Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl revealed that a trip to Ireland helped him deal with his grief following the death of bandmate Kurt Cobain.
Last week, Dave Grohl revealed to Graham Norton how a chance encounter in the Ring of Kerry helped him move on and keep making music following the death of his bandmate and friend Kurt Cobain.
The Foo Fighters frontman told Norton how he fled to Ireland following Cobain’s death in 1994 to escape the tragedy’s media frenzy.
Dave Grohl ultimately revealed how his time in Ireland inspired him to form the Foo Fighters.
A chance encounter – meeting a hitchhiker
Grohl said to Norton, “When Kurt died, and it all ended, I didn’t know what to do with my life. I couldn’t listen to music anymore because it hurt too much, so I tried to escape and went to Ireland to soul search.”
Only about 25 at the time, Dave Grohl revealed that he was driving around the Ring of Kerry in Ireland. Trying to find peace, he came across a hitchhiker walking in the rain.
Talking to Ryan Tubridy on RTE Radio 1, he said, “As I was coming around this road, I saw a hitchhiker, and it was sort of raining, and I was thinking, ‘Oh, I might pick him up’.”
As he got closer and picked the hitchhiker up, he realised that the man was wearing a Kurt Cobain t-shirt.
In conversation with Graham Norton, Grohl said, “I picked up a hitchhiker who was wearing a Kurt Cobain t-shirt, and I thought, ‘Even in this remote place, I can’t outrun life’.”
Formation of Foo Fighters – where it all began
Dave Grohl said, at that moment in Ireland, he realised, “I needed to survive and get on with life.” And at that moment, he realised survival would be to continue making music.
Grohl returned to America and formed Foo Fighters that same year. Originally a solo project, he recorded a demo of 15 songs, with him playing every instrument, hoping to release it and remain anonymous in the project. We all know that didn’t happen.
Foo Fighters achievements – a huge success
More than 25 later, Foo Fighters is one of the most successful rock bands of their time, having 12 Grammy awards under their belt. They have also won the award for Best Rock Album four times during their career.
Foo Fighters were announced as inductees for the Performer category of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, alongside sensational acts Tina Turner, Carole King, The Go-Go’s, JAY-Z, and Todd Rundgren.
Grohl’s book The Storyteller, a memoir of his life to date, was released on 5 October and sold in bookshops across the country.
We are so proud that Dave Grohl chose Ireland to escape from following Kurt Cobain’s untimely death.
The Ring of Kerry truly is a tranquil place, perfect for some soul searching. If not for that chance encounter with a hitchhiker in our wild and wonderful west, would the Foo Fighters be a band today? Perhaps the world would be a very different place.
