Colombian authorities found traces of opioids, antidepressants and marijuana in the body of Taylor Hawkins, drummer for the band Foo Fighters, who died Friday night in a hotel in Bogotá at the age of 50.
Although the cause of death is unknown, a toxicological examination found ten substances in the body of the American musician, “including THC (marijuana), tricyclic antidepressants, benzodiazepines and opioids,” the Colombian Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement released this Saturday.
Hawkins sought medical attention for “chest pain” before he passed away.
He was pronounced dead while thousands of fans awaited the performance of the multi-Grammy award-winning band at the Festival Estéreo Picnic, scheduled for that night.
Forensic doctors continue to work “to achieve full clarification of the events that led to the death” of Hawkins, who had suffered an overdose more than twenty years ago.
The festival announced the cancellation of the band’s show in Colombia and its upcoming Sunday concert in Sao Paulo.
“It almost finished me”
A member of one of the most influential and critically acclaimed alternative rock groups in the world, Hawkins was known for his onstage charisma and classic rock-inspired grooves from legends like Phil Collins and Queen’s Roger Taylor.
He was hired by lead singer and former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl, providing percussion on some of the group’s biggest hits, including “Learn to Fly” and “Best of You”.
In 2001 he was in a coma from a heroin overdose. In a 2021 interview with music publication Kerrang, he claimed that incident “changed everything” in his life.
“I’m not going to preach against drugs because I loved doing drugs, but it just got out of control for a while and it almost finished me,” he admitted then.
Synthetic relatives of heroin, opioids are highly addictive pain relievers. In the United States they have killed more than 500,000 people in the last two decades.
Bogotá is more than 2,600 meters above sea level and artists such as Miley Cirus, Sam Smith and Katy Perry have needed oxygen tanks for their presentations in the Andean city.
For his energetic live performances, Hawkins became one of the best known members of the Foo Fighters along with Grohl, who also suffered in 1994 the death of his then partner in Nirvana Kurt Cobain.
Hawkins was married to illustrator Alison Hawkins, the mother of their three children.
“Tragic and premature”
Dozens of flowers, photos and messages dedicated to the Texan musician were left by his fans outside the hotel where he died.
“I’m in shock. I’m a drummer and my main influences were always Foo Fighters and Taylor Hawkins on drums,” Ricardo Rodríguez, who was part of the tribute, told AFP.
The condolences of the music world did not take long to surface. The legendary Ozzy Osbourne hailed him as a “great person and an incredible musician”, while Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones declared himself “unbelievably sad”.
“The Foo Fighters family is devastated by the tragic and untimely loss of our beloved Taylor Hawkins,” the band said in a statement on Twitter. “His musical spirit and his infectious laugh will live with us all forever”, finished.