Foo Fighters is the debut album by the
Foo FightersFoo Fighters is an American rock band formed by singer/guitarist/drummer Dave Grohl in 1995. Grohl formed the group as a one-man project after the dissolution of his previous band, Nirvana, in 1994. Prior to the release of Foo Fighters in 1995, Grohl drafted Nate Mendel , William Goldsmith , and...
, recorded entirely by frontman
Dave GrohlDavid Eric Grohl is an American rock musician, singer and songwriter. Grohl began his music career in the 1980s as the drummer for several Washington, D.C., area bands, including the hardcore punk band Scream. In 1990 he became the drummer for grunge group Nirvana...
, with the exception of a guitar part in "X-Static" by
Greg DulliGreg Dulli is an American rock composer, singer and instrumentalist. Dulli was born and brought up in the working-class Cincinnati suburb of Hamilton, Ohio. Although he was raised a Catholic, he denounced the religion in 1978 and has been an agnostic since. Dulli first came to public attention in...
. It was released in 1995 through Roswell and
Capitol RecordsCapitol Records is a major United States-based record label owned by EMI and located in Los Angeles and New York City as part of Capitol Music Group...
. It was nominated for Best Alternative Music Album at the 1996 Grammy ceremony, but lost to
Dave Grohl'sDavid Eric Grohl is an American rock musician, singer and songwriter. Grohl began his music career in the 1980s as the drummer for several Washington, D.C., area bands, including the hardcore punk band Scream. In 1990 he became the drummer for grunge group Nirvana...
former band
NirvanaNirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
's album
MTV Unplugged In New YorkMTV Unplugged in New York is a live album by the American grunge band Nirvana. It features an acoustic performance taped at Sony Music Studios in New York City on November 18, 1993 for the television series MTV Unplugged. The show was directed by Beth McCarthy and first aired on the cable...
.
All of the album's instrumental parts are performed by
Dave GrohlDavid Eric Grohl is an American rock musician, singer and songwriter. Grohl began his music career in the 1980s as the drummer for several Washington, D.C., area bands, including the hardcore punk band Scream. In 1990 he became the drummer for grunge group Nirvana...
, with the lone exception being a guitar part on "X-Static" provided by
Afghan WhigsThe Afghan Whigs were a soul-influenced American rock band from Cincinnati, Ohio. PopMatters described the band as "beyond simple genre categorization, and though lauded by the music press, never got their just due."-Band history:...
member
Greg DulliGreg Dulli is an American rock composer, singer and instrumentalist. Dulli was born and brought up in the working-class Cincinnati suburb of Hamilton, Ohio. Although he was raised a Catholic, he denounced the religion in 1978 and has been an agnostic since. Dulli first came to public attention in...
, with whom Grohl had performed as part of an all-star band on the 1994
BackbeatBackbeat is a 1994 film that chronicles the early days of The Beatles in Hamburg, Germany. The movie focuses primarily on the relationship between Stuart Sutcliffe and John Lennon , and also with Sutcliffe's German girlfriend Astrid Kirchherr .-Production:The film is based on the book The Real...
soundtrack.
The Foo Fighters band, originally consisting of bassist
Nate MendelNathan Gregor "Nate" Mendel is an American bassist for the bands Foo Fighters and Sunny Day Real Estate.-Biography:...
, guitarist
Pat SmearPat Smear , is a guitarist who has been a regular member of several well-known bands including The Germs and the Foo Fighters. He was first introduced to a wide audience as Nirvana's touring guitarist...
, and drummer
William GoldsmithWilliam Goldsmith is an American drummer best known for being the drummer of the popular Seattle emo band Sunny Day Real Estate and for his tenure as the drummer of the alternative rock band Foo Fighters.-Early Years:...
, was formed by Grohl after the completion of the album in order to promote it on tour.
Foo Fighters is the debut album by the
Foo FightersFoo Fighters is an American rock band formed by singer/guitarist/drummer Dave Grohl in 1995. Grohl formed the group as a one-man project after the dissolution of his previous band, Nirvana, in 1994. Prior to the release of Foo Fighters in 1995, Grohl drafted Nate Mendel , William Goldsmith , and...
, recorded entirely by frontman
Dave GrohlDavid Eric Grohl is an American rock musician, singer and songwriter. Grohl began his music career in the 1980s as the drummer for several Washington, D.C., area bands, including the hardcore punk band Scream. In 1990 he became the drummer for grunge group Nirvana...
