Who Were Taylor Hawkins’ Favorite Drummers?

The world remembered Taylor Hawkins’ impact on music when he died for unspecified reasons last March 25. As the drummer of Foo Fighters, a lot of pressure had to be endured, seeing as you’re the one guy that Dave Grohl trusted to create the backbeat that Foo Fighters are aiming for. Like many others, Hawkins had his drummer heroes to look up to; let’s take a look at them below.

Neil Peart

While Foo Fighters never laid a strand on the prog-rock genre, this didn’t change the fact that the professor of drums, Neil Peart, had an influential impact on Hawkins. The band’s 2001 song “Rope” was said to be a direct paradiddle from Rush’s “The Spirit of Radio” drum tracks, which Peart is responsible for.

Stuart Copeland

The founder of the rock band The Police, Stuart Copeland was Hawkins’ first drum influence. “He was my first drum hero and that had a lot to do with my brother, who’s five years older than me – I still have the Police Around the World, video which I remember him getting me as a kid when I was first learning to play,” he told Metal Hammer.

Phil Collins

Another prog-rock hero but on a completely different level, Hawkins admired Phil Collins’ work and also wanted to jam with him for some good lesson or two. “Phil, if you’re out there, please come and teach me how to play ‘properly,’” Hawkins requested after he labeled Collins as one of the greatest drummers of all time.

Steve Perkins

Another highly influential drummer in Hawkins’ life was Jane’s Addiction’s Steve Perkins, who adored the drummer for being an “animal” behind the kit. “He’s got a lighter touch than I do,” Hawkins said. “He reminds me of Gene Krupa.”

Roger Taylor

Perhaps the most obvious choice for a favorite drummer was Queen’s, Roger Taylor. Hawkins adored Taylor since he is the one responsible for Queen’s “heavy feel and big sound.” The Foo Fighters drummer aspired to become a musician after a Queen concert that he went to while he was a teenager.