Taylor Hawkins' Death May Be 'Drug-Related' After All, Although Official Cause Is Still Pending

Taylor Hawkins cut a contrasting figure, in that he was almost as well-known and dynamic as Foo Fighters' frontman, Dave Grohl. But on the other hand, his is a story of long-time drug usage and struggles, and in 2001, Hawkins had even overdosed on heroin, undergoing a two-week coma.

The Foo Fighters were in Bogota, Colombia, due to give a Friday performance, at the Festival Estéreo Picnic. The Foo Fighters were supposed to headline the show, but a projected statement above a candle-lit stage at the festival read, "Due to a very serious medical situation, Foo Fighters will not be able to perform tonight and have canceled the remainder of their South American tour."

Shortly after it all, the band took to Instagram and Twitter to announce the passing of Taylor Hawkins.

The Metropolitan Police Of Bogota, Colombia has said in a statement that has been reported in the Colombian media, "The cause of death has yet to be established. According to those close to him, the death could be related to the consumption of drugs."

However, Hawkins' death is still under investigation.

Local reports have further stated that the hotel staff called the emergency services after Hawkins complained of chest pains but by the time the medical responders arrived, the Foo Fighter drummer had already passed.

The Foo Fighters had issued a formal statement as well, asking for privacy for the family in times of such grief, writing, "The Foo Fighters family is devastated by the tragic and untimely loss of our beloved Taylor Hawkins. His musical spirit and infectious laughter will live on with all of us forever. Our hearts go out to his wife, children, and family, and we ask that their privacy be treated with the utmost respect in this unimaginably difficult time."

In a 2018 interview, Hawkins spoke about his 2001 overdose, "Everyone has their own path and I took it too far. "I was partying in London one night, and I mistakenly did something and it changed everything. I believed the bull***t myth of live hard and fast, die young."

But Hawkins spoke about not preaching about drugs because he "loved doing drugs" but admitted it had gotten out of control. He further said, "I was heading down a road that was going to lead to even worse paths. Whether someone’s sober, or they like a glass of wine with dinner, or they want a bottle of Jägermeister before they go on stage, or they like to smoke doobies all day long, everyone has their own path, and I took it too far."

Hawkins also believed the incident was a wake-up call, saying, "I’m glad it got knocked on the head at that point. I wouldn’t take anything away that I’ve done or been through either, because it’s all part of the trip and the journey. I’m trying to be as candid as I can be."

He also did not elaborate about being clean in another interview, writing, "There’s no happy ending with hard drugs. You’re gonna experiment, you’re gonna do all that shit, but at the end of the day, there’s no happy ending. I’m not an A.A. dude … I don’t really discuss how I live my life in that regard. I have the system that works for me."