Dave Grohl reflects on an unexpected encounter with a hitchhiker that pushed him to continue making music after Kurt Cobain's death. The Dave Grohl Shares How A Hitchhiker Led To The Formation Of The Foo Fighters first appeared on The Blast

Foo Fighters‘ 12th studio album, “Your Favorite Toy,” was recently released, and it’s difficult to fathom that at one point, Dave Grohl almost gave up on music. The death of his Nirvana bandmate Kurt Cobain took a toll on him, but a fleeting encounter with a hitchhiker inspired Grohl to go back to what he loved the most, propelling him into forming the Foo Fighters.

Dave Grohl Was In A Dark Place Following Kurt Cobain’s Death

Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl was on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” on May 4, where the host asked him whether there was a moment that made him realize he was ready to make music again after Nirvana.

Grohl was the grunge band’s drummer in 1994, when Kurt Cobain died, and the band disbanded immediately after. Grohl said he was distraught at the time and had doubts about returning to music. “It made me sad to think of playing in another band. Losing Nirvana, losing Kurt was a really dark, emotional experience,” he said.

He took time to get his “head together” and went to Ireland. While driving on the Ring of Kerry and taking in the stunning coastal views, he passed by a hitchhiker. What was interesting was that the person was wearing a Kurt Cobain shirt. “I thought, this is the universe telling me, ‘You have to continue. You have to move on. You have to go forward.'” Grohl explained.

The Frontman Said ‘Hearing Music Hurt’ For A While

Grohl joined Nirvana in 1990, and the band, which also included Krist Novoselic and Pat Smear, was at its height when their frontman, Cobain, died by suicide in April 1994. The music industry was stunned, and thousands gathered for a public vigil to mourn the singer, who was considered a defining figure in the grunge movement.

Grohl shared the same story in 2021 during a BBC Radio 4 interview, saying he couldn’t even turn on the radio or play instruments in the aftermath. “Even hearing music hurt,” he shared. The months-long slump prompted him to take a trip to Ireland, where he saw the hitchhiker. “I had to go somewhere where I could just disappear and sort through my life, and try to figure out what to do next,” he added.

Following the encounter, he returned to Seattle and recorded the Foo Fighters’ first songs.

Dave Grohl Was A One-Man Band When Foo Fighters Formed

Grohl already had a few songs that he had written in the past, and he had a chance to play some of the demos for Cobain, who expressed his approval. He decided to record those by himself, not thinking about what it might lead to. After all, he wasn’t part of any band at that point. “But I had to do it to survive, to get on with life. And I’m glad I did,” he revealed.

Per The Current, Grohl wrote all the songs, played all the instruments, and sang on all the tracks. He recorded the album in about a week with help from a producer. The only other contributor was Greg Dulli, who played guitar “X-Static.” Grohl intended for the project to remain anonymous, choosing the name Foo Fighters to make it appear as if an entire band was behind the recording, adding that he got the name “from a UFO book or something.”

The Foo Fighters’ self-titled album was released in 1995 as demos meant for family and friends, and only limited copies were available. However, it spread like wildfire, and its success led to a deal with a record company.

The Former Nirvana Drummer Talks About The Past With His Kids

In 2021, Grohl told PEOPLE that he no longer shied away from Nirvana music, sharing that he sometimes drove with his kids listening to his former band’s music. “We don’t really sit around the house, talking about Nirvana all day long, but every once in a while, they’ll ask me questions, and I’ll explain that life to them,” he said.

Grohl also shared that he thinks of Cobain often and even had a few dreams about him decades after his passing. “I only knew Kurt for about three and a half years, but in that time, we went through multiple lifetimes. Kurt’s songs touched the world,” he explained.

Dave Grohl Heals Through Music

“Music has always been the love of my life,” Grohl told Colbert, adding that it pushed him to get through the hardest moments in his life. “I need to keep going. I have so much reverence and respect for the past, but I need to have a future,” he noted.

In 2022, Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins died while the band was on tour, leaving the members distraught. They took a hiatus, but once again, Grohl went back to music to help deal with the grief. The frontman said he needed to continue doing what he loved “because it had saved us once before.”

The Dave Grohl Shares How A Hitchhiker Led To The Formation Of The Foo Fighters first appeared on The Blast