In an emotional moment at Foo Fighters‘ final show of their latest tour, Dave Grohl dedicated the song “Skin and Bones” to his late friend and fellow Seattle legend, Mark Lanegan. The concert, held at T-Mobile Park in Seattle, was a homecoming for the band that originated in the city, making the dedication even more significant.
A Touching Tribute Amidst Laughter
Before launching into the acoustic-driven “Skin and Bones,” Grohl addressed the crowd, sharing a mix of humor and heartfelt emotion. “Mark would have hated this song,” Grohl joked, referencing Lanegan’s well-known distaste for softer, more melodic tunes. But beneath the humor, there was a deep sense of loss, especially with Taylor Hawkins dying shortly after Lanegan passed away in 2022. Accompanied by Rami Jaffee on accordion, Grohl’s performance carried a weight that connected with fans who knew the history between the two musicians.
A Mark Lanegan Connection
Dave Grohl and Mark Lanegan’s connection runs deep, rooted in the Seattle Grunge scene of the 1990s. Lanegan, best known as the frontman for the Screaming Trees, was also a close friend of Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain. The three musicians were pivotal figures in the Grunge movement, which launched Seattle to the top of the music world.
After the tragic death of Cobain in 1994, Grohl and Lanegan continued to cross paths. In 2002 Grohl joined Queens of the Stone Age, a band Lanegan was also a part of, to record the critically acclaimed album Songs for the Deaf. The album, with its raw power and innovative sound, is still celebrated as one of the defining records of the early 2000s rock scene.
Mark Lanegan: Another Tragic Grunge Loss
Mark Lanegan’s death in February 2022 was a heartbreaking addition to the list of Seattle Grunge vocalists who passed away far too soon. Alongside Kurt Cobain, Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell, and Alice in Chains’ Layne Staley, Lanegan’s passing marked another tragic loss for the Seattle community and fans alike.
Closing the Tour with a Tribute
Grohl’s dedication of “Skin and Bones” was a fitting tribute, not only to his personal bond with Lanegan, but also to the shared history they had as part of the Seattle music scene. The performance served as a reminder of the impact that the Grunge movement had on the world and the enduring legacy of Grohl, Lanegan, and Cobain.
The concert, which marked the end of the Foo Fighters tour, was a triumphant return to Seattle for the Foo Fighters.
