“I was too young to fade away but too old to start again.”
So writes Dave Grohl in The Storyteller his memoir published on October 4, 2021.
Dave’s book came out 172 days before his drummer Taylor Hawkins suddenly passed away on March 25, 2022.
A:
With the sudden news that Taylor Hawkins had passed away, people were drawing the obvious and on the nose comparison: Dave Grohl was a drummer in Nirvana when Kurt died and now he’s lead singer of a band where the drummer died.
It’s one of those yeah-duh pop culture connections that’s obvious yet fails to yield much passion fruit. It’s lazy.
Rather among the overlooked context and connections was the passing of John Bonham, Led Zeppelin’s drummer in 1980.
That death effectively ended the band. And I’m wondering if that’s going to produce the same conclusion here. (Thankfully each band member went on to make excellent music via different outfits however Led Zeppelin as we knew it was effectively finished.)
Granted it’s far too early to tell what will happen to the Foo Fighters: grief is a strange long road with no clear destination in sight.
Also? Grief was another overlooked connection.
In Dave Grohl’s recently published memoir The Storyteller he writes about the grief following Nirvana. What he writes is interesting in relation to the passing of Taylor Hawkins.
He shares:
“I had always known the day would come where I would be asked to
cross this bridge, to move on with life after a year of mourning, but I wasn’t
prepared for the catalyst to be something like this. I hung up the phone in
the studio control room where I was standing with a guitar around my neck
and got back to what I had been busy doing when the call came in:
recording what would, unknowingly, become the first Foo Fighters record.After Kurt’s death, I was lost. We all were. With our world pulled out
from under us in such a sudden, traumatic manner, it was hard to find any
direction or beacon that would help guide us through the fog of tremendous
sadness and loss. And the fact that Kurt, Krist, and I were all connected by
music made any music seem bittersweet.What was once my life’s greatest joy had now become my life’s greatest sorrow, and not only did I put my instruments away, I turned off the radio, for fear that even the slightest melody would trigger paralyzing grief. It was the first time in my life that I
rejected music. I just couldn’t afford to let it break my heart again.”
All this emotional territory and so much more is explored in the attached podcast where myself and Stephanie, a massive Foo Fighters fan, attempt to grapple with the shocking loss.
Naturally death prompts gratitude goodness and inspiring incentive.
Here are both:
i) I’m grateful for everyone who posted authentic Taylor Hawkins tributes and moments. I appreciate that recognition of joy. It’s incredible how pop culture continues to make our lives better.
I was trying to get my life together and like go see Foo Fighters. They’re one of the few bands I have left to see that I should get on the record. You know?
This whole sadness is reminiscent of when we lost MCA of the Beastie Boys, another band I never got around to seeing live: I know I’m so fired.
Both bands share a goofy sense of humour (basically classic SNL) and both bands have iconic hits (with matching special videos). Both bands are heavily involved in film; both bands took a while to solidify their sonic style and distinct identities.
And…we all grew up with both bands. They grew up and we grew up.
In many ways, their journey was our journey. Hearing Beastie Boys Story (a documentary about their lives and music) and reading Dave Grohl’s The Storyteller (a memoir about his live and music) confirmed the stories of our lives cannot be told without their music.
And now lastly…both bands have lost a pivotal piece of their heart and their soul way too soon. That sucks.
Beginnings are amazing. They’re full of energy and purpose and vision and possibilities.
Endings just curtail momentum. It takes a while for you to figure out the true value of an ending. Yet here we are.
ii) If you could adopt one resolution every single year...one you’d actually keep it is Always GO.
Buy tickets, put it on your credit card...don’t worry about how to pay for em or being a student or eating for the next 2 weeks. Always GO.
Whatever shows...whatever bands or plays or Artists you want to see Always GO.
Figure out a way to make it happen. Go alone, go with friends, fly to a show...make it an adventure.
It truly doesn’t matter what the Artist has done...or worse you have decided they’ve done.
You get a small window of time to enjoy somebody’s live work...Prince died at 57 and he didn’t get famous until his 20s...factor in he didn’t tour every year, right? That’s a small window of time. Don’t waste any time worrying about morality: it doesn’t matter what he did: once he’s gone there is no more Prince. Always GO.
Lots of people make good music; lots of people make great music...but there is only 1 Prince. 1 Bowie. 1 Michael Jackson. 1 Neil Diamond. I saw Michael Jordan play 7 times: that’s it. World’s greatest basketball player...only 7 times. Dave Chappelle twice. Cranberries twice; Stevie Wonder twice.
We’re spoiled children who take so much for granted. Don’t assume there is a tomorrow or a next tour or another album. We know better! Always GO.
No individual gets to this level without making the necessary sacrifices: if you think missing a few birthdays is a big deal then you don’t understand.
Tom Petty died with a broken hip; he toured with a broken hip. For you...for us. Love and appreciation is the greatest reward for having made those sacrifices. (I was in Mexico City with a few friends when we got the initially confusing news Petty passed away (he coma-ed for a bit). None of us were big Petty fans but his contribution to our music is undeniable. I have a feeling I missed out; perhaps we’re in the same club. Which is not always a good club to be in.)
Make sure your Artists always know. Make sure you Always GO.
Times Like These
Sammy Younan
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