As previously reported, Dave Grohl and the recording of the new Foo Fighters album are the stars of an upcoming TV show that documents the entire process, in a spiritual sequel to Grohl’s own Sound City.
Described by the Foo chief as a “love letter to the history of American music,” the band’s much anticipated eighth studio album was recorded in eight US cities across historic recording studios with a bunch of A-list musical talent and the new HBO series follows that pattern in eight star-studded episodes.
The first teaser for the show now reveals it has a name, Sonic Highways, and features Grohl detailing some more about the conceptual thread of the programme and the shape of the album.
“You can tie all theses people and places together with these sonic highways,” Grohl intones in the clip. “This is a musical map of America.” There’s also a snippet of new to soundtrack the promo – could this be the first taste of the new Foos album?
“After making Sound City, I realized that the pairing of music and documentary works well because the stories give substance and depth to the song, which makes for a stronger emotional connection,” Grohl has previously said of the new HBO series. “So I thought, ‘I want to do this again, but instead of just walking into a studio and telling its story, I want to travel across America and tell its story’.
Helping to tell that story are the list of collaborators on the new Foo Fighters album, which thus far includes Gar Clark Jr, Buddy Guy, Cheap Trick’s Rick Nielsen, KISS’s Paul Stanely, Fugazi’s Ian MacKaye, Heart’s Nancy Wilson, New Orleans’ Preservation Hall Jazz Band, and Australian-bound Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh. “You can tie all theses people and places together with these sonic highways. This is a musical map of America.”
As for the list of studios, those confirmed thus far include legendary producer Steve Albini‘s Electrical Audio studios in Chicago, Don Zientara’s Inner Ear studios in Washington DC, California’s Ranch De La Luna (the infamous desert studio frequented by Queens Of The Stone Age and frontman Josh Homme), as well as yet-to-be-named locales in Nashville, Austin, LA, Seattle, and New York.
“It’s basically the history of American music broken down to the cultural roots of each place: Why did Chicago become a blues capital? Why did country go to Nashville? Why did the first psychedelic band, Thirteenth Floor Elevators, come from Austin? How did the second line rhythm make its way to New Orleans? It’s crazy,” says Grohl.
Butch Vig, who has returned to produce the new Foo Fighters record after 2011’s Wasting Light, and Grohl have confirmed the new album will be ready “this fall” (Australia’s spring).
The band also teased fans Down Under last week with a post hinting at forthcoming tour plans. “Hey AU/NZ pals… It’s been WAYYY too long,” says the post, prompting fans to sign up to the newsletter, accompanied by an image promoting the new Foos release window. The teaser was also shared by Frontier Touring, the band’s Australian promoters. Foo Fighters were last in Australia in late 2011, for a December headline tour.
