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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThis is the kind of guy Dave Grohl is.
A friend of mine owns a small indy record store in nearby McKinley Heights Ohio. It's located just a few miles east of Grohl's birthplace of Warren in the NE corner of the state. Jeff has had this store called "The Record Connection" for about 26 years, and has weathered the times by offering CDs from independent artists as well as big labels, but I still don't know how he stays open. I admit that I don't even go in much anymore.
A couple weeks ago a guy came into his shop, asked a few odd questions and wanted to know if he could take some pictures. Last week Jeff got a call from Foo Fighter's management asking if he wanted to host a free concert by Grohl and the band at the store to support "Record Store Day" on April 18. The band said they would play for about an hour in a vacant unit next door to the record store in the plaza, and all people have to do is pre-order one copy of the new CD "Songs From The Laundry Room" at The Record Connection. They told him to warn the neighbors that it's going to be loud.
Something like 150 fans camped out last night for the tix to Saturday's show and Jeff went out, made a list of the names, and told later arrivals to go home. While waiting for the doors to open the band called in an order for $300 worth of KFC and instructed Jeff to pick it up and feed the fans around midnight.
I know Grohl will be in Cleveland soon for some ceremony at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, but I want to know if he's doing this anywhere else in the country. Has anyone heard of such an event by the band? Considering the travel costs and the free chicken, it's obvious this concert costs much more than any profit they'll make on the CD, and my friend Jeff gets a big payday for a change. Whatta guy!
This mural is located in "Dave Grohl Alley" in Warren. He showed up when it opened a few years ago and jammed with local musicians.
bunnies
(15,859 posts)Especially when he's telling the local music shop guy to go fetch it. UNREC.
on edit: you think $300 worth of chicken is going to prevent Dave Grohl from making money? Is this a performance piece?
flying rabbit
(4,648 posts)Kneejerk much?
bunnies
(15,859 posts)Its a fucking joke. A millionaire bought a pizza and gave it to fans who paid to be there. Give me a fucking break.
Comrade Grumpy
(13,184 posts)Electric Monk
(13,869 posts)In an intimate setting, live, in person. Plenty of people would spend hundreds for that chance.
Jeff got an amazing deal, even if he picked up their take-out for the crowd.
Ed Suspicious
(8,879 posts)Last edited Sat Apr 18, 2015, 10:14 AM - Edit history (1)
alcibiades_mystery
(36,437 posts)Lawd!
cheapdate
(3,811 posts)eggplant
(3,919 posts)You are all pissed because the band *only* spent $300 on KFC, apparently because it was a cynical money-making scheme.
Let's actually think about that for a moment.
Assuming the CD costs $20...
150 concert-goers get to see Foo Fighters live in an intimate setting plus they get the CD, all for $20 each. That's an amazing deal.
The record store owner gets to sell $3000 worth of CDs and gets tons of free publicity. For running an errand that makes his customers happy.
150 concert got $300 worth of KFC. That's $2/person of KFC -- more than enough to feed everyone waiting for the show, and an unexpected, thoughtful gift for while they are waiting for showtime.
And the band sets all of this up, pays for everything, and then does a free concert. They make almost nothing from the CD sales, and what they did would likely have happened even without the concert.
Yea, they really suck, don't they?
rep the dems
(1,689 posts)Just a bit overexposed for my taste
delrem
(9,688 posts)(ancient history - democracy - Athens - Greece)
The threat ostracism was meant to combat could also come from a man's great personal prominence, if he became so prominent that he could appear to overshadow all others on the political scene and thus threaten the egalitarian principles of Athenian democracy, in which no one man was supposed to dominate the making of policy. This point is illustrated by a famous anecdote concerning Aristides,1 who set the dues for the Delian League. This Aristides had the nickname The Just" because he was reputed to be so fair-minded. On the balloting day for an ostracism, an illiterate man from the countryside handed Aristides a potsherd, asking him to scratch on it the name of the man's choice for ostracism. Certainly, said Aristides; Which name shall I write? Aristides, replied the countryman. Very well, remarked Aristides as he proceeded to inscribe his own name. But tell me, why do you want to ostracize Aristides? What has he done to you? Oh, nothing; I don't even know him, sputtered the man. I'm just sick and tired of hearing everybody refer to him as The Just.
aikoaiko
(34,186 posts)I am, of course, assuming someone peed in your Wheatties and that why you're so cantankerous.
frylock
(34,825 posts)JohnnyRingo
(18,696 posts)They sold a total of only 150 discs. While that does little for the band's bottom line, it will do wonders for a working class record store owner in one day sales... which is the whole idea on Record Store Day. I don't know what your fucking problem is with goodwill gestures. If I go tomorrow to see my friend Jeff and congratulate him, I'll tell the band you said thanks.
