[Closed] Foo Fighters, Overrated?

Nah you're just getting old (as are they).

Don't worry, you're in good company here, come in and have a nice Horlicks. Emmerdale will be on in a bit.

I'm not a FF fan really. I like some of their tracks and that's about it.
I saw them at Reading fest '13 and they were amazing. One of the best bands I saw. Perfect performance in my book. I watched it back on TV and thought it looked average. You had to be there.

Dad Rock !!

Admit it.... and then you can enjoy ACDC to your heart's content.

Just like me

A very "white" band in that their songs have no soul or feeling.
So yes.

Yes. End thread.

Never been a big fan of them to be honest.

zippykona - Member

A very "white" band in that their songs have no soul or feeling.
So yes.

Hmmmmm, I think 'My Hero' has feeling. The exception that proves the rule perhaps.

Im a big fan. 1st band I ever saw live, seen them about 5/6 times.

I don't think they've ever made a truly amazing 'five-star' album. But live, with the best songs off each album strung together, I think they give quite a formidable live show.

DG is a great frontman. Definitely can take a crowd along with him, even in a big arena.

Some great songs but he seems too comfortable these days to do anything edgy. He does seem to be a really nice bloke.

I don't think they're overrated- I thought everyone knew they're competent middle-of-the-road dadrockers with a really good frontman? Just that people differ on how good that is. I like 'em but I must admit I went off them a bit after Dave discovered all he had to do to get the biggest cheer in the world is drink some beer. Also, 20 minute long versions of Stacked Actors didn't help.

There's nothing wrong with them but a lot of the time it feels like there's nothing there to grab you either. I got their last album, I remember feeling that there was something interesting going on in the first track (maybe the intro) and then the next thing that made me pay attention was in the second last or last track. I can't really remember anything in-between, except that some songs involved Dave Grohl yelling a woman's name a lot, which seems to be a staple of all Foo Fighters albums.

They're massive for a very good reason: they are ordinary.

(Monkey Wrench is a great tune though)

Bullshine, they are ace. Dad rock yes but still ace. I hated them at the start as I was a grunger and thought they were defacing the legend of Kurt. I grew up and soon thought they are the best big alt-rock band still going from back then, Chillis have kinda lost it for me. (As have Metallica cuz they shoot bears in the face)

(Monkey Wrench is a great tune though)

+1

The rest I can take or leave.

Ha, yup, dad rock. I think the last great song was Low. But glad it's not just me that think they are average.

They are the very epitome of formulaic.

I think their current one shows a lot of promise in the intro, it kind of draws you in with an unusual chord-progression, but then.... oh yeah, here it is, the shouty shouty bit... and back to the predictable. 🙄

I like "Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace".

Its good.

I had my dinner with him once, a very long time ago.
I told him then, i didnt really like his songs but my mate does. Would you sign this for him.
He laughed a lot and thought it was really funny. ( i dont know why, it wasnt a joke, i really dont like his songs) Nice guy though.

They did do [url=

the best Ice Bucket Challenge though[/url] - so props for that 😀

STW is no place to ask opinion on any popular music. 😆

I thought they were great live but like most big rock bands have turned a bit bland over the years maybe not as bad as Green day though. I doubt anyone could dislike Dave Grohl as he seems like a decent guy though. For really overrated though see Pink Floyd and Led Zep...

Their best is probably a good way behind them - let's face it, "Foo Fighters" came out just short of 20 years ago!

Some really good tunes though, Colour and the Shape was the best album for me. This is an awesome tune. Turn it up to 11 and go break yourself on something (snowboard park for me):

STW is no place to ask opinion on any popular music

You mean Dad Rock?

 

You mean Dad Rock?

No, music that more than 1 person listens too. 😉

I wouldn't say over-rated, more shit! 😆

STW is no place to ask opinion on any popular music

It's the perfect place. What the hell else could I post opinions on? (Apart from unpopular music)

My biggest problem with the Foos is that it means Grohl isn't drumming for QOTSA.

I saw them live on the first UK tour way back in probably late 1995. had great fun but never bought any of their albums since. They don't really have the 'edge' for me.
IMHO RATM, Audioslave, Soundgarden and FNM, seem to have it. I saw Soundgarden and Faith No More at Hyde Park in July. I was blown away by Faith No More. A religious experience. Mike Patton is still as cool as ever.

[i]Their best is [s]probably[/s] a good way behind them - let's face it, [s]"Foo Fighters"[/s] "Nevermind" came out just [s]short of[/s] over 20 years ago![/i]
😉

They have plenty of good songs, but none that are great.

