(Credits: Far Out / Raph Pour-Hashemi)
Mon 1 September 2025 13:00, UK
It’s hard to argue Dave Grohl as anything but the everyman of rock and roll.
Most likely wearing a plaid shirt and most definitely sporting a wide-eyed grin, Grohl places himself as just an ordinary guy with extraordinary talents. He would be quite as happy standing in the depths of the crowd singing along to his greatest hits, as he would be on stage.
In fear of being reductive to one of music’s most idolised and important musicians, I will avoid the term “no thrills” when describing Grohl, but in that phrase exists the salt of the earth quality that Grohl prides himself on. To be a performer without the need for costume design, album concepts or elaborate stages. His stardom is rooted firmly in the human touch.
A by-product of that is his continuous dismissal of any genius claims. Rather than bask in the legacy he has spent the last three decades crafting, he instead steers into fandom. Be it at Oasis reunions, Led Zeppelin epics or in the dingy corners of a Seattle hardcore show, he is always keen to outright express his admiration for other bands. He looks on with marvel, as legacy acts play to sell out arenas, forgetting that he himself does that on the regular.
Nevertheless, when he steps out of the bright lights of whatever show the Foo Fighters have just played, Grohl is looking forward to the next show he can attend, to watch, to admire and more importantly to absorb.
(Credits: Far Out / Raph Pour-Hashemi)
While comparisons of his music can easily be made to the likes of Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath or AC/DC, the performative earnestness he showcases can only be compared to Bruce Springsteen, one of the truest examples of an artist for the people.
Not only did his lyrics of 0everyday existence connect with fans, but he was also able to orate his messages with a unique sense of warmth that, no matter the size of the crowd, created an indelible connection and rapport.
It was his ability to build rapport in general, that Grohl explained was “Something he obviously understood very well.” He added that when Springsteen had come backstage, to congratulate the Foos for their show, he said “that he’d stood in the crowd, just like everyone else. Of course he did. He was searching for that connection too.”
That encounter was the final piece in Springsteen’s wisdom puzzle, as he proved to Grohl he was practicing what he preached. Because even before that show, Springsteen was eager to impart some humble advice as to how to remain relatable in the face of exposure.
Grohl explained, “We chatted briefly before the gig, and I was again reminded of not only the human being behind every superhero, but also the reason millions of people identify with him: He is real.”
Sure, there will be critics who label Grohl’s approach to music slightly plain in comparison to his more elaborate and theatrical counterparts. But what you can’t argue, is the Grohl too shares that realness. However large the show, however loud the screams, Grohl never neglects the music and makes sure he shares that same sense of eager passion, as the thousands of fans who watch on.
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