Dave Grohl, previously the drummer for Nirvana and now the frontman of Foo Fighters, openly acknowledges several pivotal musical inspirations. While his admiration for heavy rock bands such as Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin is evident, Grohl has consistently revered The Beatles.
Although different fans have their own personal favourites, Grohl once admitted that George Harrison was his favourite Beatle. During an interview with BBC Radio 2 for the 50th anniversary of Abbey Road, he said ‘Something’ was one of his all-time favourite tracks, explaining: “I would like to play my favourite song by George Harrison, called ‘Something’,” he said.
Grohl added: “I think that of all The Beatles — of course, each one of them is so entirely different, melodically they’re so different, songwriting, lyrically — but George Harrison, there was something about him that I almost preferred the most.”
Explaining how he felt connected to Harrison, Grohl continued: “I loved every single one of them for different reasons, but I connected to George Harrison’s sense of melody more than anyone.”
Despite his musical journey being rooted in drumming, Grohl transitioned into a frontman role when he founded Foo Fighters. Appreciating Harrison’s work provides a window into Grohl’s approach as a writer, especially because one of the first songs he ever wrote was a tribute to the musician.
“On the first Foo Fighters record, there is a song entitled ‘Oh, George’. I basically wanted the guitar solo to sound like something he would do,” Grohl explained. “But the guitar solo in the song ‘Something’ is the first guitar solo I ever learned. It’s such a beautiful solo. Melodically, it’s safe to say that it’s one of the most classic guitar solos of all time. Such a beautiful song.”
Grohl also once singled out ‘Taxman’, the first track from Revolver, as another cherished Harrison creation. He said: “It’s one of my favourite riffs and rhythms of all Beatles songs. I love the chords; I love the melody; I love the snare sound. You have to imagine that in 1966, they were inventing a lot of rock ‘n’ roll recording by figuring out new ways to engineer these sessions.”
Adding: “I have to say that this song, still to this day, sounds better than most rock ‘n’ roll songs. The riff, the rhythm, the melody, the lyrics.”
Following Harrison’s tragic death in 2001, Grohl penned a tribute to the revered guitarist. He wrote: “George Harrison was always my favourite Beatle. His quiet sensitivity always seemed so noble. His songs seemed sweeter and deeper than the rest. Beyond being an amazing player, his ability to convey such emotion with just his guitar played a huge part in the Beatles’ music for me. He was the secret weapon.”
