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I'm not sure we have a dedicated Foo Fighters thread. I couldn't find one yesterday when I went searching. So let this be it. I was thinking of doing a poll for favorite album with this, but hi water took us through a whole series on the Foos records not that long ago. I imagine all of those responses still stand. So instead I'm just gonna ask a starting question.

 

What's your favorite Foo Fighters related memory? It doesn't have to be something like "I went to go see them in concert and had a blast" or something. It could be as simple as "they were on the radio when a friend told me something that made me smile" or "I really enjoyed Taylor and Dave's induction speech for Rush at the rock hall."

 

I think, for me right now, it's hearing These Days for the first time on the radio with my dad when I was a freshman in high school, and us debating if there were two singers for the quiet and the heavy parts. I remember being totally amazed later when I looked it up and found out it was just Dave singing lead. That song got me into the Foo Fighters, and the Foo Fighters were one of the first bands I really enjoyed who came out after 1991. Taylor's drum fill on the second "EASY FOR YOU TO SAY," just following along with every word... I instantly knew he was great when I heard that fill. I think a lot of drummers wouldn't have the guts to play the vocal melody while all the other instruments cut out, or they would try but it would sound corny. Taylor made it invigorating.

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The recent Dee Gees stuff is hysterically good. I'm not a disco guy by any stretch, but I feel Studio 54 when I play those Foo covers loud. LMAO. Perfect Bee Gees cover songs.
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I have always been on the fence about this band, at least I was until recently.

 

I don't think FF are anything truly special, but what they are is consistently enjoyable with some great songs. They are one of the best bands I've ever seen live, so at least in terms of stage performance, I regard them as almost peerless.

 

I own nearly all their albums, my favourite being the underrated Sonic Highways.

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The last arena rock band. I only saw them live once, at the Rock in Rio festival in 2001. The show was on Dave Grohl's birthday, and they had a blast on stage. Beck and R.E.M. also played that same night.

 

Last year I did a pretty good run listening to their latest album, which I enjoyed a lot. I haven't listened to them in a long time, and kind of ignored their recent stuff, but the latest album sounded interesting. Who knows what their next step will be, after Taylor's passing.

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I saw the Foos at the Roseland Ballroom in 1997. They were touring in support of The Colour and the Shape and I convinced a coworker to come along with me.

 

Well, the entire ballroom was a mosh pit. Crazy, hot, and sweaty!!! My coworker got neverous and disappeared.

 

About an hour later I went looking for him at the bar and WOW !!! He managed to make his way into the soundboard area and was hanging out with the crew.

 

The Foos were on fire and I believe this was the first tour with Taylor.

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Nothing special but they put out enjoyable rock music and have been at it for 25 years. Grohl is a great ambassador for rock music in a sea of Billie eilish garbage . So I’ve always liked them.

 

The colour and the shape is one of the great 90s albums.

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I was doing a little reading on them last night. I think one thing that put me off of them is the name. And, lo and behold, I found a quote from Grohl saying that he used the name as a throwaway for the first album (which he apparently played everything on) and that had he known it was going to become a career, he would have gone with something else because it's the "f-ing dumbest band name ever." :lol:

 

The outpouring of praise for Hawkins from, almost literally, everyone who makes a living off music is pretty cool.

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i've grown to like them a lot in the last couple years. as others have said i never thought the music they made was special and it really isn'y per se. it's a bit on the faceless generic side.......UNTIL you pair it with the live shows. unbelievably charasmatic live band.

 

My fav album is probably Echoes,Silence Patiance & Grace.

 

RIP Taylor

 

 

Mick

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I was doing a little reading on them last night. I think one thing that put me off of them is the name. And, lo and behold, I found a quote from Grohl saying that he used the name as a throwaway for the first album (which he apparently played everything on) and that had he known it was going to become a career, he would have gone with something else because it's the "f-ing dumbest band name ever." :lol:

 

The outpouring of praise for Hawkins from, almost literally, everyone who makes a living off music is pretty cool.

 

You have the most petty reasons to discredit artists lmao

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i've grown to like them a lot in the last couple years. as others have said i never thought the music they made was special and it really isn'y per se. it's a bit on the faceless generic side.......UNTIL you pair it with the live shows. unbelievably charasmatic live band.

 

My fav album is probably Echoes,Silence Patiance & Grace.

 

RIP Taylor

 

 

Mick

 

For me, the quality that makes the music sound generic to some reads to me as just fundamentally good songwriting. I’ve always admired their ability to move me with such simple tools.

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i've grown to like them a lot in the last couple years. as others have said i never thought the music they made was special and it really isn'y per se. it's a bit on the faceless generic side.......UNTIL you pair it with the live shows. unbelievably charasmatic live band.

