Red Hot Chili Peppers paid tribute to Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins, who shockingly passed away at the age of 50. Foo Fighters was due to play on the same day of his death. They were scheduled to play at the Festival Estereo Picnic in Bogota, Colombia. This led to the band reportedly canceling the rest of their South American tour. The band was then replaced for the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival as Red Hot Chili Peppers were announced as the replacement.
Recently, Hawkins’ good friend and drummer Chad Smith opened up on the upcoming gig. He said it is a chance to celebrate Taylor Hawkins, and revealed what Hawkins’ widow told him.
Chad Smith opens up on replacing Foo Fighters
Speaking to Billboard, Chad Smith said: “We’re taking Alison, his wife, with us and it’s going to be a celebration. That’s what she wants. She doesn’t want it to be anything other than, ‘Let’s celebrate music, let’s celebrate our friends, let’s celebrate Taylor. This is what he would want and he would be very happy that you guys are playing and he would want it be nothing but a positive experience.’ So we’re going to do all that and she’s going to be part of that and I’m very honored that we can do that with her. … We’re going to play our hearts out.”
The Red Hot Chili Peppers are set to take the stage at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival on May 1. The history and friendship between the two bands goes back decades, including the Foo Fighters opening for the Chili Peppers on the latter’s Californication tour in 1999.
Following Hawkins’ death, Smith posted an emotional video filled with footage of the two musicians together over the years and clearly relishing each other’s company. The video ends with Smith giving a nod to Hawkins when RHCP received their star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on March 31.
