Dave Grohl on the Grammys just said...

[robertshaw]

Originally Posted by sonic dogg

Thats a picture of Sound City not his home studio. He does have an interest in Sound City also. The home version is much smaller.

I thought this was '606'

anyway dave grohl has as much gear as anyone else
too much of a big deal is being made about this garage thing

who cares? lots of records were done in home studio that sound
a hell of alot better than his records.

dave grwol
I'd rather get root canal than listen to foo fighters

[robertshaw]

Originally Posted by JonMiller

I honestly think the song writing on this record stinks. The record is super smashed insanely grid aligned.

The high end is ridiculous and the guitars sound like plugins.

If it was tracked through Tape and Dave's API, it was clearly edited to all snot and back.

I does sound like everyone else except his vocals are worse
and his lyrics are more awful

[Slikjmuzik]

Originally Posted by narcoman

nobody's whining. Nobody's hating. Just to call it some kind of "home recording achievement" is a far stretch!! His garage is an excellent studio!! That's about the size of it....

A few things here, and as usual, Fletcher has the biggest edge on the most important points. Firstly, it was done in a garage!! If anyone else here on Gearslutz tried saying they were going to record something in their garage and claimed they were going to go for a Grammy doing so without the use of pro-tools and ONLY tape editing. EVERY cynical person on GS would chime back with an opinion that it wouldn't happen and would suggest to go into a properly treated facility and their chances would be great at getting a good product that way. With that said, all they had around Taylors drums IF YOU LOOK AT THE VIDEOS CAREFULLY were gobos behind him....NO OTHER ACOUSTIC TREATMENT IN THAT GARAGE WHILE TRACKING DRUMS. The vocals, bass and drums were done upstairs where the API console is. Again, you see plenty of video of this on Youtube. All of a sudden, the gear is important with everyone chiming in with the whole high end gear comments, API console, Butch Vig involved, etc...you guys are something else...

Essentially, James as the engineer, Butch Vig overseeing the overall sonics and sonic palette, musicians that can play...isn't that we we all constantly tout on here to others? Isn't that what Dave Grohl said in his acceptance speach, to learn to play and love the music? You folks need serious attitude adjustments and need to learn to give credit where it's deserved...at least that's what I gather from all these opinions I've read thus far....

[mexicola]

Originally Posted by narcoman

well,


He also hired Alan Moulder and Butch Vig....

It's not really DIY mentality is it? He hired the best, bought great stuff in and made a proper record in his house. Like Radiohead did in Jane Seymours house or like Zep did etc etc.... made a proper record on location. Nothing DIY about it!!

Oh - I'm sorry chaps.... computers were used. Check the movie. Not extensively - but they were used. Moderately and with taste....

Finally - don't get what the great "wow" is here.... it'd a rock record made the way the majority of rock records are made (no, not the your teen rockers... I'm talking QOTSA or Black Keys or other like minded souls). Nothing new here!! Foo Fighters made a preparer rock record.... well, haven't they been doing that a fair while? Sounds like a marketing bandwagon!!!!


And gear envy.... is there some here? Not sure. Cuz his excellently equipped studio still aint a candle to mine ahhahahaha

Uh, there's actually quite alot DIY about it. It's about being in control of your art in every step of its creation, which most musicians on the scale of the grammys are not.

So he hired a couple big names to come into his own studio...that's no different than a local band hiring a well known local engineer to come into their home studio. Just because you know their names doesn't make it any different. BUT HE STILL HIRED THEM! It wasn't the label that hired them and told him he had to work with them.

You're right that there's nothing new about it, but it's nice to see a band that has the same ethos as my favorite bands (QOTSA being my favorite) get some recognition on that scale. Like I said, I'm not a big fan of the Foos, but I am a big fan of people who make the music they want to make on their own terms. I don't understand why you, or anyone here, would disrespect that.

[robertshaw]

Originally Posted by Slikjmuzik

Taylors drums IF YOU LOOK AT THE VIDEOS CAREFULLY were gobos behind him....NO OTHER ACOUSTIC TREATMENT IN THAT GARAGE WHILE

but the drums sound like they were done in a garage so what is your point?

