ShortList is supported by you, our amazing readers. When you click through the links on our site and make a purchase we may earn a commission. Learn more

Dave Grohl just wrote an open letter to Cornwall council to help a young metal band

Nicest man in rock strikes again

Dave Grohl just wrote an open letter to Cornwall council to help a young metal band
24 March 2016

Dave Grohl must never sleep at night, constantly thinking of ways to help humanity by basically just being a good guy.

In a development which could have come straight out of School of Rock, the Foo Fighters frontman has now turned his talents to helping out a young metal band in Cornwall who had received complaints about their 'loud' rehearsals and been told to turn down by the local council.

Black Leaves of Envy - formed of Cerys Plenty, 17, his brother Dylan, 15, and friends Adam Jones, 17, and Lewis Cunningham, 15 in Praa Sands - had been unable to rehearse in their garage for three months after the local council allegedly ordered them to keep the sound down to just 30-40 decibels - just above the sound level of a humming fridge.

The band wrote a letter to Grohl asking for his support, having listened to a series of speeches given by the former Nirvana drummer, passionately advocating that young kids should get together and play music, like he did when he was younger.

To their surprise, he heard their plea and wrote a letter to Cornwall Council which he posted on the Foo Fighters social media accounts:

In 2013, Grohl said in a speech, "Musicians should go to a yard sale and buy an old fucking drum set and get in their garage and just suck. And get their friends to come in and they'll suck, too. And then they'll fucking start playing and they'll have the best time they've ever had in their lives and then all of a sudden they'll become Nirvana. Because that's exactly what happened with Nirvana. Just a bunch of guys that had some shitty old instruments and they got together and started playing some noisy-ass shit, and they became the biggest band in the world. That can happen again! "

As well as the letter, Grohl provided a guide to soundproofing for all other aspiring bands, to help them keep the noise down to a minimum when they rehearse.

Black Leaves of Envy were, understandably, pretty pleased with their new celebrity fan:

Dad Andrew Plenty had previously told the Plymouth Herald, "We're quite frustrated by the whole thing. I would suggest, if they were playing jazz in the garage, it would not be a problem. We only have one immediate neighbour and they have not complained. The other houses are a farmer's field away. They used to practise no more than one or two hours a week and it was always in the afternoons, not at antisocial hours. For the last three months, they've not been able to practise at all."

However, Cornwall Council have since responded by posting the following letter:

So perhaps there's more to this story than meets the eye. Fans of council regulation debates, stay tuned...

Meanwhile, you can follow Black Leaves of Envy on Facebook here, and listen to one of their tunes below. For those about to rock: we salute you.

(Image: Rex)