The Performance and Its Emotional Impact
The frontman of Darkness, Justin Hawkins, revealed that he felt “petrified” about his performance at the Tribute concerts for the late Taylor Hawkins.
Although Hawkins has no direct connection to Taylor, he participated in the Tribute Shows in 2022, held in London and Los Angeles, following the tragic passing of the Foo Fighters’ drummer at the age of 50.
Preparation and Reflection
In a recent interview with Rolling Stone UK, Justin shared that stepping onto the stage for such significant concerts was initially daunting. He recalled, “When Taylor died, it was devastating for us because he was Rufus (Taylor, drummer) of the godfather.”
“We were on tour in Canada at that time, and it was a really tough period, so we did everything we could to support Rufus.”
“I also knew Taylor, and we often joked about sharing the same surname; there was even someone who claimed a missing family link between us.”
“When I got a call from Dave Grohl, I was in a state of shock because Taylor meant so much to me, and so many big names were involved.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=on-vuxf-ngu
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVD8SLEC-3Q
He went on to say that he dedicated considerable time to preparing for the concerts and was eventually satisfied with his performance. “I booked the studio, prepared thoroughly, and it felt very much like me.”
“I knew I had to deliver a great performance, and it was well-received; I think that’s when people started to see me in a different light.”
“I also performed with Brian Johnson from AC/DC, and he reached out to me after I did it, and recently I noticed his awards.”
“It’s amazing to think of him as a national treasure, but even more incredible that I share the stage with one of my true heroes.”
During the concerts, members of the late drummer’s side project, The Coattail, joined Hawkins to perform a set of four songs.
At the Los Angeles show—following performances by James Blunt, Mark Ronson, and Andrew Watt—Justin Hawkins and friends returned to the stage with Grohl and Wolfgang Van Halen to cover a couple of Van Halen songs.
Meanwhile, in London, Hawkins teamed up with Queen to provide guest vocals on “Under Pressure” and performed with Lars Ulrich and Brian Johnson on the AC/DC classic “Back in Black.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYHC1CNRBCU
New Music from The Darkness
In other news, The Darkness released their latest album, “Dreams on Toast,” on Friday (March 28).
Additionally, Hawkins contributed to the first new Stylistics album in nearly two decades, lending his voice to the opening and title track “Fent to My Girl.” Other notable musicians involved in the upcoming release include Ronnie Wood from the Rolling Stones, Billy F. Gibbons from ZZ Top, Kiss’ Gene Simmons, and Steve Lukather from Toto.
https://www.nme.com/news/music/justin-hawkins-felt-petrified-to-perform-at-taylor-hawkins-memorial-concert-3850448?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=justin-hawkins-felt-petrified-to-perform-at-taylor-hawkins-memorial-concert
