47 years ago today, one David Eric Grohl was brought into the world and has spent every second since transforming into an untouchable Rock God. There isn’t much Grohl hasn’t done, whether it be in his time as a local drummer in the D.C. area, his rise to superstardom with Nirvana, collaborating with McCartney, Bowie, Trent Reznor, Tom Petty and everyone else who has ever picked up a guitar, or his current role in Foo Fighters. Hell, the Foos are making recording an album an adventure, with Sonic Highways, crafting Wasting Light in Butch Vig’s garage and whatever concoction the band has for their next album (which they have already promised is going to be batshit crazy even for their standards). 

Maybe Grohl’s grandest accomplishment is the humility and genuine excitement he meets every opportunity with. A music fan and consumer first, Grohl knows what it means to be up on that stage. And he too, as you’ll see in some of these videos, has idols as well. As Grohl celebrates 47 years, look back on seven of his finest collaborations whether it be in the studio or on stage. 

David Bowie and Dave Grohl | “Seven Years in Tibet”

This one just seems culturally relevant at the moment. The late, great, incomparable, (insert every other great adjective here), David Bowie celebrated his 50th birthday in style at Madison Square Garden with a show that included a baby-faced Grohl sitting in on a few tunes including a dreamy “Seven Years in Tibet.” 

Cage the Elephant | “Aberdeen”

Maybe Grohl’s most heroic collaboration of his career as he filled in at the last minute for Cage the Elephant after drummer Jared Champion’s appendix burst. Joining the band in Salt Lake City while the two bands were on tour (Cage opened for Foos’ Wasting Light tour), Grohl came out towards the end of the set after Cage’s monitor engineer took the helm for the first portion of the show. Among the tunes performed, the appropriately titled “Aberdeen,” which you can watch above. 

“I had to pinch myself,” guitarist Lincoln Parish told SPIN at the time. “I turned around and Dave Grohl is playing the drums. It’s an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime experience. Nobody can replace Jared. But…it’s Dave fucking Grohl. If you’re going to be replaced by anybody, it might as well be the best.”

Norah Jones and Dave Grohl | “Maybe I’m Amazed”

A bit of the softer side of Mr. Grohl. Paying homage to Paul McCartney at the Lincoln Kennedy Center Honors, the Foo Fighter teamed with Norah Jones for a sweet rendition of “Maybe I’m Amazed.” McCartney and Grohl would later go on to share the stage numerous times, including a Grammy performance that reunited Nirvana members Grohl, Krist Novoselic and Pat Smear with McCartney fronting the group.

Pearl Jam and Grohl | “Rockin’ in the Free World”

In 1995, a member of the Foo Fighters sitting in with Pearl Jam was similar to a modern day collaboration between The National and Arcade Fire. Two bands essentially competing for a throne, taking time to revel in the beauty of Neil Young’s music. 

Queens of the Stone Age | “No One Knows”

This one is pretty easy. Queens of the Stone Age’s best album, with Grohl on drums throughout. “No One Knows” also ranks as one of the standouts in an album full of them. Also quite possibly QOTSA’s best lineup at the time with Homme, Nick Oliveri, Mark Lanegan and Grohl. The Foos came back stronger than ever after a rocky period as well, with 2002’s One by One that contained hits like “All My Life” and “Times Like These.” 

Mike Watt | “Big Train”

Mike Watt with the best backing band ever assembled. Grohl, Vedder and Smear. 

Nine Inch Nails | “With Teeth”

Trent Reznor got clean, sober and rebooted Nine Inch Nails after a six-year album drought (1999’s The Fragile) and enlisted some of his trustiest collaborators: Atticus Ross and Alan Moulder. The result is With Teeth, one of the most successful in the NIN catalog. It shot straight to number one on the Billboard 200 and “Hand That Feeds,” “Only” and “Every Day is Exactly the Same” all charted extraordinarily well. Grohl joined Reznor in studio for some drums and percussion work on tunes like “Every Day is Exactly the Same” and “Sunspots,” among others.