Dave Grohl has famously said many times that he was a massive fan of John Bonham of Led Zeppelin, right to the point of having some Zep tattoos. But while Bonham was an inspiration, he wasn’t the the drummer to whom Dave first gravitated. The biggest impact on young Dave came from Neil Peart of Rush.
Here’s a quote: “When I got the 2112 album, I was eight years old. It changed the direction of my life. I heard the drums. It made me want to become a drummer.” Dave Grohl first picked up a pair of drumsticks when he was seven or eight. He didn’t have a kit, so he would arrange pillows around his bedroom to create a reasonable facsimile. That seemed to work out well, didn’t it?
And by the way, when Rush announced a reunion this year, Dave was seriously considered to fill the drummer’s spot.
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