Photo: Getty Images North America
Since news broke that Taylor Hawkins passed away on Friday (March 25), those who were close to the Foo Fighters drummer have been honoring him in different ways, from poems to song dedications. Perry Farrell decided to pay tribute to his "best friend" through an emotional video eulogy on Instagram.
“Taylor Hawkins died yesterday," he said in the clip, which was filmed on Saturday (March 26). "He was my best friend. Beloved in my home by my wife, my children, even my dogs. Whenever Taylor came over, we would make music in the den. [Our dog] Cloud would always go and sit right by him. He was one of the most passionate drummers I’ve ever seen in my lifetime. When I think of him, I sum it up with one word: Velocity. He had the gift to maintain a confident, striking and stroking velocity on drums."
"There’s a large part of my heart that I had reserved for him," he continued as photos of Hawkins flashed on the screen. "I accepted him into my heart when we became friends because he was such a pure guy. So pure of heart. I would receive texts from Taylor. They were always bits and pieces of songs he was writing or looking to write or wanted me to listen to. I got music tidbits as much as I got ‘I love yous.’"
"We would always start with a song. There was always a song. ‘Do you listen to Yes? You know, that guy kinda sounds like you!’ And I’d say, ‘Yeah, I like Yes.’ He was just obsessed with music and great song. My passion for music, that was our common ground. Our friendship was based around that. Then we got to know each other," the Jane's Addiction singer added. "He would tell me stories of going to Jane’s shows back in the ’80s. Shows that were pretty underground. So, although I didn’t make his acquaintance back then, we shared a history. It was almost like the rites of passage. We were young men, and we were trying to be great musicians."
"Little did he know through this one fatal night, he would cement himself in the legends of music for all time, and that’s what I think he deserves," Farrell said, fighting back tears. "The only sense that I can make of the tragedy is to know that Taylor’s now in heaven. He can hear us. What I’m going to do this day forward is to try to make music that I think Taylor would really love.”
The video then cuts to Farrell and Hawkins belting out Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" on the street, smiling and laughing.
When the clip returns to Farrell, he is joined by his wife Etty Lau Farrell, who says, “This is something that’s very personal and dear to me. It’s the last audio message that I received on my phone on Thursday night. It was sent out from the hotel.”
“Take care of each other, and I’ll take care of me," Hawkins says in the message. "And I will see you guys in Sao Paolo [at Lollapalooza Brazil]. I love, love, love, love you guys. Sleep tight.”
Of course, Hawkins didn't make it to Brazil. Perry did sing with him during his last performance, when he came out to cover Jane's Addiction's "Been Caught Stealing" with the Foos.
Watch Farrell's full, emotional tribute below.