Generator (song)

This article is about the Foo Fighters song. For the Holloways song, see Generator (The Holloways song). For the Bad Religion song, see Generator (Bad Religion album).

"Generator"
Single by Foo Fighters
from the album There Is Nothing Left to Lose
Released	March 6, 2000 (Europe) April 24, 2000 (Australia)
Format	CD
Recorded	1999
Genre	Alternative rock
Length	3:49
Label	Roswell, RCA
Foo Fighters singles chronology
"Stacked Actors" (2000) "Generator" (2000) "Breakout" (2000)

"Generator" is a Foo Fighters song, released as a single in 2000 from their third album There Is Nothing Left to Lose. The single was only released in Australia and also released as a limited edition single in Europe.

The song is particularly unique among the band's work because of Dave Grohl's implementation of the talk box in parts of the song. The usage of the device was partly inspired by Grohl's admiration of Peter Frampton and Joe Walsh, both of whom helped popularize it in the 1970s. Dave Grohl has said that the song reminds him of his arrest on the Gold Coast, Australia.

No video was filmed for the single. Instead a live performance of the song in Australia was overdubbed with the studio version to promote the single and album. The performance was edited by Scott C. Wilson. The music video for "Breakout" features the song "Generator" at the beginning on the video.

Track listing

Australian CD

(The EP also contains an enhanced CD portion.)

1. "Generator"
2. "Learn to Fly" (Live 24 January 2000 Sydney, Australia)
3. "Stacked Actors" (Live 24 January 2000 Sydney, Australia)
4. "Breakout" (Live 23 November 1999 Glasgow Barrowlands, Scotland)

European CD

(This version was available for only 1 week between March 6 and March 12, 2000, each CD was a limited, numbered edition and at the end of the week of release all remaining stock was deleted. As well as the music tracks it also included a multimedia 'enhanced' segment containing exclusive documentary footage and photos.)

1. "Generator"
2. "Ain't It the Life" (Live acoustic version)
3. "Floaty" (Live acoustic version)
4. "Fraternity"
5. "Breakout" (Live)

• Tracks #2 and #3 were recorded at the Wisseloord Studios in Hilversum, Netherlands on November 22, 1999 as part of the Two Meter Sessions. They were originally broadcast on RTL5 Television and Kink FM.
• Track #4 was recorded at Dave Grohl's home studio just prior to Christmas 1999.
• Track #5 was Recorded live at Barrowlands, Glasgow, November 23, 1999 for the BBC Radio 1 Rock Show (it is the same track that appears as track #4 on the Australian release).

7 inch

1. "Generator"
2. "Fraternity"

Music video

The music video for Generator is a performance at The Chapel with the studio track dubbed over it.

Chart positions

Chart (2000)	Peak position
Australian Singles Chart	31