The close relationship between Queen and Foo Fighters has been displayed on numerous occasions. So, when drummer Taylor Hawkins, unfortunately, passed away, it only seemed fair that Queen legends would pay homage to him with an epic tribute. Roger Taylor recently discussed the tribute show with Billboard and how the Freddie Mercury tribute model influenced Dave Grohl‘s plans for the show.
It’s apparent that Taylor Hawkins was like family to the Queen legends. The late drummer greatly admired the British cult act. Following Taylor’s passing, Brian May disclosed that he had missed him very much, and it was crushing not to have Hawkins around. Roger Taylor also had a significant influence on the late drummer’s career.
When Foo Fighters and the Hawkins family announced that they were planning to put on a tribute show for the late musician, Queen didn’t hesitate for a minute to participate. When Roger Taylor was asked if the Hawkins concert had reminded him of the late bandmate Freddie Mercury’s show in 1992, the Queen drummer discussed the planning process of Taylor’s tribute.
Roger explained that Dave Grohl and Pat Smear had revealed to him that Freddie Mercury’s tribute concert had influenced them. It was the model Grohl and Smear had used as a basis while planning the Hawkins tribute. The Queen drummer stated he was very much involved in the show prepared in honor of Freddie.
He was happy that the late singer’s tribute had guided the Foo Fighters members since Queen has always been close to the American band. The musician used the word ‘family‘ to express the special bond between Queen and Foo Fighters. The connection between the two acts seems really unique.
Roger Taylor’s statements on the Freddie Mercury and Taylor Hawkins tribute concerts:
“Pat and Dave were telling me that was the model they used, the tribute concert to Freddie. I was very heavily involved in that, so that was sort of the model they built these shows on — which is nice because we’ve always been tight with the Foo Fighters. We just love that band, like family.”
Hawkins’ tragic death brought various legends together. Two epic shows were performed in the U.K. and the United States. Both fellow musicians and loving fans got the chance to bid their farewells to the late drummer with exceptional performances.
