Happy Foo-th of July! Foo Fighters debut album turns 30

As the United States of America gears up to celebrate its birthday, so does the debut Foo Fighters album. The self-titled record was released on July 4, 1995 — 30 years ago Friday. Coming off the death of Kurt Cobain and the dissolution of Nirvana […]

As the United States of America gears up to celebrate its birthday, so does the debut Foo Fighters album.

The self-titled record was released on July 4, 1995 — 30 years ago Friday.

Coming off the death of Kurt Cobain and the dissolution of Nirvana in 1994, drummer Dave Grohl entered the studio and started working on possible solo material. While he was recording, Tom Petty recruited Grohl to play drums with The Heartbreakers during their performance on Saturday Night Live, and even offered him the full-time gig. However, Grohl, who was still mourning Cobain and the end of Nirvana, decided instead to focus on his own project.

That project became the album Foo Fighters, which Grohl recorded entirely on his own, save for a guitar solo by Greg Dulli of The Afghan Whigs. Once Foo Fighters was finished, Grohl recruited a full band, consisting of Nirvana touring guitarist Pat Smear, and bassist Nate Mendel and drummer William Goldsmith of Sunny Day Real Estate.

With the singles “This Is a Call,” “I’ll Stick Around” and “Big Me,” Foo Fighters proved Grohl was equally adept at being a frontman as he was manning the kit. That anyone at one point thought otherwise now seems absurd, as Foo Fighters and Grohl especially have continued to be the face of modern rock three decades later.

Smear and Mendel remain in the Foos alongside Grohl, while Goldsmith was replaced by drummer Taylor Hawkins. Guitarist Chris Shiflett joined in 1999, and keyboardist Rami Jaffee started touring with the group in 2005. That lineup remained the same until Hawkins died in 2022 and was replaced by Josh Freese, who was fired from the Foos in May.

Foo Fighters marked their debut’s anniversary Wednesday with a new single called “Today’s Song.”

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