Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins, who died on March 25 on the age of fifty, was initially a rock ‘n’ roll fan. Even from an early age, Hawkins confirmed indicators of his fierce musical future.
“I taught myself to play,” he advised Modern Drummer in 2011. “I all the time performed too exhausting as a child. Band lecturers would inform me, ‘You are enjoying too exhausting.’ They threw me out of jazz band in highschool. Once more, ‘You are too loud, too quick.'”
It labored out in his favor. Hawkins’ stint enjoying drums on Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Tablet tour bled into his becoming a member of of Foo Fighters in 1997, simply after the discharge of their second album, The Color and the Form.
Over the following quarter of a century, Hawkins wouldn’t solely play drums for the Foos, but in addition department out along with his personal facet initiatives: the Coattail Riders in 2004, which launched three albums; Chevy Metallic, a rock cowl band shaped with longtime buddies Wiley Hodgden and Mick Murphy; and, most lately, a supergroup billed as NHC with two members of Jane’s Dependancy, Dave Navarro and Chris Chaney.
On the coronary heart of all of it was Hawkins’ deep love of rock ‘n’ roll and admiration for many who got here earlier than him. We’re having a look at 20 covers and collaborations — simply the tip of the iceberg — that would not have been the identical with out Hawkins.
Foo Fighters With Alice Cooper, Paul Stanley, David Lee Roth and Extra
On the high of 2015, Foo Fighters carried out an epic charity present for Dave Grohl’s forty sixth birthday that featured visitor appearances by numerous rock legends, every arriving with their hits in tow. Paul Stanley of Kiss carried out “Detroit Rock Metropolis” and “Do You Love Me,” Alice Cooper joined them for “I am Eighteen” and “Faculty’s Out,” David Lee Roth supplied up “Panama” and “Ain’t Talkin’ Bout Love,” and the night closed with a canopy of Chuck Berry’s “Let It Rock” that includes Lemmy of Motorhead, Slash and Zakk Wylde. Hawkins held it down behind the equipment all evening.
David Bowie, “Ziggy Stardust” (With NHC)
Who says the drummer cannot sing? Hawkins continuously stepped out to the entrance of the stage to sing lead vocals. In 2021, he lined David Bowie’s “Ziggy Stardust” along with his son, Shane, enjoying drums behind him.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, “Breakdown”
Foo Fighters started overlaying Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ “Breakdown” in 2008, breaking it out 33 instances in 2011 and 19 instances in 2017. Just a few weeks after Petty’s dying in October 2017, the band performed “Breakdown” once more and Grohl advised the viewers about his transient stint as a Heartbreaker, praising Petty as “the good motherfucker.”
AC/DC, “Let There Be Rock”
“Let There Be Rock,” the gut-busting title observe off AC/DC’s fourth album, match Foo Fighters like a glove. The band performed the tune almost 50 instances between 2015 and 2019, with Hawkins’ incessant, monster grooves anchoring the blues-punk freakout.
Low cost Trick, “Stiff Competitors” (With Rick Nielsen)
Foo Fighters busted out Low cost Trick’s 1978 tune “Stiff Competitors” a number of instances in 2014 and 2015, together with a memorable look on the Late Present With David Letterman that discovered the band joined by Low cost Trick guitarist Rick Nielsen. Grohl performed drums whereas Hawkins sang lead vocals, wanting and sounding remarkably like Robin Zander along with his all-white go well with and melodic howl.
Evening Ranger, “Sister Christian” (With the Coattail Riders)
Hawkins did double responsibility at a present in 2016, through which he each sang and performed drums on a canopy of Evening Ranger’s iconic hit, “Sister Christian.”
Pink Floyd, “Fearless” (With NHC)
In 2022, NHC launched a four-song EP, which included a canopy of Pink Floyd’s “Fearless” and a Stage 42 tune, “Something About You,” in addition to two originals, “One and the Identical” and “I Might Be Somebody Else.” Hawkins additionally sang lead vocals when Foo Fighters lined Pink Floyd’s “In the Flesh” and “Have a Cigar.”
Soundgarden, “The Day I Tried to Dwell” (With Buzz Osborne)
In 2019, Hawkins appeared at a tribute present for late Soundgarden singer Chris Cornell, singing “The Day I Tried to Dwell” alongside Melvins guitarist Buzz Osborne.
