‘Brilliant’ Foo Fighter dies at 50
ROCK’S biggest stars yesterday paid tribute to “kind and brilliant” Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins after he was found dead in a hotel room in Bogota, Colombia.
The 50-year-old father of three – who survived a two-week coma following a heroin overdose in 2001 – was taken to a nearby hospital but did not respond to life-saving efforts. No cause of death has been released.
In a statement, the band said it was “devastated by the untimely loss” and asked for the privacy of Hawkins’s wife Alison and children Oliver, 16, Annabelle, 13, and eight-yearold Everleigh to be respected.
Former Beatles drummer Ringo Starr expressed his condolences for Hawkins’s family and bandmates.
“God blesstaylor,” he wrote. “Peace and love to all his family and the band.”
Queen’s Rogertaylor likened the sudden death of his fellow drummer to “losing a younger, favourite brother” adding: “He was a kind, brilliant man, an inspirational mentor to my son Rufus and the best friend one could ever have. Devastated.”
Queen guitarist Brian May said: “Taylor, you were family to us.we will miss you so bad.”
Ozzy Osbourne described Hawkins as “a great person and an amazing musician”. And former Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher said that he was “devastated to hear the sad news”.
Blink-182 drummertravis Barker recalled how Hawkins encouraged him to follow his dream. “You gave me so much hope and determination,” he said. “To say I’ll miss you, my friend, isn’t enough.”
Foo Fighters were formed in 1994 by Dave Grohl after his previous band Nirvana disbanded following the suicide of lead singer Kurt Cobain.
While Grohl drummed for Nirvana, he took on lead vocals and guitar in Foo Fighters – leaving Hawkins, who had been playing with Alanis Morissette, the daunting task of taking over from one of rock’s most celebrated percussionists.
“I was a little nervous at first,” he admitted shortly after the
Foos took off. “No one can play better than Dave Grohl.”
Fans yesterday placed candles and other tributes on the steps of the Foo Fighters’ hotel in Bogota, where the band had been scheduled to play on Friday night.
The city’s Metropolitan Police said: “The cause of death has yet to be established.
“According to those close to him, the death could be related to the consumption of drugs.”