DVD REVIEW: Foo Fighters - Back and Forth

Foo Fighters
Back and Forth
(out of 5)

I’ve found the really great music documentaries I’ve seen are engaging because of the talent being interviewed, more so than because of the music that surrounds them. Take Metallica’s Some Kind of Monster; although the album that was produced out of that era was universally hailed as their worst ever, it’s the personalities that fronted up and exposed their inner selves that make the doco so awesome.

Back and Forth is also one of the great ones. And the main reason it works is Dave Grohl. He’s always been a great interview subject, but on this two-hour journey, he ups the ante, speaking on everything from the demise of Nirvana to the formation of the new band, to the recording process of all the Foos’ albums.

Nothing is taboo and it’s all delivered with the kind of conviction that makes it impossible to second-guess Grohl. What also underpins this whole project is the abrupt and honest nature of the interviews. Everyone, from past to current band members, pull no punches when it comes to discussing their past. Back and Forth also has a perfect flow. It’s partly due to the fact that the Foos’ timeline is an amazing journey, but also because it’s been expertly put together with what looks like thousands of hours of research, and archive photos and footage. My favourite segments are the period after the release of The Colour And The Shape and where Grohl sees his band fall to pieces, and the way he deals with it.

The other is around the recording of their new album Wasting Light. The story arc of the band reaches its apex as the band mature and take full control of their recording environment - and then proceed to knock out one of the best long players of their career. There are great moments towards the end too, where Bob Mould and ex-Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic drop by to record their parts on ‘Dear Rosemary’ and ‘I Should Have Known’ respectively.

Back And Forth is great viewing for any music fan - it’s just a really awesome music documentary. For fans of the Foo Fighters, like myself, this is akin to Mr Wonka’s famed factory.

By Sir-Vere