TRAILER: Dave Grohl Series ‘From Cradle to Stage’ Based on His Mom’s Book
Dave Grohl, ever the busy fellow, has multiple streaming projects on the way this year. One of those projects is From Cradle to Stage, the six-part Paramount+ series based on the book of the same title written by his mother, Virginia Hanlon Grohl.
The series’ trailer was just released and shows Dave and Virginia interviewing a variety of mother/musician pairings. The six musicians chronicled in the series are Miranda Lambert, Brandi Carlile, Geddy Lee, Pharrell Williams, Tom Morello and Dan Reynolds.
In a statement released with the trailer, Dave said, “I believe that the relationship between a musician and their mother is so important because itâs the foundation of their understanding of love, which is surely every artistâs greatest muse.”
Dave continued, “Having the opportunity to travel the country and tell the stories of these amazing women behind the curtain not only shed some light on the music that they inspired, but also made me appreciate the love that I was given from my own mother, my best friend. It goes without saying that we are all indebted to the women who have given us life. For without them, there would be no music.”
From Cradle to Stage begins streaming on Paramount+ on May 6.
From Cradle to Stage | Coming Soon
Just in time for Mother's Day, explore the special relationship between rock stars and their moms in From Cradle to Stage. This new unscripted television ser...
From Cradle to Stage is the latest streaming project from Dave Grohl to release a trailer. Last week saw the release of the trailer for What Drives Us, the Foo Fighter frontman’s new documentary that explores the early “van days” of some of the biggest names in music. Among the artists featured in new interviews for the film are Ringo Starr, Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler, AC/DC’s Brian Johnson, Guns N’ Roses’ Slash and Duff McKagan, U2’s The Edge, Metallica’s Lars Ulrich, Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Flea, St. Vincent and many more.
Foo Fighters: Their 40 Best Songs
41. âT-Shirtâ – âConcrete And Goldâ (2017)
ShareThe song starts out as a solo Dave Grohl acoustic folk tune before erupting into a Queen-level production -- even as he sings, âI donât want to be Queenâ -- with one of the many great Foo Fighters guitar riffs. And then it goes back to folk. It does all of this in one minute and twenty-three seconds. It also has one of Grohlâs sage bits of advice: âThere's one thing I have learned/If it gets much better/It's going to get worse.â In other words: try to make peace with where you are in life.
40. âSomething From Nothingâ – âSonic Highwaysâ (2014)
ShareRick Neilsen of Cheap Trick guesting on guitar (as if the three-guitar band need any more six-stringers), Rami Jaffeâs funk keyboards and the riff from Dioâs âHoly Diverâ make this song the easy highlight of the uneven âSonic Highwaysâ album.
39. âDown In The Parkâ – âSongs in the Key of X: Music from and Inspired by the X-Filesâ (1996)
ShareItâs no surprise that a band named after flying saucers would have an affinity for â90s UFO/conspiracy theory-obsessed sci-fi drama âThe X-Files.â The Foo Fightersâ cover of the 1979 song by Tubeway Army (Gary Numanâs former band) may have been a surprising choice, but it worked incredibly well. Itâs one of the best of the Foos many covers.
38. âBridges Burningâ – âWasting Lightâ (2011)
ShareThe song starts abrasively with a distorted guitar riff, and then another one, before the band kicks in and Grohl screams, âThese are my famous last woooooords!!!â Happily, that wasnât true -- Dave Grohl has written and sung many more tunes in the past decade. âBridges Burningâ kicked off one of the bandâs best albums, one they havenât topped since. But note that Grohl refers to himself in the song as the âKing of Second Chances,â and itâs kind of true: who thought that Nirvanaâs drummer would go on to be one of the biggest rock stars of the next three decades. So youâd be foolish to think that he doesnât have more classic LPs in him.
37. âStatuesâ – âEchoes, Silence, Patience & Graceâ (2007)
ShareDave Grohl has always had an indie-punk ethic, but happily he grew out of the orthodoxy of that scene. âStatuesâ is a lovely piano ballad (with Grohl on piano) that would not sound out of place between songs by Cat Stevens and Carly Simon on a â70s hit station.