Rush, “Tom Sawyer” (With Jack Black)
Masking Rush isn’t any small feat, however Foo Fighters pulled it off with aplomb, overlaying “Tom Sawyer” a number of instances in 2015. Hawkins nailed Neil Peart’s time signature shifts and large grooves, and Jack Black memorably joined the band on vocals throughout a efficiency on the Los Angeles Discussion board in September 2015.
Jamming With Stephen Perkins of Jane’s Dependancy
The one factor higher than one legendary drummer is 2. Hawkins joined Jane’s Dependancy’s Stephen Perkins on drums throughout their Alive at Twenty 5 anniversary live performance celebrating their Ritual de lo Ordinary album.
Led Zeppelin, “Rock and Roll,” (With Jimmy Web page and John Paul Jones)
Hawkins took over vocals for Robert Plant when he sang Led Zeppelin’s traditional “Rock and Roll,” full with Jimmy Web page on guitar and John Paul Jones on bass, at Wembley Stadium in 2008.
The Rolling Stones, “Miss You” / “Bitch” (With Mick Jagger)
Hawkins routinely lined the Rolling Stones’ “Miss You” and “Bitch” with each Foo Fighters and Chevy Metallic. The final word validation got here in 2012, when Mick Jagger joined Chevy Metallic onstage at a Saturday Evening Dwell afterparty and barreled by way of whip-cracking renditions of each songs.
Bee Gees, ‘Hail Satin’
Foo Fighters made their affinity for the Bee Gees clear with their 2021 Hail Satin tribute album, recorded underneath the Dee Gees moniker. The rockers started overlaying the disco kings’ “You Ought to Be Dancing” frequently in 2021, and Hawkins’ kick drum frequently sported an image of Barry Gibb’s face.
Motley Crue, “Appears That Kill” / “Dwell Wire” (Chevy Metallic With Nikki Sixx)
A typical Chevy Metallic set record was a veritable who’s-who of classic-rock royalty, and people legends would sometimes get in on the enjoyable themselves. Motley Crue bassist Nikki Sixx joined the band onstage in December 2018 on the Los Angeles Regional Meals Financial institution for punkish renditions of “Appears That Kill” and “Dwell Wire.”
Queen, “Someone to Love”
Singing a Freddie Mercury tune is a Herculean activity. Hawkins, nonetheless, appeared a pure at it, continuously singing lead on a canopy of Queen’s “Someone to Love” at live shows. Through the years, Foo Fighters additionally tried their hand at songs like “Keep Yourself Alive,” “Tie Your Mother Down” (with Roger Taylor and Brian Might themselves) and “Another One Bites the Dust.“
Prince, “Darling Nikki”
Foo Fighters launched a canopy of Prince’s “Darling Nikki” because the B-side to their 2003 single “Have It All.” They’ve performed it reside a number of instances since then, together with a high-octane rendition at 2020’s Let’s Go Crazy: The Grammy Salute to Prince.
Joan Jett, “Unhealthy Fame” / “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll” (With Joan Jett)
Joan Jett joined Foo Fighters onstage a number of instances all through 2011 and 2012 to carry out her signature tune “Unhealthy Fame.” Hawkins’ freight-train drumming powered the raucous punk tune, and at Lollapalooza 2012, the rockers prolonged the great instances with the one-two punch of “Unhealthy Fame” and “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll.”
Alanis Morissette, “You Oughta Know”
Pre-Foo Fighters, Hawkins offered the backbeat for Alanis Morissette as she promoted her hit 1995 album, Jagged Little Tablet. “I simply suppose she’s an incredible, superb, superb singer. And he or she gave me so many presents, and certainly one of them was simply serving to me get seen,” Hawkins said of Morissette in 2020. “It is due to her and I will by no means thank her sufficient for it. I really like her to items and he or she’s my sister.”
Faces, “Keep With Me” (With Chad Smith)
Hawkins frequently flexed his pipes in Foo Fighters and Chevy Metallic by overlaying the Faces’ “Keep With Me.” He received slightly assist from Purple Sizzling Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith throughout a efficiency in July 2018 at New York’s Jones Seashore Theater, giving Hawkins and Grohl loads of time to mug on the entrance of the stage.
Weapons N’ Roses, “It is So Simple” (With Weapons N’ Roses)
Weapons N’ Roses joined Foo Fighters onstage in Italy in 2018 when each bands headlined Firenze Rocks, racing by way of a hyperspeed model of GNR’s “It is So Simple” with Hawkins setting the tempo along with his livid drumming.
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