Not everyone has a curriculum vitae as impressive as Dave Grohl. In 1986, the then 17-year-old dropped out of high school to drum for the punk band Scream — a decision that his teacher mother, Virginia Grohl, fully supported. In a moment of serendipity, Kurt Cobain and Krist Novoselic watched Grohl in action during one of his tour stops on the West Coast — just right before Scream’s breakup in 1990.
What came after is the iconic trio that made up Nirvana, a band that became the face of ‘90s alternative music, and in the future, a legacy for grunge in their home ground of Seattle, and later in the world. Following Cobain’s untimely passing and Nirvana’s disbandment, Grohl would rise again to form the Foo Fighters — the 15-time Grammy-winning unit. That said, when a man like Grohl gives his flowers to another band, chances are that band is just as exceptional. If not, even better than Grohl’s own experiences.
Dave Grohl Says This Rock Band Is So Good It Makes Him Jealous
When Grohl says a band is “the best rock band in the world,” it’s worth noticing — especially when that band is Queens of the Stone Age. On an episode of The Bill Simmons Show, Grohl broke down what makes the desert rockers so untouchable:
“I’ve always said that when they hit the stage, they’re the best rock band in the world. Like nobody even gets close […] But for musicality and as a musician, you sit and watch Queens of the Stone Age and you’re like, ‘That’s not fair for me.’”
Taste may be subjective, but the reason why Queens of the Stone Age is one of the top bands on Grohl’s list is partly because of their drive to deliver high-quality music. On an episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, frontman Josh Homme admitted he rejects the idea that “not every song can be your best song.” However, Homme doesn’t consider himself a perfectionist. In fact, he gravitates towards failure and mistakes. On the creative process side of things, a fellow industry favorite has also publicly shared his praises for Queens of the Stone Age. Mark Ronson, the nine-time Grammy-winning producer for Amy Winehouse, Bruno Mars, and Lady Gaga, worked with the band for their seventh studio album, Villains. Coming from a man with an impeccable musical portfolio, Ronson expressed that he is “[…] so influenced harmonically, melodically, and rhythmically […]” by Queens of the Stone Age.
Queens of the Stone Age Got a Tattoo to Remember Their Worst Show Ever
Queens of the Stone Age took their professionalism seriously, so much so that they made a skin-pricked permanent vow to never repeat one of their biggest mistakes in their career ever again. In June 2001, Queens of the Stone Age groveled through what they consider their most disastrous performance — an afternoon slot at Germany’s Rock am Ring festival. Even though they were touring behind one of their strongest records, Rated R, with a lineup that included the late Mark Lanegan, everything went wrong. Homme, nursing a broken foot, had to resort to the most “un-rock n’ roll” thing ever: playing while sitting down. Meanwhile, Lanegan tripped on the stage stairs, guitars were out of tune, microphones went on and off, and before they knew it, Homme had a mild, reasonable crash out on stage.
Rather than erase the memory, they decided to permanently stamp it on themselves. Homme, Lanegan, Nick Oliveri, and their soundman all got tattoos reading “Freitag 4:15” (“Friday 4:15” in German), the exact time their ill-fated show began. In Lanegan’s memoir, the former vocalist recounts that the tattoo serves as a reminder that “life and music and events, Rock am Ring, are much bigger than we are individually and collectively.”
Dave Grohl Once Took a Break from the Foo Fighters to Drum for Queens of the Stone Age
Grohl not only sang Queens of the Stone Age their praises — he’s even played drums for them. Fans can watch Grohl rocking out in the smoky music video for “No One Knows.” In 2001, Grohl found himself in a serious creative block in the Foo Fighters studio. His band had just come off of Taylor Hawkins’s heroin overdose, leaving him in a two-week comatose state. The emotional blow translated into the recording studio, with the Foos having a hard time creating their 2002 album, One by One.
A couple of unproductive months almost led Grohl to quit the band. Instead, he went back to his musical roots temporarily when Queens of the Stone Age was on the search for a new drummer. After QOTSA completed their third album, Songs for the Deaf, Grohl returned to his frontman position in the Foo Fighters. But that wouldn’t be the last time Grohl is involved in QOTSA’s errands. Ronson also recounted a personal experience he had with Grohl in the studio while doing vocal takes for Homme. Whether Grohl was in Queens of the Stone Age’s session either for business or pleasure isn’t revealed. But Ronson once had to kick Grohl out of the studio for being too disruptive during the making of the band’s Villains album.