36. âSunday Rainâ – âConcrete And Goldâ (2017)
ShareOnly two people have sung lead vocals on Foo Fighters albums: Dave Grohl and Taylor Hawkins. The latter of takes the mic here for his best vocal performance. And only four people have sat behind the drum kit: Grohl, Hawkins, William Goldsmith and⌠Paul McCartney. Thatâs right: the band with two great drummers gets Paul freakinâ McCartney into the studio and they put him on the drum kit. It works though. Funny enough, âSunday Rainâ sounds like it could be a Wings outtake.
35. âWheelsâ – âGreatest Hitsâ (2009)
ShareIf Tom Petty asked Dave Grohl to write a song for the Heartbreakers, what would it have sounded like? Probably âWheels.â And it would have been great to hear Tom sing this one.
34. âSummerâs Endâ – âEchoes, Silence, Patience & Graceâ (2007)
ShareThe Foo Fighters have had a crazy amount of hit singles, but some of their greatest songs are hidden towards the end of their albums. âSummerâs Endâ is one of them, and it should have been a hit. LIsten to it once, and try to get it out of your head.
33. âFriend Of A Friendâ – âIn Your Honorâ (2005)
ShareA solo acoustic song that Dave Grohl wrote when he was in Nirvana, possibly about Kurt Cobain. An earlier version of this song was included on a collection of Grohl tunes under the name âLate!â which was released on a small indie label as a limited-edition cassette-only release back in 1992. Itâs been bootlegged often, but has never had a wide release; it also featured âColor Pictures Of A Marigold,â which Grohl re-recorded with Krist Novolselic as âMarigold,â and was released as the B-side to Nirvanaâs âHeart-Shaped Box.â More than a decade after Cobainâs death, âFriend Of A Friendâ stands as a moving tribute.
32. âLong Road To Ruinâ – âEchoes, Silence, Patience & Graceâ (2007)
ShareTurn down the guitars a bit, and this is another jam that could have been a hit on AM radio in the â70s. Which seems to have inspired the songâs very â70s looking video.
30. âMiracleâ – âIn Your Honorâ (2005)
ShareOne of Dave Grohlâs loveliest songs, this one gets an assist from his future Them Crooked Vultures bandmate, John Paul Jones, on piano.
29. âExhaustedâ – âFoo Fightersâ (1995)
ShareIn some ways, itâs the first Foo Fighters song: itâs probably the first one that many fans heard. It premiered on one of Pearl Jamâs pirate radio broadcasts. In the Foo Fightersâ early days, this often closed the bandâs live sets.
28. âWhat If I Do?â – âIn Your Honorâ (2005)
ShareGrohl said of the song, âIt's an ode to North Carolina. I lived there from 1991 to 2002, on the coast where there were these beautiful sand dunes. It's [about] finding yourself by disappearing.â
27. âBig Meâ – âFoo Fightersâ (1995)
ShareA sugary sweet pop country-rock song, it kicked off the long tradition of hilarious Foo Fighters videos. Older fans might remember that the video led to fans throwing Mentos (or âFootosâ) at the Foos when they played the song live, which led them to stop playing it. Happily, it returned to the set; the Mentos phase has thankfully passed.
26. âRunâ – âConcrete And Goldâ (2017)
ShareThe song features some of Dave Grohlâs most primal screaming and still manages to be catchy and melodic. The band surprise-dropped the song and video and seven weeks later, it topped the Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart, showing that the Foo Fighters were still relevant, twenty-two years into their career.
25. âAuroraâ – âThere Is Nothing Left To Loseâ (1999)
ShareItâs a favorite of the hardcore fans, and Dave Grohl likes it too. He told Rolling Stone: âIt is definitely one of my favorite songs that we've ever come up with. It's a nostalgic look back at Seattle and the life I once had. That song actually questions the meaning of life.â He added, âIt's probably the heaviest thing I've ever written."
