Taylor Hawkins

Taylor Hawkins
Hawkins with Foo Fighters in 2012
Background information
Birth name	Oliver Taylor Hawkins
Origin	Laguna Beach, California, United States
Genres	Alternative rock, punk rock, post-grunge, alternative metal, progressive rock
Occupation(s)	Musician, songwriter
Instrument(s)	Drums, percussions, vocals, piano
Years active	1994–present

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 Tour, as well as the drummer in a progressive experimental band called Sylvia. 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.

Life and career

Early life

Oliver Taylor Hawkins was born in Fort Worth, Texas on February 17, 1972. His family moved to Laguna Beach, California in 1976, where Hawkins grew up. Hawkins has a brother, Jason, and a sister, Heather. The family had two cats 'Little A' and 'Floyd'. He attended Thurston Jr. High School and later went to Laguna Beach High School. 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

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. 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."

Hawkins (behind the drums) playing with Foo Fighters in Austin, Texas

Other projects

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, 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.

In March 2014, Taylor announced his new side project called The Birds of Satan. It features Hawkins' drum technician and bandmate from Chevy Metal, Wiley Hodgden on bass guitar and vocals as well as guitarist Mick Murphy also of Chevy Metal. The band's self-titled debut album was released in April 2014, with a release party at 'Rock n Roll Pizza' featuring the Foo Fighters guesting on some of the cover tracks.

Influences

Hawkins has said that his drumming has been chiefly influenced by classic rock drummers. His main influences are Phil Collins of Genesis, Stewart Copeland of The Police, Roger Taylor of Queen, Stephen Perkins of Jane's Addiction, Jim Gordon of Derek and the Dominos, and Neil Peart of Rush. He was once guest editor of Rhythm and interviewed Collins, Copeland, Taylor and Perkins for the issue.

"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."

Equipment

This is a list of equipment in Hawkins' current Foo Fighter tour kit:

Gretsch USA Custom drums:

• 18" × 24" 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 eight circular 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 USA Custom drums:

• 16 x 22" Bass Drum
• 6.5" × 14" wood snare drum
• 9" × 13" rack tom
• 16" × 16" floor tom

Zildjian cymbals:

• 15" A Zildjian New Beats Hi-Hats
• 18" K Custom Hybrid Crash
• 20" K Crash Ride
• 20" A Custom Crash

Hawkins also uses DW Hardware, Remo drum heads, Latin Percussion percussion, North drums, Shure drum microphones and Zildjian Taylor Hawkins Signature sticks.

Personal life

Hawkins struggled with addiction throughout the mid- to late-1990s, culminating with an overdose on heroin 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 three children a son named Oliver Shane (Who uses his middle name, Shane) and two Daughters, Annabelle who was born in the winter of 2009 and a second daughter was born in November of 2014 - babies name has not been disclosed.

They currently reside in Hidden Hills, California after moving from Topanga Canyon in 2012. 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 current Yes lead vocalist Jon Davison, and in fact, Hawkins was the one who suggested Davison to Yes bassist Chris Squire even before the departure of previous replacement vocalist Benoit David. "Strangely enough, Jon's name came up when we started working with Benoit," Squire recalled. "In fact, my friend, Taylor Hawkins, had been telling me for years: 'If you ever need a replacement (singer), I know exactly the guy.'"

Discography

Foo Fighters

Main article: Foo Fighters discography

• There is Nothing Left to Lose – (1999)
• One by One – (2002)
• In Your Honor – (2005)
• Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace – (2007)
• Wasting Light – (2011)
• Sonic Highways – (2014)

Taylor Hawkins and the Coattail Riders

• Taylor Hawkins and the Coattail Riders – (2006)
• Red Light Fever – (2010)

The Birds of Satan

• The Birds of Satan – (2014)

Coheed and Cambria

• Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Volume Two: No World for Tomorrow – (2007)

External links

• taylorhawkins.com
• Hawkin's Poor Brain – a collection of Taylor's interviews
• Grohl and Hawkins Interview on The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos