Taylor Momsen recruited the Foo Fighters musicians for a new take on one of her favourite songs from The Pretty Reckless’ fifth album, Dear God.
The Pretty Reckless have released a new version of About You featuring Foo Fighters members Dave Grohl and Pat Smear, with Taylor Momsen bringing the two musicians into the studio to revisit one of her favourite tracks from Dear God.
Grohl contributes drums, guitar and backing vocals, while Smear plays guitar on the bonus version. The collaboration came about after Momsen personally contacted the pair to see if they would join her for a different interpretation of the song.
“About You is one of my favorite songs on the record, so I wanted to do something special,” Momsen said. “I called Dave and Pat and asked them if they’d lend their magic to it. It was an amazing time in the studio making music, there’s nothing better than jamming with friends. I couldn’t be happier with the result.”
The release gives one of the key songs from Dear God a new arrangement built around a studio meeting between musicians whose careers have followed different paths through modern rock. For Momsen, the attraction was personal rather than an attempt to create another radio single from the album.
Dear God continues The Pretty Reckless’ exploration of the personal experiences, doubts and conflicts that have informed Momsen’s songwriting. Produced by Momsen, guitarist Ben Phillips and Jonathan Wyman, the album maintains the band’s hard-rock sound while placing greater emphasis on vulnerability and introspection.
The album also extends a commercial run that has established The Pretty Reckless as one of the most successful female-fronted acts on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart. When I Wake Up became the band’s ninth number one on the chart, setting a record for the most chart-topping songs by a female-led act. Earlier releases, including For I Am Death, had also contributed to the band’s continuing presence on rock radio.
The collaboration with Grohl and Smear comes after an extended period on the road. The Pretty Reckless completed the North American leg of their Dear God Tour after spending almost three years supporting AC/DC on the Power Up Tour.
The band have also taken the new material into a more intimate setting, performing at the GRAMMY Museum in a session that gave audiences a closer look at the songs and the creative process behind them.
Momsen has meanwhile continued to build relationships with musicians from across the rock world. She joined Soundgarden for a performance at the Seattle Seahawks’ season opener and later participated in a Soundgarden tribute at the Power to the People Festival alongside Matt Cameron, Mike McCready, Tom Morello and Robbie Mangano.
Those appearances reflect a musical history that extends beyond The Pretty Reckless’ own catalogue. Since the band’s formation in New York in 2009, Momsen has developed from a former child actor into a hard-rock vocalist whose work has increasingly connected her with established figures across the genre.
The Pretty Reckless made their album debut with Light Me Up in 2010, followed by Going To Hell in 2014. Who You Selling For and Death By Rock And Roll continued the band’s progression, with the latter carrying additional emotional significance following the death of longtime collaborator and producer Kato Khandwala.
That history provides context for the more personal direction heard on Dear God. About You already occupied a significant place in Momsen’s relationship with the album, and the involvement of Grohl and Smear offers a fresh recording without displacing the song’s original identity.
Grohl’s work as a drummer, guitarist and vocalist has extended across Nirvana, Foo Fighters and numerous collaborations, while Smear’s guitar playing has been central to Foo Fighters since the band’s early years. Their appearance together on About You brings that shared musical background into The Pretty Reckless’ current body of work.
The bonus version is available now through the band’s official link: Listen to About You (Bonus Version).
The Pretty Reckless are also preparing for the European leg of the Dear God Tour, continuing the album campaign following the North American dates and their lengthy run with AC/DC.
For Momsen, the new recording began with a straightforward idea: revisit a favourite song with two musicians she wanted to hear playing on it. The result adds another chapter to Dear God while documenting a studio collaboration between three artists with established places in contemporary rock.
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