Dave Grohl: The Beatles Were A Huge Influence On Nirvana

Dave Grohl has revealed that The Beatles were a huge influence on Nirvana.

The frontman discussed the Liverpool band's influence at the 2012 MusiCares benefit on Saturday (February 11) when Sir Paul McCartney was named the organisation's "Person Of The Year".

In an interview with Access Hollywood, Grohl said: "When I was young, that's how I learned how to play music - I had a guitar and a Beatles songbook," he recalled. "I would listen to the records and play along. Of course, it didn't sound like The Beatles, but it got me to understand song structure and melody and harmony and arrangement."

He added: "I never had a teacher - I just had these Beatles records... Even in Nirvana - the Beatles [were] such a huge influence.

"Kurt loved The Beatles because it was just so simple. Well, it seemed simple... they sound easy to play, but you know what? They're f--king hard."

Meanwhile, Dave Grohl has unveiled the trailer for his new documentary "Sound City" - you can watch it here.

Last month Grohl, and Taylor announced that they had recorded some new material but did not confirm what the project was for.

Thanks for the report to Gigwise.com.

Comments

[Maiden95]

Love Dave Grohl, Love Nirvana, the Beatles, Foozers whatever...but I knew of their love for the Beatles a while back.

[Pagan_Poetry]

You can hear this even on Nevermind with songs like Something in the Way.
From one great band to another.

[GrungeHippie26]

Kur liked the Beatles when he was young, but as he got older, he turned towards punk.

[Lapidus]

I think we knew this since 1992 or so, slow news these days

[ESPVpr104]

I've always thought of Nirvana as the Beatles of my generation. Makes me proud to be a 90's kid

[Skarson]

common knowledge

[link no1]

This isn't news...

I could think of a better news article about Grohl right now...

"Dave Grohl In The Muppets"

Done.

[iommi600]

two Foo Fighters news articles in one day?

and guess what, this one is not the best news article about them today.

come on, UG...

[courageous93]

Newsflash, The Beatles were a huge influence on most music as a whole, lol.

[Thumper!]

Am I the only one that thinks The Beatles are overrated? I mean yes they made some good songs, but there were alot of other great bands at that time in the 60's that made just as good or even better music then they did. Just a thought.

[pinheadslts75]

Dave, love ya and everything, but everybody already knows how much you guys liked the Beatles.

[iwannabesedated]

Wow this is old news.

[mtllica]

This is probably one of the least interesting influences I've read about.

[bobt68021]

What weren't the Beatles a huge influence on?

[.:!j.man!:.]

News to me but I have little care for both groups xD

[Attercop]

"Revealed"? Hardly ...

[Root Beer]

In other news, the sky is blue.

[GibbonWolf]

In other news, it turns out that water is, in fact, usually wet.

[Tcsanchez]

Kurt Cobain Sucks. Dave Grohl is badass. So are The Beatles. Great Influence on everybody.

[Absent Mind]

I would also kill myself if I had to listen to the Beatles...

[Antoine-Øleg]

"Kurt loved The Beatles because it was just so simple. Well, it seemed simple... they sound easy to play, but you know what? They're f--king hard."

On the other hand, Nirvana seemed simple... they sound easy to play, but you know what? They're f--king easier than I thought at first!

Seriously, though, this isn't news at all. Ever since they released Nevermind and became big, rock music journalism has been retelling over and over again how Nirvana succeeded on "mixing The Beatles with Black Sabbath" (or something like that), and how much Cobain admired John Lennon.

[wutconnur]

Absent Mind wrote:

I would also kill myself if I had to listen to the Beatles...

Living up to your username?

[Antoine-Øleg]

Also, this:

bobt68021 wrote:

What weren't the Beatles a huge influence on?

[headbang123]

I garentee you if you randomly pick any modern musician chances are they were influenced by The Beatles.

[Old Lady]

Dont see how this is news, it's as obvious as a kick in the bollocks.

[intwernet]

I've always heard those Beatles-sounding kind of music in Nirvana's records.

[betterman5]

Thumper! wrote:

Am I the only one that thinks The Beatles are overrated? I mean yes they made some good songs, but there were alot of other great bands at that time in the 60's that made just as good or even better music then they did. Just a thought.

yeah I dont understand why they're so big, personally i can only listen to a few tracks. But they had a huge influence on so many bands so they can't be that overrated really

[shredder1955]

Thumper! wrote:

Am I the only one that thinks The Beatles are overrated? I mean yes they made some good songs, but there were alot of other great bands at that time in the 60's that made just as good or even better music then they did. Just a thought.

agreed. Also the Beatles good songs arn't exactly amazing ether. They are not exactly masterpieces.

[Slap-happy]

Personally I have never been a Beatles fan but have respect for them.
Having said that this is hardly breaking news; I remember reading many years ago that, following an argument with Tracey (Kurt’s girlfriend at the time) he spent pretty much an entire day listening to the Meet The Beatles album over and again. Then he wrote About a Girl.

[Root Beer]

Thumper! wrote:

Am I the only one that thinks The Beatles are overrated? I mean yes they made some good songs, but there were alot of other great bands at that time in the 60's that made just as good or even better music then they did. Just a thought.

Listen to Sgt. Pepper all the way through and you'll understand.