Last time I said this on here, the MOR fans got their knickers in a twist. Now it seems others are happy to agree.

One of my favorite bands, so much so I did something I'd never done before in my life on Monday morning. I got to HMV for it opening at 9am, was the first person in and left with a copy of Sonic Highways and a big grin on my face.

Listened to it almost non stop since Monday morning and although some of the songs don't have that massive impact as Something for Nothing does, its a great, great album.

Whats a massive relief is that its a better album that the last one which had a couple of good songs on. Although there are only 8 songs on the new album, each one is infinitely better than everything bar The Pretender off the last album.

Overrated? By who's standard? If you don't like them fair enough, I hate a lot of music.

But they pass almost any 'test' you want to throw at them - popular? They sell huge amounts of albums in an era when lots of bands can't.

They sell out huge shows, when lots of bands can't.

They're credible, they weren't thrown together by some music biz exec - build from the ground up, like a proper band, went throw a lot of teething problems, people joined, people left, people got sacked and at no point ever did Dave Grohl ever stand up and shout "I'm the drummer from Nirvana - listen to my new stuff!!"

Award winning? They've won awards from everyone from the Grammys to Kerrang! to the NME to Brits to MTV, to the Q Awards to the Teen Choice awards - that's a huge spectrum of awards that at least one is credible to anyone.

Is it Dad rock? Probably now, wasn't when they started but they've grown old gracefully - they're not stood there botoxed, with their hair dyed still singing songs about teenage angst - I can't stand that.

I like them. they might not be as good as they were but no band that has been going that long is. IMO of course.

Edit: I agree with P-JAy.

Calm down dear, music can't be 'tested'. It's completely subjective.

ads678 - Member

I like them. they might not be as good as they were but no band that has been going that long is. IMO of course.

[url= http://www.pro-rock.com/ ]Ahem[/url]

They do deserve a lot of credit for this too:

Still think this is their best video

😀

I've never been a huge fan myself apart from the first album and a couple of songs here and there. My wife however loves them and loves Dave more specifically......so needless to say I have seen them live fairly recently.

It is formulaic "dad rock" and does lean dangerously towards the middle of the road. But they really do put on a good show live and they do really seem like genuinely good blokes. The Sound City film also renewed my respect.

If we're honest Nirvana weren't a lot of cop either.

He is an astonishing drummer

But they pass almost any 'test' you want to throw at them - popular? They sell huge amounts of albums in an era when lots of bands can't.

😆 exactly what I said earlier (not the 'test' bit)

He is an astonishing drummer

for a guitarist 😉

Overrated? I don't think so, but then I like 'em. was just about to download & burn myself a copy of the new album but I think I'll order a hard copy instead.
Joy Division were overrated (sacrilege I know!). Pink Floyd, Fleetwood Mac, Queen? yes, overrated IMO.

The Pretender wasn't on the "last" album (Wasting Light) it was on Echoes Silence Patience & Grace, which is quite a few years old now. and a very good album it is too IMO. Wasting Light was good, better than OK, IMO.

And that's what it's all about, isn't it? one person's opinion versus another's

First two albums excellent, fairly steep decline after that. The last couple have been steps back in the right direction but a long way from their best.
I've seen them 3 times and they've been great every time, last time probably about 10 years ago though! But if you're judging them on their recent output, then yeah, they're probably over-rated.

Dave Grohl is a great frontman and seems to deserve the Nicest Bloke in Rock title he often gets.

Saw them at Reading '95 when they were booked for the 2nd stage but drew a main stage crowd. That's an experience/memory that will stick with me forever!

Love album 1, after that I find each album has progressively fewer tracks to keep me interested. To the point where "White Limo" was the only track on the last album that really caught my attention.

Am watching Sonic Highways, and will def try to see their next UK show, but won't hurry to buy the new album.

[i]Joy Division were overrated [/i]

There is absolutely no comparison! Joy Division made extremely original, influential music. Foo Fighters? Just a rock band.

could listen to overlong infinity times and not get tired of it 🙂

I think they're shit apart from a few tracks such as Everlong. Boring generic rock for the most part. Dave Grohl's career peaked with Songs For The Deaf anyway.

terribly overrated... It's dull formulaic nonsense

-1 for the FF. They are not outstanding but just rock version of Coldplay. Meeoww!

Dave Grohl is the Phil Collins of American rawk.

Ooh, harsh!

