Taylor Hawkins (born
Oliver Taylor Hawkins, February 17, 1972,
Fort WorthFort Worth is the seventeenth-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city within the state of Texas. Located in and a cultural gateway into the American West, the city covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, and Denton counties, serving as the county seat for Tarrant...
,
TexasTexas is the second-largest U.S. state in both area and population, and the largest state in the contiguous United States.The name had wide usage among native Americans, meaning "friends" or "allies"...
) is an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
musicianA musician is a person who performs or writes music. Musicians can be classified by their roles in creating or performing music:* An instrumentalist plays a musical instrument.* A singer uses his or her voice as an instrument....
, best known as the
drummerA drummer is a person who plays drums, particularly a drum kit , marching percussion or hand drums. The term percussionist applies to a musician performing on any percussion instrument, but usually refers to one who plays classical or Latin percussion. Most bands for Rock, Pop, Jazz, R&B etc...
of the
rockRock music is a genre of popular music that entered the mainstream in the 1960s. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, rhythm and blues, country music and also drew on folk music, jazz and classical music....
bandRock band redirects here. For the video game series, see Rock Band A musical ensemble is a group of two or more musicians who perform instrumental or vocal music...
,
Foo FightersFoo Fighters is an American rock band formed by singer/guitarist/drummer Dave Grohl in 1995. Grohl formed the group as a one-man project after the dissolution of his previous band, Nirvana, in 1994. Prior to the release of Foo Fighters in 1995, Grohl drafted Nate Mendel , William Goldsmith , and...
.
Prior to joining the band in 1997, he was the touring drummer for
Alanis MorissetteAlanis Nadine Morissette is a Canadian-American singer-songwriter, record producer and occasional actress. She has won 12 Juno Awards and seven Grammy Awards. Morissette began her career in Canada, and as a teenager recorded two dance-pop albums, Alanis and Now Is the Time, under MCA Records...
on her
Jagged Little PillJagged Little Pill is the third studio album by Canadian singer–songwriter Alanis Morissette. The album made a sharp turn in genre and style for Morissette from her previous dance pop sound. As detailed in the article about the seventh track, "You Learn", the title is a metaphor for lessons of...
tour, as well as the drummer in the progressive experimental band called Sylvia which, after changing their name to
AnyoneAnyone is a band from Southern California that formed in 1995. Their 2001 self-titled album was released on Roadrunner Records. They have described their music using the term "maximum acid", combining a heavy metal sound with psychedelic rock influences...
, went on to sign with Roadrunner Records. His cousin, Kevin Harrell, introduced him to
Dave GrohlDavid Eric Grohl is an American rock musician, singer and songwriter. Grohl began his music career in the 1980s as the drummer for several Washington, D.C., area bands, including the hardcore punk band Scream. In 1990 he became the drummer for grunge group Nirvana...
after camping with him for several weeks in
the OzarksThe Ozarks are a physiographic, geologic, and cultural highland region of the central United States. It covers much of the south half of Missouri and an extensive portion of northwest and North central Arkansas...
. Hawkins would eventually become the drummer for Grohl's band, Foo Fighters. He was voted "Best Rock Drummer" in 2005 by the
UKThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
drumming
magazineMagazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles, generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
,
Rhythm.
In 2004, Hawkins formed his own side project,
Taylor Hawkins and the Coattail RidersTaylor Hawkins and the Coattail Riders is a band founded by Taylor Hawkins, current drummer for the Foo Fighters. Hawkins is the drummer and vocalist for the trio. Other band members include Chris Chaney on bass and Gannin on guitar...
, in which he plays drums and sings.
Early career
After leaving the
Orange CountyOrange County is a county in Southern California, United States. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2000 census, its population was 2,846,293, though a July 2008 estimate placed the population at 3,010,759, making it the second most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and...
-based band Sylvia (later emerging as ANYONE), he joined up as drummer for
Sass JordanSarah "Sass" Jordan is a Canadian, Juno Award winning, rock singer/songwriter who grew up in Montreal.- Biography :...
, which in turn he left to act as drummer for
Alanis MorissetteAlanis Nadine Morissette is a Canadian-American singer-songwriter, record producer and occasional actress. She has won 12 Juno Awards and seven Grammy Awards. Morissette began her career in Canada, and as a teenager recorded two dance-pop albums, Alanis and Now Is the Time, under MCA Records...
