Initially, he was the entire band for its 1995 self-titled debut album, playing most of the instruments, singing the vocals and using songs he had written while still with Nirvana. The Foo FightersĪfter Nirvana, Grohl formed the Foo Fighters. After Cobain’s death, the remaining members of Nirvana won a Grammy Award for their live recording on MTV called Unplugged in New York (1994). On April 6, 1994, Cobain killed himself at his home. He attempted suicide by taking a drug overdose in March 1994 in Rome while on a break during the band’s European tour. Rolling Stone called it “brilliant, corrosive, enraged and thoughtful, most of them all at once.” While Cobain handled the lyrics, Novoselic and Grohl helped write the music for the track, “Scentless Apprentice.” Still, Cobain was increasingly distant and became more depressed. The band made one more studio album together, In Utero (1993). Outside of the band, Grohl put together a solo project, recording a few tracks for a cassette-only release called Pocketwatch. Cobain’s relationship with singer Courtney Love also put a strain on band relationships. The pressures that came with all of that success weighed heavily on the group, especially Cobain who sank deeper into drug abuse. They paved the way for other bands, such as Pearl Jam and Soundgarden, to become well-known national acts. Nirvana, with raw, emotional sound, helped launch what was called the grunge movement, which often captured feelings of alienation and frustration. In nearly a year’s time, Nevermind sold more than 4 million copies. The video for “Smells like Teen Spirit”-offering a subversive take on a pep rally-got heavy play on MTV. Their first release with them, 1991’s Nevermind, became a huge hit, driven in part by the single, “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” While Cobain handled most of the songwriting duties, all three band members had worked on the track, which combined elements of punk, metal and pop. They ended up signing with Geffen Records. Soon the major labels became interested in Nirvana, offering contracts with large advances. He also dated Jennifer Finch from the all-female alternative band L7 around this time. so bright, so hot, so vital,” Novoselic said, according to the book Come As You Are: The Story of Nirvana by Michael Azerrad.Īfter joining the group, Grohl lived with Cobain for a time. As soon as he played for them, both Cobain and Novoselic thought he would be perfect for their band. Grohl traveled to Seattle, hoping to become Nirvana’s new drummer. Grohl did not talk to his future bandmates that night but thanks to Buzz Osbourne of the Melvins, he did get to audition for Nirvana later that year. It was backstage at a Melvins gig that he saw Kurt Cobain and Krist Novoselic from Nirvana for the first time in 1990. Nirvanaĭuring one tour, Grohl met up with members of the Melvins, a punk band. Grohl appeared on three of the group’s albums and toured with them several times. After dropping out in his junior year, he joined the Washington, D.C.-based hardcore band, Scream. In high school, he played in a string of punk bands and started smoking pot. Not long after, he was introduced to punk rock by one of his cousins. He started out playing guitar and by the age of ten, Grohl formed the H. The son of a journalist and an English teacher, he lived with his mother and older sister Lisa after his parents divorced when he was six. He moved from Ohio to Virginia when he was three years old. First as a drummer in Nirvana and then as the frontman for the Foo Fighters, Grohl has become one of the leading figures in rock today. Early Lifeĭavid Eric Grohl was born on January 14, 1969, in Warren, Ohio. After singer Kurt Cobain's death, Grohl formed a commercially successful alternative band called the Foo Fighters. Nirvana went on to be an international hit. He dropped out of high school to play with the hardcore group Scream before auditioning for Nirvana. Musician Dave Grohl formed his first band at age 10.

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