Taylor Hawkins
 |
This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. (November 2012) |
| Taylor Hawkins | |
|---|---|
 Hawkins with Foo Fighters in 2012 |
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Oliver Taylor Hawkins |
| Born | February 17, 1972 |
| Origin | Fort Worth, Texas, United States |
| Genres | Alternative rock, punk rock, post-grunge, alternative metal |
| Occupations | Musician, songwriter |
| Instruments | Drums, percussions, vocals, piano, keyboards, bass guitar, guitar, trumpet |
| Years active | 1994–present |
| Associated acts | Foo Fighters, Taylor Hawkins and the Coattail Riders, Coheed and Cambria, Alanis Morissette, Eddie Fisher, Anyone, Slash, Chevy Metal |
| Notable instruments | |
| Gretsch Drums Zildjian Cymbals Remo Drumheads Zildjian Taylor Hawkins signature model drumsticks Latin Percussion |
|
Oliver Taylor Hawkins (born February 17, 1972) is an American musician, best known as the drummer of the rock band Foo Fighters. Prior to joining the band in 1997, he was the touring drummer for Alanis Morissette on her Jagged Little Pill and Can't Not tours, as well as the drummer in the progressive experimental band called Sylvia, which, after changing its name to Anyone, went on to sign with Roadrunner Records. His cousin, Kevin Harrell, introduced him to Dave Grohl after camping with him for several weeks in the Ozarks. Hawkins would eventually become the drummer for Grohl's band, Foo Fighters. He was voted "Best Rock Drummer" in 2005 by the UK drumming magazine Rhythm.
In 2004, Hawkins formed his own side project, Taylor Hawkins and the Coattail Riders, in which he plays drums and sings.
Contents |
Life and career [edit]
Early life [edit]
Hawkins was born in Fort Worth, Texas. After leaving the Orange County-based band Sylvia (later emerging as ANYONE), he joined up as the drummer for Sass Jordan, which in turn he left to act as the drummer for Alanis Morissette. He has appeared in Morissette's videos for "You Oughta Know" and "You Learn."
Foo Fighters [edit]
After touring through the spring of 1996, Foo Fighters entered a Seattle studio with producer Gil Norton to record its second album. Conflict reportedly erupted between Dave Grohl and the current drummer, William Goldsmith, eventually causing Goldsmith to leave the band.[1] The band regrouped in Los Angeles and almost completely re-recorded the album with Grohl on drums. The album, The Colour and the Shape, was released on May 20, 1997. Grohl called up Hawkins to recommend a new drummer, and to Grohl's surprise, Hawkins volunteered himself. He then auditioned for and subsequently joined the band, making his debut in time for the album's release.
In addition to his drumming duties with the Foo Fighters, Hawkins is also an accomplished rock singer, guitarist and pianist. His first lead vocal with the group was a cover of Pink Floyd's "Have a Cigar". Two versions of the song were released, one as the b-side to "Learn to Fly" and another on the Mission: Impossible 2 soundtrack album. He sang lead vocals on the original "Cold Day in the Sun," from In Your Honor, which was later released as a single, and the cover of Cream's "I Feel Free," which appeared as the b-side of "DOA" and on the EP Five Songs and a Cover. Hawkins also sang lead vocals for the band's cover of Joe Walsh's "Life of Illusion." Over the years, he has increasingly provided backing vocals on albums and in concert. At times, he has also done lead vocals and guitar while Grohl plays drums, but Hawkins is often limited to singing "Cold Day in the Sun" while drumming. This has led to a running joke whereby Grohl greets the end of Hawkins' stint as lead vocalist with the quip, "You know, for a drummer, you're not a bad singer," to which Hawkins retorts, "Neither are you."[citation needed]
Other projects [edit]
In 2006, Hawkins released a self-titled LP with his side project, Taylor Hawkins and the Coattail Riders. He occasionally plays with a Police cover band alternately called "The Cops" and "Fallout."
At Live Earth in 2007, Hawkins was part of SOS Allstars with Roger Taylor of Queen and Chad Smith of Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Taylor played "YYZ" with Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson of Rush on stage at a concert in Toronto on March 22, 2008.
Hawkins recorded the drum tracks for the Coheed and Cambria album "Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Volume Two: No World for Tomorrow" as the band's regular drummer, Chris Pennie, was not able to record due to contractual reasons. Also, Hawkins toured with Coheed and Cambria shortly during the months of the album. Hawkins can also be heard drumming on Eric Avery's (formerly of Jane's Addiction) first solo effort, Help Wanted and on Kerry Ellis's album, "Wicked in Rock." Hawkins and Grohl split drumming duties on Harmony & Dissidence, the latest album by Foo Fighters bandmate Chris Shiflett's own side project, Jackson United.
Taylor Hawkins recorded the drum for the track "Anche se," from Vasco Rossi's demo.
