Taylor Hawkins, the legendary drummer for Foo Fighters, perhaps the biggest rock band on the planet for the past quarter-century, has died. Hawkins, who was only fifty years old, was found dead in his hotel room in Bogota, Columbia. According to Deadline, he was in town with the rest of the Foo Fighters performing a show as part of their South American tour. No further facts have emerged as to what the cause of death was, but the band has since published a statement on Twitter:
Hawkins is survived by his wife and children. Folks, this is a bummer. Hawkins seemed like a majorly good dude, and Foo Fighters have always been an inspiration. Musical tastes may change, but the band has always been able to carve out a spot in the pop culture, boasting a pretty legendary run of hits. Hawkins joined the band in 1997 after the departure of original drummer William Goldsmith. He’s been a staple of the band ever since, with him just recently having a prominent role in the Foo Fighters horror-comedy Studio 666. On a personal note, they were due to play Osheaga here in Montreal this summer, and I was looking forward to seeing them. Hawkins was a huge part of the band, and things without him will never be the same.
Many of his friends and colleagues have shared their tributes via Twitter: