Can you be successful and rich and still be a punk? That's the question Dave Grohl explored during a guest appearance on the Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend podcast, alongside Nirvana bandmate Krist Novoselic and producer Steve Albini.
Regarding punk’s notion of authenticity and financial success, O’Brien said (transcribed by The Pit): “Fame, money and success are great news for a lot of artists in the industry, if you come from the punk world and stay true to the punk ethos, which you guys did and Kurt did. [Cobain] Success is hard. There's this culture of, 'I did it, I made it,' and throwing money around. If you're part of the punk ethos, it's almost a shame, a trap, don't you think?
Albini suggests that such criticism amounts to nothing more than jealousy.
Regarding Nirvana's own success, Grohl responds: “Before we made the record, I don't care“We lived in pretty bad conditions. Kurt and I lived in this tiny apartment, and there were corn dog sticks and cigarettes everywhere, and it was really filthy. I would have given anything to have my own apartment and be able to do that by making music.”
“I know the transition was really sudden, but it wasn't like a million dollars showed up in my mailbox the next day,” he continues. “My per diem went up to $15 a day, so I was like, 'Oh my gosh, that means I can buy two packs of cigarettes,' and, 'Oh my god, I'm staying in a motel.'”
Personally, he's proud that he's been able to help his family without letting his success weigh on his mind.
“There was no conflict or guilt or shame in knowing things like, 'I paid off my mom's house,' or 'I bought her a car,' or 'Now I can buy new shoes,'” Grohl explains. “I think the reason I didn't feel conflicted about it all, personally, is because I knew we hadn't done anything outside of who we were as a band to get there. We just did what we had to do, and it happened.”
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