Wasting Light is the seventh studio album by the Foo Fighters, released on April 12, 2011, through Roswell and RCA Records. Wanting to capture the essence of their earlier work and avoid the artificiality of digital recording, Foo Fighters recorded in the garage of frontman Dave Grohl in Encino, California, using only analog equipment. The sessions were produced by the band alongside Butch Vig, with whom Grohl had worked on Nirvana‘s Nevermind. Since the old equipment did not allow for many mistakes to be corrected in post production, the band spent three weeks rehearsing the songs, and Vig had to relearn outdated editing techniques. The band sought a heavier and rawer sound in contrast to the experimentation of their previous albums. Most of the lyrics were written as Grohl reflected upon his life and possible future. Guest musicians include Bob Mould, Krist Novoselic, Jessy Greene, Rami Jaffee and Fee Waybill. Pat Smear played as an official member of the band for the first time since The Colour and the Shape (1997); he appeared on their previous album, Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace (2007), as a session musician only.
The recording sessions were documented on the band’s website and Twitter. Promotion included the documentary Back and Forth and a worldwide concert tour that included performances in fans’ garages. Wasting Light was preceded by the successful single Rope, which became only the second song ever to debut at number one on Billboard’s Rock Songs chart. The follow up single, Walk, also charted highly. Wasting Light debuted at number one in eleven countries, including the United States, and received positive reviews from most music critics, who praised the production and songwriting. In 2012, Wasting Light earned four Grammy Awards, including Best Rock Album.
Tracklist:
- Bridge Burning
- Rope
- Dear Rosemary
- White Limo
- Arlandria
- These Days
- Back & Forth
- A Matter of Time
- Miss the Misery
- I Should Have Known
- Walk
Japanese bonus track - Better Off
iTunes and Best Buy Deluxe edition - Rope (Deadmau5 Remix)
- Better Off
- White Limo (Video)
- Walk (Live at the Roxy) (Video)
Foo Fighters
Dave Grohl: lead vocals, guitar, lead guitar on White Limo
Pat Smear: rhythm guitar, lead guitar, baritone guitar
Nate Mendel: bass guitar
Taylor Hawkins: drums, backing vocals, percussion
Chris Shiflett: lead guitar, backing vocals, tenor guitar, rhythm guitar on White Limo
Additional musicians
Bob Mould: guitar and backing vocals on Dear Rosemary, backing vocals on I Should Have Known
Krist Novoselic: bass and accordion on I Should Have Known
Rami Jaffee: keyboards on Bridge Burning and Rope, mellotron on I Should Have Known, organ on Walk and Dear Rosemary
Jessy Greene: violin on I Should Have Known
Fee Waybill: backing vocals on Miss the Misery
Butch Vig: percussion on Back & Forth, production
Drew Hester: percussion on Arlandria, hidden cowbell strike on Rope
Production
Foo Fighters: production
Alan Moulder: mixing
Joe LaPorta: mastering
Emily Lazar: mastering
James Brown: engineer
Artwork
Morning Breath Inc.: art direction and design
Steve Gullick: photography
Taylor Hawkins (February 17, 1972 March 25, 2022).
