RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS bassist Flea has paid tribute to FOO FIGHTERS drummer Taylor Hawkins, who died more than a week ago at the age of 50. Speaking to Radio X's Johnny Vaughan, he said about Taylor's passing (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "[It was] absolutely shocking. I love Taylor. He was an uplifting dude. Before I ever met Taylor and long before he ever played in the FOO FIGHTERS, one of my best friends growing up, my friend Tree [Keith Barry] who I started my music school with, he was teaching music at a music school down in Orange County here in L.A., and he was, like, '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 gonna be a rock star.' And that was Taylor. And that was long before he played with Alanis Morissette. "But I always loved Taylor," he continued. "I had so much fun with him. We toured with them for years and years. And he was best friends — he was extremely close with our drummer, Chad Smith. And it's a very devastating experience for Chad and for everyone he was close to, 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." Hawkins was found dead on March 25 at the Four Seasons Casa Medina hotel in Bogota, Colombia while FOO FIGHTERS were on tour. An official cause of death for Hawkins hasn't yet been released. But on March 26, Colombia's attorney general's office released a preliminary toxicology report, saying that medical examiners found evidence of 10 types of substances in Hawkins's body, including opioids, benzodiazepines, marijuana and antidepressants. Hawkins joined FOO FIGHTERS in 1997. Prior to that, he played with the Orange County band SYLVIA and was also in the backing band for Sass Jordan. He also toured with Alanis Morissette as her drummer. Hawkins was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame last year as a member of the FOO FIGHTERS. Hawkins's most recent work with FOO FIGHTERS included last year's "Medicine At Midnight" album, a collection of BEE GEES covers and FOO FIGHTERS' horror film "Studio 666".
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