Dave Grohl Called Out For Drinking By Writer: ‘He’s Dealing With Pain’

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Self-described ‘trusted authority of musician wellness’ Mike Schwartz has published a new article criticizing Dave Grohl for his pre-show drinking routine at Foo Fighters concerts, claiming that anyone else in another job field would be fired.

“If it was you, you’d likely be fired. But for Dave Grohl, it’s just part of the gig. The music business is a strange environment. As a CHEK Certified Holistic Lifestyle Coach, Nutrition Coach and Certified Personal Trainer, my role as the Trusted Authority of Musician Wellness means I work very hard to clean up the stigma of what it actually looks like to be a successful artist in this industry. It’s been my mission for nearly four years to educate, inspire and help other artists achieve a level of personal and professional development they thought only existed in a magical place like Narnia. I’m an artist myself: professionally touring, writing and recording as a drummer for the past decade, so I’m cut from the same cloth. I get it.

However, Dave Grohl, one of my now former heroes and someone who I would consider a role model for young, developing artists has gone and thrown a grenade in the wardrobe. I thought something sounded fishy when a friend of mine posted on Facebook his disappointment about the Foos having to reschedule their show back home in Calgary last month because Dave was on vocal rest…hmm… makes sense now.

Last week we were graced with Mr. Foo Fighter’s insight on how to succeed in the music industry. Ironically enough, I was speaking on the topic of Mental Health and Wellness in the Music Industry at the Folk Music Ontario Conferences in Mississauga, Ontario. I opened up my email and found an article in Alan’s Cross’ Newsletter that left me feeling sick to my stomach. On a recent radio interview for 95.5 KLOS Dave gave us the dirt on his pre-show ritual with the Foos, but if you’re paying attention and reading between the lines, what we really got was a cry for help. My professional opinion is that Dave is dealing with a lot of pain. If you haven’t seen the video yet, the three minutes will blow you away. I read the transcript last week and I couldn’t believe it. I had to dive in deeper to see the interview for myself. What I watched was …well… really disappointing.”

Grohl was dealing with actual vocal problems when recent Foos shows were postponed and had to visit a doctor, and while he has likes to have fun before shows, nobody who works with him has ever called Grohl an alcoholic. He has been professional at every show he has ever performed. Whoever wrote this article might want to do some research!

In a new interview with KLOS 95.5, Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl revealed what he drinks before concerts. Alternative Nation transcribed his comments.

Interviewer: A few minutes before you go on, maybe you have a ritual. Ten, fifteen minutes before. What are you doing in that period? Is it Jager? What are getting ready to go on the stage and liquored up?

Dave Grohl: One Hour before the show. Really? Should I tell people how to do it?

Taylor Hawkins: Not how to do it. How you do it.

Dave Grohl: Kids stay in school- don’t do drugs. An hour and a half before the gig, I take three Advil. An hour before the gig, I have a Coors Light. About fifty minutes before the gig, I hit my first Jag(er). Finish the Coors Light, get another Coors Light going, now there’s a bunch of people around. So I’m throwing shots at everybody and I’m taking shots with everyone in the room. The next Coors Light is down, I got a cold one. Now it’s about maybe twenty minutes before going on, I’ve had three or four shots of Jager and three Coors Lights. Then they sort of clear the room and we get fifteen minutes to ourselves…this is bad! This is how I’ve spent every night of the last year and a half. That’s why I’m not scared of the Lord. I’ve seen worse.

So then like fifteen minutes before we’re like, “We need our privacy”. Which is such bullshit. We totally don’t. So then, it’s all of us and I feel guilty because I’m the only one who’s been doing the shots of the Jag so I start feeding shots of Jag to the rest of the band who are all drinking white wine and champagne and whatever. So I’m pounding them with Jag but I have to take them with them so now I’m five or six shots in. And it’s like it’s time to walk to the stage so I crack another beer just to have a cold one as I walk up and I pick up the bottle and drink the last inch of the Jag!