Rock icon Dave Grohl has unveiled his ambitious new project "Play" as a beautifully shot mini-documentary and music video. Watch the video above via Youtube.
The 23-minute instrumental is a tasteful arrangement of light and shade that constantly shifts from hard rocking explosivity to tranquil, mellow grooves. Grohl recorded each instrument individually and combined them for the finished audio and video, creating the impressive visual of seven Dave Grohls rocking out together in the same room.
It is well known that Grohl recorded every instrument on the Foo Fighters self-titled debut album released in 1995, with the exception of cameos by former Nirvana bandmate Krist Novoselic playing bass on "Big Me" and Greg Dulli of The Afghan Whigs playing guitar on "X-Static." This solo project is a return to those roots, but this is also very different in the way that Grohl pushes himself outside anything he has ever released before.
Fans are used to seeing Grohl on drums and guitars, but watching him playing bass, keyboard, vibraphone, and percussion instruments is another thing entirely. The variety of instruments within the studio is so immense that the musician even admitted to never having played certain instruments prior to recording "Play." Grohl detailed this process in the video, "Sitting in front of a percussion station full of vibes and shakers, that's not my natural habitat. But, stepping in front of it and making it through those 23 minutes felt really good."
The video opens with an eight-minute mini-documentary filmed at the Join The Band Music Lessons Studio in California. Shot entirely in black and white, the video shows interviews with young aspiring musicians and music teachers as well as Grohl going through the process of recording "Play" and his inspiration of "Pushing myself, looking for the next challenge, doing something I've never done before." The artist detailed the grueling aspects of the project, showcasing his perfectionist attitude, "There were moments in recording this where I was in the 20th minute and I'd stop and have to start over because I knew that I could do it better."
Overall, "Play" is a remarkable display of musicianship from Grohl that illustrates his determination to always challenge himself with every musical endeavor. With smooth transitions between hard rock, space rock, prog, and even elements of reggae, Grohl's newest creation not only showcases the musician's incredible talents, but also inspires younger generations of artists to chip away at their craft and just "Play."
In addition to YouTube, Play is available on Amazon and most major streaming services.
For the full experience, head over to Roswell Films' interactive website, which gives users the ability to change cameras and microphones, look at the sheet music charts, notes on the instruments and recording configuration, and connect with organizations around the world that help musicians connect and achieve Grohl's mission to #JustPlay.
For more music, news, and tour dates, check out Dave Grohl's Zumic artist page.
