follow or maneuver around the aircraft. The term “Foo” is derived from the French word “feu,” which means “fire“. They used it to classify these odd items.
However, while this looked like a fantastic idea at the moment, Grohl did not view it as a long-term commitment. “Had I considered this to be a career? I probably would have called it something else because it’s the stupidest fucking band name in the world”. He told the audience.
Grohl initially recorded the Foo Fighters’ debut album entirely on his own. He played all the instruments and sang. “I had recorded the first record by myself. But I wanted people to think that it was a group. I figured that ‘Foo Fighters’ might lead people to believe that it was more than just one guy,” Dave Grohl says, “Silly, huh?” he remarked. In 1995, he published the self-titled album Foo Fighters, which received widespread notice and success.
The name ‘Foo Fighters’ persisted as the concept grew into a full-fledged band. It has since become one of the most successful and lasting rock bands in the music business. That doesn’t stop them from having a little fun now and again, as they’re known to perform under aliases to build hype. They most recently performed at Glastonbury under the mysterious moniker The Churnups (which wasn’t all that mysterious), and before that, they performed under the name The Holy Shits.
Other famous bands have joined the Foo Fighters in their pursuit of the thrill of such covert efforts. Green Day and Metallica, among others, have adopted aliases, making it a time-honored custom to go into the shadows and grace a tiny stage in front of a small crowd of only a few hundred people.
