*Editor’s note: A new update regarding this story has surfaced via Matt Cameron’s Instagram account. In response to Rolling Stone sharing what Cameron had said about the late Taylor Hawkins, the Pearl Jam drummer posted a statement saying that his quotes were taken out of context. Please refer to below, under Cameron’s initial quotes, to find his new statement.
In roughly a week, it will have been two months since Taylor Hawkins, the Foo Fighters drummer, passed away. News of Hawkins’ passing came from the band’s social media accounts back in March. The band provided this statement:
— Foo Fighters (@foofighters) March 26, 2022
Many metal and rock artists took to social media to express their sadness and feelings about that of the late Foo Fighters drummer. Now, in a recent editorial from Rolling Stone, a couple people who were close to Taylor Hawkins have opened up about some struggles he was dealing with prior to his passing.
Pearl Jam drummer Matt Cameron shared that, “He had a heart-to-heart with Dave [Grohl] and, yeah, he told me that he ‘couldn’t fucking do it anymore’ — those were his words.”
Cameron then went on to add, “So I guess they did come to some understanding, but it just seems like the touring schedule got even crazier after that.” (Per Rolling Stone, they say a rep for Foo Fighters denies that Hawkins ever raised these issues).
*As of today (May 17th), Cameron has addressed his Rolling Stone quotes with the following statement (via his Instagram account):
Singer Sass Jordan (and friend of the late Foo Fighters drummer) was also part of the editorial, and shared, “Honestly, I think he was just so tired. Tired of the whole game.”
A friend of Hawkins’ who asked to be left anonymous said the following:
“The fact that he finally spoke to Dave and really told him that he couldn’t do this and that he wouldn’t do it anymore, that was freeing for him. That took fucking balls. That did take a year of working up the guts to do.”
The loss of Taylor Hawkins has been nothing short of devastating all throughout the music world. He was a wonderful light and a talented individual who created great music and offered tremendous kindness.
We miss you very much Taylor and hope you are at peace.
To read the full story from Rolling Stone, you can click on this link here.
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Words by: Michael Pementel