. He has appeared in Morisette's videos for "
You Oughta Know"You Oughta Know" is a Grammy Award-winning song written by Alanis Morissette and Glen Ballard, and produced by Ballard for Morissette's first album Jagged Little Pill...
" and "You Learn". In the demo version of
Alanis MorissetteAlanis Nadine Morissette is a Canadian-American singer-songwriter, record producer and occasional actress. She has won 12 Juno Awards and seven Grammy Awards. Morissette began her career in Canada, and as a teenager recorded two dance-pop albums, Alanis and Now Is the Time, under MCA Records...
's song "
Unsent"Unsent" is a song by Alanis Morissette on her 1998 album, Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie. It was released as the album's third single on March 18, 1999 and was not as successful as Morissette's earlier singles. It was one of the few Junkie tracks on which she played her harmonica...
" from the 1998 album,
Supposed Former Infatuation JunkieSupposed Former Infatuation Junkie is the fourth album and second internationally released album by singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette, released by Maverick Records in the United States on November 3 1998 .-History:...
, a verse is dedicated to the friendship and rumored relationship between Hawkins and Morissette. In 2008, however, Morissette insisted on the
Howard Stern showThe Howard Stern Show is an American talk radio show hosted by Howard Stern, broadcasting on his two uncensored channels on satellite radio service Sirius XM since January 2006. The show developed while on terrestrial radio, when Stern became a morning disc jockey at WCCC in Hartford in 1979, two...
that they had never been in romantic relationships.
Foo Fighters
After touring through the spring of 1996, the band entered a Seattle studio with producer
Gil NortonGil Norton is a British record producer known for his work with such bands as Pixies, Echo & the Bunnymen, Foo Fighters, Tribe, Jimmy Eat World, Dashboard Confessional, Feeder, The Distillers, Maxïmo Park, Counting Crows, Terrorvision, The Triffids, Del Amitri, James, The Feelers, The Beekeepers...
to record its second album. Conflict reportedly erupted between
Dave GrohlDavid Eric Grohl is an American rock musician, singer and songwriter. Grohl began his music career in the 1980s as the drummer for several Washington, D.C., area bands, including the hardcore punk band Scream. In 1990 he became the drummer for grunge group Nirvana...
and then drummer,
William GoldsmithWilliam Goldsmith is an American drummer best known for being the drummer of the popular Seattle emo band Sunny Day Real Estate and for his tenure as the drummer of the alternative rock band Foo Fighters.-Early Years:...
, eventually causing Goldsmith to leave the band. The band regrouped in
Los AngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the municipality of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123.445 inhabitants...
and almost completely re-recorded the album with Grohl on drums. The album,
The Colour and the ShapeThe Colour and the Shape is the Foo Fighters' second album. It was released May 20, 1997 through Roswell/Capitol Records. The album reached number three in the UK and number ten in the United States. The Colour and the Shape is the Foo Fighters' biggest U.S...
, was released on May 20, 1997. Grohl called up Hawkins to recommend the band a new drummer, and to Grohl's surprise, Hawkins volunteered himself. He then auditioned for the band 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. He took over lead vocals for Foo Fighters on "
Cold Day in the Sun"Cold Day in the Sun" is a song created by the Foo Fighters, which is on the acoustic part of the Foo Fighters' fifth album In Your Honor. In the UK, the song is featured as the album's fourth single, which is a double A-side single with "No Way Back"...
," a song on the acoustic half of the double album
In Your HonorIn Your Honor is the fifth studio album by Foo Fighters, released on June 14, 2005 on BMG. It is the band's second best selling album in the U.S. behind 1997's The Colour and the Shape. It consists of two discs...
which was later released as a single, and the cover of
CreamCream were a 1960s British blues-rock band and supergroup consisting of bassist/vocalist Jack Bruce, guitarist/vocalist Eric Clapton, and drummer Ginger Baker. Their sound was characterised by a hybrid of blues, hard rock and psychedelic rock...
's "
I Feel Free"I Feel Free" is a song first recorded by the British blues rock band Cream. The song was written by Pete Brown and Jack Bruce and was the first of their many collaborations. It was the first track on the US version of their debut album, Fresh Cream , and the band's second hit single, following the...
", which appeared as the B-side of "
DOA"DOA" is the second song released as a single from the Foo Fighters' fifth album, In Your Honor. It has been released on two different discs. The demo version of this song was released on the 2005 EP, Five Songs and a Cover....
