Dave Grohl

David Eric Grohl (born January 14, 1969) is an American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the founder, lead singer, guitarist, principal songwriter, and only consistent member of the rock band Foo Fighters. He first gained fame as the drummer for the grunge band Nirvana from 1990 until the group ended in 1994. Grohl is also the co-founder and drummer of the rock supergroup Them Crooked Vultures.

Grohl was born in Warren, Ohio, to Virginia Jean, a teacher, and James Harper Grohl, a journalist and newswriter. Following his parents' divorce when he was seven, he was raised by his mother in Springfield, Virginia. At age 12, Grohl taught himself guitar after quitting formal lessons. His cousin introduced him to punk rock at age 13, prompting him to play in local bands while attending high school, including Freak Baby, Mission Impossible, and Dain Bramage. Grohl taught himself drums by listening to Rush and punk rock.

In 1986, Grohl joined the punk rock band Scream at age 17, replacing drummer Kent Stax after lying about his age. He dropped out of high school to tour with the band, recording two studio albums and a live album. After Scream broke up mid-tour in 1990, Grohl auditioned for Nirvana on a recommendation from Buzz Osborne of the Melvins. He joined the band and performed on their breakthrough second album, Nevermind, released in 1991.

During his tenure with Nirvana, Grohl's songwriting contributions grew. In 1992, he released a solo cassette titled Pocketwatch under the pseudonym Late!. He contributed to Nirvana songs such as Scentless Apprentice and wrote Marigold. Following the suicide of Kurt Cobain in April 1994, Nirvana disbanded. Grohl briefly performed with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and Pearl Jam before deciding to focus on his own project.

In October 1994, Grohl recorded a fifteen-track demo at Robert Lang Studios, playing nearly all instruments himself. After signing with Capitol Records, he assembled Foo Fighters as a full band alongside Pat Smear, Nate Mendel, and William Goldsmith. Their self-titled debut album was released in 1995. During the recording of their 1997 album The Colour and the Shape, Grohl re-recorded most of the drum parts himself, leading to Goldsmith's departure and the addition of Taylor Hawkins. Foo Fighters have since released 12 studio albums.

Throughout his career, Grohl has recorded and toured with Queens of the Stone Age and Tenacious D, created the project Probot, and written the soundtrack for the 1997 film Touch. He began directing Foo Fighters music videos in 1997 and directed documentaries including Sound City (2013), Sonic Highways (2014), and What Drives Us (2021). In 2021, he published his autobiography, The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music, and in 2022 starred in the comedy horror film Studio 666. Grohl was ranked the 27th-best drummer of all time by Rolling Stone in 2016 and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Nirvana in 2014 and Foo Fighters in 2021.