, with the exception of a guitar part in "X-Static" by
Greg DulliGreg Dulli is an American rock composer, singer and instrumentalist. Dulli was born and brought up in the working-class Cincinnati suburb of Hamilton, Ohio. Although he was raised a Catholic, he denounced the religion in 1978 and has been an agnostic since. Dulli first came to public attention in...
. It was released in 1995 through Roswell and
Capitol RecordsCapitol Records is a major United States-based record label owned by EMI and located in Los Angeles and New York City as part of Capitol Music Group...
. It was nominated for Best Alternative Music Album at the 1996 Grammy ceremony, but lost to
Dave Grohl'sDavid Eric Grohl is an American rock musician, singer and songwriter. Grohl began his music career in the 1980s as the drummer for several Washington, D.C., area bands, including the hardcore punk band Scream. In 1990 he became the drummer for grunge group Nirvana...
former band
NirvanaNirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
's album
MTV Unplugged In New YorkMTV Unplugged in New York is a live album by the American grunge band Nirvana. It features an acoustic performance taped at Sony Music Studios in New York City on November 18, 1993 for the television series MTV Unplugged. The show was directed by Beth McCarthy and first aired on the cable...
.
History
All of the album's instrumental parts are performed by
Dave GrohlDavid Eric Grohl is an American rock musician, singer and songwriter. Grohl began his music career in the 1980s as the drummer for several Washington, D.C., area bands, including the hardcore punk band Scream. In 1990 he became the drummer for grunge group Nirvana...
, with the lone exception being a guitar part on "X-Static" provided by
Afghan WhigsThe Afghan Whigs were a soul-influenced American rock band from Cincinnati, Ohio. PopMatters described the band as "beyond simple genre categorization, and though lauded by the music press, never got their just due."-Band history:...
member
Greg DulliGreg Dulli is an American rock composer, singer and instrumentalist. Dulli was born and brought up in the working-class Cincinnati suburb of Hamilton, Ohio. Although he was raised a Catholic, he denounced the religion in 1978 and has been an agnostic since. Dulli first came to public attention in...
, with whom Grohl had performed as part of an all-star band on the 1994
BackbeatBackbeat is a 1994 film that chronicles the early days of The Beatles in Hamburg, Germany. The movie focuses primarily on the relationship between Stuart Sutcliffe and John Lennon , and also with Sutcliffe's German girlfriend Astrid Kirchherr .-Production:The film is based on the book The Real...
soundtrack.
The Foo Fighters band, originally consisting of bassist
Nate MendelNathan Gregor "Nate" Mendel is an American bassist for the bands Foo Fighters and Sunny Day Real Estate.-Biography:...
, guitarist
Pat SmearPat Smear , is a guitarist who has been a regular member of several well-known bands including The Germs and the Foo Fighters. He was first introduced to a wide audience as Nirvana's touring guitarist...
, and drummer
William GoldsmithWilliam Goldsmith is an American drummer best known for being the drummer of the popular Seattle emo band Sunny Day Real Estate and for his tenure as the drummer of the alternative rock band Foo Fighters.-Early Years:...
, was formed by Grohl after the completion of the album in order to promote it on tour. Despite not appearing on the album itself, the band is featured in the liner notes and was paid royalties for the album.
Grohl had been recording his own music for years prior, releasing a cassette called
PocketwatchPocketwatch is a cassette album by Dave Grohl, under the pseudonym Late!, released in 1992 on the now defunct indie label, Simple Machines, as part of their Tool Cassette Series.-Background:...
(under the moniker "Late!") during his time in
NirvanaNirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
. The album was recorded in October 1994 in Robert Lang's Studio in Seattle with friend/producer Barrett Jones. This was the same studio where Nirvana recorded its last session just nine months prior.
The gun featured on the cover is the "XZ-38
Disintegrator PistolIn science fiction, a disintegrator ray is an energy beam that destroys an object by disintegrating it to its basic components, which usually disperse into the atmosphere. Ray gun is the generic term for the weapons that fire disintegrator beams...
," which was originally released in 1935 as a
tie-inA tie-in is an authorized product based on a media property a company is releasing, such as a movie or video/DVD, computer game, video game, television program/television series, board game, web site, role-playing game or literary property...
toy for the
Buck RogersAnthony Rogers was a fictional character that originated in two short stories by Philip Francis Nowlan, "Armageddon 2419 A.D." and "The Airlords of Han" published in Amazing Stories ....
comic strip and radio show. The guns were originally manufactured by
DaisyDaisy is a company that makes and sells inexpensive BB guns and other air guns.-History:Daisy was started in 1882 as Plymouth Iron Windmill Company in Plymouth, Michigan. In 1886 the company started to give BB guns with purchases of windmills. The gun was so popular the company started to sell guns...
