A Foo Fighters mega fan who has seen the rock band perform live more than 10 times and had a song dedicated to her is among many people left devastated by the shock death of drummer Taylor Hawkins.
The prolific US rock band announced on social media that their beloved drummer had died aged 50, saying they were “devastated by the tragic and untimely loss of our beloved Taylor Hawkins”.
“His musical spirit and infectious laughter will live on with all of us forever,” the band said.
“Our hearts go out his wife, children and family, and we ask that their privacy be treated with the utmost respect in this unimaginably difficult time.”
Local media reported the father-of-three was found unresponsive in a hotel room in Bogota, Colombia, where the band were due to play at a festival on Friday night.
Tributes flowed for Hawkxjmtzywins, who joined the band in 1997 and had visited Australia with the group 13 times.
The band last toured Australia just weeks ago, performing a quick fly-in fly-out gig at Geelong’s Kardinia Park earlier this month where mega fan Kristy Brdar was front and centre.
She danced to Times Like These with her husband during their first dance at their wedding, and even had the band dedicate a song to her on her birthday at a Melbourne show in 2018.
The self-proclaimed “Fooies nut” has followed the band since its inception, and said seeing the group recently in her hometown was a “phenomenal experience”.
“It’s an experience I will cherish forever — now even more so,” she told NCA Newswire on Saturday.
“I cannot fathom that was only just a few weeks ago, to now having heard the news.”
Like many, Ms Brdar said she was “devastated and shocked” over Hawkins’ passing.
“There is so much internal conflict. My heart knows it’s true, but my brain won’t believe it. I want to cry but can’t,” she said.
Fans and musicians alike are posting tributes to the rock legend, with fellow band Nickelback expressing “utter disbelief”.
“Our deepest condolences to his family, his bandmates, his team, his friends and everyone that was ever touched by the music he created with @foofighters @Alanis and so many others. This is so incredibly sad,” the band wrote.
Ozzy Osbourne added that he was a “truly great person”.
“My heart, my love and my condolences go out to his wife, his children, his family, his band and his fans. See you on the other side – Ozzy,” the Black Sabbath singer posted.
No cause of death has been revealed.
