This is a Call (58 page)

‘Most of what I remember about the songs …’ Gillian G. Gaar, ‘Verse Chorus Verse: The Recording History of Nirvana’,
Goldmine
, 14 February 1997.

‘There are a lot of Croatian people here …’ Patrick MacDonald, ‘In Search of Nirvana’,
Seattle Times
, 8 March 1992.

‘Kurt asked me if I wanted to be in a band …’ Anon, sleeve notes for
With the Lights Out
, Geffen Records, 2004.

‘I think initially he was intrigued by it …’ Anon,
Nirvana: Taking Punk to the Masses
video interview, EPM/SFM, 2011.

‘I thought they sucked …’ Greg Prato,
Grunge Is Dead: The Oral History of Seattle Rock Music
, ECW Press, 2009.

'We were uptight …’ Dawn Anderson, ‘It May Be the Devil and It May Be the Lord … But It Sure as Hell Ain’t Human’,
Backlash
, August 1988.

‘In our press releases we would announce …’ Jason Crock, ‘Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman’,
www.pitchfork.com
, 7 July 2008.

‘The Lamefest show was what really put Nirvana …’ Ian Winwood, ‘Nirvana: The Day They Changed the World’,
Kerrang!
, 26 October 2002.

‘I feel like we’ve been tagged as illiterate, redneck, cousin-fucking kids …’ Nils Bernstein, ‘Berlin Is Just a State of Mind’,
The Rocket
, December 1989.

‘I don’t remember them saying, “You’re in the band” …’ David Fricke, ‘Nevermind 10 Years On’,
Rolling Stone
, September 2001.

‘The venue was down the street …’ Craig McLean, ‘Dave Grohl: Grohl with It’,
Independent
, 11 June 2005.

‘I felt I had something to prove …’ Craig McLean, ‘Dave Grohl: Grohl with It’,
Independent
, 11 June 2005.

‘His contribution transformed us …’ Krist Novoselic,
Of Grunge and Government
, RDV Books/Akashic Books, 2004.

Chapter 6

‘We’d meet at her locker …’ Andrew Goldman, ‘Drummer Boy’,
Elle.com
, 28 July 2007.

‘We’re changing a little bit …’ Keith Cameron, ‘Take the Money and Run’,
Sounds
, 27 October 1990.

‘I remember going “This is a really good song” …’ Carrie Borzillo,
Nirvana: The Day by Day Eyewitness Chronicle
, Thunder’s Mouth Press, 2000.

‘As we were mixing the album …’ David Fricke, ‘Nevermind 10 Years on’,
Rolling Stone
, September 2001.

Chapter 7

‘Kurt had a mystical and powerful connection …’ Danny Goldberg,
Bumping into Geniuses
, Gotham Books, 2008.

‘I saw this movie
Over the Edge
…’ The Stud Bothers, ‘Dark Side of the Womb’,
Melody Maker
, 21 August 1993.

‘The director had a loud bullhorn thing …’ Anon, ‘The Grunge Invasion’,
Newsweek
, 28 June 1999.

‘It was the first time I had seen …’ Ed Power, ‘Into the Light’,
Irish Independent
, 8 April 2011.

‘When you tell a drummer “I think you should use …’ Ben Mitchell, unpublished excerpt from ‘My Brilliant Career’,
Q
, 2005.

‘It was unbelievable. We went from selling …’ Anon, ‘Nevermind – 10 Years On’,
Rolling Stone
, 2001.

‘One day we were this virtually unknown …’ Ian Winwood, ‘Nirvana: The Day They Changed the World’,
Kerrang!
, 26 October 2002.

‘We were playing before Nirvana …’ Eric Weisbard with Jessica Letkemann, Ann Powers, Chris Norris, William Van Meter and Will Hermes, ‘Ten Past Ten’,
Spin Online
, August 2001.

‘He was an oblivion seeker …’ Alexis Petridis, ‘Courtney Love: “Sometimes I’m a little bit weird … but never unpopular”’,
Guardian
, 25 March 2010.

‘He’s had but an hour’s sleep …’ Jerry McCulley, ‘Spontaneous Combustion’,
Bam
, 10 January 1992.

‘I remember walking into their hotel room …’ Michael Azerrad,
Come AsYou Are
, Main Street Books, 1994.

‘I remember thinking, “Wow, it’s on now,’ Eric Weisbard with Jessica Letkemann, Ann Powers, Chris Norris, William Van Meter and Will Hermes, ‘Ten Past Ten’,
Spin Online
, August 2001.

‘We got to the point where we could …’ Anon, sleevenotes to
With the Lights Out
, Geffen, 2004.

‘Everyone’s been saying that …’ Anon, ‘Kurt OD in Belfast: Nirvana Star Rushed to Hospital with “Mystery Stomach Bug”’,
Melody Maker
, 4 July 1992.

