10 Great Rock Albums Recorded In Really Weird Ways
8. Foo Fighters - Wasting Light
When you’re as big as the Foo Fighters are you can demand to do things your way. Go as big as possible… or throw all of it away and go back to square one.
Reuniting with former Nirvana producer Butch Vig, Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl surprised his old colleague by telling that the upcoming Wasting Light was to be recorded in his garage. Assuming it would be kitted out with the latest tech, Butch was stunned when he arrived to find that Dave was indeed truly intent on going back to his roots for the new album. There was to be no ProTools nor any high-end production desk in Grohl’s house.
Employing analogue equipment and recording on tape, it gave Wasting Light’s production and indeed final sound a unique journey that harkened back to music recording of the past. Without the ability to make quick fixes in post-production it meant that every member had to be on top form. Vig had to relearn how to produce without the benefit of computers.
Even the mixing was done in Grohl’s garage and was listened back on car stereos with the theory that if it was truly worthwhile it would sound good even out of the worst equipment. Rock and roll.