First album was great. From then on the number of good tracks per album has finished greatly. They generally lure you in with a decent single only to find the rest of the album is very bland. Still like Dave grohl though

Just the fact that's FF are still going is testament to Dave Grohls talent, I can remember Kerrrrrrrrrang writing them off as a band that will always be compared to Nirvana and always be seen as a failure. Having seen them at Reading in '99 and still listening to their best of album they were anything but. Awesome band, to still be going strong some 15 years later is pretty good work.

Just the fact that's FF are still going is testament to [s]Dave Grohls talent[/s] an outbreak of mass cognitive dissonance.

 

I was a big Nirvana fan, and after Cobain died I was really looking forward to what the Foo Fighters were going to come up with. Then when I listened to it, I just found it kinda flat. It wasn't a bad album. It was listenable, and I could still listen to it with fondness now, but a work of genius it definitely was not. And this is the thing with Dave Grohl, I think. Whilst he's a very capable musician, he's not the best songwriter, and a lot of their stuff is pretty bland. You could put any bunch of session musicians into a studio and produce just as good a product.

They did get better I suppose. They seemed to create a bigger depth to their sound and image over the years, though it got a bit too pop for me. Not really listened to any of the new stuff.

Joy Division were overrated

Joy division I actually find the exact opposite. Dire vocalist. Questionable musicians. But oozing with talent. I never actually listened to Joy Division until a couple of years ago, and when I did I listened to the album over, and over... They shouldn't work...but they do. I'm not sure if I would call them musical geniuses, but they were ****ing good.

Joy Division are about as relevant on this thread as a pickled gerkin.

Just came back to say Grohl is doing the plugging bit on the bloody One Show now!!

Appearing on the One Show may well be a sin but as Dad rock goes they are pretty perfect. Decent songs imho played well.

Perhaps I am a bit too old to constantly seek music that feels edgy, but still enjoy a bit of power and volume...FF live up to my expectations and make me smile 🙂

Have loads of respect for the Sonic Highways tv series and Dave seems like a nice chap but their music really leaves me mostly cold. Sure it is rock'n'roll but feels like teflon covered bowling ball...

stanfree - Member
I thought they were great live but like most big rock bands have turned a bit bland over the years maybe not as bad as Green day though. I doubt anyone could dislike Dave Grohl as he seems like a decent guy though. [b]For really overrated though see Pink Floyd and Led Zep[/b]...

And you were doing so well... 🙄
Overrated by [i]who[/i]exactly? I keep reading this in connection to successful bands/artists, and it just seems to be saying "well, they're hugely successful, millions have bought their albums, been to their concerts, but [b][i]I[/i][/b] don't personally like them so they therefore must, by definition, be crap, and because millions of ordinary people like them, be overrated"
Get over yerselves, your opinion counts for bugger-all in the face of global album sales and tickets sold, because we're [b]not[/b] talking about some jackass being paid to have an opinion in some crappy newspaper, we're talking about the individual opinion of millions of individuals all over the world
I, personally, really have a deep-rooted dislike of the Manic Bloody Street Bloody Preachers, but overrated? They've been going for donks and have an enormously enthusiastic fanbase, so no, and they do have a way with a choon, but I wouldnt piss in their collective ears if their brains were on fire.
And to say Zeppellin and Floyd are 'overrated' is conveniently ignoring the fact that both bands were groundbreaking in their respective forms of music, where they had no peers, and their success was built purely through playing live and albums sales through word of mouth. There was no internet, and, in the case of Zeppellin, no music played on the radio either, because they refused to release singles, at least in the UK.
The only publicity for years came through the music press, which was often hostile to 'rock dinosaurs' anyway.
Overrated, by the people who actually bought the records, having been loaned a copy, or a tape, from a mate?
Certainly not, and they're the only people who actually matter, because the opinions of anyone else are meaningless.
I'm old enough to have lived through pretty much the whole modern rock era, and nobody cared about these bands at the time, other than those who liked them, nobody else cared, nobody else knew anything about them, it's only with the luxury of hindsight, and huge global success, that anyone is now giving an opinion based on history that's built up via a media that's become hungry for anything to gain an advantage by promoting the successful.
There are bands around now, that most here will have never heard of, who I absolutely [i]adore[/i], and who I rate very, very highly, and never miss an opportunity to try to get others to like them, but that's just my life-long enthusiasm, [i]love[/i] of music wanting them to be successful in what they're doing; there's no guarantee any of my friends would like them, though there's a very good chance they would, shared music history with contemporaries and all that.
And the Foos? I like them, Grohl is a lovely bloke, they play music that I enjoy and having seen them live, get a tingle from quite a few of their songs, but there are plenty of others who are more original, and who I listen to much more.
Such is the way with music.
And always has been. 😀

Overated? No, they are very good at what they do. It's just unfortunate that their albums seem to now have to have a bit of a backstory.

