R.I.P. Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins

The legendary drummer for Foo Fighters has died. No cause of death has been announced by the band. He was 50 years old.

One of his first major jobs was as the drummer for Alanis Morissette on multiple tours, including the one in support of Jagged Little Pill, and he was born in Texas and raised in California. When Dave Grohl approached him for recommendations for a replacement for William Goldsmith, he simply put his own name forward. Considering how much bigger Alanis Morissette was at the time than Foo Fighters, Grohl didn't bother to ask.

The band's third album, There Is Nothing Left To Lose, was released 25 years ago. It's not an easy distinction to make when you're sharing a stage with Dave Grohl, and you're one of the world's best drummers. Grohl did some drumming on There Is Nothing, but eventuallyceded the seat to Hawkins permanently on the band's next album, One By One.

In addition to his drumming, Hawkins was also a deeply involved member of Foo Fighters, sharing songwriting duties, taking on vocals, and becoming a huge part of the group's identity throughout his long tenure with it. He is, in other words, a huge part of how the band transformed from a solo project to a cohesive and influential rock band.

He pursued a number of side and solo projects, most notably Taylor Hawkins And The Coattail Riders, with whom he released three albums, and The Birds of Satan, an outgrowth of his cover band Chevy Metal. He played and sang relentlessly throughout his career, the kind of guy who was in one of the biggest rock bands of all time, couldn't be enough music.