Stewart Copeland “started crying” at Taylor Hawkins memorial concert
It’s hard to choose just one highlight from the Taylor Hawkins tribute concert that occurred last Saturday at Wembley Stadium: a blistering version of AC/DC’s ‘Back in Black’ with Brian Johnson, a few Police songs with Stewart Copeland, some awesome shredding by Wolfgang Van Halen, and an emotional Dave Grohl breaking down in the middle of ‘Times Like These’. All were notable, but one song tugged at the heartstrings more than any other — Hawkins’ son Shane playing the drums on the Foo Fighters classic ‘My Hero’ in place of his father.
The moment has caught fire online as Shane’s enthusiastic bashing reminded more than a few viewers of both his father and Grohl’s signature style. It was the kind of magic that tribute shows are custom-made for, and it’s surely going to be the moment that keeps getting shared and talked about when people remember the Wembley concert.
One viewer who was moved by Shane channelling his father was Copeland. “I started crying,” Copeland told CBS Sunday Morning. “He’s got it. He’s got such power, enthusiasm. He’s got his father’s stance, musical language. That was really emotional to see young Shane up there.”
Copeland also explained how Hawkins and Grohl made being music nerds cool. “Taylor, and also Dave, had made being a fanboy cool. It was never cool before,” Copeland explained. “I’d go hang out at Taylor’s place and he’d be wearing his Police T-shirt…he was just a fanboy, but he rose to prominence himself as a hero himself.”
“He became friends with all of his heroes: with Roger Taylor, with Lars Ulrich, with the guys from Rush,” Copeland observed. The former Police drummer also highlighted Hawkins’ “power and enthusiasm and solidity” when assessing his drum skills. Coming from a master like Copeland, it’s hard to think of a higher compliment than that.
Check out Stewart Copeland discussing the Taylor Hawkins tribute, plus Shane Hawkins’ performance of ‘My Hero’, down below.
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