“My first show was 10 days after Dave Grohl called me… I was out-of-body pretty much the whole time”: How Jason Falkner went from St. Vincent and Beck to a last-minute tour with Foo Fighters

Guitarist Jason Falkner performs with recording artist St. Vincent at Allegiant Stadium on April 01, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

After Pat Smear suffered a “bizarre gardening injury” in January 2026, the Foo Fighters needed a capable replacement for their three-guitar brand of sonic chaos. Luckily, Jason Falkner – St. Vincent and Beck guitarist, and long-time pal of Dave Grohl – was up for the challenge.

“I’m a fan of the band,” Falkner tells Guitar World. “I wasn’t familiar with their entire catalog, but what I’d heard I loved. I got the first two records when they first came out. I was definitely curious to size up another one-man band guy!”