No rest for this wicked one-man-band…
Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl is currently putting the finishing touches on a new project that represents “the most challenging performances of his storied career.”
PLAY, a two-part mini-documentary directed by Grohl, will celebrate the rewards and challenges that come along with dedicating one’s life to playing and mastering a musical instrument.
Part one of the film opens with narrated behind the scenes footage featuring discussion of the love of playing music, while detailing the process of capturing a unique performance.
Part two, meanwhile, boasts the titular ‘PLAY’, an epic 23-minute one-man-band instrumental track on which Grohl plays seven instruments, all live.
‘PLAY’ kicks off with the recording of the drum track entirely from memory with no sheet music or guide tracks before he adds guitar, bass, keyboards and so on.
The point of all this?
To recreate the experience of a full live band in-studio but with just one man at the forefront, forced to start from the very beginning of the 23-minute song any time the slightest mistake was made or if Grohl felt he could do a better take.
That, and to give students and aspiring musicians something to draw inspiration from.
“Watching my kids start to play music and learn to sing or play drums, it brings me back to the time when I was their age listening to albums,” notes Grohl.
“When I take them to the place where they take their lesson, I see these rooms full of children that are really pushing themselves to figure this out.
“Even now, as a 49-year-old man, I’m still trying to figure it out. It’s not something that you ever truly master. You’re always chasing the next challenge, and you’re always trying to find a way to improve on what you’ve learned.”
PLAY hits digital download and streaming platforms on Friday 10 August.
A limited edition vinyl version lands on 28 September.
Check out the official teaser below.
Clip via Foo Fighters
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