Dave Grohl: “The Problem With Nirvana Was That Kurt Cobain’s Songs Were So Good”

Former Nirvana drummer and current Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl once again paid his tribute to his former bandmate, Kurt Cobain, saying that his songs were insane. He also said his daughter’s generation “will carry the rock scene next level.”

Dave Grohl was the drummer of Nirvana from 1990 until the band’s disbandment in 1994. Although it was a short stint with Nirvana, Grohl came to world prominence for being a member of the band. Contributing to the band’s two albums out of three, Grohl was the key to the band’s last two studio albums, Nevermind and In Utero.

When Nirvana was disbanded after the passing of Kurt Cobain in 1994, Grohl continued creating music with the band he formed, which named Foo Fighters. Since the band’s formation, he has released 10 studio albums in total with Fighters. When 1995’s self-titled Foo Fighters was the debut release of the album, the band’s latest and tenth effort was released in 2020 at press time, which was Medicine At Midnight.

Even though Grohl formed his new band after Kurt Cobain died, he didn’t focus on making new stuff without Kurt Cobain and Nirvana at first. He has always talked positively about Kurt Cobain and Nirvana, although Cobain once wanted a new drummer for the band. He has also always been a fan of Kurt Cobain’s songwriting skills, saying that he was an outstanding person.

Recently, he made an appearance on MSNBC to discuss Kurt Cobain‘s music, the next generation’s possible effect on the rock scene, and the underground punk rock scene. According to Grohl, his daughter’s generation will create the next revolution in music.

“What I see is this mutation, this change, this growth and progression that her generation, they’re the rock stars now,” Grohl said (as transcribed by MetalCastle.net). “It’s not old guys like me.

“It’s that generation. Give it five or 10 years, give it three or four years and you’ll see how this mutation is happening. I don’t feel like it’s our job as a band to create any sort of revolution. It’s to bring everyone together in those moments. It’s my daughter’s job to create that next revolution and I think she will.”

Dave Grohl Claims Kurt Cobain’s Songs Were So Good On Nirvana

Elsewhere, the interviewer reminded Dave Grohl of his words about the underground punk rock scene. Revealing his honest opinion on the issue, Grohl admitted that Kurt Cobain’s songs were so good on Nirvana.

“Well, you know, the thing that I loved so much about the underground punk rock music scene was its independence, and all of these people were doing it themselves,” he answers. “So, there were no real big record companies you would just, ‘Go to a studio down the street and pay a couple of hundred dollars and record a couple of songs, and then send that to the pressing plant, and they’d make some albums, and then you’d xerox a copy for the cover, and then stuff it in sleeve and go sell it to the local record store and consignment.’ It worked that way.

“The problem with Nirvana was that Kurt’s songs were so good. We were raised in that scene where it was our secret. But then, all of a sudden we become one of them, like, ‘What do you do?’

“Okay, now millions of people are singing your songs. I can only speak for myself. I was the drummer. So, I could literally walk in the front door of the Nirvana concert and barely get recognized. I didn’t have to bear the weight of the responsibility of being the front person of the band, which was difficult on Kurt. Especially when you’re sort of rising out of that underground scene and becoming one of the greatest bands in the world. It’s hard.

“So, you have to kind of remind yourself of the reasons why you started in the first place. You have to remind yourself of the kid on the bedroom floor with The Beatles records. And that’s the core. That’s who you are. And, if the world starts singing along with your songs, I think you have to appreciate that in a way.”

Back in October 2021, Dave Grohl talked about what he felt when Nirvana was over and Kurt Cobain passed away. He said that his world turned upside down.

“After Kurt died and Nirvana was over, our worlds were just turned upside down,” Grohl says. “I don’t know if anyone knew how to continue or what to do next.

“I personally didn’t have any interest in music. I put my instruments away. It was hard for me to listen to the radio, which was very unlike me.

“And after a few months, I decided I would go on this kind of soul-searching trip in the middle of nowhere. I just wanted to be away from everyone and everything.”