Who inspired Taylor Hawkins? 

Taylor Hawkins’ relationship with the drums started with a cool story. After deciding the guitar was a little too tricky for him to pick up, he sat down at a neighbour’s rickety drum kit in 1982, played a basic beat, and was promptly told he was a drummer. 

Around that same time, he discovered Queen’s News of the World. Roger Taylor became his hero, and it’s not hard to see why. Roger Taylor played exactly what the song needed and put on a show whilst doing it. 

Of course, Roger Taylor wasn’t Hawkins’ only influence. He was a huge fan of Rush’s Neil Peart and The Police’s Stewart Copeland, too. Playing with Orange County band Sylvia in the early ’90s gave him the chance to experiment with some of the more technical drumming he admired in both of them. 

And the thing about Hawkins was that he never really stopped being a fan. Read any interview with Hawkins — chances are, you’ll find that he could talk about his favourite drummers for hours. Steve Perkins was another of his inspirations. Speaking to Drum! magazine in 2007, Hawkins described Perkins as his favourite drummer for years and “the last drummer I consciously emulated”. 

He was especially impressed by the way Perkins performed live: “Perkins wasn’t a showman, but he was showy. He had a lot of vibe live, and he was fun to watch,” he said to Drum!. All these influences helped Hawkins develop his own style, and it wasn’t long before he got the chance to put everything he’d learnt into practice on a much bigger stage. 

That opportunity came when he landed the gig playing drums for Alanis Morissette on her Jagged Little Pill tour. Suddenly, he was performing in front of huge crowds around the world. Not a bad step up! And while Hawkins would eventually become an inspiration to countless drummers himself, he never lost that same excitement for music that had got him playing in the first place. 

When Grohl met Hawkins 

Playing drums in a band fronted by another drummer is one thing. Playing drums in a band fronted by Dave Grohl is another entirely.

Foo Fighters found themselves without a drummer in 1997. At that time, Hawkins was still touring the world with Alanis Morissette. He was playing arenas night after night, so it’s fair to say he already had a pretty good gig. Foo Fighters, meanwhile, were still a relatively young band finding their feet. 

That didn’t seem to matter to Hawkins, though. After hearing that drummer William Goldsmith had left Foo Fighters, he called Grohl and said, “I hear you’re looking for a drummer.” Grohl jokingly asked whether he knew anyone. Hawkins did: he wanted the job himself. 

Grohl hadn’t expected that answer. Hawkins was already playing huge shows with one of the world’s biggest artists, so joining Foo Fighters could have seemed like a step backwards. Fortunately, Hawkins didn’t see it that way. Even though he was playing massive stadiums with Alanis Morissette, his heart was in rock music and joining Foo Fighters was the perfect fit. 

Grohl also quickly discovered that he wasn’t just getting a phenomenal drummer. The pair had an immediate connection. Grohl said to radio station 95.5 KLOS in 2021 that meeting Hawkins was like finding his “twin, best friend, or spirit animal”. 

And that connection with Grohl turned out to be something pretty special. The two had a brilliant chemistry that became a huge part of Foo Fighters, both on and off the stage. But what I think makes Hawkins’ story even more impressive is that he managed to carve out his own identity in a band fronted by one of rock’s most famous drummers.

He wasn’t just the guy playing drums behind Dave Grohl. He was Taylor Hawkins, and he’d earned that recognition in his own right. That was ultimately what made him the perfect drummer for the band: he could live up to Grohl’s expectations without ever disappearing behind them. 

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Why Taylor Hawkins was so great 

Perhaps the best way to understand why Taylor Hawkins was so great is to watch him talk about music. In interviews, the rock star often disappeared, and the fan took over. Whether discussing his favourite drummers, records, or simply how much he loved playing, his enthusiasm was infectious. 

You could hear it in his drumming, too. Hawkins wasn’t a soulless metronome sitting at the back of the stage. His playing was physical, passionate and unmistakably human. Watching him perform, the energy he put into his drumming was almost a show in itself. 

But what made Hawkins so good was that he knew exactly what to do with all that energy. And if you want to hear what I mean, there are plenty of Foo Fighters songs that show it. Just listen to the way he builds up the intensity in “The Pretender”, the unusual groove he brings to “Rope”, or how he takes a more laid-back approach on “Aurora”. They’re all quite different, but they show just how much he could bring to a song. 

He could throw in a massive fill or absolutely hammer the drums when the song called for it, but he also knew when to hold back and let the music do its thing. And for me, that’s what made him such a great rock drummer. It wasn’t just about how hard or fast he could play. 

And he looked like he was having the time of his life. 

FAQs 

Was Taylor Hawkins considered a good drummer? 

Taylor Hawkins was considered one of the leading rock drummers of his generation. He was loved for his powerful playing, distinctive feel, and energetic performances, while his work with Foo Fighters earned him widespread respect from fellow musicians. 

What did Taylor Hawkins pass away from? 

Taylor Hawkins passed away in March 2022. Toxicology tests conducted after his death found multiple substances in his system, while preliminary forensic findings reportedly indicated that his heart was enlarged. However, an official final cause of death wasn’t publicly released. 

Who was Taylor Hawkins’ favourite drummer? 

Queen’s Roger Taylor was one of Taylor Hawkins’ earliest and greatest drumming heroes. Hawkins credited Taylor with shaping his idea of what a drummer could be, particularly as someone who could also sing and write songs. The Police’s Stewart Copeland was another major influence on his playing. 

Final thoughts 

For me, what made Taylor Hawkins such a brilliant drummer wasn’t just his technical ability, powerful playing, or incredible energy. It was the way he brought all those things together and made them his own. He helped shape the sound of Foo Fighters, but what I love most is that you could always hear his personality coming through in his playing. 

It’s still a huge loss for the rock world, but what a legacy he’s left behind. Between the records he made, the musicians he inspired and the countless performances that showed just how much he loved what he did, there’s plenty for future generations of drummers to learn from. 

And if there’s one thing aspiring drummers can take away from Hawkins, it’s that technique will only get you so far. Finding your own sound, playing for the song, and putting a bit of yourself into every performance is what really makes the difference.