PHILADELPHIA — Foo Fighters’ production staff put in long hours taping up signs warning fans not to feed frontman Dave Grohl, high-strung sources reported.
“We’re always nervous about Fooies coming to see the show for the first time, thinking Dave is cute and cuddly and could probably use a snack,” said the band’s tour manager, Rick Faith. “While we want to recognize the sometimes-overwhelming impulse to toss him a raw steak or even hand-feed him lettuce from the front row, fans must acknowledge that Dave can be aggressive and they could lose a hand, an arm, or even—as happened in Dallas last week—their life. The other threat, of course, is that Dave follows them home and destroys their kitchen.”
Faith has been proactive in consulting former bandmates to run interference on how to deescalate or soothe Grohl, depending on the circumstance.
“There was a time in ’91 at the Crocodile, we were playing ‘Drain You,’ and someone from the back threw a footlong sub at Dave. It was tuna, I think. He caught it in his mouth and ate it while we played,” said Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic. “Everybody thought it was funny, but later Dave attacked a security guard and the venue told us we had to put him down. We compromised by strapping him into a cage for the rest of the tour. Our first thought was, ‘Where are we gonna get a cage?’ We ended up using Tommy Lee’s.”
Grohl appeared calm even when asked about his potential to turn on fans.
“I’m working with a vet therapist not to bite fans when they get close. But a lot of these stadiums have those dispensers where for a quarter you can get a handful of grass pellets,” said the veteran rocker. “I have to remind myself I make $40 million a year and can buy my own grass pellets. I can buy a live boar. I don’t need to take it out on people who pay $150 a ticket. It’s hard sometimes, though, because I love the chase. Once I sink my teeth into a forearm or a neck or something, I go crazy.”
At press time, Grohl was seen down on all fours growling at his assistant, who was trying to get him to sit still for a piece of gum.