 

My fav album is probably Echoes,Silence Patiance & Grace.

 

RIP Taylor

 

 

Mick

 

For me, the quality that makes the music sound generic to some reads to me as just fundamentally good songwriting. I’ve always admired their ability to move me with such simple tools.

 

well i should add...i wish they had better production. great tunes but the production on some of those albums is life sucking.

 

then you see the shows and you're like......where is THIS band on the albums.

 

it sounds like i hate them but i swear i don't, lol

 

Mick

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i've grown to like them a lot in the last couple years. as others have said i never thought the music they made was special and it really isn'y per se. it's a bit on the faceless generic side.......UNTIL you pair it with the live shows. unbelievably charasmatic live band.

 

My fav album is probably Echoes,Silence Patiance & Grace.

 

RIP Taylor

 

 

Mick

 

For me, the quality that makes the music sound generic to some reads to me as just fundamentally good songwriting. I’ve always admired their ability to move me with such simple tools.

 

well i should add...i wish they had better production. great tunes but the production on some of those albums is life sucking.

 

then you see the shows and you're like......where is THIS band on the albums.

 

it sounds like i hate them but i swear i don't, lol

 

Mick

 

Lol. I’m actually a pretty big fan of the production, but that could be some kind of nostalgia talking. They sound like 00s radio rock, which to me is exactly what summer and fun and water parks and childhood sound like, so I get on board with that commercial polish very easily.

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Man, I’m listening to disc 2 of In Your Honor right now and Cold Day In The Sun just came on. I haven’t listened to this half of the album in years. This song reminds me so much of what Roger Taylor would do on 70s Queen albums. I can just hear how big of a fan Taylor was.
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I was doing a little reading on them last night. I think one thing that put me off of them is the name. And, lo and behold, I found a quote from Grohl saying that he used the name as a throwaway for the first album (which he apparently played everything on) and that had he known it was going to become a career, he would have gone with something else because it's the "f-ing dumbest band name ever." :lol:

 

The outpouring of praise for Hawkins from, almost literally, everyone who makes a living off music is pretty cool.

 

You have the most petty reasons to discredit artists lmao

 

Shut up you self-important tool.

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I first became aware of them with the video for Big Me. Not the best first impression since the video is so goofy. When hearing the band for the first time, the silliness of the video really overtook the song and I thought this was going to be one of those mid 90s bands that was doing weird shit that would never make me take them seriously and forgot about them. So, I was definitely taken for a surprise when The Color and The Shape came out and I was hearing songs like My Hero and Everlong on the radio. I thought these are the goofballs who did the mentos parody video? It sounds like they might be for real with these tunes. I didn't buy the album yet but the band now had my attention in a positive way. Learn To Fly was the song that officially made me a fan. Yeah, the video was goofy like the one for Big Me but the song was a million times better than that. The song was strong enough that the off the wall video didn't overshadow it. I have only seen them once live on the Wasting Light tour. As everyone says they are a phenomenal live band. They played for about three hours and went over the venue curfew by more than a half hour. I think they did that on purpose though since the encore was five or six songs. It was as if they were telling the venue "f**k you! We'll end the show when we want not when you say". They played Cold Day In The Sun at that show. Now that Taylor is gone, that is very special concert memory.

 

I don't know what the band's future is after the death of Hawkins. But if they decide to end the band I would have no problem with that. They have had a fantastic run and I am happy to say that I am a long time fan and will continue to be no matter what they decide to do.

Edited by J2112YYZ
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i've grown to like them a lot in the last couple years. as others have said i never thought the music they made was special and it really isn'y per se. it's a bit on the faceless generic side.......UNTIL you pair it with the live shows. unbelievably charasmatic live band.

 

My fav album is probably Echoes,Silence Patiance & Grace.

 

RIP Taylor

 

 

Mick

 

That's pretty much my experience too. They are so good live and Grohl is a fantastic front man. He's enthusiastic and interacts with the crowd a lot. I mean how many bands at that level invite people from the crowd to come on stage to play? I couldn't imagine Geddy Lee actually talking with someone in the crowd and getting security to escort a guy on stage to play the bass in a song.

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... My fav album is probably Echoes,Silence Patiance & Grace...

 

It would be close, Wasted Light got played a shit ton when it came out. Still enjoyable but not something I find playing much anymore. To my ears Echoes is still a great variety of well crafted songs, has aged better.

 

The Foos have always used what they had to its max. Not a showy band musically, just solid playing and songwriting. Nothing wrong with that, early Aerosmith might be a close comparable. Just. Solid.