" and on the EP
Five Songs and a CoverFive Songs and a Cover is an EP released by the Foo Fighters in 2005. Released on November 20, 2005, it was exclusively distributed to Best Buy retail stores....
. Hawkins also provides lead vocals for the band's cover of the
Pink FloydPink Floyd were an English rock band who, in the late 1960s, earned recognition for their psychedelic and space rock music, and in the 1970s, as they evolved, for their progressive rock music. Pink Floyd's work is marked by philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album cover art,...
hit, "
Have A Cigar"Have a Cigar" is the third track on Pink Floyd's 1975 album Wish You Were Here. It follows "Welcome to the Machine" and on the original LP opened side two.- Composition and recording :...
" (which featured
Brian MayBrian Harold May, CBE, is an English musician and astrophysicist most widely known as the lead guitarist of the rock band Queen. As a guitarist he uses his home built guitar, "Red Special", and has composed hits such as "Tie Your Mother Down", "We Will Rock You", "Who Wants to Live Forever",...
on lead guitar) (and was released as part of the
Mission: Impossible 2 soundtrack album), as well as a cover of
Joe WalshJoseph Fidler "Joe" Walsh is an American guitarist, songwriter, and rock musician. He has been a member of three successful bands, the James Gang, Barnstorm, and Eagles...
's "Life of Illusion". Live, he occasionally provides backing vocals and, at times, lead vocals and guitar while Grohl plays drums. 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".
Other projects
In 2006, Hawkins released a self-titled LP with his side-project,
Taylor Hawkins and the Coattail RidersTaylor Hawkins and the Coattail Riders is a band founded by Taylor Hawkins, current drummer for the Foo Fighters. Hawkins is the drummer and vocalist for the trio. Other band members include Chris Chaney on bass and Gannin on guitar...
. He occasionally plays with a Police cover band alternately called "The Cops" and "Fallout".
At
Live EarthLive Earth is an annual event developed to combat climate change.-Background:The plans for the first Live Earth concerts were announced at a media event in Los Angeles on 15 February 2007 by Al Gore, Kevin Wall and other celebrities...
in 2007, Hawkins was part of
SOS AllstarsThe SOS Allstars were a one time supergroup that performed at the 2007 Live Earth Concert in London, England. It consisted of three lead drummers and around 40 supporting drummers representing many drumming styles from around the world, including The Dhol Foundation, Taiko drummers, and a drum...
with
Roger TaylorRoger Taylor is an English musician best known as the percussionist, backing vocalist and occasional lead vocalist of the rock band Queen. As a drummer he is known for his "big" unique sound and is considered one of the most influential rock drummers of the 1970s and 1980s...
of
QueenQueen were an English rock band. Formed in London in 1970 following the demise of the band Smile, Queen consisted of vocalist Freddie Mercury, guitarist Brian May, bassist John Deacon and drummer Roger Taylor. The band became popular with audiences via their hit songs, live performances,...
and
Chad SmithChad Smith is best known as being the longtime drummer of Red Hot Chili Peppers. He is also the drummer of the supergroup Chickenfoot and instrumental band, Chad Smith's Bombastic Meatbats.-Biography:...
of
Red Hot Chili PeppersRed Hot Chili Peppers is an American alternative rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1983. For most of the band's existence, the members have been vocalist Anthony Kiedis, guitarist John Frusciante, bassist Michael "Flea" Balzary, and drummer Chad Smith...
.
Taylor played "
YYZ"YYZ" is an instrumental rock piece by Canadian rock band Rush, from the 1981 album Moving Pictures.Following its initial release, it became one of the band's most popular pieces and has been a staple of the band's live performances...
" with
Geddy LeeGeddy Lee OC is a Canadian musician best known as the lead vocalist, bassist, and keyboardist for the Canadian rock group Rush...
and
Alex LifesonAlex Lifeson, OC is a Canadian musician, best known for his work as the guitarist of the Canadian rock band Rush...
of
RushRush is a Canadian rock band originally formed in August 1968, in the Willowdale neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario, composed of bassist, keyboardist, and lead vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer and lyricist Neil Peart...
on stage at a concert in Toronto on March 22, 2008.
Hawkins recorded the drum tracks for the
Coheed and CambriaCoheed and Cambria is an American rock band from New York, formed in 1995. The band was originally named "Shabütie"; however, the name was changed to "Coheed and Cambria" when drummer Nate Kelley departed...
album "Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Volume Two: No World for Tomorrow", as the band's regular drummer
Chris PennieChris Pennie is the current drummer for the progressive rock band Coheed and Cambria and former drummer and co-founder of mathcore band The Dillinger Escape Plan.- Background :...