If you recorded drums in a garage and made them sound like they were tracked at ocean way then you have bragging rights. If you record drums in a garage and on the record they sound like they were recorded in a garage, what did you accomplish? nada? or what you set out to do? that's what they did no more no less
big deal.

anyone can make a record as good (or bad) as that foo fighters record. it sounds good. But so do lots of home recordings. If he said I'm going to record in a garage on a mackie 2402 with adats and it sounded like the new foofighters does, then you could go wow! what a feat. But in reality it was tracked on 2in with an API with other great gear by great engineers. It sounds like it should, no better no worse.

it's average. Dave is average, his songs are below average. His lyrics are so bad they don't even have a word for it. Dave is an above average drummer he should join motorhead or blackflag and give up the corporate rock thing and be true to his roots.

As far as an earlier post about Dave paying his dues. In what way did he pay his dues? he was famous when he was 20 years old. He was on mainstream records when he was early 20s. It's not like he kicked around in punk clubs for 10 or 15 years the suddenly broke through.

One thing is for sure Dave could play that crash cymbal like a ride cymbal better than anyone except Alex Van Halen
props for that

[Knox]

Originally Posted by Faderjockey

It's stupid when people say there was better bands in the past... Really? No Shit!!
Of course there was.. So lets freakin pack up and call it quits there was already better bands.. nothing to see here... go home everyone.

Possibly your comment was pointed toward me because of my Ramones comment . . . . I didn't say "better" . . being a NYer, I just miss a great NYC, raw band. Simple enough!

[mexicola]

Originally Posted by Slikjmuzik

A few things here, and as, Fletcher has the biggest edge on the most important points. Firstly, it was done in a garage!! If anyone else here on Gearslutz tried saying they were going to record something in their garage and claimed they were going to go for a Grammy doing so without the use of pro-tools and ONLY tape editing. EVERY cynical person on GS would chime back with an opinion that it wouldn't happen and would suggest to go into a properly treated facility and their chances would be great at getting a good product that way. With that said, all they had around Taylors drums IF YOU LOOK AT THE VIDEOS CAREFULLY were gobos behind him....NO OTHER ACOUSTIC TREATMENT IN THAT GARAGE WHILE TRACKING DRUMS. The vocals, bass and drums were done upstairs where the API console is. Again, you see plenty of video of this on Youtube. All of a sudden, the gear is important with everyone chiming in with the whole high end gear comments, API console, Butch Vig involved, etc...you guys are something else...

Essentially, James as the engineer, Butch Vig overseeing the overall sonics and sonic palette, musicians that can play...isn't that we we all constantly tout on here to others? Isn't that what Dave Grohl said in his acceptance speach, to learn to play and love the music? You folks need serious attitude adjustments and need to learn to give credit where it's deserved...at least that's what I gather from all these opinions I've read thus far....

Hit the nail on the head! I couldn't agree more!

[Demonslave]

So yeah, maybe he used his garage as a live room for drums, but essentially used part of the house(probably the furthest part away from the garage ) and a full studio and a brand new 1608. So it was gonna sound good in the end. He obviously wanted to make it sound like he had a tape machine and a line amp, we all know it would probably have sounded like garbage if he did it like that. But still, garages can sound good, I know my drum room in mine does......

[The Listener]

All is cool... but far from any DIY or home recording... don't confuse the rookies.

It is as much DIY as was "Exile on Main Street" or many other famous classic recordings done with the Rolling Stones Mobile Studio, recording legends like Led Zeppelin, Frank Zappa, The Who, etc., recording in much more obscure and weird places than garages.

Hey, nothing wrong with Foo Fighters, but I find it silly to call this "garage" recording and ascribing something special to this. This is NOT DIY.

This is just setting up a high end remote studio in your own place. Which has been done before many times. Good for them to re-invent it. Hey, nothing new these days either...

To joke some more - Foo Fighters might record in a garage, but Pink Floyd recorded on a BOAT! How DIY is that!!

edit - but I am sure Kurt would be happy to see them doing that garage tour and returning to roots in a way. I am still sorry that I was too young to catch un-famous Nirvana when they were performing in a local club as still only a "garage band" on DIY tour in Europe. But probably they more or less sucked like most young bands at that stage in development, anyway.

[Slikjmuzik]

Originally Posted by robertshaw

but the drums sound like they were done in a garage so what is your point?

