Dave Grohl’s journey from Virginia childhood to stardom with Nirvana and Foo Fighters

“Music is why I'm here. And all of the other craziness, when it becomes too overwhelming, I just kind of retreat back into those sort of safe places,” says Dave Grohl. Photo by Magdalena Wosinska.

Dave Grohl’s been part of the two biggest bands of the 1990s and 2000s — drummer for Nirvana and the creator/lead singer for the Foo Fighters. He’s performed thousands of shows, from tiny punk clubs to massive stadiums. In a new memoir, “The Storyteller,” he shares tales from his 35 years in the music industry. 

Grohl tells KCRW that his three and a half years with Nirvana taught him to take care of himself. “One of the things that I learned was to say no, and if you're in a situation where you're overwhelmed or being asked to do something you don't want to do, just for the sake of like self-preservation, you should be able to say, ‘No, I need to get away,’ which I've done many times.” 

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