"The Storyteller" by Dave Grohl
The autobiography of Nirvana’s drummer and the Foo Fighters’ frontman.
I’ve never been a huge Nirvana fan, although I like a lot of their songs, and I respect their influence on music. I’ve also never been a huge Foo Fighters fan, although I like a lot of their music and admit they completely rock. But somehow, I’ve always been a Dave Grohl fan. I just like the guy. And this book made me like him even more.
Several people have recommended this book to me since it was published just a few years ago, and I can see why. The title The Storyteller is appropriate, and Grohl has some great stories that resonate whether you’re a Nirvana or Foo Fighters fan or not.
He taught himself to play the drums and had the courage to punch way above his weight by sitting in on an open mic night jam session just to make his mom happy. He’s become friends with Paul McCartney and the story of Paul teaching Grohl’s daughter how to play the piano was adorable. Like any great musician, his taste in music is wide and his respect for musicians profound. He talks with the same level of respect for Pantera and AC/DC as he does Huey Lewis and Rick Astley (checkout this “Smells Like Teen Spirit”/”Never Gonna Give You Up” mashup with Astley - language NSFW). Attending a tribute to George Harrison was very touching and I loved the story of how he might have become Tom Petty’s drummer. (If you haven’t seen it, watch how he attacks the drums when he played for Petty on SNL.)
You don’t need to be a fan to appreciate interesting, funny, or touching stories. But once you read this (or listen to it – Grohl narrates), don’t be surprised if you start pulling a couple Foo Fighters and Nirvana tunes into your playlist. Even if you think they’re not your taste, you’ll have a greater appreciation for them, and the guy behind them.
READ IT IF: Musician autobiographies. This is a good one.
A couple videos I looked up when they were referenced in the book. The first is the music video to “The Sky Is A Neighbordhood” featuring his two oldest daughters. The second is a goofy compilation video his bandmates from Them Crooked Vultures put together showcasing his coffee addiction (just before Grohl went to see a doctor for a skyrocketing heart rate - another good story).
It’s not referenced in the book, but Grohl did one of my favorite Super Bowl commercials from the last few years.