The details are sketchy, the internet right at this publishing moment says “may be drugs”. The press release from the band says “devastated”. The press release mentions “wife, children, family”.
When it comes to Taylor Hawkins, drummer and life and soul of Foo Fighters, it seems we are all family – it’s presumptuous to say that, of course, ridiculous to say that, when you think of that small group of people – the family, the band – who are grieving now, so intensely.
The nicest guy in rock? It seems that way to me, standing at the back of the hall, watching him on stage, so far but so close. He was so much a part of the experience, so much a part of the band, so much a part of rock ’n’ roll. 50? A tragedy indeed.
Dave Grohl has been through this before, of course – we have all been through it, losing loved ones. This one, to me, seems especially painful due to the timing of it – aye, not because they were due to play a festival, but because of the age, because there was so much more to come, because we never saw it coming? Because life is so short but so sweet and was sweetened all the more by Taylor Hawkins – his “spirit and unstoppable rock power”, as Tom Morello put it so well.
I know about Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, Big Bopper and American Pie, “the day the music died”. In my life? I remember John Lennon, Bon Scott, Ian Curtis, oh my God Neil Peart (Taylor was a BIG Rush fan!), Eddie Van Halen. I remember Stevie Ray Vaughan, Ian Dury, Pete Way, Paul Chapman, Justin Townes Earle. Ronnie James Dio, Andy Gill, Edgar Froese, Dave Greenfield (NOT a Wiki list, but straight from the heart).
“Music people” feel these losses so keenly because it could, let’s face it guys, “so easily be me”. We are crying for ourselves, which is pathetic, really. This, though, seems particularly raw and difficult. Unfair. Unreal. The nicest guy in rock? All we can do is play the music.