Dave Grohl Shares What His Doctor Told Him After He Opened Up About Drinking Beer, Whiskey, and Taking Advil Before Performances

On the Dish podcast, the Foo Fighters frontman joked that he expected his vocal cords to resemble “string cheese” after admitting to his pre-show habit of drinking beer and whiskey and taking Advil.

Dave Grohl recounted the surprising response he got from his doctor after revealing his unusual pre-show routine.

On the April 22 episode of the Dish podcast, the Foo Fighters frontman said he visited a doctor about eight years ago to have his vocal cords examined—something he admitted he had never done before.

Grohl, 57, told hosts Nick Grimshaw and Angela Hartnett that he was expecting the worst. “I was like, ‘Oh Jesus, it’s going to look like string cheese,’” he joked, adding that he feared the doctor would find serious damage and tell him he might never sing again.

However, after the examination, the doctor surprised him with positive feedback. “He goes, ‘Wow, they look great,’” Grohl recalled, saying he was stunned by the reaction. The doctor even asked if he did vocal warmups or cooldowns, to which Grohl admitted he did neither.

He went on to describe his pre-show habits, which included drinking beer, taking Advil for physical pain, and having whiskey with his bandmates before stepping on stage—something they jokingly referred to as “band prayer.”

According to Grohl, the doctor was actually impressed and told him, “Just don’t change what you’re doing. It’s working.”

Elsewhere in the episode, Grohl also shared that after returning from tour, he enjoys cooking for his family as a way to reconnect and bring comfort home.