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 AveryEric Adam Avery is an American musician and bass player for the rock band Jane's Addiction. Avery played in Jane's Addiction initially from 1985 to 1991, and rejoined the band in 2008.- Biography :...
's (formerly of
Jane's AddictionJane's Addiction is an American alternative rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1985. The band is composed of Perry Farrell , Dave Navarro , Eric Avery and Stephen Perkins . After breaking up in 1991, Jane's Addiction briefly toured in 1997, reunited in 2001 and then parted ways in 2004...
) first solo effort,
Help WantedHelp Wanted is the debut solo album release from Jane's Addiction bassist, Eric Avery, released on April 8, 2008. A number of notable guest musicians perform on the record, including Foo Fighters' Taylor Hawkins, Garbage's Shirley Manson, and trumpeters Flea and Willie Waldman...
and on
Kerry EllisKerry Ellis is an English stage actress who has starred as Elphaba in the West End and Broadway productions of the musical Wicked...
's album, 'Wicked in Rock'. Hawkins and Grohl split drumming duties on
Harmony & Dissidence, the latest album by
Foo FightersFoo Fighters is an American rock band formed by singer/guitarist/drummer Dave Grohl in 1995. Grohl formed the group as a one-man project after the dissolution of his previous band, Nirvana, in 1994. Prior to the release of Foo Fighters in 1995, Grohl drafted Nate Mendel , William Goldsmith , and...
band-mate
Chris ShiflettChris Aubrey Shiflett is best known as the lead guitarist for the rock band Foo Fighters. Shiflett joined Foo Fighters after the release of their third album, There Is Nothing Left to Lose. The first album he played on was One by One...
's own side-project,
Jackson UnitedJackson United is an American punk rock band formed by singer and guitarist Chris Shiflett in 2003. Shiflett recruited his older brother Scott Shiflett and Pete Parada to complete the band. A debut eponymous EP was recorded and released in 2003. Shortly after this release Parada left the band...
.
Hawkins played on the track "Cyborg", from Queen guitarist
Brian MayBrian Harold May, CBE, is an English musician and astrophysicist most widely known as the lead guitarist of the rock band Queen. As a guitarist he uses his home built guitar, "Red Special", and has composed hits such as "Tie Your Mother Down", "We Will Rock You", "Who Wants to Live Forever",...
's 1998 solo album,
Another WorldAnother World is the second full studio album delivered by Queen guitarist, Brian May. Recorded at his home studio after the completion of the last Queen album, Made in Heaven, the album was released in the UK on June 1 1998 and on September 15th of that year in the US. The album itself started...
; he also played drums at
VH1VH1 is an American cable television network based in New York City...
's Rock Honors 2006 while Queen performed "
We Will Rock You"We Will Rock You" is a song written by Brian May and recorded and performed by Queen. Rolling Stone ranked it #330 of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time in 2004...
". He sang
backing vocalsA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
on the Queen +
Paul RodgersPaul Bernard Rodgers, is an English rock singer-songwriter best known for being a member of Free and Bad Company. Both bands experienced international success in the 1970s. Before establishing a career as a solo artist, he was also a member of The Firm and The Law. He has recently toured and...
single, "
C-lebrity"C-lebrity" is the second single from The Cosmos Rocks album by Queen + Paul Rodgers. It received its live debut on the series finale of ITV's Al Murray's Happy Hour. The song tells the story from the point of view of an aspiring celebrity, who doesn't let their apparent lack of talent hold them back...
".
Hawkins was commissioned to complete an unfinished recording of a song by Beach Boys' drummer
Dennis WilsonDennis Carl Wilson was an American rock and roll musician best known as a founding member and the drummer of The Beach Boys...
entitled "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 BluePacific Ocean Blue is Dennis Wilson's only solo album, released in 1977. After several attempts, starting in 1970, to release his own project, some of which made it to the finished album, Wilson recorded the bulk of Pacific Ocean Blue in the months spanning the fall of 1976 to the following spring...
.
While the Foo Fighters were on break, Hawkins played in a three piece cover band, Chevy Metal, that played lesser known tracks by
ZZ TopZZ Top is an American rock trio, formed in late 1969 in Houston, Texas, by Billy Gibbons , Dusty Hill , and Frank Beard...
