Foo Fighters lead singer Dave Grohl revealed to Clarke Gayford just why he loves New Zealand so much and the special Kiwi memento the band has hanging in their studio.
Gayford spoke with musician for The Project on Monday in anticipation of the release of the Foo Fighters' 10th studio album, Medicine at Midnight.
Grohl told Gayford the band has a "special relationship" with Aotearoa and reminisced on the band's many visits to the country.
"Obviously we've had a very special relationship with New Zealand for 25 years from playing - what was that place that was like a big circus tent?" Grohl asks, referring to his 2005 gig at Auckland's The Supertop venue.
"Still to this day the loudest audience reaction I've ever experienced in my entire life."
Grohl explains the crowd cheering made his ears tremble "like a kazoo".
Then six years later, the band's concert at Western Springs in December 2011 triggered a "seismic event".
Two seismic stations in Herne Bay and Eden Park, 2km from the concert, recorded a strong low-frequency signal similar to a "volcanic tremor" during the gig, according to GeoNet.
Now Grohl says they have something to remember New Zealand by as they have a picture of the seismic reading on their studio wall.
"It was insane! And the fact that we triggered a seismic event, we have that read-out on the wall at our studio."
Those memories mean he's itching to get back to perform for a Kiwi crowd.
"Believe me when I say the second that someone offers me a plane ticket to come do a show there, I will be there and I can't wait."
The Foo Fighters finished their latest album a year ago, with hopes of completing a "two year-long world domination tour" - hopes that were dashed by COVID-19.
"As months went by we realised there wasn't any going back to normal anytime soon," Grohl says.
Which is when the band decided to just go ahead and release the album.
"We wrote this music for people to get down to, so let's just give it to them. It feels great that it's actually finally happening."
Medicine at Midnight is released on February 5.
