Foo Fighters guitarist Pat Smear is forced to sit out “a few dates” of the band’s current tour after he experienced a “bizarre gardening accident.”
Pat Smear to Miss Foo Fighters Tour
The iconic ’90s band announced the devastating news to fans in a Wednesday, January 7, Instagram post.
“In the classic tradition of rockstars having bizarre gardening accidents, Pat Smear has apparently rung in the new year by smashing the [expletive] out of his left foot,” the band captioned its post. “This means he’ll unfortunately be missing a few shows while the multiple broken bones in his foot heal. We’ll miss our beloved Pat as much as you will, but we want him fully healed and back on his feet as soon as possible.”
The band’s announcement came in the form of a tabloid newspaper titled, “Foo Fighters Breaking News.”
“Pat Smear Bizarre Gardening Accident,” the headline read alongside a photo of Smear smiling while strapped to a gurney.
The Foo Fighters are currently lined up with concert dates in Mexico, Los Angeles, and Australia in January, before a break in touring until May.
“Beck and St. Vincent guitar wizard Jason Falkner will be filling in for Pat while he’s on the mend,” the band announced.
What Was Pat Smear’s ‘Bizarre Gardening Accident’?
While it’s unclear exactly how Smear injured his foot, the Foo Fighters‘ reference to a “bizarre gardening accident” was likely a reference to the 1984 mockumentary, “This Is Spinal Tap,” which starred late director Rob Reiner.
Foo Fighters’ Fan React to Pat Smear’s Injury
While many fans shared their well-wishes for Smear’s speedy recovery, others had a different idea on how to tackle the upcoming tour dates.
“Give Pat the Throne !!!! ❤️” one follower wrote.
“PUT HIM ON THE THRONE!” another added.
“Pretty sure Dave has a throne he can borrow,” a third chimed in.
The throne is, of course, a reference to lead singer Dave Grohl’s iconic makeshift throne, which he used to perform after he broke his leg after falling off stage during a 2015 concert in Sweden.
“I think I really broke my leg. You have my promise, right now, that the Foo Fighters… we gonna come back and finish this show,” he told the crowd at the time. “I’m gonna go to the hospital, and then I’m gonna come back, and we’re gonna play for you again.”
He later reportedly loaned the throne to Guns N’ Roses rocker Axl Rose after he injured his foot.
“Axl took it out with Guns N’ Roses, then he took it out with AC/DC, and then all of a sudden, I became the guy you come to if you break a limb on tour, like Thrones R Us,” Grohl told Classic Rock in 2022.
