Grohl hints at 'startling' Foo Fighters album

Dave Grohl believes the Foo Fighters have earned the right to "get weird" – and he's planning to take full advantage on their upcoming album.

He’s already been hinting about the contents of their eighth record, due in the autumn with an accompanying TV documentary series.

Now he tells Billboard: “As were were coming down from the success of the last record I thought, ‘We have license to get weird. If we wanted we could make some crazy, bleak Radiohead record and freak everyone out.’

“Then I thought, ‘Fuck that.’”

The follow-up to 2012’s Wasting Light is instead set to feature “stadium anthems that startle.” Grohl adds: “Instead of banging out these big choruses – because that’s what we do – we’re banging them out in the middle of instrumental sections that will take you by surprise.”

He became interested in the documentary angle after making his Sound City movie. As a result, the upcoming Foos record features guest musicians including Joe Walsh, Gary Clark Jr and Zac Brown, who were all recorded in studios in their home towns, with film footage to match.

“I realised the pairing of music and documentary works well,” he says. “The stories give substance and depth to the song, which makes for a stronger connection.”

But he has a reassuring message for fans who are worried about what they’ve heard so far: “The music is a progression or an evolution, for sure – but it’s a Foo Fighters record.”

Not only is one-time online news editor Martin an established rock journalist and drummer, but he’s also penned several books on music history, including SAHB Story: The Tale of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band, a band he once managed, and the best-selling Apollo Memories about the history of the legendary and infamous Glasgow Apollo. Martin has written for Classic Rock and Prog and at one time had written more articles for Louder than anyone else (we think he's second now). He’s appeared on TV and when not delving intro all things music, can be found travelling along the UK’s vast canal network.