I guess I'd be happy if I had won a grammy having done it in my garage, whether they sounded like these drums or drums done at Oceanway...idk, maybe I'm crazy.

Drums done at Oceanway wouldn't have fit the vibe of this record. I feel the record was done pretty right on for what they were going for...

[Slikjmuzik]

Originally Posted by mexicola

Hit the nail on the head! I couldn't agree more!

What's up buddy, it's Julian! Loving my buss compressor over here!!

[Slikjmuzik]

Originally Posted by robertshaw

anyone can make a record as good (or bad) as that foo fighters record. it sounds good. But so do lots of home recordings.

I'm sorry dude, but to do any better, you need to involve CLA, Randy Staub for mixing and/or a guy like Ted Jenson on the mastering end. They didn't pay those prices, they brought in Butch Vig, which was probably their biggest expense, along with James Brown's engineering skills and whoever mastered the album. Nowhere near what it could cost for a CLA/Jensen combo.

[gonklives]

Maybe some kid will hear "recorded in a garage" not a castle or a mansion etc. and go out there and make the most awesome record in their parents garage...no?

Dave ain't preaching to to the choir here, he's preaching to that kid, you know the one you were once and believed in all possibilities, when I heard Led Zep had not recorded in a studio all I heard was "Mansion!" oh well that's ou of my league already, all it needs is the thought of possibility in some kids head.

[robertshaw]

Originally Posted by Slikjmuzik

I'm sorry dude, but to do any better, you need to involve CLA, Randy Staub for mixing and/or a guy like Ted Jenson on the mastering end. They didn't pay those prices, they brought in Butch Vig, which was probably their biggest expense, along with James Brown's engineering skills and whoever mastered the album. Nowhere near what it could cost for a CLA/Jensen combo.

not sure what you are saying but the record sounds average to me Ive never heard of Randy Staub or ted jensen and I never heard of a piece of gear called a CLA

long story short the foofighters are average, their records are average and to be honest they deserve a grammy, since everyone who wins a grammy is average

The coolest thing about a grammy award is you'll never see one on Jimmy Page's mantle and true great artists like Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, The Who and Queen don't have them either.

So in other words it's much cooler not to have one. I'm glad dave has those and his MTV music awards. Sicne it shows not that he's average, but that he is a sell out. He tries to come off as some tortured punkrock 'underground' musician. Yet he has been playing arenas since he was 20 and he has been a rich famous corporate rock start since he was 19. He is a pop star. Not a true artist.

sell out....phony

[mexicola]

Originally Posted by Slikjmuzik

What's up buddy, it's Julian! Loving my buss compressor over here!!

Hey Julian! Always good to hear that!!!

[bigfurry]

The Grammys awarded their biggest prizes around the two acts that actually wrote their own songs, sang, and in the Foo Fighter's case, played without canned backing tracks. We should be feeling good about this, no? Adele made a point of singing by herself at the start of her performance, and the Foos did their thing. The show wrapped up with Sir Paul sounding a bit tired but sang and played unaided some of the greatest music ever written (that he himself wrote, of course).
In this context, view David Grohl's statement. It really was a rare moment where people who can write, sing, and play were rewarded. It's been awhile. I think he's passionate about music being created and performed with integrity. So should we all be. Forget the "home studio" stuff- that's missing the forest for the trees. Put any snarky crap and ego bs aside for a moment and lets appreciate the message of Grohl and the Grammys last night:

They valued people who can play.
They valued artists who wrote their own songs.
They valued people who sang with uncomputerized passion.

The Grammys got it right last night, somehow.
You don't like the performers' style, cool. But I'm amazed at the tangential crap on a site that is filled with people who are on the front lines recording.

Nice to work on something where you're not turd polishing, isn't it?

Long live talent and passion in music. Wildflowers in the parking lot.

[lollygagger8]

I like the Foo Fighters and love Dave Grohl's bands, and side projects. I did however crack up that his speech got cut off and they rolled some music on him.

The new album sounds great, expect I seem to be the only one who thinks the highs are way too much. Weird.

[UncleBubba]

I like Dave and Foos a lot as do a ton of other folks, but the sentiment is olde...and...the last time I checked...

The Foos do plenty of ProTooling...plenty... on the new record too folks...it's just fashionable to say these things...and rock and roll is half fashion...which is cool with me!