24. âGimme Stitchesâ – âThere Is Nothing Left To Loseâ (1999)
ShareOne of Dave Grohlâs most power-poppy songs, âGimme Stitchesâ features one of his catchiest choruses.
23. âBaker Streetâ – B-side of âMy Heroâ
Share23. âBaker Streetâ - B-side of âMy Heroâ Dave Grohl has always had a jones for â70s soft rock... as seen here, on this cover of the Gerry Rafferty classic. The original version, a #2 pop hit in 1978, was driven by the iconic saxophone playing of Raphael Ravenscroft, which the Foos replaced with (of course) screaming guitars.
22. âThe Pretenderâ – âEchoes, Silence, Patience & Graceâ (2007)
ShareOne of the Foo Fightersâ heaviest songs had a bit of an unlikely lyrical influence: the âSesame Streetâ song âOne Of These Things Is Not Like The Others.â Grohl has always been great at mixing heavy guitars and drums with a pop sensibility, and he does it brilliantly here, adding in a Chuck Berry-ish guitar riff for good measure.
21. âLearn To Flyâ – âThere Is Nothing Left To Loseâ (1999)
ShareDave Grohlâs progression from drummer to bandleader was a difficult one, and by â99, heâd parted ways with three former Foo Fighters; drummer William Goldsmith and guitarists Pat Smear and Franz Stahl. âThere Is Nothing Left To Loseâ was recorded by the trio of Grohl, bassist Nate Mendel and drummer Taylor Hawkins, and on âLearn To Fly,â Grohl was coming to terms with being the man at the top. At one point, he expressed ambivalence about the song, but later revised his opinion. "Lyrically it was all about just settling in to the next phase of your life,â he told Kerrang! âThat place where you can sit back and relax because there had been so much crazy s--- in the past three years.â And the video, featuring Jack Black and Kyle Gass of Tenacious D, is legendary.
20. âRopeâ – âWasting Lightâ (2011)
ShareThe first single from one of the bandâs best albums, âWasting Light,â this song and album reintroduced Pat Smear as a full-time Foo Fighter, giving the group a new three-guitar attack of Grohl, Smear and Chris Shiflett.
19. âAll My Lifeâ – âOne By Oneâ (2002)
ShareA rather R-rated jam about oral sex, it was an unusual choice for the first single and lead track from âOne By One.â Most artists from the â90s/â00s alt-rock era didnât sing too much about sex, but Grohl stuffs a lot of rock star swagger in the punky tune, bragging, âDone! Done! On to the next one!â
18. âHey, Johnny Park!â – âThe Colour And The Shapeâ (1997)
ShareThe songâs title is named for Dave Grohlâs boyhood friend, Johnny Park, who heâd lost touch with, but that has nothing to do with the rest of the song. When he asks, âAm I selling you out?â Grohl sounds defensive: all these years later, the concept of âselling outâ seems quaint. But the truth is, Grohl has become one of musicâs biggest and most enduring stars, and heâs done it on his own terms.
17. âErase/Replaceâ – âEchoes, Silence, Patience & Graceâ (2007)
ShareThis song starts with a soaring guitar riff, not unlike the one in âBaker Street,â and the riffs get heavier as the song progresses. Grohl has said that as a drummer and a guitar player, he loves to play and write riffs; he must have had a blast writing this song.
16. âAnother Roundâ – âIn Your Honorâ (2005)
ShareThe acoustic half of âIn Your Honorâ had some of Dave Grohlâs best songs, and he looked outside the band to expand their sound. âAnother Roundâ features Led Zeppelinâs John Paul Jones on mandolin, Rami Jaffe of the Wallflowers on keyboards (heâd later join the Foo Fighters) and famed rock photographer Danny Clinch plays harmonica.
15. âNext Yearâ – âThere Is Nothing Left To Loseâ (1999)
ShareBy the late â90s, Dave Grohl seemed to get more and more comfortable with his inner soft-rocker, and was writing more mellow jams that worked side by side with his raging guitar rockers. This is a perfect example; you could almost imagine a mainstream country artist scoring a hit with this song.
