WATCH: Foo Fighters, Rick Nielsen Perform Cheap Trick's "Stiff Competition" on 'Letterman' Following "Something from Nothing" Debut

Yesterday (Oct. 16), Foo Fighters finally debuted the long-awaited lead single from its eighth studio album Sonic Highways "Something From Nothing" featuring the famed (and underrated) Cheap Trick guitarist Rick Nielsen. In a continuing weeklong musical residency on The Late Show with David Letterman, the band and Nielsen ushered in the new single with a performance - of Cheap Trick's "Stiff Competition."

For this performance, Foo Fighters' typical lead singer Dave Grohl retreated to the drum set and drummer Taylor Hawkins took the mic.

Dressed up in an all-white polyester suit (not unlike the one Cheap Trick frontman Robin Zander may have rocked back in the '70s), Hawkins was at home at the front of the band, swaying with the beat and bouncing his leg like a true '70s rock icon.

For the performance, Hawkins seamlessly harmonized and traded off vocals with Nielsen, who in a way, was the true star of the show. Wielding a black and white checkered guitar, Nielsen shredded away on the song and jumped in the air, once again, like a true '70s rock icon.

Watch the Foo Fighters and Rick Nielsen perform "Stiff Competition" below:

Thursday night's performance was a continuance of Foo Fighters' weeklong residency on Letterman. The band previously performed "Polk Salad Annie," "Kick It Out" and "War Pigs."

Foo Fighters' collaborative single with Nielsen, "Something From Nothing" is out now. The accompanying album Sonic Highways will be released on Nov. 10.

Foo Fighters' HBO documentary Sonic Highways will premiere tonight (Oct. 17) with a Chicago based episode. Read the Music Times review of the episode here.

Tags

Foo Fighters, Cheap trick