Fighter fighter drummer Taylor Hawkins has died at the age of 50

BOGOTA (AFP) – Multi-Grammy Award-winning rock group Fu Fighter’s drummer Taylor Hawkins has died, his bandmates said in a statement Friday. He was 50 years old.

As part of one of the world’s most influential and critically acclaimed alternative rock bands, Hawkins was known for his on-stage charisma and classic rock-inspired beats, which he once said were influenced by legends such as Phil Collins and Queen Roger Taylor.

He has played with the Fu Fighters since 1997, when he was adopted by lead singer and former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl, who played some of the group’s biggest hits, including “Learn to Fly” and “Best of You”.

“The Fu Fighters family is devastated by the tragic and untimely loss of our beloved Taylor Hawkins,” the band said in a statement on Twitter.

“His musical spirit and contagious smile will live on with all of us forever,” they added.

The statement did not specify the cause of death of Hawkins, the day the band was scheduled to play at the Festival Asterio Picnic in Bogota, Colombia.

A source in the Colombian prosecutor’s office told AFP that Hawkins’ body had been found in a hotel in eastern Bogota.

The festival said in a statement that the event would not go ahead.

Before joining Fu Fighter, Hawkins played drums for Canadian indie song actress Alanis Morrison.

In an interview with 95.5 KLOS last year, Grohl described his first meeting with Hawkins and how he persuaded him to join his band.

“I was like, ‘Wow, you’re either my twin or my soul mate, or my best friend!’ The first 10 seconds of meeting him, ”he said.

“And, of course, I saw him play the drums and I thought he was an amazing drummer,” he added.

“When I called him and said, ‘Hey, I’m looking for a drummer.’ He said, ‘You know I’m your man.’ And I think it had more to do with our personal relationships than musical instruments. ”

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Foo Fighters celebrated their 25th anniversary last year on an epidemic-delayed tour and recently made a rock-and-roll horror movie “Studio 666”.

Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osborne has been hailed as a “great man and an amazing musician” and punk rocker Billy Idol has been hailed by the music world as “sad”.

Rage against machine guitarist Tom Morello praised his “irresistible rock strength”.

Rockers Nickelback said in a statement on Twitter:

“Our deepest condolences to his family, his bandmates, his team, his friends and to all who have been touched by the music he has created with @foofighters lanAlanis and many more.”