BLABBERMOUTH.NET
Colombian police believe the death of
FOO FIGHTERS drummer
Taylor Hawkins could be related to drugs.
The 50-year-old musician was found dead in a hotel room at the Casa Medina in Bogota on Friday (March 25).
A short time later, the Metropolitan Police Of Bogota released a statement published by several news outlets in Colombia, including Bogota's
El Tiempo, in which they said: "According to those close to him, the death could be related to the consumption of narcotic substances." But they cautioned: "The cause of death has yet to be established."
Earlier in the day,
Hawkins had reportedly complained of chest pains to hotel staff.
The
FOO FIGHTERS were scheduled to perform Friday at the
Picnic Stereo festival in Bogota but their performance was canceled.
The band played
Lollapalooza Chile on March 18 and
Lollapalooza Argentina on March 20. They are scheduled to headline
Lollapalooza Brasil on Sunday (March 27).
Born in Fort Worth, Texas,
Hawkins joined
FOO FIGHTERS in 1997. Prior to that, he played with the Orange County band
SYLVIA and was also in the backing band for
Sass Jordan. He also toured with
Alanis Morissette as her drummer.
Hawkins was inducted into the
Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame last year as a member of the
FOO FIGHTERS.
Hawkins's most recent work with
FOO FIGHTERS included last year's
"Medicine At Midnight" album, a collection of
BEE GEES covers and
FOO FIGHTERS' horror film
"Studio 666".
Hawkins's solo project
TAYLOR HAWKINS AND THE COATTAIL RIDERS released its first album in 2006, and a follow-up effort,
"Get The Money", in 2019. Other side projects included
THE BIRDS OF SATAN and the classic rock cover band
CHEVY METAL. More recently, he formed the supergroup
NHC with
JANE'S ADDICTION members
Dave Navarro and
Chris Chaney.
Hawkins spent two weeks in a coma in 2001 after overdosing in London. He later told
Kerrang! magazine: "Everyone has their own path and I took it too far, adding that he once believed the "myth of live hard and fast, die young.
"I'm not here to preach about not doing drugs, because I loved doing drugs, but I just got out of control for a while and it almost got me," he said.
In a 2018 interview with
Beats 1, he said: "There's no happy ending with hard drugs," but declined to elaborate on his sobriety. "I don't really discuss how I live my life in that regard," he said. "I have my system that works for me."
Hawkins is survived by his wife
Alison, whom he married in 2005, and their three children:
Oliver Shane,
Annabelle and
Everleigh.
