My Year: Dave Grohl

Do you remember what you were doing on January 1?
"I do. At midnight on January 1 I was passed out on the couch at [his recording studio] 606. We were having a Grease-themed party, and I went as Olivia Newton-John Travolta, so I had a pompadour wig, sunglasses and a white T-shirt on top, and a poodle skirt and sneakers. I was doing shots of Jagermeister with Pat [Smear, Foo Fighters guitarist] and I smoked a joint and then tried to tell Nate [Mendel, FF bassist] that I missed him and I couldn't wait to play again, but I couldn't talk. And he just looked at me and said, 'I know man, I know...'. So that's when I realised I should just go and pass out! "

Touring with Them Crooked Vultures took up much of your first half of 2010 for you. How would you sum up that experience?
"The Vultures did a lot more than I originally expected us to. At first it was just an idea that Josh [Homme, QOTSA] and I had to play together and not have to tour, but when I asked John [Paul Jones, Led Zeppelin] to come jam with us within five minutes I wanted it to be more than just a studio project. It was obvious that we were going to be a fucking blazing live band. And I had the time of my life."

You played in front of President Obama and Paul McCartney at the Whitehouse in June. That must have been fun?
"Definitely. I got the call to play [Wings classic] Band On The Run, and of course I agreed. I love Paul and, without a doubt, he is my greatest musical hero. I showed up to rehearsal and I walked onstage and the band said. 'Here's your mic' and it was right in the middle of the stage. I said, 'Cool, where's Paul going to stand?', because I assumed I was just going to sing back-ups and play guitar. And they said. 'He's sitting right in front of you with the President'. I was nervous, but before I took those last few steps to the stage I thought, 'Just relax and enjoy it because this ain't ever going to fucking happen again'. And I did, I had a blast!"

If that was one of the highlights of your year, breaking a rib was presumably one of the low moments?
"I haven't done something that fucking stupid in years! Taylor [Hawkins, FF drummer] and Nate are avid mountain bike enthusiasts, and Taylor has been trying to get me to go mountain biking with them for years. So he and Nate decided to force me to come mountain biking with them by buying me a mountain bike. So I'm roaring down this hill and I thought I might be going a little too fast, I hit the brakes just as I hit a ridge, and it catapulted me about 120 feet over the bars, pancaked me on a fucking rock path! I was bleeding everywhere - it looked like a bobcat had given me a blowjob! It was horrible."

What's been your proudest 'Dad' moment this year?
"I have one every day. Violet is learning to spell and writing her name now, and every time I see her write a word or draw a picture it just makes me very proud. And Harper is just so incredibly in love with me that she won't let me leave a room! And as much as it drives me crazy that I can't pick up a guitar without her screaming at me, because I'm holding the guitar instead of her. I love it."

How will you be spending Christmas and New Year?
"I'll be at home for Christmas. We're a close family, so it's usually a big event. Plus my wife and I are both children of divorce, so Christmas Day means going to seven different houses! I'm not sure what I'm doing for New Year's, but I'm definitely not putting on the funny little skirt again.. "