I’ve often had the nerve to think, “Can anyone be a bigger Dave Grohl fan than me?” Which, of course, is nonsense. But on some level I believe it to be true and I’m sure millions of others feel the same way. Whether it is from a love of Nirvana, the legendary Seattle-based band headed by the late Kurt Cobain or his own band Foo Fighters, which is still going strong, fans can’t enough of Grohl and feel very connected to him. During 2020, while touring came to a halt, Grohl started to post on social media small stories about his life. We, his devoted fans, followed every word. These stories evolved into The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music.
This book is not some puffed-up rock-star vanity project. It’s one of the more entertaining memoirs by a musician that I’ve read (and listened to) in a very long time. This is best enjoyed as an audio book as it is read by Grohl. He’s a guy who has a “pinch me, I can’t believe this my life” attitude. When he tells of his glee in meeting and eventually becoming friends with luminaries like Paul McCartney, it feels very genuine.
From his youth in Virginia, facing life as a bit of an outsider, Grohl knew he was destined for a life in music. From his exposure to early rock legends to his discovery of the local punk rock scene, his fate was sealed. Each of his stories are interesting nuggets that tell of his evolution as a performer. From the hard life on the road with the band Scream to his big break joining Nirvana. And the heartbreak of the loss of Cobain. After Cobain’s suicide, Grohl had to decide which path to take. While he could have become the drummer for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Grohl decided to forge his own way with songs he’d written while in Nirvana. This became the birth of Foo Fighters. The rest, as they say, is rock history. At any Foo Fighters concert, you find a man who simply loves what he does. He loves his bandmates and his audience. And boy does the audience love him back.
My favorite parts of this often sweet book are his stories involving his devotion to his three daughters. And his love for his mother, who he regards as his best friend. His mother was a teacher yet allowed Grohl to leave high school to tour with his band and seek his dream.
Grohl is often referred to as “the nicest guy in rock” and this book demonstrates why he has earned that moniker. While there are struggles and some sadness, this is an upbeat book which his devoted fans will adore and it will surely get more people interested in his music, which is really what it's all about.
Rated 5 out of 5 stars.
Nonfiction: Autobiography / Memoir.
Publication Date: October 5, 2021.
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