Taylor Hawkins once discussed “the funnest” band he ever played with
Rock and roll is not a business meant to take itself too seriously. As much as some artists might get tied up in legal proceedings and have to relentlessly debate who is owed different royalties, just as many understand that music is supposed to be a blast, leaving their egos at the door and living to play music to whoever would hear them. Although Taylor Hawkins loved to play drums with anyone and everyone throughout his lifetime, one band always stood out in his memory.
For most rock fans, though, Hawkins was always known as the musical twin to Dave Grohl in Foo Fighters. When the band needed a new drummer to replace William Goldsmith, Hawkins stepped up to the challenge flawlessly, turning in outstanding performances when playing songs like ‘Everlong’ and ‘Monkey Wrench’.
Although he and Grohl may have had their special times together, Hawkins would also recall how much pressure he placed on himself throughout his career. Regardless of his technical ability, Hawkins knew that Grohl could have easily played the drums on any Foo Fighters record if he wanted to, causing him to step up his game whenever he got behind the kit to do something that would make the frontman proud.
There was also personal drama when Hawkins joined, featuring a rotating cast of guitarists in the late 1990s before Hawkins blew up at Grohl for taking the group for granted during the making of the album One By One. While they would eventually make up and become a leading force in rock history in the next decade, time could have led Hawkins to stay with his previous gig.
Once Foo Fighters started to find success off the back of the self-titled album, Hawkins got his first big break playing drums with Alanis Morrissette, bringing an added sense of muscle to songs like ‘You Oughta Know’ and ‘Ironic’. Despite being the perfect fit for the alternative frontwoman’s live sound, Hawkins said it was no question when it came time to take the gig with Grohl.
After Grohl jokingly asked Hawkins if he knew any good drummers to play in the band, he insisted that he should try out for the band. While Grohl thought that there was no way Hawkins would give up a gig with one of the biggest stars in the world, Hawkins was adamant, saying that he wanted to be part of a band rather than being a side musician to someone else.
While Hawkins did express a few regrets about leaving Morrissette on a high note, he did have fond memories of working with her throughout her career, saying, “In retrospect, I probably was a little less respectful than I should have been. Looking back, those were some of the funnest times of my life. She became a very good friend, and I wish we were still in touch”.
Then again, being a part of Morrissette’s camp led to Hawkins getting an education on how to play with rock musicians, working alongside Flea of Red Hot Chili Peppers and Dave Navarro of Jane’s Addiction when putting together ‘You Oughta Know’. Hawkins may have accidentally burned bridges along the way, but fate was already pushing him towards a career as a drumming god.
