Dave Grohl: Bio, Drum Gear, Albums & More

A man of many talents, Dave Grohl is a highly regarded musician especially in the world of rock for his abilities and contributions.

In the early 1990s, he was a drumming star for the grunge band, Nirvana and later developed into the guitarist, lead vocalist, primary songwriter and founder of the Foo Fighters.

Dave Grohl leads an exciting life full of dedication to music that continues to inspire new generations of musicians.

Early Life

Grohl was born on January 14, 1969 in Warren, Ohio to parents with ancestry from Germany, Ireland, and Slovakia.

He experienced a fairly fast-paced childhood as his family moved out to Springfield, Virginia when he was still a kid and he was constantly transferring to different schools for various reasons.

Picking up the guitar at 12 years old, Grohl didn’t find lessons to be interesting so he learned how to play it himself. Eventually, he started to play in bands with friends. In high school, he began playing with several local bands including a band called Freak Baby. It wasn’t until this period did he start learning to play the drums by himself. When the band fired its bass player, Grohl switched to drums and Freak Baby was renamed to Mission Impossible.

Grohl never took any formal drum lessons. Instead, he was heavily inspired by other musicians playing punk rock such as Neil Peart and John Bonham. Many of his influences were also from a music venue he frequented in Washington, DC called 9:30 Club to which he credited several shows that forever changed his life.

Career

As Grohl continued to attend shows as a spectator and performer, Mission Impossible soon renamed themselves once again to Fast before breaking up, after which Grohl joined another band called Dain Bramage in 1985.

The band then came to its dissolution in 1987 when Grohl quit without notice to join Scream as it was too good of an opportunity to pass up. This is where Grohl began to see the world and taste international fame.

Unfortunately, Scream met its end in 1990 during the middle of a tour following the resignation of their bassist, Skeeter Thompson. Grohl reached out to his friend, Buzz Osborne who then recommended him to Nirvana, who were also in need of a drummer. The band saw his potential and took him in without much hesitation.

In 1991, Nirvana released Nevermind which went above and beyond all expectations and achieved global commercial success. Not only was Grohl their drummer, he also steadily contributed more and more to their songwriting processes.

A heartbreaking event, Nirvana’s lead vocalist and guitarist, Kurt Cobain passed away in 1994 which led to the end of Nirvana’s momentum. Grohl left the band feeling unsure of what he wanted to do. He tried working with several other bands such as Tommy Petty and the Heartbreakers, and Pearl Jam. However, things didn't quite work out for him on that path so he started focusing on his own projects.

Eventually, he created Foo Fighters as a singer and guitarist which took the world by storm. As of 2023, Foo Fighters have been able to continuously find immense success as they released up to 13 albums and over 40 singles.

Drum Gear

Drums

Over the years, Grohl was found to use several drum sets including:

1960s Gretsch Round Badge Drum Kit
DW Custom Jazz Series (Custom Laser Blue)
TAMA Granstar II with an Artwood Snare
TAMA Granstar with a Superstar Snare
Dave Grohl DW Custom Set
DW Design Mini Pro 16 in Satin Black
DW Drums Custom Built Concert Toms

Snare Drums

Grohl would often switch out the standard snare drums from the drum sets he played and has over the years playing the following snares:

Tama Artstar II in "piano black" finish
Superstar Snare in a natural finish
DW Aluminium Snare Drum
DW Dave Grohl “Sound City” ICON Snare Drum (14”x6.5”)
Keplinger Stainless Steel Snare Drum (6.5”x14”)

Cymbals

Grohl was known to mostly use Zildjian cymbals including their:

15” K HiHats
24” ZHT Ride
20” A Custom Crash
15” K Light Hi-Hats
18” A Medium Crash
24” A Medium Ride
19” K Custom China
20” A Custom Rezo Crash
20” A Custom EFX
19” K Custom Hybrid China Cymbal

Drumsticks

Throughout his career Grohl has been using different types of drumsticks including the

Zildjian Aquarian Power-Sleeve 2B
Zildjian Dave Grohl Artist Signature Series Drumsticks
Promark Hot Rods
Regal Tip 5B
and the Wincent 5BXL Hickory Drumsticks

TV Appearances

Grohl made his first appearance on television in 1992 as a musical guest on Saturday Night Live. Ever since then, he has constantly been on the screens as well as voice-overs for many other shows including the Late show with David Letterman, Daria, Metalocalypse, Chelsea Lately, The Muppets, Sesame Street and Cbeebies Bedtime Story.

