Taylor Hawkins, the energetic drummer of Foo Fighters, died in Bogotá, Colombia, Friday night. He was 50. Almost immediately upon news of his death, tributes came pouring in through social media.
Throughout his career in music-- first supporting Alanis Morissette and later joining the Foo Fighters-- Hawkins impressed fans and peers alike with his full-throttle style and rambunctious energy.
Hawkins’ final show is believed to be in Mexico City on March 15. In the clip, Hawkins sings a cover of Queen’s “Somebody to Love,” while Dave Grohl replaces him on the drums. The front-man-drummer switcheroo was a highlight of their shows.
RIP Taylor Hawkins. Last performance in Mexico City March 15 2022 pic.twitter.com/M1xaSvt3VH— David Saadia (@David Saadia) 1648265372
Hawkins defined his style of playing with impeccably polished drum fills, breathable verses built around staccato hits, and a toothy grin that never left his face.
Dave Grohl later referred to Hawkins as his “best friend and partner in crime” in his memoir "The Storyteller," and his other bandmates credit him as the force behind Foo Fighters’ now legendary live shows.
“He came into a band that was pretty scrappy... and then was like, ‘Hang on a second, what if we become good,’” Foo Fighters bassist Nate Mendel told Rolling Stone.
In the process, Hawkins’ drumming work became a pillar of modern-day alternative rock, and his radiant charisma seemed to rub off on everyone he met along the tour route.
Travis Barker, drummer of Blink-182, recalled that he had the best time touring with the Foo Fighters.
“I’ll never forget Laguna Beach days when I was a trash man playing in a punk rock band, and you were playing with Alanis,” Barker wrote in an Instagram post. “You’d come watch me play in dive bars and be like, ‘kid you’re a star.’ And I thought you were crazy, but you gave me so much hope and determination.”
Here are five live performances to remember his great legacy on the drums.
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