Machine Gun Kellyhad a fulfilling encounter with Taylor Hawkins days before the drummer’s sudden death.
During a Wednesday appearanceonThe Howard Stern Show, the 31-year-old singer said he had been with Hawkins in Paraguay two days before he died.
While remembering the late star, Kelly recalled the immense kindness Hawkins shared with him and his band while hanging out at the Foo Fighters' hotel.
“The last thing that he had said to [my drummer was] ‘I’m just so bummed I didn’t get to see you guys play,'” he told hostHoward Stern. “And I really want to thank him and let his kids know that he made us feel — in a time where the outside world and outside of the fans, the outside world is really coming in hard on us — and he made us feel so confident in ourselves and loved.”
Kelly added, “Your father [was] a great, great man and we were all lucky to know him.”
the howard stern show/ youtube
Hawkins diedlast Friday at age 50 afterexperiencing chest painsat his Bogotá hotel in Columbia, according to Columbian health officials.
Though paramedics were dispatched, attempts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful. A preliminary urine toxicology test found10 different substancesin Hawkins’ body, including THC, tricyclic antidepressants, benzodiazepines and opioids. An investigation into the cause of death is ongoing.
The interaction between the Foo Fighters and Kelly’s crew came shortly after both bands' performances were canceled due to inclement weather. Kelly said his band had been eager to perform in front of the Foo Fighters as frontmanDave Grohlhad promised would watch Kelly’s set.
Despite the cancellation, Grohl, 53, invited Kelly and his crew to have some drinks and hang out at the Foo Fighters' hotel, to which they agreed. Kelly and about 19 other people showed up, though Kelly was a bit concerned about the size of his traveling party.
Upon exiting the elevator, however, Kelly said Hawkins went to every member of the team “and gave us each our moment” with him, down to Kelly’s assistant.
Taylor Hawkins and Dave Grohl.Larry Busacca/Getty Images
“He’s such a beautiful soul,” Kelly said of Hawkins to Stern, 68, adding, “He gave his heart.”
After the meet-up, Kelly said “the kids just came out” of both him and his crew. “It was like, ‘This is the greatest night of our life!’ " Kelly explained, noting that he and his drummer “were tripping out” over the experience.
Many othermusicians have expressed griefover Hawkins' death, from Beatles drummer Ringo Starr to Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas. Blink 182 drummerTravis Barkerand pop starMiley Cyrusare also among them.
“I don’t have the words,” Barker, 46,wrote on Instagram. “Sad to write this or to never see you again.”
Taylor Hawkins.Kevin Winter/Getty
He later added, “To say I’ll miss you my friend isn’t enough. Till the next time we talk drums and smoke in the boys room … Rest In Peace 😢🥁💔.”
On Saturday, Cyrus, 29, dedicated her performance at Lollapalooza in Brazil to her late friend, whom she honored with a special performance of her 2020 song “Angels Like You.”
“We had to make an emergency landing, and the first person I called was Taylor because he was already at the festival and that would have been a time that I would have gotten to see my friend and I didn’t,“Cyrus said, according toEntertainment TonightandPage Six. “I would have done anything to hang out with him one more time.”
source: people.com