14. âWalking After Youâ – âX-Files: The Albumâ (1998)
ShareThe original version of this was on âThe Colour And The Shape,â but the band re-recorded it the following year for the âX-Filesâ soundtrack. Itâs a rare recording with guitarist Franz Stahl and is one of their first tracks with Taylor Hawkins. The re-recorded version is a bit shorter and has some sweet backing vocals. The video shows Grohl doing some serious acting too (itâs on YouTube).
13. âIâll Stick Aroundâ – âFoo Fightersâ (1995)
ShareFun fact: this song was the Foo Fightersâ first music video, and it was directed by Gerald Casale of Devo. The song is an early example of Grohl merging his love for hardcore punk (the âI! Donât! Owe! You! Anything!â chant) and melodic Beatlesque rock.
12. âArlandriaâ – âWasting Lightâ (2011)
ShareNamed after the town in Virginia where Dave Grohl was living, on âArlandriaâ he rages against celebrity status, two decades after he became a household name as Nirvanaâs drummer and sixteen years after the Foo Fightersâ first album. âClose your eyes, turn around, help me burn this to the ground/Come now, take the blame, that's OK I'll play the game/I don't care it's all the same, watch it all go up in flames/Use me up, spit me out, let me be your hand-me-down/Fame, fame, go away, come again some other day.â The lyrics were a bit surprising, as Grohl seems to handle celebrity better than most, and it seems like heâs figured it out. Speaking of which, itâs crazy that âSaturday Night Liveâ *still* hasnât tapped him to host an episode!
11. âLet It Dieâ – âEchoes, Silence, Patience & Graceâ (2007)
ShareMany of the Foo Fighters songs used Nirvanaâs (and the Pixiesâ) quiet/loud dynamic, and âLet It Dieâ holds up to the songs in both of those bandsâ catalogs. The lyrics are vague: âWhy'd you have to go/And let it die/Do you ever think of me/You're so considerate,â and, as with many of Dave Grohlâs songs, are like lyrical Rorschachs: what they mean to you is as much a reflection of you as whatever inspired them. Ex- guitarist Pat Smear guested on the song; heâd soon rejoin the band.
10. âI Should Have Knownâ – âWasting Lightâ (2011)
ShareDave Grohl and Krist Novoselic reunited, post-Nirvana, twice in 1995: they played together on Mike Wattâs first solo album, and on an album by a band called the Stinky Puffs. This was their first recorded collaboration in 16 years, and with all due respect to Nate Mendel, the Foo Fightersâ longest-running non-Grohl member, Novoseicâs bass playing was perfect for this song. He added some accordion as well. Itâs probably not a coincidence that this album was produced by the same guy who produced âNevermind,â Butch Vig.
9. âMonkey Wrenchâ – âThe Colour And The Shapeâ (1997)
ShareThe first Foo Fighters album was a stunning collection: a nearly perfect group of songs written, sung and played by Dave Grohl. But would there be a sophomore slump? The first single from âThe Colour And The Shapeâ quickly squashed that question. The video, directed by Grohl, marked the first appearance of Taylor Hawkins as a Foo Fighter; original drummer William Goldsmith played on a few songs on the album, but Grohl used his own playing on most of the songs. Hawkins -- previously a member of Alanis Morissetteâs band -- didnât join until after the album was in the can.
8. âDear Rosemaryâ – âWasting Lightâ (2011)
ShareDave Grohl has always cited Husker Duâs Bob Mould as an influence (even name dropping Husker Duâs âNew Day Risingâ in âTimes Like Theseâ). But here, Mould joins the Foo Fighters, playing guitar and singing very distinct vocals on this song, which is one of the bandâs greatest non-singles.
7. âStacked Actorsâ – âThere Is Nothing Left To Loseâ (1999)
ShareFeaturing one of the Foo Fightersâ heaviest guitar riffs, many fans presumed that the song was about Courtney Love, but Dave Grohl has said that it was about his experience of living in Hollywood.
