Dave Grohl has released his two-part mini-documentary PLAY. The first part of the documentary features Grohl discussing his love of music and commitment to continual improvement as a musician, along with clips of young musicians playing their instruments, and discussing how they challenge themselves to learn and improve. “I’m still trying to figure it out, still pushing myself, looking for the next challenge, doing something I’ve never done before,” Grohl says.
This mindset runs through the second portion of the documentary—Grohl challenged himself to perform a 23-minute instrumental song, all on his own. In PLAY, Grohl plays seven different instruments, all live, including a drum kit that’s so low he has to sit on a milk crate to play it. The result of Grohl’s meticulous work is, unsurprisingly, an impressive stretch of impassioned music.
“It is a lifelong obsession, but at the end of the day, just like any kid, the reward is just to play,” Grohl says in the video. And that is one of the key points Grohl keeps returning to in PLAY: that whether you’re a novice or an experienced performer, all musicians share a love for music, a dedication to their instrument, and find joy and relief in playing.
PLAY gives you the opportunity to explore Grohl’s song through interactive features. You can experience the song in new ways by switching between different audio and video, with the option to isolate the various instruments and watch Grohl play them individually. You can also watch Grohl play a specific instrument with the master track playing. Find the full features on the PLAY website here.
Adding still to his part as a supporter of musical growth, Grohl has published the sheet music for the different parts of the song beneath the video, along with his input list and floor plan. Also on the website, you can find resources for music education across the United States and abroad. Find this list of supportive organizations at the bottom of their page.
Watch PLAY below and find a performance by the Foo Fighters from the Paste archives further down.