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questingnotcoasting's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
Graphic: Grief, Drug use, and Alcohol
loribeth1961's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
By the time Nirvana hit the big time in the early 1990s, I was in my 30s and starting to lose touch a little with what was considered currently popular in music. I knew who Nirvana was, of course (you couldn't miss "Smells Like Teen Spirit," the song or the video, if you were around back then) and I even knew enough about the band to remark to my husband that we were passing through Kurt Cobain's hometown, when a road trip from my great-aunt's home near Seattle to the Oregon coast in 1993 took us through Aberdeen, Washington... but I can't say I was a big fan or follower. (I actually like/appreciate their music more these days than I did back then.)
Likewise, when Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl formed a new band called Foo Fighters in the aftermath of Cobain's 1994 suicide, I was aware of it (that weird name...!), but didn't really follow them that closely. I think I gradually became aware of Grohl as a personality, before the Foo Fighters' music. I saw him interviewed several times, and read some of the articles he's written -- including one of several he's done for The Atlantic, about public school teachers (his mom was one of them). (She wrote her own book before he did, interviewing other rock stars' moms. I'd love to read that one too!) He impressed me as being funny and thoughtful and eloquent -- and, at times, hilariously profane. :) The more I heard about and from him, the more I liked the guy.
And then I heard he'd written a book as a project to keep himself occupied during the pandemic. (So, one good thing that came out of covid...!)
"The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music" is not a memoir in the usual narrative sense ("and then this happened..."). It unfolds more or less chronologically, but it's more like a series of short stories/vignettes from Grohl's life, making it very easy to dip in & out of.
I strongly suspected, the minute I heard about this book, that I was going to love it -- and the minute I opened the first page and started reading, I KNEW I was going to love it.
I did. :)
The book covers his childhood (in a typical 1970s suburban neighbourhood in Virginia, near Washington, D.C.), early musical experiences (he used to go to jazz clubs with his mom, and a cousin took him to a club in Chicago to see a punk rock band when he was 13), Scream (his first band), Nirvana, Foo Fighters, marriage and fatherhood (three daughters, now aged 7 to 15) and more. Some of the stories are poignant, some hilarious. Along the way, there are cameo appearances by/anecdotes about the likes of Iggy Pop, former President George W. Bush, Paul McCartney, Tom Petty, Neil Young, AC/DC... "Bedtime Stories with Joan Jett," anyone??
And yes, he writes about the death of Kurt Cobain -- but also about the similarly premature death of his friend Jimmy Swanson, turning the chapter into a lovely meditation on surviving grief and loss.
Nirvana/Foo Fighter/Grohl fans will love this book, I'm sure -- but if you grew up in the 1970s, or if you like music, or memoirs, or just plain old great writing, you should pick it up too. It's a fabulous read! (As I said, I knew I was going to love it. I did!)
I would also recommend that you follow Grohl's Instagram account "Dave's True Stories" for more great stories, including some that didn't make it into the book.
Likewise, when Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl formed a new band called Foo Fighters in the aftermath of Cobain's 1994 suicide, I was aware of it (that weird name...!), but didn't really follow them that closely. I think I gradually became aware of Grohl as a personality, before the Foo Fighters' music. I saw him interviewed several times, and read some of the articles he's written -- including one of several he's done for The Atlantic, about public school teachers (his mom was one of them). (She wrote her own book before he did, interviewing other rock stars' moms. I'd love to read that one too!) He impressed me as being funny and thoughtful and eloquent -- and, at times, hilariously profane. :) The more I heard about and from him, the more I liked the guy.
And then I heard he'd written a book as a project to keep himself occupied during the pandemic. (So, one good thing that came out of covid...!)
"The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music" is not a memoir in the usual narrative sense ("and then this happened..."). It unfolds more or less chronologically, but it's more like a series of short stories/vignettes from Grohl's life, making it very easy to dip in & out of.
I strongly suspected, the minute I heard about this book, that I was going to love it -- and the minute I opened the first page and started reading, I KNEW I was going to love it.
I did. :)
The book covers his childhood (in a typical 1970s suburban neighbourhood in Virginia, near Washington, D.C.), early musical experiences (he used to go to jazz clubs with his mom, and a cousin took him to a club in Chicago to see a punk rock band when he was 13), Scream (his first band), Nirvana, Foo Fighters, marriage and fatherhood (three daughters, now aged 7 to 15) and more. Some of the stories are poignant, some hilarious. Along the way, there are cameo appearances by/anecdotes about the likes of Iggy Pop, former President George W. Bush, Paul McCartney, Tom Petty, Neil Young, AC/DC... "Bedtime Stories with Joan Jett," anyone??
And yes, he writes about the death of Kurt Cobain -- but also about the similarly premature death of his friend Jimmy Swanson, turning the chapter into a lovely meditation on surviving grief and loss.
Nirvana/Foo Fighter/Grohl fans will love this book, I'm sure -- but if you grew up in the 1970s, or if you like music, or memoirs, or just plain old great writing, you should pick it up too. It's a fabulous read! (As I said, I knew I was going to love it. I did!)
I would also recommend that you follow Grohl's Instagram account "Dave's True Stories" for more great stories, including some that didn't make it into the book.
Moderate: Alcohol, Cursing, Drug use, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Death of parent, Drug abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, and Vomit
lexa's review against another edition
emotional
funny
relaxing
4.75
If you know me, you will not be surprised that I loved this audiobook. I am a big Dave Grohl fan, and it didn't disappoint.
The timeline was a bit jumpy in places, but overall a great collection of stories - some fun, some heartbreaking - and fantastic narration. Would recommend for anyone interested in music.
The timeline was a bit jumpy in places, but overall a great collection of stories - some fun, some heartbreaking - and fantastic narration. Would recommend for anyone interested in music.
Moderate: Alcohol, Death, Drug use, Grief, Medical content, and Suicide
Minor: Vomit
bookedrightmeow's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
fast-paced
4.0
- Must-read for fans of Foo Fighters (less so for Nirvana fans)
- I had hoped he would talk more about his Nirvana days, but was glad he was so candid about his relationship with Kurt
- Lots of info about his youth and where his musical inspiration comes from (family, friends, fatherhood)
Moderate: Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
shutupiamreading's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
I loved everything about this. Dave Grohl is an amazing storyteller, and listening to this audiobook was like sitting down with him at the bar while he told the tear-jerkingly sad and laugh-out-loud stories from his life as a performer and songwriter.
Graphic: Grief
Minor: Addiction, Alcohol, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, and Suicide
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