Red Hot Chili Peppers' Chad Smith talks friendship with "beautiful" Taylor Hawkins

7 April 2022, 12:00 | Updated: 24 October 2023, 18:23

Taylor Hawkins and Chad Smith in 2014 — Taylor Hawkins close friend Chad Smith has paid tribute to him. Picture: Michael Buckner/Getty Images for Heifer International

By Jenny Mensah

The Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer has opened up about his close relationship with Hawkins, who he called one of his "best friends".

Loading audio...

Chad Smith has opened up about the loss of Foo Fighters' drummer Taylor Hawkins, who was one of his closest friends.

The Red hot Chili Peppers drummer has put the fellow percussionist's name inside an eagle on his bass drum, following his untimely passing on 25th March 2022.

Asked about his untimely death, the drummer told Howard Stern: "I loved Taylor. He was one of my best friends. We're still so shocked and saddened by his passing."

"And he loved life," he added. "He was a real beacon and full of positive energy. I'm gonna miss him so much. He was a godfather to my son Beckett. We spent a lot of time together. These guys loved him too. We toured together a lot back in the late '90s and 2000s. We played a lot of shows with the Foo Fighters."

Speaking of the outpouring that's followed from all across the world, the rocker reflected: " It showed how much he was so loved".

An emotional Smith went on to add that he loved Hawkins' family and is trying to be there for them, while reminiscing on the moment he asked him to be his son's godfather to his son.

He added: "He was beautiful and we're all gonna miss him [...] and I love him".

Watch his tribute with Howard Stern below:

Red Hot Chili Peppers' Chad Smith Pays Tribute to Taylor Hawkins

The RHCP drummer isn't the only Chili Pepper to open up about the loss of Hawkins, with bassist Flea also paying tribute to him last week.

Asked how he felt when he heard the news, the rocker replied: "Absolutely shocking. I love Taylor. He was an uplifting dude.

"You know, before I ever met Taylor and long before he every played in the Foo Fighters, one of my best friends growing up, my friend Tree who I started a music school with, he was teaching music in a music school down in Orange County in LA and he said ‘Man there’s this kid here selling guitar strings and he’s a star. He’s a drummer and I’m telling you he’s going to be a rock star’ and it was Taylor.”

Watch our interview with him here:

Flea pays tribute to Taylor Hawkins

“I’ve always loved Taylor," added the musician. "I had fun with him. We toured with them for years and years and you know, he’s best friends… was extremely close with our drummer Chad Smith and it’s a very devastating experience for Chad and everyone who was close to him, because he was a kind, generous, just fun dude and a killer drummer.

“And love to his family and love to everyone that knew him and god bless his beautiful heart”.

Asked if there was anything he would have wanted to say to the Foos drummer that he didn't get to tell him, the 59-year-old rocker reflected: “Nah, man. I’m pretty up front with my feelings. I was always like, ‘Taylor I love you dude, you rock’. That’s what I would have wanted to say. ‘You’re a beautiful person’ and I’m sure I told him that.”