Dave Grohl’s Secret to Preserving His Vocal Cords?

His “pre-show routine” isn’t exactly what you’d find in a wellness handbook.

Beer… Advil… whiskey… more beer… and then, well, even more whiskey.

Dave says that when he had his vocal cords checked about eight years ago, the doctor was surprised by how good they looked, especially considering he doesn’t really do warm-ups, cooldowns, or anything resembling a traditional vocal care routine.

So, what does he do before a show?

According to him: about an hour before going on stage, he’ll crack open a beer and start drinking. If his knees or ankles are bothering him, he might take an Advil. Somewhere in the mix, a shot of whiskey appears. Once the first beer is finished, another one gets opened without hesitation.

Then comes what he calls a group shot of whiskey, referred to as “band prayer.”

After that, the countdown begins. Someone calls out “15 minutes,” and the final stretch kicks in: one more beer, one more shot, and then it’s showtime.

Lana Backman