‘You had to say and do …’ Andrew Perry, ‘Anarchy in the UK’,
MOJO
, May 1998.

‘Spend two days in tour fatigues …’ Keith Cameron, ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’,
NME
, 29 August 1992.

‘Any musician would be lying …’ Everett True, ‘In My Head I’m so Ugly’,
Melody Maker
, 18 July 1992.

‘We rehearsed once, the night before …’ Alan Light, ‘Interview: Dave Grohl, Foo Fighters Frontman’,
Scotsman
, 24 November 2009.

‘But we were wracked with nerves …’ Anon, ‘Festival Questionnaire’,
Q
, 2000.

‘The hype about us cancelling was …’ Anon, ‘Sky’s Icon of 1992: Dave Grohl’,
Sky
, 1997.

Chapter 8

‘I’m like, “This is your fucking son,”’ Craig Marks, ‘Endless Love’,
Spin
, February 1995.

‘I think people who glamorise drugs …’ The Stud Brothers, ‘Dark Side of the Womb’,
Melody Maker
, 21 August 1993.

‘Humping our own gear into CBGB’s …’ Phil Sutcliffe, ‘Something in the Way’,
Nirvana and the Story of Grunge
, 2005.

‘I felt this big …’ Phil Sutcliffe, ‘Something in the Way’,
Nirvana and The Story of Grunge
, 2005.

‘I don’t listen to records like that at home …’ Jon Savage, ‘Kurt Cobain: The Lost Interview’,
Guitar World
, 1997.

‘Our A&R man at the time …’ Phil Sutcliffe, ‘King of Pain’,
Q
, October 1993.

‘We’d never met Albini before …’ Ben Mitchell, previously unpublished excerpt from ‘My Brilliant Career’,
Q
, November 2007.

‘When we talked to him before recording …’ Phil Sutcliffe, ‘Something in the Way’,
Nirvana and the Story of Grunge
, 2005.

‘We knew that Albini didn’t wanna …’ Keith Cameron, ‘This Is Pop’,
MOJO
, May 2001.

‘We went out of our way to say things …’ Brendan Mullen, with Don Bolles and Adam Parfrey,
Lexicon Devil
, Feral House, 2002.

‘Krist, Dave and I have been working on this formula …’ David Fricke, ‘Kurt Cobain’,
Rolling Stone
, 27 January 1994.

‘I woke up at, like …’ Craig Marks, ‘Endless Love’,
Spin
, February 1995.

Chapter 9

‘After Kurt’s death I was about as confused …’ Anon, Foo Fighters’ press release, 1995.

‘My first reaction was, “What the fuck?” …’ Clark Collis, ‘Dave Grohl Q&A’,
www.music-mix.ew.com
, 15 April 2011.

‘Right when the thing with Stan Lynch …’ Matt Snow, ‘Learning to Fly’,
MOJO
, December 2009.

‘At one point Dave phoned me …’ Jacob McMurray,
Taking Punk to the Masses: From Nowhere to Nevermind
, Fantagraphics Books, 2011.

‘I wanted to fucking murder him …’ Dorian Lynskey, ‘The Man Who Fell to Earth’,
Arena
, 2002.

‘This was exactly the big …’ David Daley,
Magnet
, November/December 1998.

‘I approach every song trying …’ Anon, ‘Hey, What’s that Buzz’,
Guitar World
, May 2011.

‘No one has ever said anything …’ Tom Doyle, ‘I’ll Stick Around’,
Nirvana and the Story of Grunge
, 2005.

Chapter 10

‘I’ve made punk rock records …’ Kim Hughes, ‘Dave Grohl: From Punk Pounder to Foo Fighter’,
NOW
, 1997.

‘I love it for the way …’ Anon, ‘Rebellious Jukebox’,
Melody Maker
, 1997.

‘Dave had me do 96 takes …’ Michael Roberts, ‘Bring Back That Sunny Day’,
Miami New Times
, 3 December 1998.

‘I knew it was a cool song …’ Morat, ‘How to Write a Rock Anthem’,
Kerrang!
, 17 June 2006.

‘I had no idea what I was doing and I faked it and it worked …’ Anon, ‘Foo for Thought’,
Raygun
, August 1997.

‘It’s important to break out from …’ Mike Rubin, ‘So Happy Together’,
Spin
, July 1997.

‘Had Franz not been in Wool at the time …’ Lisa Johnson, ‘The New Model Army’,
Kerrang!
, 18 October 1997.

‘Of course he’ll be writing with us …’ Lisa Johnson, ‘The New Model Army’,
Kerrang!
, 18 October 1997.

‘We waited about a year for him …’ Michael Roberts, ‘Bring Back That Sunny Day’,
Miami New Times
, 3 December 1998.

‘Nothing seems sacred here …’ Ben Myers, ‘I’m Still Standing’,
Kerrang!
, 18 September 1999.

