On this week’s episode of After School Radio, Blink-182’s Mark Hoppus talks with Foo Fighters Dave Grohl about the band’s return to touring, the Dee Gees, and the Seattle-area bands that soundtracked his formative years. Hoppus mentioned recently having chemotherapy for his cancer.
Mark Hoppus: I would ask you about pre-show rituals, but I don’t think that you have any because, one time you were playing at Wrigley Field, and I happen to be in Chicago at the same time. And Gus invite us to the show and we were hanging out backstage, and I’m literally backstage, and you’re drinking a beer, and I’m talking to you and… The guy from Cheap Trick whose name escapes me right now and I feel embarrassed.
Dave Grohl: Rick Nielsen?
Mark Hoppus: That’s the one. Sorry. I have chemo brain so I’m allowed to forget things. Okay.
Dave Grohl: All good.
Mark Hoppus: Literally the three of us are sitting there talking and Gus comes up and was like, “Okay, Dave. Time to go to the show.” And I’m thinking like, “Okay, that means he’s going to go back and start his vocal warmups or stretch or whatever else.” And you’re like, “Oh, hang on. Okay. I’ll see you guys in a little bit. You guys just walk straight to the stage.” Do you not have a pre-show ritual?
Dave Grohl: I do. But it mostly involves everything that you just talked about. It’s like one hour before the show, I open a Coors Light, and I’m like, “Oh, hello darkness, my old friend.” But our dressing rooms are always filled with friends. And so that’s the thing that I love the most. I’m going to miss it. We’re not allowed to really have people backstage right now. But one of the things I love before going on, is just being happy. You’re surrounded by all your friends. You haven’t seen everyone in a long time, and you’re doing shots of Crown Royal, and you’re like, “Yay.” And everyone’s like… Taking pictures with each other. And it’s like a reunion every night. And then Gus was like, “We got five minutes. Let’s go.” And so that basically means I need to open another beer, and then let’s go.
Dave Grohl: And so to me, the best way to walk on stage every night is… Gus, he’ll say, “Okay, dude. Do you want house lights yet?” I’m like, “Nah, not yet.” And I just wait until the entire band is laughing about something. And I’m like, “All right, let’s go.” So you walk on stage laughing. You feel happy when you walk on stage. To me, that’s the best way to do it. Because then once you hit the stage, not only are you supercharged to kick everyone’s, but you’re in a good mood. And it just feels like… I like it when it feels more like a cake party than a stadium show. That has to do with the vibe between the band and everyone.”