When friends in Warren were decorating "Dave Grohl Alley" I openly scoffed at their feeble hope that he would fly cross country for the dedication. I ate my words when he showed up uncompensated and jammed with locals, but that's the kind of guy he is.
ND-Dem
(4,571 posts)part?
cui bono
(19,926 posts)he's such a great guy he's trying to kill them with cheap fast food. He certainly could afford to give them a better meal/snack, but on the other hand, he didn't have to buy them any food at all.
He did do a good deed for the record store owner though, drumming up business for them, and the fans who made it into the show are going to be elated to see such a huge band that plays huge venues in such a small, intimate venue.
Ed Suspicious
(8,879 posts)remember.
Violet_Crumble
(35,990 posts)I just don't get why people call me a meanie and a hater. After all, who could sit there and watch Millionaire Dave Grohl make fun of Creed (the most amazingly awesome and nicest band in the world apart from Nickelback) and not realise that monster needs to be stopped? Please join me in channelling some bitter hate. While I don't know why yr doing it, I'm in in to defend the honour of Creed!
NBachers
(17,191 posts)wendylaroux
(2,925 posts)of what a good person Dave Grohl is.
Love him, love his music.
el scorcho
(58 posts)Grohl is a class act.
Electric Monk
(13,869 posts)Just out of curiosity, I looked him up on imdb just now, and the list of credits is simply huge. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0342970/
spanone
(135,950 posts)ALBliberal
(2,362 posts)And the $20 charge is really just to make sure that the 150 are fans/followers of their music. Really has nothing to do with making a profit. Sort of like a sreening. Somehow reminds me of the Beatles playing on the top of the building. I hope the event goes well for all concerned.
JohnnyRingo
(18,696 posts)Since Saturday is Record Store Day it's a shot in the arm for an owner who has battled giants like Amazon and iTunes for years. I'm guessing Jeff spends most April 18ths as he does every other day of the year, watching kids walk past his store wearing ear buds listening to music they downloaded.
If in fact it's known only locally, as it seems to be, that makes it a truly selfless gesture. I imagine Grohl has to pay the band out of pocket as well.
hibbing
(10,114 posts)Love me some Dave Grohl, this biography was an easy little read. It really gets the portrait of him as a real music lover, not a whole lot on Nirvana in it. And he's still fighting the Foo!
Peace
delrem
(9,688 posts)It just doesn't get better than that.
I remember just getting blown away at the El Mocambo in Toronto. I was having a beer after work, laid back without a thought or clue when the management told everyone we could head on upstairs for John Mayall. Upstairs is a small room, very close, and Mayall and his band played all new stuff and I was blown away and when I exited, stoned out of my gourd, I couldn't believe it happened.
world wide wally
(21,762 posts)They could have played a bigger venue and raked in a lot more money, but they helped out a record store instead.
Sounds pretty decent to me
KT2000
(20,605 posts)he gave a nod to Dave Letterman on the Grammys for featuring new artists.
He thinks big so you never know what he will come up with!
MFM008
(19,837 posts)for 4 tickets and another 90$ for parking for the Foo Fighters concert in Seattle in September 2015, this would have been a great deal.
Bonx
(2,080 posts)demmiblue
(36,920 posts)Yikes... where did the time go?!
rocktivity
(44,588 posts)...(I)n Gothenburg, Sweden on Friday night...Dave Grohl...fell during the bands performance of Monkey Wrench during a Foo Fighters concert...But like the true rock titan that he is, Grohl managed to finish...
Hey, ladies and gentlemen. I love you, but I think I just broke my leg. I really broke leg, he told the audience. Grohl... remained on the ground for several minutes before being taken backstage...(T)he rest of Foo Fighters played a set of covers sung by drummer Taylor Hawkins.
Ultimately, Grohl returned to the stage with his leg wrapped and finished the concert sitting in a chair. I may not be able to walk or run but I can still play guitar and scream, he proclaimed...
Look on the bright side -- he could have been in labor!
rocktivity
Ouch.
rocktivity