Dave Grohl’s odd vocal routine

Dave Grohl says his pre-show vocal routine is beer, Advil, whiskey, then more beer — and he says one throat doctor told him to keep doing it. (consequence.net) Grohl described the routine on the April 22, 2026 episode of the Dish podcast with Nick Grimshaw and Angela Hartnett, saying he had his vocal cords checked about eight years ago after years of screaming onstage. He said the doctor told him his cords “look amazing” and asked whether he did warm-ups or cooldowns; Grohl said he does neither. (waitrose.com, consequence.net) Grohl said that about an hour before a gig he opens a beer, may take Advil for sore knees or ankles, takes a shot of whiskey, then has another beer and sometimes a group whiskey shot the band calls “band prayer” before going onstage. He said the doctor’s response was, “Just don’t change what you’re doing, it’s working.” (consequence.net, classicrock939.com) Vocal cords are folds of tissue in the larynx that vibrate when air passes through them, and singers usually try to reduce swelling, dryness, and strain before a show. Grohl’s account drew notice because alcohol can dry tissue out, while ibuprofen can reduce inflammation but also carries risks if used casually around heavy drinking. (classicrock939.com, consequence.net) The timing is tied to Foo Fighters’ next album cycle. Your Favorite Toy, the band’s 12th studio album and the follow-up to 2023’s But Here We Are, is scheduled for release on Friday, April 24, 2026 via Roswell and RCA. (altpress.com, 1019thekeg.com) The band has already rolled out record-store listening parties on April 24, 25, and 26, plus a one-off show in Bridgeport, Connecticut, on April 28. Festival dates at Welcome to Rockville and BottleRock Napa follow in May, with a North American stadium tour set to start in August. (1019thekeg.com, classicrock939.com) The album announcement in February framed the title track as the song that set the record’s direction after more than a year of experimenting with sounds and dynamics. Alternative Press reported a 10-song tracklist that includes “Caught in the Echo,” “Of All People,” and “Asking for a Friend.” (altpress.com) So the story here is less a medical how-to than a tour-season anecdote from a singer whose voice has held up through decades of loud shows. By Friday, April 24, the attention shifts from Grohl’s ritual to whether Your Favorite Toy lands with the same force as the quote that sold it. (consequence.net, 1019thekeg.com)