Foo Fighters and Nirvana musician always exalts his influences, but one group in question is insurmountable for him
Dave Grohl frequently highlights his influences in interviews. And there are many: the leader of the Foo Fighters and former drummer of Nirvana admired since the primordial rock of bands like Beatles It is Rolling Stones even the heavy sound of groups like Slayer and the Brazilian Graveincluding alternative names and much more.
Amid so many artistic references in rock, there is a group that Grohl considers the best of all time. And the Led Zeppelinas he himself reinforced in an interview with Rolling Stone USA — more specifically in the special edition The 100 greatest artists of all time.
In a passionate text for the publication, Dave reflected on the band and his special relationship with it. Right off the bat, he stated: “heavy metal wouldn’t exist without Led Zeppelin — and if it did, it would be bad.”
“Led Zeppelin was more than just a band – they were the perfect combination of the most intense elements: passion, mystery and experience. It always seemed like Led Zeppelin were looking for something. They weren’t content to be in the same place and were always trying something new. They could do anything and I believe they would have done anything if they hadn’t been stopped by John Bonham’s death [baterista falecido em 1980].”
In Grohl’s view, Led Zeppelin “served as a great outlet for a lot of things.” The musician pointed out that there was an element of fantasy in the group’s work and went so far as to say that their songs made it possible, years later, for a film like Lord of the Rings was successful — especially because they released compositions inspired by the work of JRR Tolkien. He also reflects:
“Zeppelin never received critical acclaim in their time because they were very experimental and on the fringes. In 1969 and 1970, there were some strange things going on, but Zeppelin was the strangest. I consider Jimmy Page [guitarrista] stranger than Jimi Hendrix. Hendrix was a genius on fire, while Page was a genius possessed. Zeppelin’s shows and albums were like exorcisms for them. People were blown away by Hendrix, Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton, but Page took it to a whole new level, and he did it in a beautifully human and imperfect way. He plays guitar like an old bluesman on acid.”
Dave Grohl, Led Zeppelin and John Bonham
At another point in his text, Dave Grohl praises the talents of John Bonham, one of his biggest influences on drums. The Foo Fighters and Nirvana musician praised the late artist’s level of boldness “like someone who didn’t know what was going to happen next – like he was teetering on the edge of a cliff.”
“No one has come close to that since then and I don’t think anyone ever will. I think he will forever be the greatest drummer of all time. You have no idea how much he influenced me. I spent years in my room listening to Bonham’s drums and trying to imitate his swing, speed or power. Not just memorizing what he did on those albums, but putting myself in a place where I would have the same instinctive drive that he had. I have John Bonham tattoos all over my body – on my wrists, my arms, my shoulders.”
Then Dave mentioned the song “Black Dog” as the best representation of Led Zeppelin at its most rocky moment, but also showed appreciation for the group’s softer songs, many of which appear on the album Led Zeppelin III. He even said that, in his youth, “he attended a Catholic school and questioned God, but he believed in Led Zeppelin as a spiritual entity”.
“They showed me that human beings could channel this music somehow and that it came from somewhere. It didn’t come from a producer. It wasn’t coming from an instructor. It came from four musicians taking the music to places it had never been before – it’s as if it came from somewhere else. That’s why they’re the greatest rock and roll band of all time. It couldn’t have happened any other way.”
Interestingly, over time, Dave Grohl developed a friendship with two Led Zeppelin musicians: Jimmy Page and the bassist John Paul Jones. He has shared the stage with both of them — and even had a band with Jones, Them Crooked Vultures.
Source: Rollingstone
Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.
