Nirvana or the Foo Fighers

[gustavo]

to be fair nirvana were pretty mainstream in the sense that they had a strong sense of melody but i suppose they did balance that with more raw stuff like territorial ****ings scentless apprentice milk it and most of bleach

[EnDai]

To be honest, as a drummer for years myself, Dave Grohl does nothing for the senses. At all. I've used the term pedestrian before in regards to him, and I stand by it.

I think because he was in a band that became insanely popular he is often branded as a drumming god, which to be fair, he's not. I'm not saying he's poor, rather mediocre. He does what he does well, but he is far from the best drummer in the world. He's far from the best rock drummer in the world as well. (Yes, there is a difference!).

Just my €0.02 anyways. He is overhyped because of the succes of Nirvana themselves, he is nothing special. He is Meg White when compared to truck loads of other drummers.

[Lionel Ritchie]

I'd have to say Nirvana.

I think Grohl is a fine drummer -and like EnDai I'm a drummer myself. He played what was appropriate for the genre of music the band (nirvana) were playing -a good heavy hitter who could still get around the kit.

I don't like his voice at all though -ACME generic rock songer. Foos seem to have a lot of fun and Grohl seems like a genuinely nice down to earth guy -but without MTV, the funny videos, the budgets to make funny vidoes for rather bland songs (learning to fly?) and his having the ear of the media from having been in Nirvana -they'd be nowhere.

Hope that doesn't sound cruel because they are I acknowledge a band coming up on ten years who deserve to be evaluated in their own right but I never really "got" them.

[EnDai]

You're right in the whats appropriate for the music style of drumming, he does do that. Evident on his QOTSA and NIN work too. Then again, I guess not liking the music he's drumming to has be biased towards whats right for the music. Just not a fan. [edit: love QOTSA's early work, and Trent is a god, but neither of his works there changed my opinion on him ].

Meg White plays whats right for the music, and she's abysmal! (So are the WS, but still!).

[Drumcondra Red]

Well I used to be a drummer too, and I agree with both of you, especially what you've had to say about Meg abd the WS chris!!

[EnDai]

According to that Modern Drummer rag (sorry, don't take music mags seriously!) she's the second worst (paid?) drummer, in the world, only behind Jamie Oliver (!! ) for two years running! Whats funnier is she seems to appear like she's struggling to keep that in time during live shows, which amuses me, greatly!

Oops, back on topic: If I had to choose, Nirvana, but realistically, neither!

[ken foree]

i think the drumming discussion here sorta proves my point about nirvana - it wasn't their technical prowess, if anything, they were about the absolute opposite and played with a seething emotion that their playing could barely contain.

i mean there were plenty of hard metal riffers around at the time... remember slash standing on a piano for the over-blown november rain video, lombardo's drumming from slayer, sheer precision and pummeling propulsion. but nirvana were a reaction against ALL THAT - they dwelt in a grim here and now vs. the fantasies projected by both those other bands i just mentioned (gnr's hollywood decadence, slayer's apocalypse metal).

plenty of harder, grimier bands around at the time and soundgarden might've indeed gotten the short shrift somewhat when that scene played out but there's no denying the band nirvana were something of a phenomenon.

[EnDai]

But Boyzone and Westlife, not to mention the Spice Girls were also a phenomenon

[ken foree]

touche! though maybe we'll have to disagree on the definition of 'phemonenon'

[Neish]

Nirvana influenced a generation, Foo fighters are good but will never have that type of influence.

[Lionel Ritchie]

Nirvana influenced a generation, Foo fighters are good but will never have that type of influence.

Yes but -just by way of dampening the flames of the myth a bit - there are a confluence of factors beyond Nirvanas undoubted fine songs and energy at play there.

The fact is that rock'n'roll -much like most other facets of the entertainment industry -is youth obsessed and increasingly so.

Records that end up being called "seminal" by Q magazine are rarely made by the over 29's.

For that reason alone before needing to go near actual musical comparisons -the chunky 36 year old Grohl and co are hobbled when asked to compete with the wirey 24 year old Cobain. The "spokesman for a generation" tag just doesn't sit well when your actual generation are onto their second mortgage, third kid and first ride on lawnmower.

And it's not a new phenomenon. Bill Hailey didn't attract the same attention Elvis did despite being at this r'n'r lark several years earlier -because Bill Hailey was in lis 30's, married with kids and looked like a headmaster.

[Peadar]

who do others reckon are the best between the 2 bands?

Nirvana for me.
Just the right band at the right time for me.
Nevermind holds some great memories for me.
Pearl Jam, Ten runs a very close second.

[noby]

The fact is that rock'n'roll -much like most other facets of the entertainment industry -is youth obsessed and increasingly so.

Agree with this.

The "spokesman for a generation" tag just doesn't sit well when your actual generation are onto their second mortgage, third kid and first ride on lawnmower.

When you get to that vintage, you realise it's just r'n'r records, and they're not a "spokesman for a generation". Also holds true if you're in a band (Bono excluded) You're just making music. It's your job.

A big help for the Nirvana camp is that they're frozen in time somewhere back in the mid '90's, probably coinciding with the teenage years of alot of people on this site.

Despite the obvious Grohl link, it's a strange choice between two different bands. It's not even like a Stone Roses/Ian Brown, or Jam/Style Council debate. He was only the drummer originally.

[ali2005]

I'd have to go with nirvana

[Cosmo]

'Despite the obvious Grohl link, it's a strange choice between two different bands.'

I know I know, I was just putting it out there because of the Grohl link

[noby]

'Despite the obvious Grohl link, it's a strange choice between two different bands.'

I know I know, I was just putting it out there because of the Grohl link

Don't get me wrong, I understand your reason. But I couldn't choose 'the best' between, say, Jesus and Mary Chain and Primal Scream, as they are so different.

In saying all that, I got bleach and nevermind way back when, and dig them out every so often (in the same way there's a leap year every so often), but I don't have, or feel the urge to have, any foo fighters in my collection. So by default, I vote for Nirvana.

[Aaron GUFC]

...the Foo Fighters cos their music is easier on the ears and more chilled out. Also cos their music is just really good and song like Monkey Wrench and All my Life are hard to beat..

[holidaysong]

Foo Fighters are better in my opinion. I think Nirvana are overrated... Damn Pixies ripoff band.

[tetsujin1979]

Foo Fighters are better in my opinion. I think Nirvana are overrated... Damn Pixies ripoff band.

At least Kurt came out and said they were ripping off the Pixies, not like a ton of other bands who were doing the same thing and never admitted it!!

[speedking]

Don't like either, but I'd probably have to say Nirvana for their stuff on Bleach.