Dave Grohl is an American rock musician who was the fifth and most famous drummer of the iconic grunge band Nirvana and the founder, vocalist, rhythm guitarist and primary songwriter of the alternative/hard rock band Foo Fighters. Over the years, he has collaborated with multiple music legends like Sir Paul McCartney, Motörhead, David Bowie, and Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails). He is also an accomplished writer who released his first autobiography, “The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music” on October 5, 2021.
Along with The Undertaker, Dave Grohl is The Deranged Writer’s personal hero.
I, The Deranged Writer, love any type of music. On every music device I have ever owned, from my third-generation iPod Nano (anyone remember that?) to my iPhone 15, my music library is a melting pot of artists and songs. I was not vocal about my love for various kinds of music though; only a few friends knew this fact.
But that all changed when I found myself on a Dave Grohl interview marathon (for the nth time) on an afternoon in 2011.
Yes, you read the title right. And I promise you: there are no rickrolls here.
I definitely enjoyed listening to many Nine Inch Nails songs lately (notably “Every Day is Exactly the Same”, a previous Song of the Moment). But since last weekend, I needed to slowly step out of the darkness and enjoy more light. I enjoyed the light again by listening to upbeat songs ranging from “Walking on the Sun” by Smash Mouth to “Treasure” by Bruno Mars (my ultra-talented doppelgänger, according to many people).
But the most upbeat song that stood out for me is Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up”, the most popular song not just in Mr. Astley’s catalog but also on the Internet. Many people have fallen into the rickroll trap, and I’m included on that list. But Internet history aside, I believe it’s one of the best pop songs ever, and I love the fact that the chorus is a written promise of total commitment. Who doesn’t want someone who will never give up on them? Those are the reasons it’s my Song of the Moment.
The music video of Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up”.
Oh, there’s another reason “Never Gonna Give You Up” is my Song of the Moment: Foo Fighters, my all-time favorite band, performed the song with Astley himself in 2017. Seriously, it happened! Please watch the video below. (And don’t worry, it’s a real live performance, not a rickroll. It’s more of a rickgrohl.)
Not a rickroll… Foo Fighters and Rick Astley really performed “Never Gonna Give You Up”.
I felt a bit anxious today, a Sunday, so I attended Mass on my own and I went to my favorite cafe to relax. I ordered the usual (and comforting) affogato and continued reading The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music, a book by my hero Dave Grohl. (Yes, I did say “my hero”, a reference to the Foo Fighters classic! Also, this is my second time reading the book, and I’m about to finish it by tomorrow.)
And for once, while I was reading, I didn’t listen to music through my phone. Tonight, I relied on the cafe’s vinyl player, and it played many songs from The Cranberries. The song that stood out for me is the iconic “Zombie”. It has been a long time since I heard “Zombie”, and hearing it brought me back to the time when cassette tapes were the norm and when the only source of stress for me was homework. Memories. And that’s why it’s my Song of the Moment.
The music video of The Cranberries’ “Zombie”.
Anyway, tomorrow is September 1. That means it’s the start of Christmas season in the Philippines. Exciting times!
The Diary of The Deranged Writer 