Later – with Jools Holland: Dave Grohl

The BBC recently set out to make 1990s music fans feel old by marking the 30th anniversary of the release of Nirvana’s seminal album Nevermind.

As well as the BBC2 documentary When Nirvana Came to Britain, there were also programmes on BBC4 and Radios 2, 4 and 6 Music.

For some records, that would have been overkill, but most people would agree that Nevermind deserved the adulation.

As Lorna Clarke, BBC Controller of Pop, said: “The longevity and influence of Nirvana as a band is undeniable, with their music holding a special place in the hearts of audiences across the board. So, it’s fitting that BBC Radio and TV are coming together to celebrate this iconic record, thirty years on.”

Tonight’s episode of Later – with Jools Holland might also get people thinking about Nirvana’s legacy in a different way, as the host is joined by the band’s former drummer Dave Grohl. For most musicians, being part of such an influential group and album would be their crowning achievement, and they’d still be basking in the glory decades later.

Yet Nirvana was just the start of his career. Following the tragic death of frontman Kurt Cobain, Grohl went on to form Foo Fighters, who became a stadium-filling success in their own right, winning 12 Grammy Awards, including four for Best Rock Album. They were also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year.

Anyone who wants to know exactly how Grohl managed to achieve so much, all while frequently being dubbed ‘the nicest man in rock’, will be pleased to know that he’s just published a memoir entitled The Storyteller.

In a promotional video, he explained: “When the lockdown happened, I suddenly had nothing to do. I never have nothing to do. I’ve always been creatively restless. So, I spent my time writing these short stories for an Instagram page. And in doing that, I fell in love with writing. I thought, ‘You know what, maybe I’ll just write a book’, without realising how gargantuan of a project it would be.”

He might offer a few more insights as he joins Jools to share some of his favourite stories from his rockstar life – and reminisce about his appearances on Later.

Grohl will also be picking out some his favourite moments from the show’s archives, an eclectic mix that includes k.d. lang, Radiohead and Portuguese fado singer Mariza.

The whole show could probably have been given over to Grohl – he recently performed a stage version of Storyteller in London – but Jools is finding space for a few more performers.

LA-based singer Marley Munroe, aka Lady Blackbird, is in the studio to perform the torch song It’s Not That Easy with her three-piece band.

There’s also music from the British group Jungle, who perform from the newly renovated Alexandra Palace Theatre in North London. Their recent album, Loving in Stereo, has been described as “a dynamic disco record for the post social distancing age, with a dancefloor-igniting celebration of all the things that make music irresistibly fun”.

So, if you want your very own living room disco, this could well be your chance.

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