DATE: Saturday, October 4, 1997             TAG: 9710030109

SECTION: DAILY BREAK             PAGE: E1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY CRAIG SHAPIRO, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   74 lines

FOO FIGHTERS FOCUS, FIND MUSICAL FOOTING THE ACCLAIMED ROCK BAND TAKES CONTROL ON SOPHOMORE RELEASE

IT'S A FACT of rock 'n' roll life: One guy calls it quits. New guy signs on. Band takes a while readjusting, then hits the road and/or studio.

Not so with the Foo Fighters.

A month ago, at the MTV Video Music Awards, Pat Smear handed over lead guitar duties to Franz Stahl. The transition, though, was smoother than Teflon. In the '80s, Stahl and Foo founder Dave Grohl played in the Washington, D.C., hardcore outfit Scream.

That was before Grohl headed to Seattle and joined Kurt Cobain and Krist Novoselic in Nirvana.

``We haven't stopped moving since January 1995 - and we have another year (touring) ahead of us,'' Grohl said. ``It's the pace. I think that's the big reason Pat left. He didn't like flying. He wasn't into touring. But he lasted longer in this band than in any other except The Germs. I love Pat to death.

``Franz's a road hog. He spent four or five years in a van trying to budget $3 a day. Had he not been in a band when I started the Foo Fighters, he would have been the guitarist. I learned how to play rock guitar and write songs from Franz. Half this record sounds like he wrote it.''

``This record'' is ``The Colour & The Shape,'' the follow-up to 1995's self-titled debut.

That record, which spawned the big hit ``Big Me,'' sold millions of copies and collected all kinds of accolades and awards, catching everyone by surprise, Grohl included.

``It's strange,'' he said last week from Pensacola, Fla. ``The foundation of this band is kind of bizarre to begin with. The (first) record was recorded by one person (Grohl). I never intended to form a band. It was supposed to be just this anonymous vinyl-only release.''

So much for intentions.

Grohl, who made his rep as a drummer, had never fronted a band before. But there he was, singing and playing guitar as the Foo Fighters launched an 18-month tour, playing to sold-out houses around the world.

After the dust settled, he had three weeks or so to write 13 songs for the new album. Then the band - an entire band, this time - entered the studio.

He also directed the video for ``Colour's'' first single, ``Monkey Wrench.''

``So how do I spend my day off? Doing interviews.''

Don't take that as a complaint.

``We haven't had a bad show,'' Grohl said. ``Usually, you have a really good one, then a good one, then a bad one, an OK one, then another really good one. It's up and down. But they've all been great. We haven't had a stretch like this in a long time.

``The band sounds more concise and in control than it's ever been. In 1995, it was totally out of control. We were trying to get the songs together . . . ourselves . . . everything. This is the first time we've been totally in control of what we're doing.''

While the Foo Fighters have found their footing, Grohl said he's not taking anything for granted. For one thing, there's still that rush from the reception the band's gotten since Day 1.

``I had no idea what to expect,'' he said. ``With all things that have happened to us - the platinum (sales), the MTV awards, the Grammy - I've been focused on getting my act together within a band. I didn't have time to pay attention to the charts.

``It's so flattering, and pretty amazing. I don't have to work in a furniture warehouse any more. It's always a surprise when we go to a place like Vegas. I'm thinking, `Who the hell's going to come see us?' Then we sell out the place. The audience is surprised when I say, `Thank you very much for coming.' '' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo by Capitol Records

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