Wasting Light was all about tape/garage rock, this one is an extension of Sound City.

The documentary that they've done is (so far) excellent, and I said this the other day, the Foos part all seems a bit tacked on at the end. They've announced UK dates, but I saw them last time and never felt so disconnected at a concert. It really did feel like they were just running through the hits.

I've tried to like/get into the Foo Fighters in the past but their music just bores me, despite even going to a few live shows with friends, I enjoy hearing what Dave Grohl has to say in interviews and i'd like to share a drink and a chat about music in general with him but when it comes to listening to any of their songs i'll pass thank you very much.

As others have said:

The Foo Fighters live are INCREDIBLE. [u]By far[/u] the best band I've ever seen - the only ones that even come close are Muse.

unfortunately, the last decent song they released (IMO) was Pretender 🙁 and I would agree that there tends to be quite a lot of filler on their albums.

If the Foo Fighters were a dish it would be meat and plain boiled potatoes.

If they didn't have a famous frontman they'd be as popular as a harder rocking Counting Crows would be, and rightly so.

Well the thread has pointed me at Sonic Highways on Spotify, I'll know in 8 tracks time.

I did try and get pre sale tickets for them as they actually do bother to turn up and play in Tassie but that sold out quick.

hmmm halfway through and I'm enjoying it though as always I know I'm wrong, can somebody pop a link up the STW approved music list please.

Hmm - agree with a lot of the sentiment on this thread, live they are a must see, recently on record a little radio 2...

A lot of people on here could do worse that heeding the words from this:

To answer the OP. Yes. I find them well over rated. Never liked them. Far to vanilla for me. But then millions of people can't be wrong can they?

I, personally, really have a deep-rooted dislike of the Manic Bloody Street Bloody Preachers

Is it cos they is Welsh mun tidy aye?

Are FF overrated? No, because they are very good at what they do. The fact you don't like the style of music is a separate matter.

However, my personal feeling is that they are a good band with occasional moments of genius ie. Everlong, Monkey Wrench, Times like these, Best of You etc.

Edit: I do love Grohl's work with QOTSA and Killing Joke. Plus he does seem like a nice fella.

On a slight tangent...

Anyone know details of ticket pre-sales for next summer's UK gigs? Think the tickets go on general sale on Fri but there's mention of a pre-sale on Weds.

Wednesday at 9am it would seem

[url= http://www.gigsandtours.com/tour/foo-fighters/?pre=ffshpre&src=ffpre ]http://www.gigsandtours.com/tour/foo-fighters/?pre=ffshpre&src=ffpre[/url]

First two albums excellent, fairly steep decline after that.

have to agree with that, never forget watching them headline witnness 2002 in dublin, it was wet day and was muddy but the sun came out about an hour before they came on... dave came on stage and first thing he said

"any of you mother****ers throw any mud and were off"

3 seconds later about 2000 lumps of mud were thrown at the stage, the band didnt flinch and cracked into the first song.

epic

I bought their first 12" on glow in he dark vinyl and the cd with Everlong on it. That's it. The Washington D.C. Sonic Highway was excellent. Mr Grohl seems like a nice chap. Good luck to him.

Don't think they've ever been that good to be overrated TBH. Half decent band that's produces listenable rockish type music. Think the fact Grohl is such a likeable bloke has a lot to do with their appeal...

Overrated?

Underrated if anything. They are, fundamentally, a live band. Their albums are all right but there are few bands who will give such an electric live performance. Batfink here (IIRC) hit the nail on the head earlier with the comparison to Muse, I don't own a single Muse album and have no desire to do so, but I'd sell a minor organ for gig tickets.

Just googled to remind me of who they are ...

Yes, I can confirm that they are absolutely shite.

FFS! Why do they insist on shouting?

FFS! Why do they insist on shouting?

Your cardigan, slippers and pension book are over there >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> grandad.

mikey74 - Member
Your cardigan, slippers and pension book are over there >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> grandad.

😆 I prefer James Last ... much more soothing. Look at those people they are so happy.

chewkw - Member
Just googled to remind me of who they are ...

Yes, I can confirm that they are absolutely shite.

FFS! Why do they insist on shouting?

No they're not, any more than most other bands are 'shite'; it's just that [i]you[/i] don't happen to like them.
I loath Manic Street Preachers, doesn't make them shite, though.