Foo Fighters
Biography
Foo Fighters is an American rock band that was formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1994. It was founded by Dave Grohl, the former drummer for the grunge band Nirvana, as a one-man project following the dissolution of Nirvana after the death of its frontman, Kurt Cobain. Grohl named the project "Foo Fighters" to hide his identity, a term used by Allied aircraft pilots during World War II to refer to UFOs and other aerial phenomena.
Formation and Debut Album
In October 1994, Grohl recorded an album's worth of material in which he played all the instruments himself at Robert Lang Studios in Seattle. He passed cassette copies of the sessions to friends, and the tapes soon attracted interest from record labels. Grohl signed with Capitol Records and released the self-titled album "Foo Fighters" in 1995 on his own label, Roswell Records. The album was a commercial success, with singles like "This Is a Call," "I'll Stick Around," and "Big Me" gaining popularity. To support the album on tour, Grohl recruited a full band, which included bassist Nate Mendel and drummer William Goldsmith from the recently disbanded Sunny Day Real Estate, as well as guitarist Pat Smear, who had been a touring member of Nirvana.
The Colour and the Shape and Lineup Changes
The band's second album, "The Colour and the Shape" (1997), was their first as a full group and is considered a significant work in the post-grunge genre. Inspired by Grohl's divorce, the album featured a more introspective and musically developed sound. During the recording sessions, tensions arose with drummer William Goldsmith, which led to Grohl re-recording most of the drum tracks himself, and Goldsmith subsequently left the band. He was replaced by Taylor Hawkins, who had been the touring drummer for Alanis Morissette. Shortly after the album's release, Pat Smear also departed, citing exhaustion, and was replaced by Franz Stahl, a former bandmate of Grohl's from Scream. This lineup, however, was short-lived, as Stahl was fired before the recording of their next album due to creative differences.
Mainstream Success and a Stable Lineup
In 1999, Foo Fighters released their third album, "There Is Nothing Left to Lose." This album marked a departure towards a softer, more experimental sound and featured the hit single "Learn to Fly," which became their first song to chart on the Billboard Hot 100. The album won a Grammy Award for Best Rock Album in 2001. Guitarist Chris Shiflett joined the band after the album's completion, solidifying a core lineup of Grohl, Mendel, Hawkins, and Shiflett that would remain for over two decades. The band continued their success with albums like "One by One" (2002) and the double album "In Your Honor" (2005), which featured both electric and acoustic discs. The single "Best of You" from "In Your Honor" became their highest-charting single, reaching number 18 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Later Years and Continued Evolution
Foo Fighters' subsequent albums include "Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace" (2007), "Wasting Light" (2011), "Sonic Highways" (2014), "Concrete and Gold" (2017), and "Medicine at Midnight" (2021). In 2010, Pat Smear officially rejoined the band. Keyboardist Rami Jaffee, who had been a touring and session musician with the band since 2005, became an official member in 2017. "Concrete and Gold" was noted for its blend of hard rock and pop sensibilities and was influenced by the political climate of the 2016 U.S. elections. "Medicine at Midnight" showed a shift towards a more dance-rock and pop-oriented sound.
Tragedy and "But Here We Are"
On March 25, 2022, the band was devastated by the sudden death of their longtime drummer, Taylor Hawkins, while on tour in Bogotá, Colombia. The band canceled their remaining tour dates. Following this immense loss, the Foo Fighters released their eleventh studio album, "But Here We Are," on June 2, 2023. The album is described as a brutally honest and emotionally raw response to the events the band had endured, serving as a testament to the healing power of music and friendship. It was the first album released after Hawkins' passing. Josh Freese was later announced as the new drummer for the band's live performances.