Nats, Grohl and the confession

Illustration/Uday Mohite

I've got another confession to make
I'm your fool
Everyone's got their chains to break
Holding you
Were you born to resist or be abused?
Is someone getting the best, the best, the best
The best of you?
Is someone getting the best, the best, the best
The best of you?
Are you gone and on to someone new?
Has someone taken your faith
It's real, the pain you feel
Your trust, you must confess
Is someone getting the best, the best, the best
The best of you?
- Best of You by Foo Fighters

A FOO Fighters album was blaring on my record player as Natasha aka Nats, my

Gen Z neighbour, stomped into my abode, like Gulliver striding into Liliput.

"Man Rahul dude, you're listening to the Foos, your favourite Dave Grohl, how can you still appreciate him… he's messed up badly," Nats bellowed.

"How so?" I asked, somewhat innocently.

"Bruh, come on, first he indulges in full scale adultery, no one's called him out. But today, like his song, he has a cheesy confession - ‘I've recently become the father of a new baby daughter, born outside of my marriage. I plan to be a loving and supportive parent to her. I love my wife and my children, and I am doing everything I can to regain their trust and earn their forgiveness. We're grateful for your consideration toward all the children involved, as we move forward together' - man that's such a load of crock!" Nats rasped.

"Uhm Nats, what's the load of crock? At least he's confessed."

"He had no choice, there's a baby, dude."

"Okay but you admit he's a great artiste?"

"Undisputed," Nats agreed.

"You accept he was the drummer for Nirvana, the most influential 90s band, frontman of the Foo Fighters, arguably the finest music act of the 2000s?"

"Undeniably," Nats said.

"As it happens, he's a great storyteller, now a filmmaker, great son, great bandmate."

"Can't argue any of those achievements," she said.

"Look, so I don't care about an artiste's personal life, as long as he's great professionally - tell me, am I going to stop watching Tom Cruise skydiving off a helicopter because he's a Scientologist and left three wives? Why should great artists also be great people?"

(Triple eye roll)

‘That's where I disagree, dude," Nats said through clenched teeth.

"Look, no one believes that rockers can be angels, no one expects the rock and roll lifestyle to be a celibate one... do you really expect Dave Grohl to stay monogamous, with women fans, groupies throwing themselves at him?"

"Bruh, the stakes rise, the ecosystem changes when you cultivate an image of being this ‘good guy' in a world of ‘bad boys--he strives to seem so perfect and well rounded - making this huge hullabalo about a 23 year marriage to the same woman, three angelic daughters, it all comes crashing down harder when you realise it was a hoax.''

"I'll tell you what I think, it is, it's us, we ‘re looking for perfection, in this world of utter imperfections, we build up heroes… and when they fall… we're angry with ourselves."

"Rahul bruh, you've missed the point, truly men are from Mars and women from Venus. Even if you wanna stay with the belief that ‘creative geniuses should be allowed any licence because of their craft, you're gonna tell me that a Harvey Weinsetin can be forgiven, Kevin Spacey should have allowances, Bill Cosby… hmmmm… all his sins, whoosh gone away… they can't."

"Why you so angry, Nats?"

"Because I don't fall for this ‘he's an artist, so he can abide by a separate set of rules', finally Dave Grohl had unprotected sex with another woman, he's just another ordinary guy, given to ‘distractions' his great music notwithstanding, no one… not he, not the fans, not you, have given one thought to what his wife might feel, I don't care if he has a confession to make, is she getting the best, the best, the best of Dave Grohl, its real, the pain she feels.. got it, dude?"

And with that Nats stomped out of my house like Gulliver.

Rahul daCunha is an adman, theatre director/playwright, photographer and traveller. Reach him at rahul.dacunha@mid-day.com