Artist News

David Bowie said “fuck off” to Dave Grohl collaboration

By Andy Malt | Published on Friday 19 February 2016

So, Coldplay and the Red Hot Chili Peppers aren’t the only people who were snubbed by David Bowie. They’re all coming out of the woodwork now. Turns out he once told Dave Grohl to “fuck off”. If only we still ran the Ringo Says Fuck Off column (something very long-term CMU readers may just about remember), this would be perfect.

I think it was a playful, friendly “fuck off”, but a “fuck off” all the same. Grohl explains in a new video for Playboy, in which he and Pat Smear tour some of Bowie’s favourite LA haunts: “We played at his 50th birthday party at Madison Square Garden, and that was the last time I saw him. About two years ago, I got approached by this movie to do a song for the movie, so I thought, ‘Maybe I’ll have someone else sing. I’ll do the music and then have another vocalist’. And then I thought, ‘Maybe I’ll ask and see if David would do it'”.

Wheels were set in moment, contacts were made, videos were sent, and then quickly an email from one David to another landed in Grohl’s inbox. “It said, ‘David, I watched the movie and I got to be honest, it’s not my thing'”, he recalls. “He said, ‘I’m not made for these times. So thanks, but I think I’m gonna sit this one out'”.

So that’s nice. And being a nice sort himself, Grohl wrote back saying thanks for the email and for giving the project his consideration. Another email then came back from Bowie saying: “Alright, well that’s settled then. Now, fuck off”.

It was all in good fun, says Grohl. Now, fuck off.