Taylor Hawkins’ Son Shane Joins Foo Fighters for Surprise Appearance

More than a year after his death, late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins’ son Shane joined the iconic rock band for a surprise appearance. On Friday, the Foo’s played at the Boston Calling Music Festival, and footage of their set eventually emerged on social media. This revealed that Shane briefly hopped on the stage to join the band for a tune.

Foo Fighters singer/guitarist Dave Grohl welcomed the 17-year-old to the stage, calling Shane “one of my favorite drummers in the world.” After taking a little bit of time to set up, the teen launched into the drum intro of the Foo’s 1995 track, “I’ll Stick Around,” cutting off Grohl’s introduction. “What a little bada—… look at that guy,” the frontman said as Shane concluded his performance and headed off stage. “Give him a f—ing big round of applause. He’s a bada— out there.”

Hawkins died on March 25, 2022 — in Bogotá, Colombia — ahead of a concert the Foo Fighters were scheduled to perform. The terrible news of Hawkins’ death was first revealed by the band, who issued a statement on social media that evening. “The Foo Fighters family is devastated by the tragic and untimely loss of our beloved Taylor Hawkins,” the statement read. “His musical spirit and infectious laughter will live on with all of us forever. Our hearts go out to his wife, children and family, and we ask that their privacy be treated with the utmost respect in this unimaginably difficult time.”

Notably, this is not the first time that Shane has joined the band on-stage since his father’s untimely passing. In September, months after Hawkins’ sudden death, the Foo Fighters put on two tribute shows, one in the U.K. and one in Los Angeles, California. The first was held in London on Saturday, Sept. 3, and included a number of iconic stars, such as Paul McCartney, Travis Barker, and AC/DC’s Brian Johnson. The second was held on Sept. 27, and featured artists like Miley Cyrus, Gene Simmons, and Nikki Sixx. Shane joined the band during the first tribute show and performed “My Hero” with them.

Most recently, it was announced that renowned percussionist Josh Freese has stepped in to be the band’s new drummer. Freese has played with a number of major bands, such as Guns N’ Roses, A Perfect Circle, Nine Inch Nails, and Weezer. In addition to playing in Foo Fighters, Freese is also an active member of the legendary punk band the Vandals and New-Wave godfathers Devo.