Dave Grohl dad's money advice at height of Nirvana fame was remarkable

June 07, 2024

Dave Grohl has had endless success with his band Foo Fighters, but in his personal life, things haven’t been all that easy, including his previously ‘estranged’ relationship with his dad, due to his choice to pursue a music career. The pair later made up, and despite the ups and downs, there is one piece of advice that stuck with him.

The music star is one of the most recognizable faces in the industry, starting his career at just 17 in the punk rock band Scream. When the band broke up, he became the drummer for Nirvana, before forming the band, Foo Fighters.

Dave Grohl says his dad’s advice sticks with him to this day

Although Grohl and his father had an ‘estranged’ relationship at points, he once revealed a piece of advice he gave him at the height of Nirvana’s fame, which has stuck with him throughout his career.

“Believe me, my Dad, he was a badass, and a super smart dude, and a wicked musician with perfect pitch,” he said in an interview with AD on the Radio.

He revealed that his father didn’t take “any of this lightly,” and he grew up with a famous drummer in Herb Alpert’s Tijuana Brass. However, when his friend passed away, he didn’t really have much left, as he spent all his money.

“So when Nirvana became popular my Dad was like, ‘Dude, look, listen. This is what happened to my friend, you know this ain’t going to last, you better treat every single check like it’s your last one, and don’t mess around,'” he revealed.

Dave then explained to this day, he still feels that way. I feel like, okay, well this is going to be the last record, this is going to be the last record.”

The rockstar’s father, James Grohl, passed away in August 2014, just a few days after the birth of Dave’s youngest daughter, Ophelia Saint Grohl.

The star’s father ‘didn’t approve’ of him being in a rock band

In his memoir, the Foo Fighters frontman revealed that his father ‘didn’t approve’ of him being in a rock band.

“My mother was always very supportive and encouraged me to follow my own path,” he wrote. “My father was a conservative Republican speechwriter so I don’t know that he understood a child like mine’s mind.”

He explained that he thought his father imagined he would take the “conventional route through life,” although the rockstar ‘never considered it’.

However, the 55-year-old said his father was ‘relieved’ when Nirvana found commercial success, and now as a father himself, understands the concerns.