The death of the hard-hitting, charismatic musician was confirmed by the band, although no cause of death was given. Taylor Hawkins, the dynamic and hard-hitting drummer for Foo Fighters, died at the age of 50. The death was confirmed in a statement sent to the band’s social media late Friday by a spokesperson, but no cause or location was given. The band was supposed to perform at the Festival Estéreo Picnic in Bogotá, Colombia, on Friday night.
— Foo Fighters (@foofighters) March 26, 2022
Mr. Hawkins was a member of Dave Grohl’s band on its third album, “There Is Nothing Left to Lose,” released in 1999, and played on the group’s succeeding seven albums. He was known for his flailing arms, surfer’s good looks, and broad, childish grin. He leaned on two contrasting styles: Roger Taylor’s basics from Queen and Stewart Copeland’s intricacy from the Police. He added punk and metal muscle, drum machine precision, and a knack for creating explosive momentum. “Medicine at Midnight,” Foo Fighters’ most recent album, was released last year as the band celebrated its 25th anniversary, and Mr. Hawkins was candid about his ambitions for the band’s future in an interview with The New York Times. He stated, “I want to be the largest band in the world.”
Mr. Hawkins began playing the drums at the age of ten, and credits his mother for inspiring him to dream big: “When I first acquired drums, she was the one who would watch me play.” In an interview last year, he stated, “She was a tremendous supporter and promised me I’d make it.” Attending a Queen concert in 1982 reinforced his enthusiasm for music. “I don’t think I slept for three days after that show,” he stated in a 2021 interview with the metal magazine Kerrang. “It changed everything, and I’ll never be the same again.” It was the start of my rock ‘n’ roll passion, and I knew I wanted to be in a big rock band.”
Mr. Hawkins’ first mainstream break came in 1995, when he joined Alanis Morissette’s band on tour in support of her blockbuster album “Jagged Little Pill.” After playing in a local California band called Sylvia and backing Canadian rock vocalist Sass Jordan, Mr. Hawkins’ first mainstream break came in 1995, when he joined Alanis Morissette’s band on tour in support of her blockbuster album “Jagged Little Pill.” (He flipped his blond mane behind the drum kit in the video for the band’s breakout smash “You Oughta Know.”) Mr. Grohl, who was then well known as Nirvana’s drummer, recalls meeting Mr. Hawkins backstage at a radio station concert in the 1990s and feeling an instant bond with him. “I was like, ‘Wow, you’re either my twin or my spirit animal or my best friend,’” Mr. Grohl said in an interview last year. “When it was time to look for a drummer, I kind of wished that he would do it, but I didn’t imagine he would leave Alanis Morissette, because at the time she was the biggest artist in the world.”
Mr. Hawkins answered, “I’m your guy,” when Mr. Grohl called him later seeking for a drummer, Mr. Grohl remembered. He continued, “I believe it had more to do with our personal bond than anything artistic.” “To tell you the truth, it still does. Our musical relationship is built on our friendship, which is why we’re so connected when we get up onstage and play because we’re like best friends.” Mr. Grohl, Foo Fighters’ lead singer and one of the band’s songwriters and guitarists, had played drums on the band’s first album in 1995, and when a replacement failed to stay, he took over again for the band’s second album, “The Colour and the Shape.” Mr. Hawkins was tasked with filling the shoes of one of contemporary rock’s most distinctive, strong, and beloved drummers when he joined the band. Mr. Hawkins adapted to Mr. Grohl’s creative approach, saying, “He writes in rhythms, not only in melodies but in rhythms.”
“There Is Nothing Left to Lose,” which was recorded in a Virginia basement without the help of a record label, went on to win the Grammy for best rock album, the first of the band’s 12 Grammys. “Medicine at Midnight” was nominated for three Grammys this year, including best rock performance (for the song “Making a Fire”), best rock song (“Waiting on a War”), and best rock album. Foo Fighters were slated to perform on April 3 at the Grammys. In 2021, Foo Fighters were admitted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for their “rock authenticity with irresistible hooks, in-your-face guitar riffs, monster drums, and inexhaustible energy,” according to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. “Thank you for letting me be in your band,” Mr. Hawkins thanked Mr. Grohl at the ceremony. Mr. Hawkins went on to participate as a songwriter on Foo Fighters albums, even singing lead vocals on occasion, in addition to his drumming. With a side project called Taylor Hawkins and the Coattail Riders, he recorded three albums starting in 2006. He was also a member of the Chevy Metal cover band and the Birds of Satan, a prog-rock band. He formed a band called NHC with guitarist Dave Navarro and bassist Chris Chaney last year, and their debut EP, “Intakes & Outtakes,” was published in February.
Read More:
- The Fbi Wants To Pay $15k To Find A Capitol Rioter Who Is Accused Of Assaulting Police
- Joe Biden Has Agreed To Increase Us Gas Supply To Europe In Order To Minimise Europe’s Reliance On Russia
- Donald Trump Accuses Hillary Clinton And Friends Of Colluding With Russia
Mr. Hawkins would swap places with Mr. Grohl on recent Foo Fighters tours to sing a cover of Queen’s “Somebody to Love,” appearing from behind the kit in his distinctive shorts to pay homage to the band that launched his career. He’d also step into the spotlight for multi-minute drum solos, smiling as he whirled around on his riser, crashing his cymbals and bashing a timpani. Mr. Hawkins acknowledged to feeling insecure about filling Mr. Grohl’s spot behind the drum kit throughout the years, despite being regarded to as “a sideman with a frontman’s flair.” In 2002, he told Spin that “a lot of my concerns — which led to a lot of my drug usage — had to do with me not feeling good enough to be in this band, to play drums with Dave.”
He overdosed in London in 2001 and became comatose for a short time. Mr. Hawkins told Kerrang, “Everyone has their own route, and I carried it too far.” He also admitted that he had believed in the “myth of living hard and fast, die young.” “I’m not here to preach about avoiding doing drugs because I enjoyed doing drugs,” he said, “but I simply got out of control for a bit and it nearly killed me.” “There’s no happy ending with hard drugs,” Mr. Hawkins remarked in a 2018 interview with Beats 1, although he refuses to reveal how he stayed sober: “In that aspect, I don’t really discuss how I spend my life.” I’ve developed a system that works well for me.” In 2005, Mr. Hawkins married his wife, Alison. Oliver, Annabelle, and Everleigh, their three children, all survive him.
