Foo Fighters' Grohl tribute for Beaconsfield mine 'hero'

Foo Fighters leader Dave Grohl has paid tribute to Beaconsfield miner Todd Russell at the band's Sydney concert.

Russell died this week aged 54, days after leaving hospital to be with family, and 20 years after becoming internationally famous as a survivor of the Beaconsfield gold mine collapse, along with his colleague Brant Webb.

On stage last night, Grohl told the Sydney crowd of the connection between the miners and his band.

"Back when Todd Russell and Brant Webb were stuck down there in the mine, someone from our record company called and said 'do you know about this mine collapse in Tasmania'?

"[I said] no, what's that?'

Grohl explained that he was told that the men had asked for water "and an iPod with Foo Fighters music".

"I said 'no shit'!"

Grohl asked the record company to "send them a note [saying] 'hey, hope you guys are hanging in there, and when you get out, there are tickets to see the Foo Fighters play and let's have some beers".

Grohl told the Sydney audience that not long after the 2006 rescue, "we were playing the Opera House and I knew Brant Webb was coming … I wrote this in my hotel before the show", referring to the instrumental track The Ballad Of The Beaconsfield Miners.

He then explained that "afterwards we all went to the bar and we had the beers I promised; I got so drunk, I promised that I'd put this song on the next record. I am glad I did", referring to the band's 2007 album Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace.

"I met a few heroes in my life, but that was a big one. I'm doing this for him tonight, Todd Russell."

Grohl then performed the song solo on acoustic guitar.

Russell announced on social media last week that he was leaving hospital care to spend his last days at home.

He died days later, with his local community of Beaconsfield praising his decades of service as a firefighter.