S&S grabs Dave Grohl's memoir

Simon & Schuster UK is to publish The Storyteller, a memoir by Grammy-winning musician and documentary filmmaker Dave Grohl. 

Grohl is a 16-time Grammy-winning musician and two-time Emmy-winning director. He made his name with Nirvana on 1991’s "Nevermind", later recording with Foo Fighters on their 1995 self-titled debut, the first of 10 albums. He has enjoyed a streak of 12 Grammy wins and, during lockdown, launched an Instagram account @davestruestories, which became a platform to share his stories with fans.

His book, a memoir and "celebration of music" touches on childhood mishaps, family moments and his decision to leave home and see the world at 18. There are also anecdotes about Nirvana, Foo Fighters, David Bowie, Joan Jett, Iggy Pop, Paul McCartney, playing drums for Tom Petty on "Saturday Night Live", performing at the White House and swing dancing with AC/DC.

Grohl said: "There is a common thread that runs throughout everything that I do: storytelling. Whether in song, documentary film or on the page, I have always felt compelled to share moments from my life. This inclination is a huge part of what excites me creatively but also as a human being. In March 2020, realising that my day job with the Foo Fighters was going to go on hold, I started an Instagram account and decided to focus all of my creative energy on writing some of my stories down, something I love doing but I’ve never really had the time for. I soon found that the reward I felt every time I posted a story was the same as the feeling I get when playing a song to an audience, so I kept on writing.

"The response from readers was as soul-filling as any applause in an arena. So, I took stock of all the experiences I’ve had in my life—incredible, difficult, funny and emotional—and decided it was time to finally put them into words. Now with the amazing people at Simon & Schuster I’m excited and honoured to announce The Storyteller, a collection of memories of a life lived loud. From my early days growing up in the suburbs of Washington, DC, to hitting the road at the age of 18, and all the music that followed, I can now share these adventures with the world, as seen and heard from behind the microphone. Turn it up!"

Deputy publishing director of non-fiction, Ian Marshall negotiated the deal for UK & Commonwealth rights with WME. Grohl is managed by Silva Artist Management. The book will also be published in the US by Dey Street Books, Finland by Bazar, Germany by Ullstein, Holland's A W Bruna and Italy's Rizzoli.

Marshall said: "I don’t think I have ever seen such universal excitement in a company, with so many of my colleagues sharing their very personal memories of Dave and his music. But, in the end, what really sets this book apart is the sheer brilliance of the writing: this is a rock memoir that will set the standard for a generation to come, as he truly is THE storyteller."

The memoir will publish on 5th October.