Dave Grohl weighs in on Phoebe Bridgers' 'SNL' guitar smashing criticism
Last weekend, Phoebe Bridgers made her Saturday Night Live debut. During the night, she performed “Kyoto” and “I Know The End,” both off of her Grammy-nominated album Punisher. Eventually, Bridgers ended her debut performance with a literal bang by smashing her electric guitar against a monitor.
Soon after the performance aired, Bridgers received criticism from various individuals including singer David Crosby for her destruction of those instruments. Now, Dave Grohl has weighed in on the controversy and revealed just what he thinks of Bridgers’ SNL set.
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Just one week after Machine Gun Kelly‘s Saturday Night Live debut, Phoebe Bridgers hit the coveted stage for a debut of her own. However, shortly after her performance aired, Bridgers earned criticism after she decided to smash her guitar onstage. For many, they thought the smashing of the instrument was unnecessary. Some also argue Bridgers could’ve donated the equipment she destroyed.
However, Bridgers tweeted that she told the company – Danelectro – she planned to smash the $85 guitar during Saturday Night Live. As well, she also made it known that she didn’t actually ruin a perfectly good monitor. As it turns out, Saturday Night Live provided a fake one, especially for the performance.
Despite this, Bridgers is still being criticized for the weekend performance. This week, singer David Crosby posted various tweets about the SNL set to which Bridgers shared some witty replies. Ultimately, Crosby argues that he doesn’t like anyone, regardless of gender, smashing instruments onstage.
“Guitars are for playing ..making music …..not stupidly bashing them on a fake monitor for childish stage drama …..I really do NOT give a flying F if others have done it before It’s still STUPID”
Guitars are for playing ..making music …..not stupidly bashing them on a fake monitor for childish stage drama …..I really do NOT give a flying F if others have done it before
It’s still
STUPID— David Crosby (@thedavidcrosby) February 9, 2021
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Amidst the criticism, some argue that the reactions to Bridgers’ performance are due to the double standards in music.
“What’s pathetic is the double standard that a woman is being judged for doing something a man has done a million times and somehow that’s cool but in this case it’s not? That’s not even remotely okay.”
What’s pathetic is the double standard that a woman is being judged for doing something a man has done a million times and somehow that’s cool but in this case it’s not? That’s not even remotely okay.
— Julie Lemons Shuster (@blackcatt324) February 9, 2021
On Wednesday, Bridgers seemingly agreed with the double standards argument in a subtle new tweet.
“can’t believe I am the first woman ever.”
can’t believe I am the first woman ever
— traitor joe (@phoebe_bridgers) February 10, 2021
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Now, Dave Grohl has weighed in on the controversy. During a recent appearance on The Howard Stern Show, the Foo Fighters frontman was asked about the back-and-forth between Bridgers and Crosby on Twitter.
“First of all, you have to understand that for the last 10 years, every interview I do I’m asked, ‘Is rock and roll dead? There’s no guitars anymore.’ So, in the last year, there’s been this return to guitar rock music in popular music like, Miley Cyrus is becoming Joan Jett…. You’re starting to see, people are realizing rock and roll is cool.”
Grohl then goes on to praise Bridgers’ debut Saturday Night Live performance.
“I saw that performance, I actually talked to my mom about [it]. [She asked] “‘did you see Saturday Night Live?’ I said, ‘yeah.’ She goes, ‘What did you think about that girl Phoebe?’ I’m like, ‘She’s got a beautiful voice, she can really sing.’ My mother was like, ‘I loved it, I thought she was great!’”
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In terms of her guitar smashing, Grohl compares the moment back to his days in Nirvana.
“When you watch us jam and freak out and do our thing… I think that’s what they [Bridgers and her band] did,” Grohl says. “It was every fucking night. My drums had holes in them from Kurt fucking chopping my drums…I’ve seen enough smashed guitars, it feels fucking good to do it.”
Both of Phoebe Bridgers’ Saturday Night Live performances can be streamed below.
During a recent interview with BBC Breakfast, Grohl also recommended some classic albums kids who are being homeschooled during the COVID-19 pandemic should listen to. His list includes the Beatles, AC/DC and the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack.
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“Wow, well you’re going to want to get The Beatles‘ Sgt. Pepper’s. One reason is because that album still connects the way it did the day it came out,” Grohl says. “Now, if you want to be a drummer, you’re going to want to get the AC/DC album Back In Black. That is rock and roll drumming 101. A third album, I myself like a little party every now and then. I do like the dance [so] let’s just go with Saturday Night Fever.”
Foo Fighters founder, Dave Grohl told #BBCBreakfast which three albums he would recommend children listen to as a music home schooling lesson ??
More here: https://t.co/ijVFErHxYB pic.twitter.com/1EUblfZHI5
— BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) February 8, 2021
What are your reactions to the criticism Phoebe Bridgers has received for her Saturday Night Live performance? What do you think about Dave Grohl’s comments about it? Let us know in the comments below.
