Foo Fighters

OK, so now I know how my buddy Ed feels. Ed is a dentist in Bountiful. I kid you not, to get this interview and then to do this interview was like pulling teeth. Not only was both of these things hard to accomplish, it was almost painful. Usually, faithful reader, you only see about ½ or less of the actual interview. I’m like Sam the butcher. I trim away the fat so you don’t have to waste your time. You can get right to the “meat” of the interview and go on your merry way. Not this time, ooooooh-ho-ho No! This time, I am transcribing the whole thing, just so you can have a feel for what this was like. 

All of you that care know by now that the Foo Fighters cancelled their date for Salt Lake City due to “terrible road conditions in Colorado.” Well, I call foul! A very excellent source of mine said that J.C. McNeil didn’t sell enough tickets so he cancelled the show. That’s what I love about United Concerts, they are so honest and upfront with all the good people of Zion. (Noticed it wasn’t rebooked? Usually when so much money is on the line, a cancelled show gets rebooked in a New York minute!)

Nate Mendel called me at my home for the interview. In that short amount of time, I can tell Nate is a really nice guy. But can I tell you it’s kind of hard to interview a guy in the band that doesn’t write any of the songs. How can I ask him specifics about the music, lyrics, etc., if this isn’t the main man I’m talking to? Well, it’s not the first obstacle I’ve had to overcome here at SLUG, believe you me! (You should see some of the people I have to deal with here on a daily basis, then you would know exactly what I’m talking about.)

Anywho, for those of you that are just coming out of the haze and regaining consciousness, the Foo Fighters live line-up is this: (and oh, yeah, you should be aware that it’s a little different from their current CD line-up.) Dave Grohl – vocals, guitar, Taylor Harkins – drums, Franz Stahl – guitar, Nate Mendel – bass.

NM: Hey it’s Nate from the Foo Fighters.

SLUG: Hey Nate, how ya doing?

NM: Good.

SLUG: Where are you calling from?

NM: Calling from Kansas City

SLUG: Kansas City, MO, huh?

NM: Yeah.

SLUG: How’s it going?

NM: It’s raining.

SLUG: Is it?

NM: Yeah, and we’re in a Holiday Inn in the middle of nowhere.

SLUG: And it’s raining.

NM: Yeah.

SLUG: Where are you from?

NM: Tri-Cities, Washington, eastern Washington.

SLUG: Do you still live there?

NM: Uh, no I transplanted over to the west side.

SLUG: West side?

NM: Yeah, Seattle and Tacoma.

SLUG: Who were you inspired by, as a bass player? Who do you look up to?

NM: Uumm, Bootsy Collins, Tina Weymouth, Verdeen White. I don’t play like a funk player, but I love ’em.

SLUG: So you love the funk players, huh?

NM: Yeah, I definitely do. Rock bass playing is pret­ty…I don’t know, not a lot to it.

SLUG: I listen to a lot of funk and that’s cool that Bootsy Collins is someone you look up to.

NM: Totally, just because he wears a cape.

SLUG: Yeah, and those funky glasses, huh?

NM: Yeah.

SLUG: As far as bands now, who do you listen to?

NM: Built to Spill, Portishead.

SLUG: um hum

NM:  What else…any Radiohead record, like everybody else? I’m a sucker, I love it.

SLUG: What’s your favorite song off of The Colour and the Shape?

NM: I don’t know, maybe “Everlong?”

SLUG: What’s your favorite song to play live?

NM: Favorite one live? Right now, it’s not one that’s on the record, it’s the song called “The Colour and the Shape.”

SLUG: And it didn’t make the record?

NM: No. Oh, you know what, we’re doing “Walkin After You” now, which is on the record and love playing that one.

SLUG: So, for those that don’t know, you’ve actually recorded a song called “The Colour and the Shape” but it’s not on the CD, right?

NM: Yeah.

SLUG: That’s sort of like a Led Zeppelin “Houses the Holy” trick

NM: ls it?

SLUG: Yeah.

NM: I didn’t know that, but umm, I’m sure Dave had that in mind because he’s a big Led Zeppelin Fan.

SLUG: Oh, is he?

NM: Yeah.

SLUG: How’s the tour been going?

NM: It’s going pretty well, actually. It’s depressed touring market right now.

SLUG: Meaning not a lot of people coming out to the shows…?

NM: Yeah, but we’re doing OK.

