What was the name of Dave Grohl's band before Nirvana?

Dave Grohl’s band before Nirvana was Scream. He joined the Washington, D.C.-area hardcore punk band in 1986 at age 17, replacing drummer Kent Stax, and remained with the group until its breakup in 1990.

Grohl had to leave high school to tour with Scream, which exposed him to international audiences and helped shape his approach as a forceful, energetic drummer. During Scream’s 1990 West Coast tour, he met members of Nirvana through Melvins guitarist Buzz Osborne. After Scream dissolved, Grohl moved to Seattle and auditioned for Nirvana.

He played drums on Nirvana’s landmark albums Nevermind and In Utero before the band ended following Kurt Cobain’s death in 1994. Grohl later formed Foo Fighters, initially recording the debut album largely by himself.

The other options belong to different parts of his career. Nirvana came after Scream, while Queens of the Stone Age and Them Crooked Vultures were later collaborations—not his pre-Nirvana band.