An early toxicology report states that Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins had 10 different psychoactive substances in his system when he passed away in Bogota, Columbia at the age of 50. The Office of the Attorney General of Colombia released a statement saying that preliminary toxicology tests found 10 substances, including marijuana, tricyclic antidepressants, benzodiazepines and opioids. Hawkins was found dead in his hotel room in Bogota, where Foo Fighters were scheduled to perform at Festival Estereo Picnic. Bogata’s Secretariat of Health issued a statement explaining that an ambulance responded to an emergency call stating that Hawkins was suffering chest pains.
The band confirmed his death via social media: “The Foo Fighters family is devastated by the tragic and untimely death of our beloved Taylor Hawkins. His musical spirit and infectious laughter will live on with all of us forever. Our hearts go out to his wife, children and family, and we ask that their privacy be treated with the utmost respect in this unimaginably difficult time.”
Hawkins joined Foo Fighters in 1997, after serving as the Alanis Morissette’s touring drummer for two years. Hawkins played drums on eight consecutive Foo Fighters albums. He also performed on Hail Satin, the band’s 2021 Bee Gees tribute album, and released three albums with the Coattail Riders, one LP with his prog-rock side project the Birds of Satan, and fronted the rock ‘n’ roll cover band Chevy Metal, which toured regularly for more than a decade.
Hawkins played his final show with Foo Fighters five days before his death, on March 20 at Lollapalooza Argentina. Grohl said that night: “You know the best thing about Taylor Hawkins, he’s the best f*****g drummer in the world. We love him so much.”
Editorial credit: agwilson / Shutterstock.com