{"id":34670,"date":"2022-05-02T07:45:53","date_gmt":"2022-05-02T14:45:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/?p=34670"},"modified":"2023-03-23T14:45:10","modified_gmt":"2023-03-23T21:45:10","slug":"5-things-taylor-hawkins-taught-us","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/5-things-taylor-hawkins-taught-us\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Things Taylor Hawkins Taught Us"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Elton John called him \u201cone of the greatest drummers\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Paul McCartney said he was \u201clucky to live and work alongside him\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jimmy Page \u201creally admired him\u201d, and James Corden said he was \u201cfull of light and love and all the things that you want in a human being\u201d.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These are but a handful of the dozens upon dozens of heartfelt and heartbroken tributes paid to Taylor Hawkins, beloved drummer of the Foo Fighters.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Below are five things <s>every drummer<\/s> &#8211; every person &#8211;&nbsp;can learn from Taylor\u2019s example.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"getty embed image\" style=\"background-color:#fff;display:inline-block;font-family:Roboto,sans-serif;color:#a7a7a7;font-size:11px;width:100%;max-width:594px;\">\n<div style=\"padding:0;margin:0;text-align:left;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/505358640\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"color:#a7a7a7;text-decoration:none;font-weight:normal !important;border:none;display:inline-block;\" rel=\"noopener\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n<div style=\"overflow:hidden;position:relative;height:0;padding:66.66667% 0 0 0;width:100%;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/embed.gettyimages.com\/embed\/505358640?et=pSA6ZFXxQ-VaQv8FtLVQlw&amp;tld=com&amp;sig=w3ug1kBh_ocEOPXN9HdtACLhE-YO6kgox51a78hzLPM=&amp;caption=true&amp;ver=1\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"594\" height=\"396\" style=\"display:inline-block;position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;margin:0;\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Love Music<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Above anything, Taylor was a music <em>fan<\/em>. His love of rock and roll permeated him like a radiating force. He was fervent about bands, records, songs, shows, and of course, drummers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One industry rep <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CbjarUQMeaK\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">wrote on her Instagram<\/a>, \u201cI will never forget the passionate way he talked about the latest gear, who worked for which company, who was playing in which band now. He knew about ALL of it!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead of lessons, Taylor learned how to play at the age of 10 by jamming along to songs on the radio and on records, figuring out parts on his cobbled-together drum kit, and poring over album covers to study the drum sets of his idols Roger Taylor (Queen), Stewart Copeland (The Police), and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/neil-peart-genius\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Neil Peart<\/a> (Rush).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Foo Fighters\u2019 Taylor Hawkins on why Queen are so popular | X-Perts | Radio X\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/-xuxI_3jNWs?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>As a kid, Taylor saw a Queen concert that left him with a single-minded vision that lasted his entire life. He said, \u201cIt changed everything, and I was never the same&#8230;It was the beginning of my obsession with rock \u2019n\u2019 roll, and I knew that I wanted to be in a huge rock band.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are stories of Taylor as an adult finding himself in tears as he watched his heroes perform. Geddy Lee speaks in wonder about Taylor \u201cjumping up and down like a two-year-old &#8211; so happy &#8211; full of admiration and \u2018rock \u2018n\u2019 roll joy juice&#8217;\u201d when he introduced Rush during their induction into the Rock &amp; Roll Hall of Fame.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Rush performing w\/ Foo Fighters at rock &amp; Roll Hall of Fame\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/yqHTql0XJow?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Taylor had a pure love for rock music and drumming, and his style, musicianship and personality came directly from that reverence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Be Humble<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Taylor spoke about his insecurities playing drums for Dave Grohl, one of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/top-20-rock-drummers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">greatest rock drummers of all time<\/a>. In the beginning, he was so scared that he froze up trying to record the Foo Fighters album&nbsp;<em>Nothing Left To Lose<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.audacy.com\/podcasts\/rolling-stone-music-now-21807\/a-final-visit-with-taylor-hawkins-1336487606\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">final Rolling Stone interview<\/a>, Taylor choked up as he recalled being able to push through and record half the drums on the record because Dave \u201cheld my hand through it, like an older brother\/best friend does\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"getty embed image\" style=\"background-color:#fff;display:inline-block;font-family:Roboto,sans-serif;color:#a7a7a7;font-size:11px;width:100%;max-width:594px;\">\n<div style=\"padding:0;margin:0;text-align:left;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/166926281\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"color:#a7a7a7;text-decoration:none;font-weight:normal !important;border:none;display:inline-block;\" rel=\"noopener\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n<div style=\"overflow:hidden;position:relative;height:0;padding:65.82491% 0 0 0;width:100%;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/embed.gettyimages.com\/embed\/166926281?et=eYewNxs5RtN5Nt8kybBpuQ&amp;tld=com&amp;sig=mhlJDNde5mqhaiZxc0vjAp2QDeQcfK-vHFWAk5mEiEQ=&amp;caption=true&amp;ver=1\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"594\" height=\"391\" style=\"display:inline-block;position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;margin:0;\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Being <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/dave-grohl-drums\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Dave Grohl\u2019s<\/a> drummer could have easily caused some resentment on Taylor\u2019s part. Instead, it created an inseparable bond of brotherly love between two best friends. Taylor accepted his role in the Foo Fighters with grace and humility, he played in side projects to express his own writing and arranging, and maybe most deeply, as The Chicks said of him, \u201cHe never took any of it for granted.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Taylor rarely if ever touted his own greatness or style, preferring to talk about the drummers and songs that inspired him. In his BBC Radio \u201cdrumming masterclass\u201d, Taylor spends most of the hour demonstrating the beats and fills of&nbsp;<em>other<\/em>&nbsp;drummers &#8211; his heroes, of course. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most musicians would have used a radio broadcast as an opportunity to show off their&nbsp;own&nbsp;licks and chops, but Taylor played what he was passionate about: Queen and Police songs!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Taylor Hawkins Drumming Masterclass\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/PwjEc8S0PRo?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Be Yourself<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Taylor took only a handful of lessons in his lifetime (he once said his chops were \u201cstolen and fake&#8221; because he \u201cdidn\u2019t learn the \u2018real\u2019 way to do it\u201d), and he&nbsp;didn\u2019t study with teachers. But like his drum heroes, Taylor\u2019s talent, technique and individuality were unquestionable.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>His genuine drumming style, his feel and passion, his exuberance and energy, and his own kinetic force and dynamics (\u201cspirited enthusiasm\u201d as Jimmy Page called it) were all under the constant threat of Dave Grohl comparisons.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But Taylor said it was during the recording of the Foo Fighters\u2019 third album where he knew that he could &#8220;fit in this band as the drummer, not just \u2018the live drummer\u2019. I can be me and still fulfill the role of being Dave Grohl\u2019s rhythm man.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Taylor Hawkins epic drum solo - Rock in Rio 2019\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/CUopXl7_xyI?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;I can be me and still fulfill the role of being Dave Grohl&#8217;s rhythm man.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n<p>Taylor was like an honorary second frontman of the Foo Fighters, often singing Queen and Led Zeppelin songs while Dave played drums. For a drummer to step into that role, it takes ridiculous talent, charisma, presence, and the ability to light up a room (and a stadium!) with \u201cinfectious energy and good vibes\u201d, as Lars Ulrich said of Taylor.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Foo Fighters - Rock And Roll (Live At Wembley Stadium, 2008)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/SbNVIPAABgw?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Be Passionate<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In 1999, a German reporter asked Dave and Taylor: \u201cWhy do you play rock &#8216;n&#8217; roll? Rock &#8216;n&#8217; roll is dead.\u201d Taylor replied, \u201cWell, it ain\u2019t dead at our house, man!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It was obvious Taylor put his entire heart and soul into his playing. Words from his tributes describe him as exuding joy as he played; that he had infectious energy, passion, and exuberance; that he was a \u201cmodern day rock star\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He once said during a chat with Chad Smith, \u201cI like the way rock &#8216;n&#8217; roll makes me feel. I like the way <em><strong>music <\/strong><\/em>makes me feel.\u201d Taylor expressed himself fully on the drums, and it\u2019s his spirit and love of the music we sense as listeners. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"The Chad Smith Show with Taylor Hawkins (2009 \u2013 Part 1 of 7)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/jlMCeBnjHuM?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>One fan wrote, \u201cHe embodied how drumming makes us feel.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Taylor told The Sunday Times in 2010:&nbsp;\u201dA lot of my favorite drummers\u2026had just as much profile as a guitar player. I guess that&#8217;s what I&#8217;ve been strug\u00adgling for most of my life &#8211; to make the drums as important as everything else.&#8221;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There\u2019s no question he did.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Be Inspiring&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Bob Dylan wrote: \u201dThe highest purpose of art is to inspire. What else can you do? What else can you do for anyone but inspire them?\u201d There could be no better description of Taylor Hawkins.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Countless drummers have written that Taylor inspired them to pick up the sticks, fall in love with the drums, set up their kit like him, learn all his parts, play drums and sing \u2014 and to have fun in their playing.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"getty embed image\" style=\"background-color:#fff;display:inline-block;font-family:Roboto,sans-serif;color:#a7a7a7;font-size:11px;width:100%;max-width:594px;\">\n<div style=\"padding:0;margin:0;text-align:left;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/610068040\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"color:#a7a7a7;text-decoration:none;font-weight:normal !important;border:none;display:inline-block;\" rel=\"noopener\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n<div style=\"overflow:hidden;position:relative;height:0;padding:66.66667% 0 0 0;width:100%;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/embed.gettyimages.com\/embed\/610068040?et=VzDFLB5ETg9gmnPAa3rI_Q&amp;tld=com&amp;sig=B5OooRjALy-h7C5J7K06DeJLtlcBaUONyWKBsQG9CzQ=&amp;caption=true&amp;ver=1\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"594\" height=\"396\" style=\"display:inline-block;position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;margin:0;\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>He directly supported many drummers through mentorship, gear, advice, and most importantly, encouragement. Travis Barker wrote of Taylor, \u201cYou\u2019d come watch me play in dive bars and be like, \u2018kid you\u2019re a star\u2019. And I thought you were crazy but you gave me so much hope and determination.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The descriptions of Taylor from every corner of the music industry are profound: that he was a beautiful, fantastic, amazing person. Full of positivity and good vibes. A hero, idol, champion, and one-of-a-kind, with the most glorious, infectious, warmest smile. He was family, a brother, a beloved child. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A gem of a guy, full of love, a loving spirit with a huge heart, a sweetheart. That he had a zest for life, the force of life, that he was full of life, and seemed to always be having the time of his life.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These are some of the most powerful words anyone could say about another person. They show a complete reverence for Taylor &#8211; and an utter shock at his passing. How can someone so alive, be gone?<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"getty embed image\" style=\"background-color:#fff;display:inline-block;font-family:Roboto,sans-serif;color:#a7a7a7;font-size:11px;width:100%;max-width:594px;\">\n<div style=\"padding:0;margin:0;text-align:left;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/1299203016\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"color:#a7a7a7;text-decoration:none;font-weight:normal !important;border:none;display:inline-block;\" rel=\"noopener\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n<div style=\"overflow:hidden;position:relative;height:0;padding:64.30976% 0 0 0;width:100%;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/embed.gettyimages.com\/embed\/1299203016?et=RgWb0RcCRNlidnon9t1D9w&amp;tld=com&amp;sig=uRU3SX8axe2-iuPBrNZ3Fv2fJS3qy63XvogY-sIvvuY=&amp;caption=true&amp;ver=1\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"594\" height=\"382\" style=\"display:inline-block;position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;margin:0;\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>As drummers, as people, let\u2019s aspire to be&nbsp;inspiring&nbsp;in the way Taylor Hawkins was. To have every person whose lives we touch, directly or indirectly, feel so good, so lucky, so blessed, just from our presence, our spirit, our love, our example.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As drummer Micheal Quinn (Dermot Kennedy) beautifully said in an Instagram post:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cTaylor Hawkins, thanks for inspiring me and leading the way. I\u2019ll do my very very best to carry your spirit behind the drums as I go. I just want to be like you when I grow up. Always have, always will.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>From the Foo Fighters\u2019 song \u201cLearn to Fly\u201d:&nbsp;Run and tell all of the angels, everything\u2019s alright.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Taylor has passed on to your realm.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He truly burned out bright.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Feature Image: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/raph_ph\/42989558592\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Raph_PH on Flickr<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<p><iframe class=\"email-form-include-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/weeklyemail\" frameborder=\"none\"><\/iframe><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Losing Taylor Hawkins was a blow to the entire rock community. Here are some reasons why he&#8217;ll be greatly missed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":165,"featured_media":34811,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4019],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-34670","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drummers"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34670","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/165"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34670"}],"version-history":[{"count":28,"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34670\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":44450,"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34670\/revisions\/44450"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/34811"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34670"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34670"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34670"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}