Hawkins played on the track "Cyborg," from Queen guitarist Brian May's 1998 solo album, Another World; he also played drums at VH1's Rock Honors 2006 while Queen performed "We Will Rock You." He sang backing vocals on the Queen + Paul Rodgers single, "C-lebrity."
Hawkins was commissioned to complete an unfinished recording of a song by Beach Boys' drummer Dennis Wilson titled "Holy Man" by writing and singing new lyrics. The recording was released in June 2008 as part of a deluxe edition of Wilson's lone 1977 solo album, Pacific Ocean Blue.
While the Foo Fighters were on break, Hawkins played in a three-piece cover band, Chevy Metal, that played lesser known tracks by ZZ Top, Aerosmith, Deep Purple, Van Halen, Queen, and Black Sabbath. Hawkins continues to play in Chevy Metal, except with fellow Foo Fighters bandmate Chris Shiflett now on guitar.
Taylor Hawkins appears on Slash's solo album Slash,[2] released in 2010, providing backing vocals on the track "Crucify the Dead," featuring Ozzy Osbourne.
In 2011, Taylor recorded drums for songs by Vasco Rossi.
In June 2012, it was announced that Hawkins was cast in the role of Iggy Pop in the upcoming rock film CBGB.
Taylor recorded the drums on Vasco Rossi's last song, "L'uomo più semplice." This song was released on January 21 in Italy, and it was an instant radio hit.
Influences [edit]
Hawkins has said that his drumming has been chiefly influenced by Roger Taylor of Queen, Stewart Copeland of The Police, and Neil Peart of Rush.
- "My earliest Queen memory is of the movie King Kong. I went to see that movie when I was six years old and a typical '70s kid. On the drive home with my parents, I heard 'We Will Rock You' on the car radio. Somehow in my mind there was now a correlation between King Kong and the sound of Roger Taylor's drums. Somehow they fitted so well with the image of this monster stomping through the city that I couldn't separate the two."
- Taylor is also a fan of U2 stating, "To be honest, I'm probably more of an older-U2 fan. I was a really huge fan of Boy, October, War and The Unforgettable Fire. I like their new stuff here and there, but my favorite stuff is really the early, underproduced stuff."
Equipment [edit]
This is a list of equipment in Hawkins' current Foo Fighter tour kit:
Gretsch drums:
- 18" × 22" bass drum
- 6.5" × 14" steel Taylor Hawkins Signature Gretsch Snare Drum
- 6" × 6" concert tom
- 6" × 8" concert tom
- 7" × 10" concert tom
- 9" × 13" rack tom
- 16" × 16" floor tom
- 16" × 18" floor tom
Zildjian cymbals:
- 15" K Light hi-hats
- 19" K Custom hybrid crash
- 21" Avedis sweet ride
- 20" A Custom EFX crash
- 20" A Custom china (modified with three oblong 5" holes by drum tech Yeti Ward)
This is a list of equipment in Hawkins' current Taylor Hawkins and the Coattail Riders tour kit. Being the lead vocalist of the band, Hawkins prefers to use a small drum kit so he can be seen singing.
Gretsch drums:
- 18 x 22" Bass Drum
- 5.5" × 14" brass snare drum
- 9" × 13" rack tom
- 16" × 16" floor tom
Zildjian cymbals:
- 15" K Light hi-hats
- 18" K Custom hybrid crash
- 21" Avedis sweet ride
- 20" A Custom crash
Hawkins also uses DW Hardware, Remo drum heads, Latin Percussion percussion, North drums,[3] Shure drum microphones and Zildjian Taylor Hawkins Signature sticks.
Personal life [edit]
Hawkins struggled with addiction throughout the mid- to late-1990s, culminating with an overdose on painkillers in 2001 while on tour with Foo Fighters in London. Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl sat beside Hawkins' hospital bed until he woke up.
Hawkins and his wife, Alison, have a son named Oliver Shane (he is called Shane). They have a daughter named Annabelle, born in the winter of 2009. They currently reside in Topanga Canyon, California. Hawkins is also very athletic and loves to go mountain biking. He usually bikes with fellow Foo Fighters bandmate Nate Mendel.
He is a childhood friend of Yes lead vocalist Jon Davison.[4]
References [edit]
- ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (2005). "Biography"[dead link] AllMusicGuide.com (accessed April 28, 2006)
- ^ "Slash interview, ultimate-guitar.com, March 20, 2010". Ultimate-guitar.com. 2010-03-20. Retrieved 2011-10-18.
- ^ http://twitter.com/#!/foofighters/status/33643843475742720
- ^ http://glasshammer.com/pages/features/JonDavison.html
External links [edit]
- taylorhawkins.com
- Hawkin's Poor Brain - a collection of Taylor's interviews
- Grohl and Hawkins Interview on The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
