Foo Fighters Drummer Taylor Hawkins' Cause Of Death Explained
CBS News reported Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins, 50, was found dead in his hotel room in Bogotá, Colombia on Friday, March 25. The band was there to perform and he was found shortly before their set. According to Colombia's attorney general, Hawkins had 10 different substances in his system including marijuana, opioids, tricyclic antidepressants, and benzodiazepines. The substances were discovered upon performing a urine toxicological test. The Daily Mail said Hawkins' autopsy found that his heart weighed 600 grams, which is twice the size of men his age. They cited the Colombian news magazine Semana as reporting cardiovascular collapse as the cause of death.
According to the New York Post, a police officer told the country's newspaper El Tiempo that a substance resembling cocaine was found in Hawkins' hotel room, as were hallucinogenic drugs, an empty beer can, and an opened bottle of vodka among other things. The officer also said there were no signs of violence.
Taylor Hawkins' history with drugs and sobriety
According to CNN, Taylor Hawkins joined Foo Fighters in 1997. Four years later, he overdosed. In an interview with Kerrang in February 2021, the drummer stated, "I was partying in London one night, and I mistakenly did something and it changed everything." Hawkins went on to say that he believed in the "live hard and fast, die young" myth and was grateful for the experience because "it's all part of the trip and the journey." He also shared that mountain biking was helpful for him. "I get ideas for songs and it's where I do a lot of my problem solving and deep thinking," he said.
In June of last year, Rolling Stones interviewed Hawkins who stated he needed to be sober to perform well. When asked if he was totally sober in life or just when he's playing, he replied, "I don't want to go into all that. I just lead a really healthy lifestyle."