 

No Foo specific memories. I played them a bunch around the time Wasted Light was out, but before and since have spent more time with other bands. Maybe a couple times /year now I put on one of their albums from beginning to end.

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I was doing a little reading on them last night. I think one thing that put me off of them is the name. And, lo and behold, I found a quote from Grohl saying that he used the name as a throwaway for the first album (which he apparently played everything on) and that had he known it was going to become a career, he would have gone with something else because it's the "f-ing dumbest band name ever." :lol:

 

The outpouring of praise for Hawkins from, almost literally, everyone who makes a living off music is pretty cool.

 

You have the most petty reasons to discredit artists lmao

 

Well, sometimes a name just sounds awful and turns you off immediately. Why would I listen to a band who chose such a terrible name like Death Cab For Cutie or Panic At The Disco?

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I was doing a little reading on them last night. I think one thing that put me off of them is the name. And, lo and behold, I found a quote from Grohl saying that he used the name as a throwaway for the first album (which he apparently played everything on) and that had he known it was going to become a career, he would have gone with something else because it's the "f-ing dumbest band name ever." :lol:

 

The outpouring of praise for Hawkins from, almost literally, everyone who makes a living off music is pretty cool.

 

You have the most petty reasons to discredit artists lmao

 

Well, sometimes a name just sounds awful and turns you off immediately. Why would I listen to a band who chose such a terrible name like Death Cab For Cutie or Panic At The Disco?

Well if they were f***ing good it wouldn't matter but they're shit so they're well named.

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As Rick N. Backer said, totally shit name. Fun and enjoyable band for sure tho. Never got to see them and am guessing I may not now. With Dave's hearing being so bad he has to read lips, retirement may be forthcoming. Maybe he'll stay involved in the business in another capacity.
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As Rick N. Backer said, totally shit name. Fun and enjoyable band for sure tho. Never got to see them and am guessing I may not now. With Dave's hearing being so bad he has to read lips, retirement may be forthcoming. Maybe he'll stay involved in the business in another capacity.

 

I don't have any sympathy for Dave when it comes to his hearing loss. He admits that he doesn't use ear monitors live, so he takes all that sound straight on. It's one thing to be young and stubborn or to damage it in random way like what happened with Pete Townshend. But to flat out refuse to do anything to protect your hearing as a major arena/stadium rock act is just plain dumb. I guess at this point it doesn't matter. He's 53 and the damage is done.

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As Rick N. Backer said, totally shit name. Fun and enjoyable band for sure tho. Never got to see them and am guessing I may not now. With Dave's hearing being so bad he has to read lips, retirement may be forthcoming. Maybe he'll stay involved in the business in another capacity.

 

I don't have any sympathy for Dave when it comes to his hearing loss. He admits that he doesn't use ear monitors live, so he takes all that sound straight on. It's one thing to be young and stubborn or to damage it in random way like what happened with Pete Townshend. But to flat out refuse to do anything to protect your hearing as a major arena/stadium rock act is just plain dumb. I guess at this point it doesn't matter. He's 53 and the damage is done.

Absolutely a fair post on your part.

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As Rick N. Backer said, totally shit name. Fun and enjoyable band for sure tho. Never got to see them and am guessing I may not now. With Dave's hearing being so bad he has to read lips, retirement may be forthcoming. Maybe he'll stay involved in the business in another capacity.

 

I don't have any sympathy for Dave when it comes to his hearing loss. He admits that he doesn't use ear monitors live, so he takes all that sound straight on. It's one thing to be young and stubborn or to damage it in random way like what happened with Pete Townshend. But to flat out refuse to do anything to protect your hearing as a major arena/stadium rock act is just plain dumb. I guess at this point it doesn't matter. He's 53 and the damage is done.

 

I also don't think Dave would let his hearing loss stop him from touring. It's not like he's been playing any worse because of it, he just has a harder time in conversations from what I've heard.

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As Rick N. Backer said, totally shit name. Fun and enjoyable band for sure tho. Never got to see them and am guessing I may not now. With Dave's hearing being so bad he has to read lips, retirement may be forthcoming. Maybe he'll stay involved in the business in another capacity.

 

I don't have any sympathy for Dave when it comes to his hearing loss. He admits that he doesn't use ear monitors live, so he takes all that sound straight on. It's one thing to be young and stubborn or to damage it in random way like what happened with Pete Townshend. But to flat out refuse to do anything to protect your hearing as a major arena/stadium rock act is just plain dumb. I guess at this point it doesn't matter. He's 53 and the damage is done.

 

Agree, hearing loss from repeated exposure to loud noise isn't "news". Hopefully he doesn't get a Foos song stuck in his head, he'll have no way of getting it out. :P

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