Here’s the thing about the Foo Fighters: no one sounds like them. And any band that fully mimics them is a band you probably don’t want to bother with.
They have this energy—this aura—that other bands just don’t have. Including many of their peers on the grunge side. “But what if I like the Foo Fighters and want to listen to some other bands who share that musical spirit?” I’m so glad you asked, let me introduce, or re-introduce, you to a few.
Cashier
I once said that Genesis Owusu was making the kind of music that people think no one is making anymore. This is also true for Cashier. Believe it or not, there’s not a plethora of bands making the kind of grungy, straightforward rock that the Foo Fighters have long championed.
These Louisiana kids, however, are killing it. It’s not a bunch of filler sounds and distractions. They just play their f***ing hearts out, and you can feel it in your chest.
Dexter and the Moonrocks
Have you ever wondered what the Foo Fighters would sound like if their proving ground had been Texas instead of Seattle or Los Angeles? Wonder no more! Dexter and The Moonrocks are what I would define as a Western Rock band with lots of grungy elements. They hail from Abilene, Texas, and formed just five years ago, in 2021.
For those who appreciate the early Foo records, I highly recommend giving these guys a listen. They employ tons of 90s guitar riffs, and the overall tone gives garage rock.
Turnstile
I get it. This one sounds crazy. After all, Turnstile was born out of the Baltimore hardcore scene, so how could they be similar to the Foo Fighters? (insert winking emoji here)
So, something to remember about Dave Grohl is that he grew up in Virginia, and he idolized bands like Bad Brains and the Circle Jerks. That northern punk scene very much forged who he was as a drummer.
It’s also notable that late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins was a profoundly influential musician across every rock music scene. I maintain that if you listen to the drumming on Tunrstile songs ike “Never Enough” and “Holiday,” you can hear Hawkins’ inspiration. (Think “White Limo” or “Low“.)
Even if you’ve listened to Turnstile in the past, trust me on this. Go listen to their last couple of albums, Never Enough and Glow On, through a filter of listening for that grungy-rock sound forged by the Foos in the late 90s and early 2000s.
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