Chapter 11

‘This place is like our own little boot camp …’ Joshua Sindell, ‘We Have Lift Off!’,
Kerrang!
, 19 May 2001.

‘There’s freaky time signatures, it’s fucking fast …’ Joshua Sindell, ‘We Have Lift Off!’,
Kerrang!
, 19 May 2001.

‘It doesn’t matter what they were …’ Ian Winwood, ‘Courtney. Kurt. Drugs. Rehab’,
Kerrang!
, 30 March 2002.

‘So in 2000, as we were touring with Queens …’ Ben Mitchell, unpublished excerpt from ‘My Brilliant Career’,
Q
.

‘Being in Queens was one of the greatest …’ Ben Mitchell, unpublished excerpt from ‘My Brilliant Career’,
Q
.

‘Playing drums in Queens was like ESP …’ Austin Scaggs, ‘On a Honor Roll’,
Rolling Stone
, July 2005.

‘I had a profound revelation …’ Austin Scaggs, ‘On a Honor Roll’,
Rolling Stone
, July 2005.

‘We rushed into it and we rushed …’ Austin Scaggs, ‘Foos Reclaim Their Honor’, Rolling
Stone.com
, 25 April 2005.

‘Those bands were something …’ Ian Winwood, ‘Metal God’,
Kerrang!
, 29 November 2003.

Chapter 12

‘I really avoided talking to the press …’ Anon, ‘James Hetfield: I Don’t Like Talking Politics’, WENN, 1 August 2002.

‘All the hot air coming …’ Ian Winwood, ‘I Put My Faith in the Cult of Elvis Costello’, Guardian Online, 12 July 2007.

‘I felt like I was being challenged by …’ Tom Doyle, ‘Let Me Entertain You’,
Q
, June 2008.

‘I went back and forth to Los Angeles for years …’ Ian Gittins, ‘Dave Grohl’,
Man about Town
, April 2011.

‘I was personally offended …’ Andrew Beaujon, ‘Q&A: Dave Grohl’,
Spin
, July 2005.

‘Every day before Kerry got up to speak …’ Andrew Beaujon, ‘Q&A: Dave Grohl’,
Spin
, July 2005.

‘There was a moment when I thought …’ Morat, ‘Riders on the Storm’,
Kerrang!
, January 2005.

‘About what it meant for us …’ Ian Winwood, ‘I’m a Geek. I’m the Guy Next Door …’,
NME
, May 2005.

‘It didn’t make a lot of sense not to try …’ Ian Winwood, ‘I’m a Geek. I’m the Guy Next Door …’,
NME
, May 2005.

‘I tried to be cool …’ Dom Lawson, ‘Into the Void’,
Kerrang!
, May 2005.

‘It didn’t feel like the most important show …’ Dan Gennoe, ‘Monster of Rock’,
Mail on Sunday
, 16 September 2007.

‘We don’t usually jump …’ Anon, ‘It’s Like Being Knighted’,
Uncut
, 2006.

Chapter 13

‘The next project that I’m trying to initiate …’ Stevie Chick, ‘“Everyone Has Their Dark Side”: Dave Grohl – The MOJO Interview’,
MOJO
, May 2005.

‘How could it get any bigger or better?’ Anon, ‘Summer Rocks!’,
Kerrang!
, 31 May 2008.

‘I’m not at liberty to talk about it …’ Johnny Firecloud, ‘24 Minutes with Brody Dalle of Spinnerette’,
www.antiquiet.com
, 3 July 2009.

‘The first song we recorded, we get a drum …’ Ken Micallef, ‘The Foo Fighters Take a Low-Tech Approach to High-Intensity Rock’,
Electronic Musician
, May 2011.

Lyrics credits

‘
Days change at night, change in an instant …
’

X, ‘Los Angeles’, written by John Doe and Exene Cervanka, published by Billy Zoom Music BMI, from the album
Los Angeles
(Slash, 1980).

‘
last year I was 21 / I didn’t have a lot of fun
’

The Stooges, ‘1969’, written by Dave Alexander, Ron Asheton, Scott Asheton and Iggy Pop, published by Paradox Music BMI, from the album
The Stooges
(Elektra, 1969).

‘
I’m about to have a nervous breakdown / My head really hurts / If I don’t find a way outta here / I’m gonna go berserk …
’

Black Flag, ‘Nervous Breakdown’, written by Greg Ginn, published by SST Music, from the EP
Nervous Breakdown
(SST, 1979).

‘
Never mind the Stars and Stripes, let’s print the Watergate tapes
’

The Clash, ‘I’m So Bored with the USA’, written by Joe Strummer and Mick Jones, published by Nineden Ltd./Riva Mus. Ltd., from the album
The Clash
(CBS, 1977).

‘Chaotic Hardcore Underage Delinquents! Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers!
’

Mission Impossible, ‘Chud’, written by Mission Impossible, from the first Mission Impossible demo tape.