Finding ways to stay inspired after more than a decade is hard to do...seems like Dave found a good way to do that.

[narcoman]

Originally Posted by bambony

As I say I am not into heavy stuff .....

and you won't hear any on FF records!!

[robertshaw]

Originally Posted by mexicola

Wow...

it is what it is, he's a phony. A corporate rockker!!! yeah man two Ks ........ Rockker
short of spandex and cowboy boots Dave is an 80s rocker at heart.
If not for it raining everyday in Seattle, he would have played Glam
He wanted so bad to be in Mother Love Bone but instead he had to settle for Nirvana
oh well we are the ones who have to suffer through hearing his songs on the radio
thank gawd for the volume knob...... foo fighters on? volume knob off!

"Foo Fighters" is Seattle lingo for cheeeeeze

[latestflavor]

Fletcher has it. Dave was trying to encourage the next generation of kids who are sitting around focused on computers, plugins, magic bullets, looping or beat detectiving the crap out of their drums and are not learning to play their instruments, are less concerned with being in the moment for an honest artistic performance. And by hiring people who looks after the finer technical details which unwittingly suck your artistic energy away while you think about X mic or Y mic or which gear or the best plugins or how much foam should be in your bedroom closet that's too small to record vocals anyway.

My sense was his frustration with the lack of pure craft musicianship, and honest energy of music today, not necessarily anything specific related to recording in a garage (that was a little ego perhaps by highly overstating the simplicity of Foo Fighters recording)

[The Listener]

Originally Posted by Slikjmuzik

I'm sorry dude, but to do any better, you need to involve CLA, Randy Staub for mixing and/or a guy like Ted Jenson on the mastering end. They didn't pay those prices, they brought in Butch Vig, which was probably their biggest expense, along with James Brown's engineering skills and whoever mastered the album. Nowhere near what it could cost for a CLA/Jensen combo.

Funny...

First of all - Butch Vig is a high profile producer, not engineer in this case. If you wish to compare to CLA - they had Alan Moulder, equally high profile mixer and producer, working on anything from Depeche mode to Nine Inch Nails, A Perfect Circle...

Mastering was done by equally high profile Joe LaPorta.

Not exactly cheap low profile hired labor, no?

Admit it, I do to that all the time - it was your ass talking.

Of course it sounds good - a capable band, great gear, top professional producers and engineers... Where is DIY and low profile in this?

[slaphappy]

Originally Posted by bigfurry

The Grammys awarded their biggest prizes around the two acts that actually wrote their own songs, sang, and in the Foo Fighter's case, played without canned backing tracks. We should be feeling good about this, no? Adele made a point of singing by herself at the start of her performance, and the Foos did their thing. The show wrapped up with Sir Paul sounding a bit tired but sang and played unaided some of the greatest music ever written (that he himself wrote, of course).
In this context, view David Grohl's statement. It really was a rare moment where people who can write, sing, and play were rewarded. It's been awhile. I think he's passionate about music being created and performed with integrity. So should we all be. Forget the "home studio" stuff- that's missing the forest for the trees. Put any snarky crap and ego bs aside for a moment and lets appreciate the message of Grohl and the Grammys last night:

They valued people who can play.
They valued artists who wrote their own songs.
They valued people who sang with uncomputerized passion.

The Grammys got it right last night, somehow.
You don't like the performers' style, cool. But I'm amazed at the tangential crap on a site that is filled with people who are on the front lines recording.

Nice to work on something where you're not turd polishing, isn't it?

Long live talent and passion in music. Wildflowers in the parking lot.

YES! Goodness.

[mexicola]

Originally Posted by robertshaw

it is what it is, he's a phony. A corporate rockker!!! yeah man two Ks ........ Rockker
short of spandex and cowboy boots Dave is an 80s rocker at heart.
If not for it raining everyday in Seattle, he would have played Glam
He wanted so bad to be in Mother Love Bone but instead he had to settle for Nirvana
oh well we are the ones who have to suffer through hearing his songs on the radio
thank gawd for the volume knob...... foo fighters on? volume knob off!

