Welsh band Stereophonics have paid an emotional on-stage tribute to Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins, who tragically died on Friday.
The Welsh rockers played a gig in Brighton on Saturday night, with frontman Kelly Jones taking to the mic and paying tribute to Hawkins, who was found unresponsive in a hotel room in Columbia during his band’s latest tour. The Stereophonics themselves lost a former member of their band in 2010, when Stuart Cable, who had left the group in 2003, died suddenly at his home in south Wales.
Paying tribute to Hawkins, an emotional Jones said: “We all heard the sad news today. We’ve all been in that position where we’ve lost a band member. We want to pay tribute to Taylor. We’re going to play a song dedicated to the band and the fans.”
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The band then played a slow and poignant version of one of Foo Fighters’ biggest hits - their 2005 song Best of You. During the concert, held at The Brighton Centre, the band’s drummer Jamie Morrison also displayed the initials ‘TH’ on his drum kit in a further tribute to Hawkins.
Tributes have poured in for Hawkins since his death on Friday at the age of 50. He played a gig with the Foo Fighters last week and was due to play in another one on Friday night as part of their tour of South America.
The band said they were “devastated by the untimely loss”, while Queen drummer Roger Taylor said the death was like “losing a younger favourite brother”, adding: “He was a kind brilliant man and an inspirational mentor to my son Rufus and the best friend one could ever have. Devastated.”
The band posted footage from Saturday night's concert on social media (see below)
Meanwhile Liam Gallagher, former frontman of rock band Oasis, said he was “devastated to hear the sad news” alongside rock band Biffy Clyro, musician Billy Idol and Beatles drummer Sir Ringo Starr, who all tweeted their condolences. You can read more tributes here.
It has been reported on Sunday morning that Hawkins had 10 different substances in his system at the time of his death, according to officials in Colombia.
A statement issued by the Colombian attorney general’s office said: "On the initial forensic medical study of the body of Taylor Hawkins, drummer of the band Foo Fighters, who died yesterday in a hotel in the north of Bogotá, the Attorney General’s Office stated the following:
"In the urine toxicological test performed on the body of Taylor Hawkins, 10 types of substances were preliminarily found, including: THC (marijuana), tricyclic antidepressants, benzodiazepines and opioids. The National Institute of Forensic Medicine continues the medical studies to fully clarify the events that led to the death of Taylor Hawkins. The Office of the Prosecutor of the Nation will continue with the investigation and will report the results obtained in the framework thereof in a timely manner.”
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