He then took it to the next stage as he directed documentaries such as Sound City, Sonic Highways, and What Drives Us. Other than that, he’s also directed most of the Foo Fighters’ music videos such as Monkey Wrench, My Hero, All My Life and others.

Awards and Nominations

Grohl has received numerous awards and nominations throughout his career as a musician and filmmaker. Some of these achievements would include 41 nominations and 18 wins in the Grammy Awards, a nomination in the Primetime Emmy Awards, a win in the Cinema Eye Honors Awards, and a nominee in the Shanghai International TV Festival.

Dave Grohl videos

Dave Grohl playing "Smells Like Teen Spirit"

Dave Grohl originally played some tracks for the Foo Fighters such as "Learn to Fly"

Dave Grohl takes over from Taylor Hawkins to play a drum solo.

Discography

Albums

1985: Alive & Kicking with Mission Impossible
1986: Getting Shit for Growing Up Different with Mission Impossible
1986: Demo 1 with Dain Bramage
1986: Demo 2 with Dain Bramage
1986: I Scream Not Coming Down with Dain Bramage
1988: No More Censorship with Scream
1988: Live at Van Hall in Amsterdam with Scream
1990: Your Choice Live Series Vol.10 with Scream
1992: Pocketwatch with Late!
1992: Hormoaning with Nirvana
1992: Incesticide with Nirvana
1993: In Utero with Nirvana
1993: Fumble with Scream
1994: MTV Unplugged in New York with Nirvana
1995: Foo Fighters with Foo Fighters
1996: From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah with Nirvana
1996: Singles with Nirvana
2001: Tenacious D with Tenacious D
2002: One by One with Foo Fighters
2002: Songs for the Deaf with Queens of the Stone Age
2002: Nirvana with Nirvana
2004: Probot with Probot
2004: With the Lights Out with Nirvana
2005: Five Songs and a Cover with Foo Fighters
2005: Sliver: The Best of the Box with Nirvana
2006: Skin and Bones with Foo Fighters
2006: Pick of Destiny with Tenacious D
2007: Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace with Foo Fighters
2009: Live at Reading with Nirvana
2009: Greatest Hits with Foo Fighters
2009: Them Crooked Vultures with Them Crooked Vultures
2010: Icon with Nirvana
2011: Wasting Light with Foo Fighters
2011: Medium Rare with Foo Fighters
2012: Rize of the Fenix with Tenacious D
2013: ...Like Clockwork with Queens of the Stone Age
2014: Sonic Highways with Foo Fighters
2017: Concrete and Gold with Foo Fighters
2018: Post-Apocalypto with Tenacious D
2018: Play with Dream Widow
2021: Hail Satin with Dee Gees
2021: Medicine at Midnight with Foo Fighters
2022: Dream Widow with Dream Widow

Frequently asked questions

At what age did Dave Grohl start playing the drums?

Dave Grohl started playing the drums in 1981 at the age of 12.

How long has Dave Grohl been playing the drums for?

Dave Grohl has been playing the drums for 42 years now.

Which drum brands does Dave Grohl use?

Throughout his career Dave Grohl has used Zildjian, Gretsch, DW, Tama, Promark, Regal, Wincent, Keplinger, Senheiser, Shure, Neumann and AKG.

What genres is Dave Grohl known for?

He is known for playing Alternative Rock, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal and Punk Rock.

How many recordings has Dave Grohl been featured on?

Counting all his Albums, Dave Grohl has been featured on at least 43 recordings.