Music

Dave Grohl has a new HBO show about recording studios

by Tyler Munro

Dave Grohl came off like a bit of a self-adulating ponce when he gave his “it’s not about computers” speech at the 2012 Grammy Awards, and while his acceptance came off with an air of superiority, through it shone his absolute adoration for the intricacies of the recording process. Chief among them, doing things analog.

And while there are endless ways to interpret doing things live to tape, ranging from black metal bands slinging songs in the forest to Steve Albini’s renowned setup, the technology is something dear to Grohl’s heart. That, paired with his endearing, charismatic cool-dad personality explains why HBO’s brought him in for an eight episode series detailing recording studios in L.A., Chicago, Austin, Nashville, Seattle, New Orleans, Washington and New York.

Rolling Stone says he’ll host, produce and direct the series, for which he’ll naturally also be providing the music. An expansion of his Sound City documentary, the show sees Grohl recording a song in each of the studios he visits, the process behind which people speculate the new Foo Fighters album was recorded.

Premiering this fall, Grohl has already called the show a “love letter to the history of American music.”