[olix95]

i thought this was common knowledge among the Nirvana fanbase

[burgernips]

Absent Mind wrote:

I would also kill myself if I had to listen to the Beatles...

Here, ladies and gentlemen a fine specimen- the wild troll. They often venture the comments pages of UG news rummaging for easily angered users to feast on, if lucky they may even find a noob or two. But please, do not feed.

[mark3777]

I don't believe this. the beatles have never influenced anyone

[Jimmypageclone]

GrungeHippie26 wrote:

Kur liked the Beatles when he was young, but as he got older, he turned towards punk.

The Beatles were a huge influence, not only in the songwriting aspect, but the studio techniques they used as well (Such as doubling up vocal track, etc.).

[Jimmypageclone]

^Influence on Nirvana. I think people got who I was referring to, but it's always nice to clarify.

[Root Beer]

burgernip wrote:

Absent Mind wrote:

I would also kill myself if I had to listen to the Beatles...

Here, ladies and gentlemen a fine specimen- the wild troll. They often venture the comments pages of UG news rummaging for easily angered users to feast on, if lucky they may even find a noob or two. But please, do not feed.

I lol'd

[silent caution]

this be old...kurt himself said he liked the beatles

[clw550235]

GrungeHippie26 wrote:

Kur liked the Beatles when he was young, but as he got older, he turned towards punk.

Aaaand the award for worst comment I've ever seen goes to....

[almudjk]

You don't say UG. Kurt wrote About A Girl after listening to Revolver for hours

[p_a_morgan]

Lol. Faul McCartney.

But yeah...can't really say this is news, but maybe it's simply because I assumed that The Beatles were a big influence on Dave....just like everyone else.

[SMbassist]

Huh. Well, I never liked the Beatles, so that explains why I don't like Nirvana too.

[Ibeanez]

"Kurt loved The Beatles because it was just so simple. Well, it seemed simple... they sound easy to play, but you know what? They're f--king hard."

Obviously the Beatles didn't influence them enough, because Nirvana's music is just the opposite of this.

[Killzark]

Yeah Nirvana and every other band that's ever existed...

[GMPX]

So he liked the Beatles, in the book written about him he also claims he listens to Kill Em All at least once a week, in both cases, so what, doesn't mean you are all of a sudden going to like Mr Grohl. Slow news day for sure.

[ironmanben]

I can definitely hear that in stuff like About a Girl.

[iamryanallen]

i just think the funniest part is the way they phrase the first sentence, "dave grohl has REVEALED that the beatles...etc."

yeah, revealed to the only goofballs, on access hollywood and UG, that dont know this is common knowledge

[sherry07]

Oh wow, I could never have guessed that! I mean, it's not like the Beatles were a huge influence on pretty much every band that came after them or anything like that!

[motortallica]

you dont say?

[metallica-#1]

iommi600 wrote:

two Foo Fighters news articles in one day?

and guess what, this one is not the best news article about them today.

come on, UG...

just lettin ya know, this is an article on Nirvana, not Foo Fighters

two completely different bags of potatoes right there my friend

[RylanThePotato]

The Beatles are a huge influence on music in general. 'nuff said.

[jrcsgtpeppers]

the beatles are so overrated. i dont like them at all, theyre nothing special. theyre just a bunch of cheesy love songs played over simple pop chord progressions. plus ringo is a shit drummer.

[scorpio2billion]

You may not like The Beatles, but to claim that they're overrated isn't showing everyone how cool you are, it's showing them how ignorant you are.

[Gibson_SG_uzr55]

This is common knowledge.

[6-String_Madman]

The Beatles IMHO was the band that started it all. They are the great great great grand grand grand daddy of real music.

[GREENWARRI0R]

how is this news? Every single band is influenced by The Beatles. Even those who aren't say they cause it's "cool" and makes you seem so "musically diverse" or something.

[TheRipperA7X]

DAVE GROHL FOR PRESIDENT!!!

[jimbob32292]

nobody has any idea what the **** their talking about do all of you play instruments and don't do any research?? The beetles are garbage and they always will be... This whole "large then life" persona is all complete BS that is just garbage. The only reason they got popular as a band is from heresay only. There were millions of ****ing bands just like them around the same time... Why is it you never hear of them? Well everyone in the Beetles knew everyone they needed to know its simple. If music would have waited 4 more years they would have heard some real music... aka Zeppelin and Clapton and Hendrix. Its really that simple and to sit here and idolize a band thats complete garbage and at best MEDIOCRE in their playing and writing. Come on people use your ****ing brains stop with the ****ing Beetles let them ****ing die already memorably and physically

[kumamilesbear]

Thumper! wrote:

Am I the only one that thinks The Beatles are overrated? I mean yes they made some good songs, but there were alot of other great bands at that time in the 60's that made just as good or even better music then they did. Just a thought.

I respect the Beatles for what they did for rock and pop, and for the influence that they had over an entire generation of musicians. I just never was able to get in to them.

[jrcsgtpeppers]

scorpio2billion wrote:

You may not like The Beatles, but to claim that they're overrated isn't showing everyone how cool you are, it's showing them how ignorant you are.

why did i get so many thumbs downs? my name is a beatles album lol

[Iblis92]

This is no secret