The Foo Fighters were a band born from two other bands – Nirvana and Sunny Day Real Estate. On a national stage they went through the growing pains other bands go through in their garage before they arrive with the heavy expectations they had. Foo Fighters: Back and Forth by Academy Award-winning documentarian James Moll (The Last Days) is useful in tracing the history of one of the most legendary contemporary rock bands, one often considered the token “rock band” on MTV for much of the Boy Band era of the late 90’s.
Following the band’s history, Moll restricts the focus to the former and present Foos themselves. Moll has been granted enough access to yield an effective documentary with a focus on the personalities creating some great music. Founder Dave Grohl is particularly frank on the subject of the past including fall-outs between former Foos William Goldsmith and Franz Stahl, and the pressure to be the drummer in a band whose lead singer and guitarist is the best drummer in the world.
The Foos reach several turning points as success and tension mounts. Learning from their mistakes and the music industry, they pare it back to its simplest elements, often recording to making music in basements and garages, modesty at their core.
The last third of the film follows the band as they’re sound evolves through One By One, In Your Honor, and their new album Wasting Light, which was recorded on tape. The band loses and finds their ways, but the film is largely a document of ego and collaboration. Grohl as a unifying vision of the band is somewhat of the artistic director, and when it stops being fun he leaves for a sabbatical with Queens of the Stone Age, playing back-to-back shows in both bands. They reunite with “Times Like These” and the evolution continues on the recording of their new album.
The film is fascinating and perhaps rich as a chronicle of the band’s history. The Nirvana roots aren’t explored as deeply, although much of the band’s early work could be read as an allegory to Grohl’s Nirvana experience. The film’s sound mix is a highlight, which isn’t loud so much as it makes excellent use of surround sound , articularly when the Foos sell out Wembley stadium. The images from the event (although they may be archival) are breathtaking. Wile not reaching the euphoria of one of the best rock documentaries of all time Rush: Beyond The Lighted Stage, Back and Forth is as absorbing as a Foo concert itself.
