Remembering Legendary Foo Fighters Drummer Taylor Hawkins
Samantha Colleran, March 2022
I never thought I would be writing a post like this at 1:32 on a Saturday morning, but here we are. It’s absolutely gut wrenching to say this, but the Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins has passed away at the age of 50. The Foo Fighters posted the news late Friday night on their Instagram account, asking fans and the media to give the Hawkins’ family space to mourn the loss.
I’ve made it obvious here before that I’m a massive Foos fan and a lover of the phenomenal drumming of Taylor. The Foo Fighters played such an incredibly vital role in my childhood, they’re the first band whose music video I recall watching on TV. I have vivid memories of seeing “The Pretender” on the VH1 video countdowns while sitting with my parents in their room on Saturday mornings, the band’s incredible sound striking a chord with a very young Sam. Hearing the drumming on that song is something I will never forget listening to for the first time. Of course when I was young I couldn’t fully grasp musical concepts or what certain lyrics meant, but I knew the sound was something I enjoyed listening to right away, and Taylor plays a major part in my enjoyment of “The Pretender”, and eventually other hits and deeper cuts that make up their incredibly discography.
Taylor began drumming at the age of 10, and after seeing Queen in the 80s with the talented Roger Taylor on drums, he knew for certain the world of music was where he was meant to be. With his mother in his corner, he knew he could make it big. After a brief stint with a local California band and touring with Alanis Morrissette to support her Jagged Little Pill album, Taylor eventually met Dave Grohl, and would soon become part of the Foo Fighters. Dave met Taylor in the late 90s, and Taylor joined the band in 1999 for their third studio album There Is Nothing Left To Lose. The rest is history, and it leads us to today, where we can look back on the charisma and hard rocking drumming Taylor brought to the Foos for the past 25 years that defined and solidified the Foo Fighters signature sound.
Simply from reading and watching interviews, hearing other people speak about him, and watching the way he performed, you can tell Taylor was a person who was so deeply dedicated to his craft and was extremely passionate about the art he shared with the world. Despite being part of one of the biggest rock bands in history, he remained humble and authentic. It’s evident that he lit up every room he walked into. He was so talented beyond words, and getting to witness a small chunk of that talent live are memories I will be forever grateful to carry in my mind.
It’s hard to fully put into words what a tragic loss to not only the rock world, but to the entire industry, this is. Taylor inspired so many musicians, and fans in general. It’s a sad, sad day for music. The Foo Fighters will certainly never be the same, but I know they’ll carry on his memory and honor him in everything they do after this. My love goes to the entire Hawkins’ family, who I can’t even begin to thank for sharing Taylor with the world, and to the Foo Fighters, who allowed him to flourish and become one of the most beloved drummers to ever grace the world of music. Rest in the sweetest peace Taylor, thank you for everything.
Sammy, nice tribute to Taylor Hawkins. Tough loss for the Rock ‘n’ Roll community. It will be interesting to see how the Foo Fighters move forward. It’s not going to be easy, but sometimes the best way to heal is to continue making music.
Thank you, Kevin❤️ Such a tragic loss. It won’t be easy, and it wouldn’t surprise me if they took a bit of a break, Dave especially. Losing two best friends in 30 years is such a tough thing to cope with, I know whatever they do in the future they’ll honor Taylor in every way they can.