Taylor Hawkins tells the full story of his years with Foo Fighters and his brotherhood with Dave Grohl in audio quality never heard before on the new episode of Rolling Stone Music Now. It includes the time early in his tenure when Dave Grohl said to the late drummer, “That’s how it is. It’s my damn band. If you don’t like it, fuck it,” and Hawkins actually left the band – for a full 24 hours.
To hear the entire interview, which is Hawkins’ last face-to-face meeting with Rolling Stone, press play above or listen to it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. (You can also read it here.)
Among many other topics, Hawkins explains how he pushed the band to grow as a live act. “‘We’ve got to be a friggin’ arena rock band,'” Hawkins recalls telling his bandmates. “We can do it. And Dave already did it with Nirvana without even thinking about it. And the Foo Fighters were going there.” Hawkins also talks about drugs, stage fright, the difference in drumming styles between him and Grohl and lots more more.
Download and subscribe to our weekly podcast, Rolling Stone Music Now, hosted by Brian Hiatt, on Apple Podcasts or Spotify (or wherever you get your podcasts) and watch three years of episodes in the archive, including in-depth episodes , Cross-Career Interviews with Bruce Springsteen, Halsey, Neil Young, Snoop Dogg, Brandi Carlile, Phoebe Bridgers, Rick Ross, Alicia Keys, The National, Ice Cube, Robert Plant, Dua Lipa, Questlove, Killer Mike, Julian Casablancas, Sheryl Crow , Johnny Marr, Scott Weiland, Liam Gallagher, Alice Cooper, Fleetwood Mac, Elvis Costello, John Legend, Donald Fagen, Phil Collins, Justin Townes Earle, Stephen Malkmus, Sebastian Bach, Tom Petty, Eddie Van Halen, Kelly Clarkson, Pete Townshend , Bob Seger, the Zombies, Gary Clark Jr. and many others – plus dozens of episodes of genre-bending discussions, debates and explanations with Rolling Stone critics and reporters. Tune in every Friday at 1:00 p.m. ET to hear Rolling Stone Music Now, broadcast on SiriusXM’s Volume, Channel 106.