, best known for their line of youth BB guns, and today remain sought-after collector's items.
The cover was shot by Grohl's then-wife, photographer
Jennifer YoungbloodJennifer Youngblood is an American photographer. She is perhaps best known for her work for Foo Fighters - whose frontman Dave Grohl she married in 1993, having dated him for two years previously - especially the cover and insert of their first album. She also did some work for Nirvana, in which...
, and, like the name of his band, reflects his interest in science fiction.
Foo Fighters reached #3 in the UK and #23 in the US, being certified Platinum on January 26 1996.
On Foo Fighters' 2005-2006 live set with
WeezerWeezer is an alternative rock band from Los Angeles, California formed in 1992. Initially, the band consisted of Rivers Cuomo , Patrick Wilson , Matt Sharp , and Jason Cropper . Cropper was later replaced by Brian Bell...
, the band brought "
Big Me"Big Me" is the fifth single, released in 1996, by the Foo Fighters from their self-titled debut album Foo Fighters. Although it never charted on the Billboard Hot 100, the song became a modest hit on pop radio during the spring of 1996....
" back into their live setlist after Weezer covered the song at several shows, as Weezer have been longtime fans of the Foo Fighters. In 1995
Dave GrohlDavid Eric Grohl is an American rock musician, singer and songwriter. Grohl began his music career in the 1980s as the drummer for several Washington, D.C., area bands, including the hardcore punk band Scream. In 1990 he became the drummer for grunge group Nirvana...
sent Weezer leader
Rivers CuomoRivers Cuomo is an American musician and lead singer, lead guitarist, and principal songwriter of the rock band Weezer. He has also worked as a solo artist; he released his debut album, Alone: The Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo, in December 2007, which featured home demos that Cuomo has recorded...
a copy of the Foo Fighters debut with a note saying he really liked
The Blue AlbumWeezer, also known as The Blue Album, is the debut album by the American alternative rock band Weezer. It was released on May 10, 1994 by Geffen Records. The album was produced by former Cars frontman Ric Ocasek and recorded in Electric Lady Studios in New York City...
.
The album won the band their first and only MTV VMA for "Big Me."
Track listing
All songs written by Dave Grohl
- "This Is a Call
"This Is a Call" is the first major single released by Foo Fighters from their self-titled debut album. It was released in 1995. No video was made for the song.Dave Grohl said about the song: "The chorus says 'This is a call to all my past resignation'...
" – 3:53
- "I'll Stick Around
"I'll Stick Around" is the third single released by the Foo Fighters from their 1995 self titled debut album Foo Fighters. The song is rumored to have been written about Kurt Cobain's wife Courtney Love, with whom the surviving members of Nirvana were constantly battling over royalties and song...
" – 3:52
- "Big Me
"Big Me" is the fifth single, released in 1996, by the Foo Fighters from their self-titled debut album Foo Fighters. Although it never charted on the Billboard Hot 100, the song became a modest hit on pop radio during the spring of 1996....
" – 2:12
- "Alone + Easy Target
"Alone+Easy Target" is the fourth single released by Foo Fighters from their self-titled debut album. It was released only as promotional single, with a few limited edition singles released....
" – 4:05
- "Good Grief" – 4:01
- "Floaty" – 4:30
- "Weenie Beenie" – 2:45
- "Oh, George" – 3:00
- "For All the Cows
"For All the Cows" is the fourth single released by the Foo Fighters from their self titled debut album Foo Fighters. It was released in 1995. There was an idea about a music video for this single, it being the band dressing up in cow costumes. The idea never came through, and no video was made...
" – 3:30
- "X-Static" – 4:13
- "Wattershed" – 2:15
- "Exhausted
"Exhausted" is the first Foo Fighters release and the first single from the debut album. It was only issued as a promotional single, pressed on black 12" vinyl...
" – 5:45
B-sides
- "Winnebago" – 4:14
- "How I Miss You" – 4:56
- "Podunk" – 3:03
- "Ozone" (Frehley)
Ace Frehley is a 1978 solo album from the lead guitarist of American hard rock band Kiss. It was one of four solo albums released by the members of Kiss on September 18, 1978....
– 4:17
- "Gas Chamber" (BBC Session) – 0:56
- "Butterflies" – 2:40
Recording
- Dave Grohl
David Eric Grohl is an American rock musician, singer and songwriter. Grohl began his music career in the 1980s as the drummer for several Washington, D.C., area bands, including the hardcore punk band Scream. In 1990 he became the drummer for grunge group Nirvana...