,
AerosmithAerosmith is an American hard rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and seen by some as America's greatest rock and roll band. Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues,, and has...
,
Deep PurpleDeep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford, Hertfordshire in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members have tried not to categorise themselves as any one genre. The band...
and
Black SabbathBlack Sabbath are an English rock band, formed in Birmingham in 1968 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple lineup changes, with a total of twenty-two former members...
.
Influences
Hawkins has said that his drumming has been chiefly influenced by
Roger TaylorRoger Taylor is an English musician best known as the percussionist, backing vocalist and occasional lead vocalist of the rock band Queen. As a drummer he is known for his "big" unique sound and is considered one of the most influential rock drummers of the 1970s and 1980s...
of
QueenQueen were an English rock band. Formed in London in 1970 following the demise of the band Smile, Queen consisted of vocalist Freddie Mercury, guitarist Brian May, bassist John Deacon and drummer Roger Taylor. The band became popular with audiences via their hit songs, live performances,...
and
Stewart CopelandStewart Armstrong Copeland is an American musician, best known as the drummer for the band The Police. During the group's extended hiatus from the mid-1980s to 2007, he played in other bands and composed soundtracks.-Background:...
of
The PoliceThe Police were an English rock trio, from London, England, formed originally in 1977. The trio consisted of Gordon Sumner, CBE , widely known by his stage name of Sting , Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland...
.
- "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
U2U2 are a rock band that formed in Dublin, Ireland. The band consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr...
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
This is a list of equipment in Hawkins' current tour kit.
Tama-People:* Taimah, Meskwaki leader, also called Chief Tama* Sam Fatu, a professional wrestler, uses this name amongst others* Tama Janowitz, an American writer* Hosokawa Tama , a Japanese noblewoman* nickname for Tamara...
drums:
- 18" x 24" Bass Drum
- 6" x 14" Snare Drum
- 5" x 8" Rack Tom
- 7" x 8" Rack Tom
- 9" x 13" Rack Tom
- 16" x 16" Floor Tom
- 16" x 18" Floor Tom
- 14" Remo Roto Toms
Zildjian cymbals:
- 15" Avedis New Beat Hi-Hats
- 19" A Custom Crash
- 20" A Custom Crash
- 22" A Custom Ride
- 21" K Brilliant Crash Ride
- 22" A Custom EFX
Hawkins also uses
DWDW may stand for:*Data Warehouse as a software provision*Deadweight, a ship measurement for capacity, tonnage*Deutsche Welle, a German international broadcaster*Development Workshop, non-profit organization...
,
GibraltarGibraltar is a self-governing British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula and Europe at the entrance of the Mediterranean overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar. The territory covers and shares a land border with Spain to the north...
Hardware,
RemoRemo is an American drum skin company.Remo may also refer to:* Remo , a member of the Lucchese crime family* Remo language, a Panoan language of Brazil and Peru* Clube do Remo, a Brazilian football club...
drum heads,
Latin PercussionLatin Percussion, also known as LP, is a brand of percussion instruments, specializing in ethnic instruments engineered and manufactured to withstand the rigors of use in a drum kit, orchestral percussion section, and similar applications...
Percussion,
ShureShure Incorporated is a consumer and professional audio electronics corporation. Shure Incorporated mainly produces microphones and other audio electronics, but also produces in-ear monitors for a variety of audio applications including MP3 players.-Background:Shure was founded in 1925 as The...
drum microphones and Zildjian
Taylor Hawkins Signature sticks.
Personal life
He has dated
Good Will HuntingGood Will Hunting is a 1997 drama film directed by Gus Van Sant and written by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, who both star in the film....
actress
Minnie DriverMinnie Driver is an English actress and singer-songwriter. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in the 1997 film Good Will Hunting.-Early life:...
and model Celia (Clea) Irvine. He has been married to his wife Alison since 2005. They had a baby boy named Oliver Shane Hawkins in August 2007 and are expecting a second child in 2009.
His 2001 collapse after the
V FestivalThe V Festival is an annual music festival held in England during the penultimate weekend in August. Organised by SJM Concerts, the event is held at two parks simultaneously which share the same bill; artists perform at one location on Saturday and then swap on Sunday. The sites are currently...
was a result of an overdose of drugs and prescribed painkillers combined with alcohol. Reportedly the first sight Taylor saw upon awakening in the hospital was Grohl, who had not left his bedside the entire time.
External links