In a charming new interview with The Red Bulletin, a publication run by Red Bull, Dave Grohl talks about hating social media, loving his kids, and driving a sensible four-door car. In other words, Grohl is very comfortably a Dad, and as such the following quotes should warm your heart:
He has no clue what EDM is.
When the interviewer asks Grohl what he thinks of the genre, his response is sheer bewilderment: “What the heck are you talking about? Don’t speak in riddles, man!” After given examples of EDM performers, Grohl plays the classic dad card of comparing the whomp-whompers of today’s music to that of his youth: “Artists like Suicide or Atari Teenage Riot have been doing it for decades and are still doing it way better.”
He thinks people spend too much with their computers.
Seemingly oblivious to the personal computer revolution that began nearly three decades ago, around the same time as his illustrious rock career, Grohl thinks kids these days bow down to a digital deity: “People have forgotten what it’s like to really rock out because they spend all day in front of a freakin’ computer, which they hail as the new god.”
And fans shouldn’t hold their breath for some Foo Fighters-funded start-up: “[T]hey seriously think technology can make them rich, if they stumble on something new. But I’m telling you: Technology might make you rich, yet it will never make you happy.”
He believes in the American dream.
Far from his days as a disaffected high school dropout, Grohl has nothing but love for his (former) president. When asked about his sit-down with Barack Obama, Grohl paints a romantic portrait of a country brimming with possibility: “I wanted to talk to [Obama] about not only the history of music in America but America as a country where there’s the opportunity to do great things.”
He suffers through Katy Perry for his kids.
Like any good father, Grohl cannot escape the ubiquitous whine of Ms. Perry’s radio hits thanks to his three daughters, who at eight, five, and three months, are the perfect audience for her saccharine power pop: “The worst thing [my kids] impose on me is Katy Perry’s latest album… Her music is a real test in terms of loyalty toward your kids.”
He prefers music from the past.
Perhaps this is not your dad, as some dads are certainly too faint of heart for the silk-clad, feathered-hair European dream that is ABBA, but like many people born in the decade of free love, Grohl worships the Swedish virtuosos. So much so, in fact, that he designed his California studio, the 606, to resemble ABBA’s famous Atlantis recording studio.
He loves saving money.
And just like your dad, there is nothing that Grohl likes talking about more than being thrifty. In lieu of a flashy sports car, he drives a five-seater that can fit the whole family. Asked about his spending habits, Grohl gives the same advice your dad gave you when you got your first paycheck: “It goes straight into my bank account.”
