Shane Hawkins, son of the late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins, has opened up about his decision to step into his father’s role in the classic rock covers band Chevy Metal, according to latimes.com.
He explained why he refused to let Chevy Metal come to an end following his father’s death, describing the band as a meaningful link to his childhood and to his father’s legacy.
“It was a part of my childhood and it’s like, my dad was gone and these people that I’ve watched my whole childhood, they’re still there,” Shane Hawkins said. “Why not keep something going? And it’s just honoring my dad, you know?”
He went on to recall what it was like growing up watching his father perform.
“I’d sit behind my dad and watch him play and watch people just go crazy,” he continued. “And as a kid, you think that’s the coolest thing in the world, because it is. It’s the best feeling.”
Shane Hawkins now carries on his father’s musical legacy by performing with Chevy Metal, the band Taylor Hawkins co-founded and led for years alongside his work with the Foo Fighters.
Chevy Metal’s story stretches back much further than most fans realize. That history helps explain why Shane felt so compelled to keep the project alive.
The band traces its roots to 2002, when bassist Wiley Hodgden and original guitarist Achim “Dange” St. Dangerfield started performing together as an acoustic duo doing cover songs. Taylor Hawkins joined the fold during downtime from Foo Fighters. The loose side project eventually grew into a full-fledged band that played sporadic shows across the U.S. for the next two decades, building a reputation as a raucous, beer-fueled tribute to classic rock.
Chevy Metal’s future was thrown into question after Taylor’s death in March 2022. Surviving members performed at the Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concerts in London and Los Angeles that September. Still, the band’s path forward remained uncertain in the aftermath.
Drummer Mark Stepro and other longtime members had considered letting the project end there. Bandmate Chris Chaney recalled the mood at the time: “Wiley and I were in agreement, like, it’s done.” Shane pushed to keep Chevy Metal going, telling the band, “I want to do Chevy.”
With Shane now behind the kit, Chevy Metal has resumed touring, including its first-ever full UK show. The band’s return marks not just a continuation of his father’s musical passion project. It’s also a public extension of the tribute he began paying the moment Taylor passed away.