SLUG: What’s the best part of playing live for you? What do you enjoy the most?

NM: Ummm. l…the best part about playing live…

SLUG: Yeah, do you like the adrenaline rush right before you hit the stage? Do you like the whole thing? Do you like certain parts of it?

NM: Yeah, I like playing and having people that are obviously appreciating it there. Like I love playing music, and it’s great in the basement. And then when you get out and you’re able to enjoy that on top of a bunch of people going, “Alright! That’s so cool!” It’s the synergy of the moment.

SLUG: This is different for everybody, but does every night have its own different distinct feel? Or does every night feel the same to you? Or are there different areas of the country that feel different?

NM: That is a subtle question. Because it does feel nearly the same every night, if you look at it one way. You are basically playing the same set, with the same guys, same instruments and it gets routine. But then there is a different, subtle feel every night and it can be something that triggers a good show or a bad show. You know, like how far the barricade is from the stage or the acoustics or something like that.

SLUG: Where have you enjoyed or not enjoyed playing live so far? Has there been any place that you’ve kinda walked out thinking, ‘Oh, that was kind of weird.’ Or have you played and left thinking. ‘Man, that was one of the best shows we’ve had?’

NM: We just had a show in Toronto and for some reason the band is really popular in Canada. We played to like 4,000 people in this warehouse and they were just going nuts! And that was awesome! And then we opened up for the Rolling Stones and that was just like, “What the hell was that all about?”

SLUG: Yeah, that’s got to take it to a whole other level, not so much opening for the Stones, but to size up the crowds they play to.

NM: Yeah, but it was only about a fifth full. That’s still 10-15,000 people. That was just so bizarre. We really had no reason to be there.

SLUG: Really? Is that how you feel, really?

NM: Kind of. I’m glad we did. It was a total novelty. But as far as playing and doing your music it’s kind of silly.

SLUG: How did you hook up with Dave?

NM: We were acquaintances. The band I was in before this was Sunny Day Real Estate. He came to see one of our last shows. He saw William Goldsmith and I play and then asked us to join the band.

SLUG: Did it blow you away?

NM: Yeah, stoked and nervous and excited, ya know. It was very strange, certainly very surreal.

SLUG: With Dave doing so much of the writing, the lyrics and everything, how is it to work with him?

NM: Pretty easy, really. As far as a new song goes, Dave will usually show up at sound check and say, ‘Check out this riff.’ We’ll jam on it and do our thing. We’ll feed off of each other and come up with a song. It runs pretty smoothly.

SLUG: The Foo Fighters have had quite a few changes in a short period of time.

NM: Yes we have.

SLUG: (Me… laughing) How’s that going now?

NM: It’s going good. We’ve got good people. Franz has been a good addition to the band as well as Taylor, so…

SLUG: Was that transition from Pat Smear to Franz an easy one for Franz or was it kind of rocky?

NM: I don’t know man, if it was rocky, he didn’t let on.

SLUG: Really? So it seemed smooth to you guys?

NM: Yeah, definitely. He handled it well. There was a lot of pressure because Pat was a pretty important part of the band.

SLUG: What happened to William Goldsmith?

NM: He left. It was difficult playing drums in a band with Dave. He felt second-guessed a lot. And in the end he was. On the record his parts got redone, so it just didn’t work out for him.

SLUG: Tell me about the video “Monkey Wrench,” which by the way, I think is a great video. It’s got this real fun feel to it.

NM: Oh, cool. It was actually Dave’s idea, he dreamt it. He showed up in the lobby one day and told us about it, described it and we did it.

SLUG: How long did it take to shoot?

NM: Two days.

SLUG: Anything else Nate? Anything else you want to pass along to the readers of SLUG Magazine?

NM: Uuummmmm, nah, no words of wisdom.

SLUG: No words of wisdom?

NM: Uumm, no. I’ll pass.

Well, here it is press time and still no word of a re-booking date for the Foo Fighters. In the meantime, check out their CD, The Colour and the Shape. It really is killer. How can you not like “Everlong?” I don’t care if they do play it on the radio 20 times a day; that song smokes, not to mention the lyrics are way cool too. And by the way, if you are getting sick of it, turn off the radio. Also, check out “Hey, Johnny Park!,” “My Poor Brain” and “Wind Up.” Stay out of trouble and stay warm! —Royce & Nick!

Read more from the archives: 
CD Reviews: April 1997
Everclear

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