By Christa Sampson
Long before Dave Grohl became part of Nirvana—one of the most revolutionary and popular rock bands of all time—he was just a kid from Virginia learning anything and everything about music as he tried to find his place in the world. Fast forward to the mid-1990s when Grohl created new music and formed the Foo Fighters, one of the most successful touring rock bands in the world. In The Storyteller, Dave Grohl brings readers along on his life journey, connecting a series of experiences that inspired him to pursue music and created the opportunity for a life beyond his imagination.
If you’re a fan of Nirvana, the Foo Fighters, or both, you know that Dave Grohl can write amazing rock songs. You may not know that he is a talented writer—full stop. When the pandemic hit in March 2020, Grohl, like many touring musicians, was left with a whole lot of nothing to do. But the creative brain must create at all costs. So, instead of writing songs, Dave Grohl decided to… write. It began as an Instagram account with the handle @davestruestories, but instead of pictures, readers would swipe through his personal essays. The stories were engaging and oftentimes laugh out loud funny. After reading a few of these posts, I thought to myself: I bet Dave Grohl is writing a book. A few months later, the book was announced. During this time, Dave also penned a couple of articles for renowned publication The Atlantic, both of which are fantastic, and I encourage you to read those as well.
If you follow Grohl’s widely popular Instagram account, you may recognize a few of the anecdotes; however, The Storyteller is not by any means repetitive of that material. This book takes a far deeper dive into various experiences, life lessons, and personal reflection over a life lived on the road. Some people have the unique ability to write in a voice that is so authentically themselves that you don’t need an audiobook to hear the words they are speaking. Dave Grohl is one of those people. This memoir is a captivating read; real and unfiltered.
If you’re looking for a juicy tell-all about the rise and fall of Nirvana, this is definitely not it. As Grohl writes in the book: “[he] is a fan too”. Throughout the stories, Dave meets and becomes friends with many of his own musical heroes. There is an equal number of stories about being in a band as there are about Dave Grohl’s life off stage. He’s a devoted family man, a fiercely loyal friend, and has often been called the nicest guy in rock.
Even if you aren’t a die-hard Foo Fighters fan, I highly recommend giving The Storyteller a read. Even though I am a fan, this is one of the best memoirs I’ve read.