Sonic Highways on HBO

[Paulie]

Anybody enjoying this HBO show from Dave Grohl and the Foos? Sure, at its core, it's basically promotion for the upcoming new album disguised as a documentary detailing the history of music within a particular city, but all the same, it's actually pretty fascinating stuff, even if you're not a Foo fan.

Simple premise: Visit 8 American cities, interview prominent movers and shakers within several underground scenes in said city, book time with a historic/local studio/engineer, and write and record a tune inspired by the visit. So far Chicago and DC have proven to be very educational (for me) and the new tunes to date have been absolutely killler (again, for me)!

Check it out. It might surprise you.

Here are the first 3 city's results:

Chicago:


DC:


Nashville:

[walt]

Saw this a few days ago.Good stuff.I've liked some tracks i've heard by the Foos ,don't own anything by 'em but i agree, you don't have to be a FF acolyte to dig this "documentary".

[Paulie]

I'm quite surprised that I've been enjoying the anticipation of listening to only one a tune a week instead of spinning an entire disc at once. Creates a little fun suspense. Next stop: Nashville.

[progeezer]

I'm not a big FF fan either (although I do think they're one of the best straight ahead rock bands today), but I'm definitely into this documentary. Grohl is very bright & articulate, and Hawkins the prog freak is pretty funny and almost a caricature of himself. Like James Brown said, "give the drummer some".

Checking out the different studios and the musical history of each city is a great idea. Grohl is quite the promoter.

[Gruno]

it's actually pretty fascinating stuff, even if you're not a Foo fan.

I might have to check this out. Yes, I am definitely not a fan of the Foo Fighters. I should like them, considering their type of music and such, but I find their output rather boring and a lot of their songs sound the same, to me.

[Sean]

I feel the same but think Dave is one of the few "rock stars" left and the world needs a few. He is thoughtful and very aware of music's history and value. Saw a good interview with him on 60 Minutes last night.

[Paulie]

I might have to check this out. Yes, I am definitely not a fan of the Foo Fighters. I should like them, considering their type of music and such, but I find their output rather boring and a lot of their songs sound the same, to me.

Being a fan, naturally, I tend to get a little irritated with the "a lot of their songs sound the same" comment from casual listeners/arbitrary poo-poo'ers. I would have thought you, being a KISS fan, would be the last to comment in such a fashion.

[Sean]

Good point there! Foos have some variety but Dave does seem to have a stash of the same 3 or 4 vocal melodies he uses over and over, so I can see both sides of this one.

[Gruno]

Being a fan, naturally, I tend to get a little irritated with the "a lot of their songs sound the same" comment from casual listeners/arbitrary poo-poo'ers. I would have thought you, being a KISS fan, would be the last to comment in such a fashion.

…and it is why I stated that "I should like them" -- but I don't.

[Paulie]

Dave is one of the few "rock stars" left and the world needs a few. He is thoughtful and very aware of music's history and value.

Well said. Something that I've been trying to articulate for a while now, but my pea brain couldn't spit it out.

[Paulie]

…and it is why I stated that "I should like them" -- but I don't.

Which I find kind of odd really as everything I like about the Foos can be found in KISS. Gigantic, heavy hooks, soaring guitar-driven melodies, great vox, thoughtful, introspective lyrics…oh…wait a second…scratch that last one.

[Sean]

Dave is kinda like the rock Steven Wilson. A talented guy but sort of a top a peak, with his peers somewhere at the bottom, clamoring to get up there. Think of Devil's Tower. All those claw marks....

Not that they are any more talented than a lot of their peers, but they have the world's attention in a way the others don't quite have so they stand out.

[SteveSly]

I am really enjoying the documentary. The Foo's have grown on me over the years to the point where I like a lot of their stuff today. I think just the fact that they turn a lot of younger people on to musical history of bands that came before them is a big feather in their cap.

[miamiscot]

Love the first two FF albums. After that...meh.

[SteveSly]

Love the first two FF albums. After that...meh.

I am the opposite. I think they have gotten better over the years.

[Paulie]

Word! Especially starting with the third.

[Paulie]

http://uproxx.com/tv/2014/10/you-mus...-foo-fighters/

60 Minites feature. Pretty cool

[mozo-pg]

I saw a FF concert about three years ago. It was spellbinding, awesome, full of rock power. I don't own any of their albums though. I saw the documentary but it was half way through. I'll definitely come back to it.

[Gruno]

Love the first two FF albums. After that...meh.

I have their first 3 discs. I have seen them perform twice on stage. I gave them a shot, at least.

[Paulie]

And if you think he's a full time promo machine, think again:

[Paulie]

I saw a FF concert about three years ago. It was spellbinding, awesome, full of rock power. I don't own any of their albums though. I saw the documentary but it was half way through. I'll definitely come back to it.

The last two I went to were Boss magnitude @ 3 hours plus! MORE POTS! He loves to play. I was exhausted because even in the nose-bleeds, people wouldn't sit the fuck down! They are REALLY raw live. If you're expecting smooth renditioins of their studio hits, don't go. He's a fucking madman. Probably resulting from his early punk/underground days.

[Sean]

"As much as I want to fully love Sonic Highways, it just reeks of someone trying too hard. He’s soooo proud of those terrible lyrics, he puts them up karaoke style at the end of each episode so you don’t miss a word of his precious songwriting genius."

A comment left on the 60 Minutes doc.

Thoughts?

Does it sound like a rush job to you?

[Paulie]

I think the lyrics lock the show with the song in each epp. If you notice (as posted above), you can't get those moments on YouTube. And I tried because I thought they were pretty good vids

[Paulie]

Besides, there's always an incredible fucking douche that wants to piss in somebody's Capt. Crunch. This is my Capt. Crunch fuckers. The epp coincides with a tune. He's trying to mesh it together. I think it is brilliant, and any drummer will know that the DC epp and tune shows more homage than the lyrics.

[progeezer]

What's a Captain Crunchfucker?