"Foo Fighters" is Seattle lingo for cheeeeeze

dave grohl isn't from seattle & he doesn't live there. he's from virginia.
he got asked to play in nirvana when kurt and krist saw him playing drums in Scream, a Washington DC hardcore band. quite far from glam.
your complete lack of knowledge on the subject completely invalidates any argument you've made here.

[robertshaw]

Originally Posted by mexicola

dave grohl isn't from seattle & he doesn't currently live there. he's from virginia.
he got asked to play in nirvana when kurt and krist saw him playing drums in Scream, a Washington DC hardcore band.

Sorry my knowledge of wannabe punk Rokker Geography is a little lite

Originally Posted by mexicola

quite far from glam.

maybe scream wasn't but the foofighters are the new glam

Originally Posted by mexicola

your complete lack of knowledge on the subject completely invalidates any argument you've made here.

But we are talking about the foofighters songs and talent which they have very little, that much knowledge on the subject I have, luckily

Ladies and gentleman will you please welcome from Virginia!!!! Mother of Presidents!!!! FOOOOOOOOOO FIIIIIGHERS!!!!!!


Virginia?

Dave growl


Virginia? lol that is silly

[mexicola]

Originally Posted by robertshaw

Sorry my knowledge of wannabe punk Rokker Geography is a little lite


maybe scream wasn't but the foofighters are the new glam


But we are talking about the foofighters songs and talent which they have very little, that much knowledge on the subject I have, luckily

Ladies and gentleman will you please welcome from Virginia!!!! Mother of Presidents!!!! FOOOOOOOOOO FIIIIIGHERS!!!!!!


Virginia?

Dave growl


Virginia? lol that is silly

yawn

[True North]

I like the message. I think it took a brass pair to get up on that stage in front of a bunch of his peers and say something that would definitely annoy or upset a good number of them.

I value music played by humans who genuinely tried to learn their craft on their instrument(s) of choice. I think it is important that Dave's message got out to an audience who might not have ever heard or considered any opinion like that. Learn how to play an instrument so that the tradition carries on and future generations can be inspired by new music being created by real people. Machine like 'Perfection' is not a necessity to make great music. Human spirit, creativity and passion are the engines that drive great music.

Good on ya Dave!!

[latestflavor]

while Dave had a "preacher" moment, and it would be easy to criticize his character or point out when / how he is a hypocrite, i don't think he said the things he did to show people how great he is - yes he did use a fair amount of ego in that respect to get his point across (nirvana, my garage with two sticks rubbed together to make fire, walked both ways uphill in the snow....)

but i think his intentions were true to what he believed - perfect or not, he could have focused on the band and its moment instead of trying to better the future of music (in his eyes)

[Slikjmuzik]

Originally Posted by The Listener

Funny...

First of all - Butch Vig is a high profile producer, not engineer in this case. If you wish to compare to CLA - they had Alan Moulder, equally high profile mixer and producer, working on anything from Depeche mode to Nine Inch Nails, A Perfect Circle...

Mastering was done by equally high profile Joe LaPorta.

Not exactly cheap low profile hired labor, no?

Admit it, I do to that all the time - it was your ass talking.

Of course it sounds good - a capable band, great gear, top professional producers and engineers... Where is DIY and low profile in this?

You're pretty right about all that. Butch Vig can't be cheap and I can't imagine they'd use some cheapo to mix and master it either. Guess I stand corrected. I wish others here on GS knew how to own up to their mistakes...

[UncleBubba]

Originally Posted by True North

I like the message. I think it took a brass pair to get up on that stage in front of a bunch of his peers and say something that would definitely annoy or upset a good number of them.

I value music played by humans who genuinely tried to learn their craft on their instrument(s) of choice. I think it is important that Dave's message got out to an audience who might not have ever heard or considered any opinion like that. Learn how to play an instrument so that the tradition carries on and future generations can be inspired by new music being created by real people. Machine like 'Perfection' is not a necessity to make great music. Human spirit, creativity and passion are the engines that drive great music.

Good on ya Dave!!

yikes!...someone's buying the swamp...listen up...that album contains Beat Detective, sample replace and Vocal tuning..so please already

The spirit of doing it in a fun environment is...well...fun...but when it got right down to it...they employed all the same computer tools that every new record does...mastering? don;t even get me started on how loudenized that record is...

The spirit of what he is saying is a nice sentiment and obviously is getting them some good press