“I think it had more to do with our personal relationship than anything musical,” he added. “To be honest, it still is. Our musical relationship – the foundation of it is our friendship, and that’s why when we get on stage and play, we’re so connected because we’re like best friends.
Grohl, the Foo Fighters’ lead singer and one of its songwriters and guitarists, played drums on the band’s 1995 debut album, and he picked up the slack for their second album, “The Color and the Shape”, when a substitute failed to stick . Upon joining the band, Hawkins was tasked with taking over from one of the most distinct, powerful and beloved drummers in contemporary rock.
Recorded in a Virginia basement without the intervention of a record company, ‘There’s Nothing to Lose’ won the Grammy for Best Rock Album – the band’s first of 12 career awards there. .
At this year’s Grammys, where the Foo Fighters were scheduled to perform on April 3, “Medicine at Midnight” was nominated for three awards, including Best Rock Performance (for the song “Making a Fire”), Best rock song (“Waiting on a War”) and best rock album.
The Foo Fighters were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2021, recognized for their “rock authenticity with infectious hooks, guitar riffs in your face, monster drumming and boundless energy.” At the ceremony, Hawkins said to Grohl, “Thank you for letting me be a part of your band.”
In addition to his drums, Hawkins continued to contribute as a songwriter to Foo Fighters albums, even singing lead vocals on occasion. Beginning in 2006, he released three albums with his side project, Taylor Hawkins and the Coattail Riders. Last year he teamed up with guitarist Dave Navarro and bassist Chris Chaney to form a band called NHC; the band’s debut EP, “Intakes & Outtakes,” was released in February.
