Sonic Highways: New York. Thoughts?

[john stabb]

Finally watched the last installment of the Rock & Grohl Show aka Sonic Highways. This time it was set in New York and it was probably my favorite/most well-done one of the entire series. Impressive stuff about the diverse music scene and powerful moments about 911. But, again (as someone once said on the Face: "Id like it a lot more without the Foo Fighters segments") - I totally agree 100%. But the whole concept of the series was having Grohl + band travel around the land, talking about their cultures, music and recording a new song for the latest Foo-release. HBO shelled out the dough for this concept so maybe it would've never happened without the popularity of Dave + the Foos? Perhaps. I must add this: when he sat down rapping with the Prez about music and the "We love our USA" crap kicked in at the very end - I got a foul taste in my mouth. That ain't my idea of Rock & Roll, baby.

[drew]

I enjoyed most of the segments of this series, I think the L.A. one was prolly the least interesting.
The Foo tunes were awful, the only one even remotely good was the Nashville song. They are just boring, lifeless radio-rock.
Grohl is all over SALAD DAYS and FILMAGE. I don't know who annointed him "Rockspokesman of a generation" he prob did himself.......

[gregpolard]

I thought it was a good episode. The album has grown on me a bit but it's not one of their best, by any stretch. I think the concept is cool and the documentary is really well done.

Drew, you would enjoy this shirt I saw with a picture of Dave Grohl on it that just says BONO

[drew]

Drew, you would enjoy this shirt I saw with a picture of Dave Grohl on it that just says BONO

I would def wear that. I'm sure I could make some ppl cry.....or least get really mad at me....

[Gary]

Too short and lacked any metal.

[Mark T.]

I liked all the episodes. Not a Foo fan at all, really, but you don't have to be to get into the history surrounding these shows.

The Chicago and DC shows hit home most for me, Dave pretty much grew up the way I did and like many people and musicians on this board.

I liked Dave as the narrator, he seems like a pretty cool guy as do most of the other band members. The songs at the end were indeed the worst part of each series. Their songs are so over produced, it really makes me barf.

Of course each episode could have been longer and included much more history and material, being limited to an hour just doesn't cut it. And several more cities could have been added.

All in all, I could watch these types of documentaries all the time. 2 thumbs up!

[john stabb]

Oh, I think they should make a Grohl tee that says "ALL AMERICAN BONO". Love to see folks wearing them.

[yourenotevil]

i think dave seems like a cool guy, but i have no interest in his post nirvana career. he did the probot album which was decent and he produced the sound city studios movie if i am not mistaken. he did the whole week on letterman and obviously doesn't take himself that seriously. i want to see these episodes, but have been avoiding since i don't find the foo fighters interesting on any level.

[jason powell]

I'm not a fan of the foo fighters either, besides that one song, everlong, thats just a great tune.

But, I love the series. I think its beautiful. It shows the business and the culture and the art in making and playing music and the focus doesn't even seem to be much about the foo fighters or Dave Grohl at all. And that fact makes me respect them all the moreso.

[Janelle]

I just saw it today . The part where they show the old shops like Bleecker Bob's and other record stores and such and then what each has become, like a Subway and Starbucks was really powerful and sad and we all here know how it feels and it sucks. Someone mentions about most of all the character has been lost that brought so many people here in the first place. Truth. I feel it and I am only old enough to have been hanging around the grimy punk places in the '90s and even then it still had some bite. Now it's grossly commercial and clean and high-end.

Liked hearing Thurston Moore at the beginning on living in an apt at like 150$ and talking to an old doorman who sounds like us nowadays, wistful for the past - in his case the 1940s were where it was at!