Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl and guitarist Pat Smear recently made an appearance on their bandmate Chris Shiflett’s podcast “Shred with Shifty,” throughout which the three discussed some of their biggest musical inspirations. During the interview (which was recorded in February of 2024), Grohl revealed the guitarist he looked up to as a kid, both for his chops and his overall look.
“I really liked Ace Frehley,” the frontman said when Shiflett asked who his guitar influence was. “I had a Beatles chord book and that’s where I was learning to play chords and stuff, but I never saw footage of The Beatles playing when I was eight or nine or something like that.”
“But I had KISS posters and then I had seen KISS concert, stuff online. I just thought Ace was so f*cking cool-looking. And I loved the way he stood, and I loved his Les Paul. I thought he was kind of my first… If I could be a guitarist and look like him – without all the f*cking heels and the makeups and sh*t – Like, current day. Which I think I do,” he added.
Grohl has credited KISS in the past for being a huge influence on him as a young musician. While presenting the band with the ASCAP Founders Award in 2015, Grohl said in his speech that it all stems back to when he got a copy of KISS’ 1976 album “Destroyer” when he was a kid.
“With nuclear anticipation, I let the needle drop on that legendary intro to ‘Detroit Rock City,’ perhaps the greatest introduction to any rock ’n’ roll album ever recorded. It filled my speakers and my imagination. Thirty-four minutes and 27 seconds later, KISS had filled my soul. I was now a member of the infamous KISS army,” he told the audience.
“Before long, my room had become a fucking shrine. Posters of these four musical monsters lined my walls, action figures filled my shelves and KISS albums overtook my once AM-friendly record collection. I was converted.”
