Foo Fighters hit back at claims Taylor Hawkins was ‘tired’ of touring

The Foo Fighters have denied claims that late drummer Taylor Hawkins told others he felt unable to keep up with the band’s touring schedule before his death.

Hawkins was found dead in a hotel in Colombia on March 25 with an official cause of death yet to be confirmed.

In discussion with Rolling Stone, multiple sources claimed the musician expressed concerns about touring after the Covid pandemic and alleged Hawkins was apprehensive about his ability to keep up the pace of their raucous three-hour shows.

His family and the band, who refused to be interviewed for the piece, told the publication they felt the “characterisations of how [Hawkins] was feeling” were inaccurate.

Vocalist Sass Jordan, who was a friend of the Texas-born star, was quoted telling the publication: “Honestly, I think he was just so tired. Tired of the whole game.”

Pearl Jam drummer Matt Cameron claimed Hawkins had spoken to Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl about how he was feeling.

Hawkins was close with Grohl, who referred to him as his “best friend” and “brother from another mother” in his 2021 book The Storyteller.

Cameron was quoted telling the publication: “He had a heart-to-heart with Dave and, yeah, he told me that he ‘couldn’t f***ing do it anymore’ - those were his words. So I guess they did come to some understanding, but it just seems like the touring schedule got even crazier after that.”

The band’s rep denied the claim and said Hawkins “never informed Dave and [management] of anything at all like that”.

Cameron, who has since distanced himself from the article, said his words were taken out of context and he had believed the article was intended to be a “celebration” of Hawkins’ life in a social media post on Tuesday.

Taking to Instagram Stories, he wrote: “When I agreed to take part in the Rolling Stone article about Taylor, I assumed it would be a celebration of his life and work.

“My quotes were taken out of context and shaped into a narrative I had never intended... I am truly sorry to have taken part in this interview and I apologise that my participation may have caused harm to those for whom I have the deepest respect and admiration.”

The band played around 40 concerts last year and they had scheduled almost 60 more for this year.

Last June, Hawkins told the outlet he was coping with anxiety around stage fright and “trying really hard to figure out how to continue to keep the intensity of a young man in a 50-year-old’s body which is very difficult.”

The Standard has contacted representatives for Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters for further comment.