The past few years have been turbulent for theFoo Fighters. The band has been dealing with lineup changes, first due to the tragic death of drummerTaylor Hawkins,and then due tothe controversial dismissal ofJosh Freese.But this isn’t the first time the future of the band has been uncertain. In 2001, a difficult recording process and complicated personal relationships put the band in jeopardy. Disillusioned with how things were going,Dave Grohlseemed ready to call it quits and go back to his original role as a rock drummer. But even during the toughest times, they knew the band still had a lot to give.
The Time Dave Grohl Almost Broke Up the Foo Fighters
2001 was a tough year for theFoo Fighters.Early in the year,Taylor Hawkins suffered a heroin overdose that left him in a coma for two weeks, a huge trauma for him and for Dave Grohl, his closest friend. After he recovered, the band went into the studio to recordOne by One,but considering the emotional blow the band had just taken, it was too soon for them to really make things work. In addition to that, it was the band’s first time recording with guitaristChris Shiflett,who shared in theBack and Forthdocumentary that he was confused about the recording process, as he didn’t feel it was going anywhere.
Seeing that things weren’t working out, the band discarded the recordings after several months in the studio. And then, Dave Grohl dropped the bomb that he was joining another band while theFoo Fighterstook a break.Queens of the Stone Agewas looking for a drummer, and Grohl, widely considered one of the best drummers in the world after his tenure inNirvana,was eager to play drums again after years of not playing. He became a full-time touring member, something that Hawkins admitted he resented.
“I just went through this awful trauma and I was supposed to be happy that Dave’s having such a good time. But I wasn’t,” he said in the documentary, referring to his drug overdose. “I’m not happy for you to go play with another band. Why should I be happy for that?”
For his part, Grohl thought, “I don’t have to be here, and I really f****** love doing this other thing,” so why shouldn’t he? But for the rest of the band, it wasn’t so easy. They had lost their leader, and they didn’t even know if the band would survive. They finally got together after their break to rehearse to play Coachella, where, coincidentally, Grohl was playing withQueens of the Stone Agethe day before. The rehearsals were incredibly tense and ended up in a huge fight, where Hawkins said that he would be leaving the band after the show.
The Reconciliation and the Rebirth of the Band
By the time they were supposed to play Coachella, Hawkins was sure the band was over, so he saw no point in ending things on band terms. He thought that Grohl would end up becoming the drummer forQueens of the Stone Age,so, perhaps as a way to offer an olive branch,he decided to attend theQueensshow the day before theFoo Fightersplayed, something that meant a lot to Dave Grohl. That gesture made them feel that maybe things were still salvageable. And the next day, things took a turn for the better. They played one of their best shows ever, and afterward, Grohl and Hawkins went on a walk, where they reconciled, both as bandmates and best friends.
With renewed positivity, they decided to go back to Virginia and play together again, no pressure or expectations.Grohl brought in a track that became aFoo Fightersanthem, “Times Like These.“The song, Grohl explained, was about the feeling that the band was ending, and he didn’t feel like himself without it. After seeing how well they still worked together, they went back to the studio, energized, and the album that they’d struggled with for months got recorded in just a week.
To this day,One by Oneis among theFoo Fighters’most successful albums. Songs on it, like “All My Life”, have been played practically every night on tour since they were released, and “Times Like These” has become an even more special song, both for the band and for fans, since Taylor Hawkins' death. Now, theFoo Fightersare going through yet another difficult transition.They recently announced that formerNine Inch Nailsdrummer Ilan Rubin would be taking Josh Freese’s place, and with an upcoming Asian tour, fans are curious to see what the future will bring to this ever-evolving band.