- vocals, guitarThe guitar is a musical instrument with ancient roots that adapts readily to a wide variety of musical styles. It typically has six strings, but four-, seven-, eight-, ten-, eleven-, twelve-, thirteen- and eighteen-string guitars also exist. The size and shape of the neck and the base of the guitar...
, bassThe electric bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a plectrum....
, drumsA drum set is a collection of drums, cymbals and sometimes other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person . The term "drum kit" first became used in the 1700s in Britain...
- Greg Dulli
Greg Dulli is an American rock composer, singer and instrumentalist. Dulli was born and brought up in the working-class Cincinnati suburb of Hamilton, Ohio. Although he was raised a Catholic, he denounced the religion in 1978 and has been an agnostic since. Dulli first came to public attention in...
- guitar on "X-Static"
Band
- Dave Grohl
David Eric Grohl is an American rock musician, singer and songwriter. Grohl began his music career in the 1980s as the drummer for several Washington, D.C., area bands, including the hardcore punk band Scream. In 1990 he became the drummer for grunge group Nirvana...
- vocals, guitarThe guitar is a musical instrument with ancient roots that adapts readily to a wide variety of musical styles. It typically has six strings, but four-, seven-, eight-, ten-, eleven-, twelve-, thirteen- and eighteen-string guitars also exist. The size and shape of the neck and the base of the guitar...
- Pat Smear
Pat Smear , is a guitarist who has been a regular member of several well-known bands including The Germs and the Foo Fighters. He was first introduced to a wide audience as Nirvana's touring guitarist...
- guitarThe guitar is a musical instrument with ancient roots that adapts readily to a wide variety of musical styles. It typically has six strings, but four-, seven-, eight-, ten-, eleven-, twelve-, thirteen- and eighteen-string guitars also exist. The size and shape of the neck and the base of the guitar...
, vocals
- Nate Mendel
Nathan Gregor "Nate" Mendel is an American bassist for the bands Foo Fighters and Sunny Day Real Estate.-Biography:...
- bassThe electric bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a plectrum....
- William Goldsmith
William Goldsmith is an American drummer best known for being the drummer of the popular Seattle emo band Sunny Day Real Estate and for his tenure as the drummer of the alternative rock band Foo Fighters.-Early Years:...
- drumsA drum set is a collection of drums, cymbals and sometimes other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person . The term "drum kit" first became used in the 1700s in Britain...
Other
- Producers: Foo Fighters, Barrett Jones
- Engineer: Steve Culp
- Mixing: Tom Rothrock, Rob Schnapf
- Mastering: Stephen Marcussen
- Art direction: Tim Gabor
- Design: Tim Gabor
- Paintings: Jaq Chartier
- Photography: Curt Doughty, Charles Peterson, Jeff Ross, Jennifer Youngblood
Jennifer Youngblood is an American photographer. She is perhaps best known for her work for Foo Fighters - whose frontman Dave Grohl she married in 1993, having dated him for two years previously - especially the cover and insert of their first album. She also did some work for Nirvana, in which...
- Cover photo: Jennifer Youngblood
Chart positions
| Chart (1995) |
Peak
position |
| Austrian Albums Chart |
13 |
| Finland Albums Chart |
21 |
| German Albums Chart |
33 |
| New Zealand Albums Chart |
2 |
| Swedish Albums Chart |
18 |
| UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled by The Official UK Charts Company and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website ; the full Top 200 is published exclusively in ChartsPlus.To qualify for the UK albums...
|
3 |
| U.S. Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling new music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
|
23 |
| Chart (2003) |
Peak
position |
| Finland Mid-Price Chart |
3 |
Accolades
- Kerrang!
Kerrang! is a rock music magazine published by Bauer Consumer Media in the United Kingdom. The magazine's name is onomatopoeic and refers to the sound made when playing a power chord on an electric guitar.-History:...
magazine "100 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die" - Editors Choice #19 (1998)
- Kerrang! magazine "100 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die" - Readers Choice #34 (1998)
- 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die
1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die is a musical reference book edited by Robert Dimery, released in 2006.It consists of a list of albums released between 1955 and 2005, part of a series from Quintessence Editions Ltd. The book is arranged chronologically, starting with Frank Sinatra's In the...
, edited by Robert Dimery (2006)
- Rolling Stone ranked the album #2 in the Albums of the Year Critic Picks of 1995.