Few musician deaths hit me like Taylor Hawkins. It was sad when Charlie Watts or Tom Petty died, but both were from generations before me. Cobain’s suicide happened when I was young. Weiland and most of the other 90’s guys who died had long standing, well documented personal demons. Yes, Hawkins had suffered from previous substance abuse issues, but the Foo Fighters drummer both seemed to be in a much happier place at this point and seemed to be “from this generation.” As we learned, addiction battles are for life, and they can torture anyone- including major rockstars.

When Hawkins died, I wondered if that would be the end of the band. They quickly canceled their 2022 tour, as the band appears to be devastated. It’s not like Dave Grohl or anyone else in the band “needs” the money. No one said anything about it being the end, but it felt like it could be. Taylor Hawkins is to the Foo Fighters as Joe Perry is to Aerosmith.

Obviously I was hoping it wasn’t the end of the band, but you prepare for the worst. Well, out of the sadness, some good news has arrived- two September Taylor Hawkins tribute concerts, one in London and the other in Los Angeles, put on by his family and the band have been announced. It’s not a rescheduled tour, but it is at least confirmation that sadness will not be the final act of one of the all-time great rock bands. There are still questions, like who will be the drummer? Of course those questions do not need to be answered for these shows. Dave Grohl can always do it himself, and honestly could probably convince almost any major drummer to come play two shows with him. I wouldn’t be all that shocked if he talked Ringo Starr into showing up in London. The shows will be great, of that I’m certain, but will anything come after. We just won’t know for a while.