Foo Fighters’ Taylor Hawkins: ‘Chris Cornell Was Just the Master’
The death of Chris Cornell sent a shockwave throughout the music world, which was then compounded when Linkin Park's Chester Bennington took his own life, as well, just over two months later. Fans and musicians are still coming to grips with the harsh reality, offering their thoughts on mental health, depression and suicide. Dave Grohl and Taylor Hawkins of the Foo Fighters are among the latest to weigh in.
"When it comes to someone like Chris Cornell or Chester, depression is a disease and everybody kind of goes through it their own way," Grohl said in an interview The Rock FM. "I can't speak for anybody else's condition, but the hardest part is when you lose a friend and I just always immediately think of their families, their bandmates, because going through something like suicide, it's a long road. And Chris was such a beautiful guy, man — he was the sweetest person, he was so talented, he had so much to offer — that it was a real shock to hear that he had gone," the frontman went on.
Grohl also mentioned that he feels mental health and depression should be taken seriously, lamenting the notion that "there's a stigma attached to it, which is unfortunate, because just as you take care of yourselves in every other way, I think it's important that people really try to take care of themselves in that way too. And it ain't easy. You know, life's hard."
Hawkins fed off Grohl's words, adding, "Like [Dave] said, people [think], 'You've got it so together.' It just goes to show you, it doesn't matter what's in your bank account, or how many hits are on your YouTube page, or all that kind of crap — it all goes out the window if, like Dave said, you're not feeling right." The drummer also said, "Not to get to hear Chris Cornell make another record again is my selfish version of it and there's such a bigger hurt beyond my own selfish — I barely knew him, a little bit, but what I did know, he was super cool."
Admittedly, Hawkins did not know Bennington "very well at all" and chose to keep the focus on Cornell. The skinsman recalled how he and Grohl would play Soundgarden riffs after he first joined the Foo Fighters as well as working with one of Soundgarden's producers when making There Is Nothing Left to Lose. "They were a big inspiration for us as musicians, and Chris Cornell was just the master," said Hawkins, adding, "So the loss, it's a bummer, but, like Dave said, that's a real thing. Look after yourselves and if it looks like someone's down, way down, check on 'em."
The Foo Fighters will release their ninth studio album, Concrete and Gold, on Sept. 15. The first single off the record, "Run," has been nominated for Hard Rock Song of the Year in the 2017 Loudwire Music Awards. Fans can vote here and the winner will be announced live on Oct. 24 at the 2017 Loudwire Music Awards ceremony and concert. Get tickets and more information about this special event at this location.
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