Taylor Hawkins kept the raging storm of guitars on track with his aggressive drumming style for 25 years with the Foo Fighters.
You couldn’t get bored watching him play.
Hawkins passed away on March 25 2022 aged 50 which prompted an outpouring of shock, admiration and grief from the global Foo Fighters community.
Hawkins especially loved performing for Scottish audiences during his time with the band including headline sets at T in the Park in 2002, 2005 and 2011.
Courier photographer Steve Brown has marked the first anniversary of Hawkins’ death by sharing some of the images he took of the band during that closing set in 2011.
Some have never been seen before.
Foo Fighters the ‘highlight’ of weekend
Here was the stuff of dreams for a Foo Fighters fan and Steve was blown away by the performance of the man behind the kit with his signature bleached-blonde hair.
He said: “It was the highlight of the weekend for me to photograph Foo Fighters and I made sure I arrived at the pit early to get a good slot.
“The crowd was packed as far as I could see.
“Everyone at the festival was there to see them.
“Dave Grohl is an amazing showman and performer, and true to form arrived on stage to thunderous applause, cheering fans, and immediately burst into song.
“The energy from the music, thundering out the speakers, the roar of the crowd, and the feeling of the bass hammering out the speakers, pounding through my chest was incredible.
“Here I was shooting one of my favourite bands live and in the flesh, and I remember getting a text from my wife to say she had seen me on the TV.
“She was very jealous sitting on the couch with the cat!”
Hawkins ‘intensity left me transfixed’
Hawkins described the Scots fans in 2011 as “some of the wildest crowds around” and “real dudes” and spoke of his love of Scotland which he described as “beautiful”.
Courier photographer Steve was just as entranced by the man keeping the beat as the band worked their fans into a frenzy by performing a packed set of classic tracks.
“I recall a moment when Dave Grohl was playing to the crowd, and running back and forward the entire length of the stage, and while getting too far away from me I focused my camera on the drummer,” Steve explained.
“Who doesn’t love an amazing drummer?
“I recall watching, lifting the camera and taking some shots, which you can see here, and then just watching.
“The intensity, the concentration, and the sheer speed that Taylor Hawkins was drumming at left me transfixed for a moment as I took it all in.
“The thing is, when your shooting in the pit, you know you have to get everything you need or want in those first three tracks, and anyone that knows the Foo’s knows every single moment is a photo with them.
“The brotherhood that Dave and Taylor had was irreplaceable, but knowing I was there to see them, and photograph them playing together is a lifetime memory I will never forget.
“Taylor is the reason my son is a drummer.”
RIP Taylor
The Foo Fighters closed the festival in 2011 with four-sixths of the band emerging on stage wearing kilts which prompted rousing cheers from the capacity crowd.
Hawkins plumped for a less revealing classic Scotland football top as they brought the whole weekend to a crescendo with their classic anthem Everlong.
The Foo Fighters continued to push the boundaries of rock and roll for the next decade which included the release of three further studio albums between 2014 and 2021.
Dad-of-three Hawkins was playing on the South American leg of the band’s world tour in Columbia when his sudden death was announced 12 months ago.
Steve was among those left devastated by his untimely passing.
He said: “We watched them play together for the last time live at London Stadium on June 23 2018 which was an amazing day.
“We tried to get tickets to his tribute concert at Wembley Stadium in September 2022.
“It was sold out almost instantly which was no surprise.
“We watched it live on YouTube and it was both amazing and emotional.
“Rest in Peace Taylor – your legend lives on forever.”
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