Dave Grohl Reveals Kurt Cobain’s Reaction To Hearing Josh Homme Play

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Dave Grohl discussed playing Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme’s band Kyuss for Kurt Cobain in a new MOJO article.

“After Scream was over, my friend Pete Stahl stayed in Los Angeles and started a band called Wool. This was back when we would write each other letters, and Pete said, ‘You’ve got to hear this band Kyuss, they’re from the desert and it’s the heaviest groove I’ve ever heard.’

I went to the Off Ramp in Seattle to see them perform – this is 1992. You were lucky if you found a punk rock band with a drummer that could actually swing – usually it was just full-on aggression. Kyuss had groove in spades. I bought Blues For the Red Sun, and the production is so perfectly natural, by Chris Goss, and recorded at Sound City. I bought at least 50 copies and gave it to people. And I didn’t know them at all – I’d just seen them play.

They’re musical bullies in the best way: if you don’t have what it takes to jump on stage don’t do it. Josh [Homme] and Nick [Oliveri], they’re the sweetest people in the world, but you don’t wanna cross that line. I think growing up in the desert made them the way they are.

I remember playing the album for Kurt, saying, ‘We should have this guy produce the next record.’ And Kurt looking back at me: ‘Really?! You really think so?’ And of course I backed down, started thinking, ‘God, maybe it’s too noisy.’ And then we make a record with Albini (laughs), but Kyuss were a force to be reckoned with.”