"Stacked Actors"
Single by Foo Fighters
from the album There Is Nothing Left to Lose
ReleasedJanuary 17, 2000
Recorded1999
Genre
Length4:16
LabelRoswell/RCA
Songwriter(s)Dave Grohl, Nate Mendel and Taylor Hawkins
Foo Fighters singles chronology
"Learn to Fly"
(1999) 		"Stacked Actors"
(2000) 		"Generator"
(2000)

"Stacked Actors" is a song by American rock band Foo Fighters which was released as a single in January 2000 from their 1999 third album There Is Nothing Left to Lose. It was only released as a limited edition commercial single in Australia exclusively, however radio promotional singles were released in other countries for radio airplay.[4]

The song is a playable track in the game Guitar Hero: Metallica and as downloadable content for Rock Band 3.

Musical style

Justin Gerber of Consequence of Sound described "Stacked Actors" as "one of the heaviest songs the band has recorded" and "a grungy call to Grohls' past".[1] Tim Coffman observed that the song showed Grohl "embracing his heavy metal dreams".[2] It also has jazzy verses and ending as well, which are notably softer than the opening and choruses.

Lyrics

Dave Grohl on the song:

"'Stacked Actors' is a response to living in Hollywood for about a year and a half, and my disdain and disgust of everything plastic and phony, which is the foundation of that city. And I just hated it. I had a lot of fun, but I had a lot of fun hating it."[5]
"I wrote 'Stacked Actors' about everything that is fake and everything that is plastic and glamorous and unreal, so if that pertains to anyone that comes to mind then there you go."
"It's about having nothing better to do than trying to be other people, it really grossed me out. Actors, just in general make me fucking sick."
"Living in Hollywood always seemed transitional to me. Truth be told, I fucking hated Hollywood, hated the whole life, hated most of the people we met. That's what I'm saying in 'Stacked Actors'."[6]

Grohl dismissed rumors that the song was about Courtney Love.[7]

Live performances

On September 3, 1999, the Foo Fighters played a secret gig at the Troubador in Los Angeles playing using the pseudo band name Stacked Actors.[8] The song was played at almost every show from 1999 until 2013. These version often features extended solos and a drum solo. The song was resurrected in 2019 and was played in its normal album version.[9]

Reception and accolades

"Stacked Actors" was ranked number 5 on WhatCulture's "10 Underrated Hard Rock Songs of the 90s" in 2020.[2]

Track listing

  1. "Stacked Actors"
  2. "Ain't It the Life" (Live Acoustic at 2 Meter Session 22 Nov 1999)
  3. "Floaty" (Live Acoustic at 2 Meter Session 22 Nov 1999)

Other versions

Chart positions

Chart (2000) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[12][13] 82
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[14] 9
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[15] 25

References

  1. ^ a b Geber, Justin (9 April 2011). "Dusting Em' Off: Foo Fighters – There is Nothing Left to Lose". Consequence Of Sound -. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
  2. ^ a b c d Coffman, Tim (8 July 2020). "10 Underrated Hard Rock Songs Of The '90s". WhatCulture. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
  3. ^ "There Is Nothing Left To Lose". NME. Archived from the original on 21 August 2017. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  4. ^ "Foo Fighters - Stacked Actors at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2013-04-30.
  5. ^ "Foo Fighters: New Guitarist, New Album". SwayMag.com. 1999.
  6. ^ "There Is Nothing Left To Lose : Dave Grohl's Guide To Every Song". Foo Archive. Retrieved 2013-04-30.
  7. ^ "No Love Lost With Foos". NME. 15 November 1999. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
  8. ^ "Dave Grohl: "Foo Fighters", "Nirvana" and Other Misadventures ". by Martin James, Independent Music Press (September 29, 2003).
  9. ^ "Stacked Actors by Foo Fighters Song Statistics | setlist.fm". setlist.fm.
  10. ^ "Foo Fighters - Generator (Exclusive Australian EP)". Discogs. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
  11. ^ "Foo Fighters - Everywhere But Home". Discogs. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
  12. ^ "ariaNET The Chart! Top 100 Singles – Week Commencing 7th February 2000". Imgur.com (original document published by ARIA). Retrieved 2016-09-23.
  13. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  14. ^ "Foo Fighters Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2016.
  15. ^ "Foo Fighters Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2016.
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