Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins dies at 50

Taylor Hawkins, drummer for the rock group Foo Fighters, has died at the age of 50, a statement from the band said.

His death was reported during the band's South American tour. They had been scheduled to play at a festival in Bogota, Colombia, on Friday night. 

"His musical spirit and infectious laughter will live on with all of us forever,'' said a message on the band's official Twitter account. "Our hearts go out to his wife, children and family.''

Hawkins was reported to have complained of chest pains on Friday night (Mar. 26). However, by the time an ambulance arrived, the drummer had already died in his hotel room in Bogota. An initial toxicology test revealed that there were 10 different substances in his body, including THC (marijuana), antidepressants, benzodiazepines and opioids, according to a statement by the Colombia Attorney General’s Office. The cause of death has not been determined.

'Brother from another mother'

Hawkins had played with the Foo Fighters since 1997, when he was recruited by lead singer and former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl.

He was known for his charismatic stage presence and played on the band's most successful albums, including "One by One'' and "On Your Honor,'' and on hit singles including "My Hero'' and "Best of You.''

He also co-starred in Foo Fighters' recently released horror-comedy film, "Studio 666.''

In Grohl's 2021 book "The Storyteller," he describes Hawkins as his "brother from another mother, my best friend, a man for whom I would take a bullet."

"Upon first meeting, our bond was immediate, and we grew closer with every day, every song, every note that we ever played together,'' Grohl wrote. "We are absolutely meant to be, and I am grateful that we found each other in this lifetime.''

Before joining Foo Fighters, Hawkins drummed for Canadian singer Alanis Morissette.

Tributes pour in

Musicians paid tribute to Hawkins on social media late Friday, with Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello praising his "spirit and unstoppable rock power."

"God bless you Taylor Hawkins," he wrote on Twitter alongside a photo of himself, Hawkins and Jane's Addiction singer Perry Ferrell.

Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne hailed Hawkins as a "great person and an amazing musician," while punk rocker Billy Idol described his death as "tragic."

Finneas, Billie Eilish's brother, co-writer and producer, called him "an incredible talent, who didn't also need to be so kind and generous and cool but was all those things too anyway. The world was so lucky to have his gifts for the time that it did.''

nm/kb (AFP, AP)