6. âWalkâ – âWasting Lightâ (2011)
ShareOriginally written for the previous album, âEchoes, Silence, Patience & Grace,â Grohl decided that it made the perfect ending for âWasting Light.â Itâs an uplifting anthem about second chances and starting over, something Grohl knows a bit about: âLearning to walk again I believe I've waited long enough/Where do I begin?â
5. âThe Sky Is A Neighborhoodâ – âConcrete And Goldâ (2017)
ShareFamed astrophysicist Neil DeGrasse Tyson doesnât come up as a musical influence often, but Grohl said that his song was inspired by Tysonâs answer to the question: âWhat is the most astounding fact about the universe?â (You can find the video on YouTube.) Appropriately, he used wide-screen production: thereâs a string section and backing vocals from powerhouse singer Alison Mosshart of the Kills and the Dead Weather.
4. âThis Is A Callâ – âFoo Fightersâ (1995)
ShareDave Grohl played bass guitar on âJesus Doesnât Want Me For A Sunbeamâ from Nirvanaâs MTV Unplugged, which may have surprised some who thought he was âjustâ a drummer (although if were you type who checked out the B-sides, you probably heard the Grohl-written and sung âMarigold,â the b-side to âHeart Shaped Boxâ). OK, but could he lead a band? The first single from the Foo Fightersâ self-titled debut, which was also the albumâs lead track, announced that Grohl was way more talented than weâd realized. Indeed, the first Foo Fighters record is essentially a Dave Grohl solo album, as he sang, played bass, drums and all of the guitars (except for âX-Static,â which featured Greg Dulli of the Afghan Whigs). Fans and radio reacted quickly to the new Grohl: âThis Is A Callâ hit #2 on the alternative charts, and #6 on the mainstream rock charts.
3. âMy Heroâ – âThe Colour And The Shapeâ (1997)
ShareFans have interpreted this song to be about Kurt Cobain, but Dave Grohl has never verified that. In the Foo Fightersâ performance on âVH1 Storytellers,â Grohl said that it was inspired by the seemingly normal characters in â80s films like âValley Girl.â Yet another rumor is that the song is about Pete Stahl, the singer of Scream, a DC-area hardcore band that Grohl played in prior to joining Nirvana (the bandâs guitarist Franz Stahl was briefly a member of the Foo Fighters). But a recurring theme with Grohlâs best songs is that, regardless of what they were written about, theyâre vague enough that you can apply them to your life, and itâs probably one of the many reasons why the band has been so popular for so long.
2. âTimes Like Theseâ – âOne By Oneâ (2002)
ShareThe âOne By Oneâ sessions werenât easy, and during a break in the action, Dave Grohl wrote this song. âIt's times like these you learn to live again/It's times like these you give and give againâ might have been about his relationship with the band, but the song is malleable enough to fit different situations. Case in point: a number of British pop stars recently recorded a socially-distinct version of the song for the BBC; Grohl and Taylor Hawkins contributed to the recording as well. It also showed the wide and enduring appeal of the band: most of those pop singers are probably not familiar with the Foosâ peers or their influences.
1. âEverlongâ – âThe Colour And The Shapeâ (1997)
ShareâWhen I sing along with you/ If everything could ever feel this real forever/If anything could ever be this good again/The only thing I'll ever ask of you/You've got to promise not to stop when I say when.â This song was released three years after Kurt Cobainâs death, and it certainly felt like it could have been about him. Dave Grohl allegedly wrote that about an ex-, but, as weâve mentioned, universal lyrics transcend their original inspiration, and thatâs certainly true here. It also clearly has a lot of meaning to David Letterman: in 2000, after the talk show host had quintuple bypass surgery, he said that listening to âEverlongâ was crucial to his recovery. For his first show back after the surgery, Letterman asked the band to come on the show and play that song. The Foo Fighters often close their shows with this song, and -- of course -- the audience sings along with Dave. Many of them surely have their own stories too, and itâs always a powerful moment.