Best voted letters to Dave Grohl
Dear Dave,
I would firstly like to send my deepest appreciation for your speech at SXSW. You were able to touch on so many important points that the modern day musician needs to consider. Your documentary SoundCity, for me, is the classiest music documentary that I have ever seen. Like your speech just full of truth and honesty, something so lacking in the current music industry climate.
If you don't mind I would like to introduce myself. My name is Michael Hyland and I am of European decent born in South Africa. I live in a stunning town called Stellenbosch, in the beautiful city of Cape Town.
The South African music industry, like most around the world, is in disarray. The industry professionals have no idea how to manage or cope with the advances in the digital age and are resorting to producing music that stems from Popidol like competitions. This is infecting our industry and flooding our market with mediocre, shallow and outright embarrassing music that is shedding a bad light onto our industry, which is already 10 years behind the US and European markets.
I have decided to make a stand. I am currently in the process of building my own studio and using it as a focus point to trains and encourage musicians to build a strong foundation for their art so that it has a solid platform instead of pissing in the wind with mediocre nonsense that can possibly get them noticed for a short while but cannot stand the test of time.
I have be blessed to have been able to source some great talent and have also worked with International artists to create more dynamic productions.
Some examples of my work are here :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYfdip8BtZo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPYmJcCBl9k
This particular singer was a shy, low self esteemed guy who I helped get to the point where he is now singing on one fully released record and is working with some other international artists. Take into consideration that this guy almost literally pissed himself on his first vocal take.
The other guy is the one I would really like you to take notice of. His name is Jarrod and is probably the biggest Nirvana and Foo Fighers fan you can find. I have helped him produce of 30 songs and some of them can be heard here :
http://www.reverbnation.com/sokedreftband
He has tried his best, with no luck, to find an adequate singer to add vocals to his tracks. This guy is the most dedicated musician I have had the pleasure of working with and we have spent many weekends and late nights slaving away at these demo's but just have not found a vocalist that can crack the songs.
My plea would be, if you could take one of these tracks and put some vocals to them.....It would literally make this guys life. This is not a pitty plea and we are certainly not looking for any charity. This is out of pure desperation to inject some new, much needed, healthy blood into our industry. We have put the work in....we just need that final little lift. Your help would be really appreciated.
I can be contacted on opensauce17@gmail.com or on my youtube channel.
I really appreciate your time.
Regards,
Mike Hyland
Hey Dave, if I ever get to tour with you I would draw wieners on your face while you slept and tie yours and Taylor and pays shoestrings together!
Dear Dave,
I just watched your film Sound City....my heart is palpitating...It's as if I'm having an anxiety attack.
I'm 43yr old guy married with 2 kids (9yr old son, 8 yr old daughter) and I have been so sad with the state of music. Everything just seems like plastic shit. I literally was driving home last night after a 17 hr SF to LA business turnaround and had The Pretender cranked as loud as it could go. I was tired, I missed my wife and kids but your music made me happy. I play drums and guitar but have never had formal musical training and I certainly am not professional grade material.
In any case, the reason I'm writing you is that your film Sound City moved me to tears. I love music and I feel like you are the savior of what I have loved all my life. Your style and love for everything that has been a part of our lives and effort to keep it alive makes me even that much more of a fan of yours.
I admire that you follow your heart and have done such amazing things! My God.. drummer, guitarist, vocalist, songwriter, director, father, husband, philanthropist, historian and all around BMF!
My whole life was spent wishing I was a musician but it just wasn't something my father would accept as a profession. So, I did it for fun but to this day, I've spent my life doing shit that I have zero passion for. I make a great living and live in beautiful Westlake Village, CA but to watch you perform with all the great mucisians that have moved me and have been a part of my whole life makes my heart ache for not doing something that I'm passionate about. You are living your dream and I admire the hell out of what you have done.
People ask, what celebrity, musician, actor, politician, athlete would you want to hang out with for a day and I answer, Dave Grohl. I can't even imagine the stories you could tell. I would just love to have a BBQ, while the kids are swimming and crack out a few acoustic guitars and just talk and rock the day away.
I'm sure you get a billion of these emails a day and I certainly do not want to come off as some weirdo but I was moved so much by your film that I felt compelled to tell you what an impact it had on me.
Bless you and your family. Keep rocking and know that I will always be a fan.
My Best,
Trent
Pleas keep doing what you do. I will continue to buy and support your art. Your music and films are something special in this cookie cutter craptastic day in age.
I do my best to play classic rock for my kids so they have a clue what real music is.
Thank you for moving me.
My Best,
Trent Throckmorton
Trentthrock@yahoo.com
Hey Bud, I am a father that is only 2 years older than you and my daughter who is turning 21 on Saturday the 23rd of Feb 2013( next week) is slightly obsessed with you. This makes me a little bit stressed but I can see why. You seem to be a genuine top bloke and your music speaks for itself. I might be grasping at straws but I thought I would give this a go anyway. I live in Australia and I know you must get a shit load of requests. I was wondering if it was possible to get some sort of personal message to her for her birthday. She thinks I can achieve anything and when I asked her what she wants for her birthday, guess what she said!! I would love you to make me look good in front of my little angel and if there is anything you could do I would be over the moon. Thanks for your time and as I said its a long shot but will give it a crack.. Cheers Bud.
hey dude i am wondering where i can get some 1/4 , 1/2 , and 1 " tape? i am in dyier need of some great takes. love to hear back from ya . peace live and long Canada
HI Dave,
I never thought of writing to you in the past until this past year. 2012 was the worst of my life and I considered taking my life. I was down and ready to give up. One day I was listening to the my ipod and Learn to Fly came on and I love the Foo Fighters and have all of your albums, but it never occurred to me to listen to the lyrics. When I listened to the lyrics I was over come with emotion . To this day and even after I watched your documentry on Palladia I can say honestly you saved my life. I love your band and I am sure you get tons of mail I just thoght I would share with you how much Foo Fighter mean to me. All the best love you guys
Sincerely,
Anthony DeFabrizio
hey Dave, i was wondering if you could send a pic of your left arm tribal tattoo. I want to draw it, but there are no good pictures on the internet. It'd be shweeeet if you replied coz its bugging me! cheers
Hey man my names Pat and im also fro Va. I hope you get this because your work in nirvana and the foo fighters and scream fucking rules. I heard you say the song "walking by myself" got you into to them and that song is now got me into them to. But im not writing you to tell you to look up my band and get us famous, I just want to let you know you are a big hero of mine and I would love to get together and listen to some punk rock and tie off a bear some time, even though im only 16 but who gives a shit haha. I heard you guys are taking a break which bummed me out but as long as we can shoot the shit then it's fine. Tell pat, taylor, chris, and nate I said whats up. Oh and I recently saw Garbage at the National in Va and butch vig stood up and pointed at me and my friend nick and gave us devil hornes so if you see him tell him that that was fucking awesome. P.S. the lead singer of garbage is a total MILF. Your fan/potential bud patrick.
Hey Dave. I just wanted to say that your music is amazing. Your song 'Best of You' makes me cry everything I listen to it. That song means so much to me. Last year, I was really suicidal and a self-harmer. It wasn't 'someone' so much as 'something' that was getting the best of me. That song gave me so much strength and still does. Your music is amazing and I thank you so much, because it saved my life. I know this will probably never get to you, but its the only way I can show you how grateful I am for what you create. Thanks so much.
Hey Dave
Just wanted to let you know you write the best fucking music in the world and I love you for it. Keep doing what makes you happy man.
From Ben
