Dave Grohl Personally Funded Reed Mullin's Rehabilitation Before Death

A Secret Act of Generosity

In a recent appearance on The Garza Podcast, hosted by Suicide Silence guitarist Chris Garza, Pepper Keenan opened up about the final years of his longtime bandmate. During the interview, the Rock musician disclosed that Dave Grohl had stepped in to provide financial support for Reed Mullin as he struggled with health and substance issues. Keenan noted that the Foo Fighters frontman and former Nirvana drummer covered the costs of Mullin's treatment privately.

"Dave Grohl offered help — Dave Grohl had helped him with rehab, paid for it out of his own pocket, which was very kind. [I'll] never forget that."

— Pepper Keenan

The revelation came as Keenan reflected on whether the band knew that 2018's No Cross No Crown would be their final studio effort with Mullin. While the band "tried everything" to help the drummer, his health continued to decline. Keenan expressed a deep appreciation for Grohl's intervention, describing it as an act he would "never forget."

"... Paid for it out of his own pocket, which was very kind."

— Pepper Keenan

The Health Struggles of a Crossover Pioneer

Reed Mullin, who co-founded Corrosion of Conformity in 1982 alongside bassist Mike Dean and guitarist Woody Weatherman, had been dealing with significant medical problems for several years before his death in 2020. His health issues had forced him to miss numerous tours and performances starting around 2016, the same year he suffered an alcohol-related seizure in June.

Despite these challenges, Keenan remembered Mullin as a revolutionary figure in the music world, credited with helping to invent the "crossover" style that bridged the gap between hardcore punk and heavy metal.

"'Cause when he was at the top of his game, he was a fucking animal on the drums. You couldn't touch him in terms of creativity and moving that type of music forward. He's one of the O.G.s of the crossover shit back in the day, so he truly had helped invent something."

— Pepper Keenan

Reflecting on the unpredictability of Mullin's situation, Keenan added that it is difficult to grasp such struggles from the outside. He suggested that if Mullin had been able to overcome his issues, the band would still be "tearing shit up" today.

"It's a hard thing to get a grip on things like that if you're not in it. It's hard to say… I do think if he'd had gotten through all this stuff and could've cleaned everything up, and sometimes it takes that. And then if he was here right now, I think the band would be tearing shit up. I think he would come full circle and he would've been one of the people not scared to go backwards either, get back into it. But who knows? You can't go there."

— Pepper Keenan

Legacy and the New Era of Corrosion of Conformity

The loss of Mullin was felt deeply by his bandmates, particularly Woody Weatherman, who had known the drummer since high school. Weatherman recalled that the news of Mullin's passing reached the band while they were touring in Australia. Although Mullin was not on the road with them at the time, the impact was immediate and heavy.

Corrosion of Conformity has since moved forward, releasing a new 14-song double album titled Good God / Baad Man in April via Nuclear Blast. The record was produced by Grammy Award winner Warren Riker, known for his work with Down and the Fugees. Recording took place at Blak Shak Studios in Riffissippi, Dockside Studios in Louisiana, and the home studio of Barry Gibb in Miami. While Stanton Moore performed the drum parts for the album, Weatherman noted that Mullin’s influence was still palpable in the studio.

"One thing about Reed I'll mention was making this record [CORROSION OF CONFORMITY's recently released album 'Good God / Baad Man'] with [drummer] Stanton [Moore], there was just so many times where when we were recording the drums, we were in the studio, we were looking at each other, and it was, like, 'Man, that little lick that Stanton just did, it sounds like something just like what Reed would do.' [Laughs] I don't know whether it was Stanton giving his nod to Mullin, 'cause Stanton is fantastic in his own right, but it just sort of felt like Reed was there with us, even though he wasn't physically there."

— Woody Weatherman

In March, the group officially announced Nick Shabatura as their new drummer. Shabatura, who previously played with Desecrate the Hour and the tribute act Smells Like Nirvana, joined the lineup following a recommendation from Anthrax and Pantera drummer Charlie Benante. As the band continues this new chapter, they maintain a collection of "wonderful stories" about their founding drummer, ensuring his creative legacy remains a central part of their history.