I’ve said on this site many times that The Foo Fighters are one of the top 2 working, touring rock and roll bands alive today.  (The other is Pearl Jam, naturally.)  Dave’s work post-Nirvana blows my mind.  Every album is consistent and classic, with the possible exception of “Echoes,” which for some reason didn’t hit me right.  I’ve paid tribute to Foo before, several times, but I’ve never homaged a little band Dave was in before he became a Foo.

Nirvana.

I heard an interview with Dave once, where the interviewer was, like me, not a huge Nirvana fan.  The interviewer asked Dave how he could have just laid so far back in the cut, since he’s clearly a brilliant songwriter and a fabulous frontman.  Dave said he learned to play drums just so he could play with Kurt Cobain.  He said Kurt was the greatest songwriter of his generation.

It got me thinking.  I don’t believe I’ll ever be a huge Nirvana fan–I like their hits, I love their MTV acoustic album, but I’m just not that into most of their albums.  But I do have to admit that they wrote some great stuff.  So I figured it was time for another serial post.  I did this with Rockers Who Rap and The Beatles and Neil Young, among others, and since the Foos are one of my favorite bands around, this seems worthwhile.  Plus, there are so damn many songs to choose from, particularly when you start with covers and then throw in Nirvana offspring and rarities.  Again, the focus here will be Nirvana.  But there will be many guests.

So, I hope you dig this.  Your comments are appreciated and welcome.  Z will be for Zipfile, so if you want to wait until the last post, you can get it all in one shot.

PART ONE: A to E

A is for:

• All Apologies-Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie (Nirvana).  I must start with Nirvana, being that they are the hosts of the posts.  And I think it’s so funny and ironic that Gibbard is the frontman for Death Cab, which is probably the least Nirvana-ish band around.

• Arms Wide Open-Dave Grohl (Creed cover) YSI.  I adore this snide, mocking cover.  But there was also a stellar version he did where he was singing to a stripper (“With legs wide open, under the spotlight . . .”) that I can’t find anywhere.  I heard it on Howard Stern once.  If any of you have it, I’ll trade any show I have, any boot I have . . . Just name your price.  I want this song more than I want life itself.  (Okay, not that much, but I’ve been looking for it for about 5 years.)
• Aurora (acoustic, live)-Foo Fighters.  Sometimes when Dave plays acoustic he gets kinda slow and lazy, but this version kicks ass.  Especially the guitar work.

B is for

• Bambi Slaughter-Nirvana.  (YSI) This is some kinda weird outtake or something.  I’m posting it because I really like the bassline, but it’s fucking freaky.  Anyone know who is singing on it?
• Smells Like Teen Spirit-Benevoto/Russo (Nirvana).  A live cover.

C is for

• The Cars!  My Best Friend’s Girl-Nirvana (YSI)

D is for

• Pennyroyal Tea-Brian Dolzani (Nirvana)
• Smells like Electro-Dsico That No Talent Hack.  A remix/mash thingie.

E is for

• Everlong-Flawless Escape (Foo Fighters)
• And E is for “End of this Post”!  Come back tomorrow!