Rock ‘n’ roll is a weird beast. We talked with Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins in early July about his band’s impressive run, its odd evolution into a modern rock powerhouse and the two big Foo Fighters gigs at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in July. Hawkins was so, so psyched about playing Red Rocks. But a few days later, we got word that singer Dave Grohl’s voice was on the rocks, and so the band postponed its Rocks dates—until now, when they make good on the shows on Monday and Tuesday.
It’s frustrating as a fan, having a show yanked from you before it even happens. But when Grohl, Hawkins, bassist Nate Mendel and guitarist Chris Shiflett take on the Rocks next week, fans will be glad to see the band running at 100 percent. The only thing worse than a band canceling a show is a band playing a show when they shouldn’t be playing.
Here are some clips from our July interview with Hawkins, who joined the band in the spring of 1997, two years after Grohl officially founded the group.
Q: What’s your favorite Foo Fighters record?
A: The first Foo Fighters record will always be my favorite one, because I was just a fan then. There was a real joy to that record. It was simple and fun.
Q: What’s changed for you guys as a band, from the early days to now?
A: When I first saw the band, they were a really raunchy, scrappy garage-rock band. And we still are. But as a frontman, Dave’s become more comfortable. We just played Wembley Stadium. That’s 87,000 people a night, and he had them in the palm of his hand. That’s evolution. If you would have asked me if we could have done that six or seven years ago, I would have said, ‘No, we’re not ready for that.’ But now we are.
Q:What do you mean: “We’re still a garage rock band”?
A: We are. When it comes down to it, we’re not Steely Dan, and we never will be. In a songwriting sense, though, Dave has evolved. His lyrical content has become a bit more direct and personal, and the song structure and arrangements have gotten a little broader and more interesting.
Q:Things have changed considerably for you. You’re now a father. How old is your boy, and how is fatherhood treating you?
A: It’s amazing, and it gets better every day. I love every second of it. At first, it was like, “Wait, I’m a dad?” But you’re automatically in love with the kid. Now I feel like I wish I had had him three years ago.
Q: Does your family tour with you much?
A: It’s hard. They come out every once in a while. They came out to England for a while, and they’re coming to Denver. My wife wants to see us play Red Rocks. It’s one of those famous places everybody wants to play — right up there with Madison Square Garden and the Forum.
Q: You seem excited to play Red Rocks.
A: Absolutely, we’ve always wanted to play there. I think I was 11 when that U2 live at Red Rocks video came out. I still own the record and the video.
Q:You guys recorded “The Colour and the Shape” with producer Gil Norton. How did that experience compare with working with Norton again on your recent “Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace”?
A: (“The Colour and the Shape”) was mixed and everything by the time I joined the band. It was done. I’d met Dave previously on tour when I was playing with Alanis Morrissette, and that’s the only other time I’ve played Red Rocks. I’d heard they were looking for a drummer, and I told him that I was interested. We talked and played and decided that it was a good idea.
And so this was my first time working with Gil. It was very structured. It was the most produced we’ve ever been since I’ve been in the band.
Usually we take the approach (in the studio) that they’re Dave’s songs, and we just come in and help mess them up a little bit. But Gil took a way more hands-on approach to producing us — and Dave wanted him to. We thought, “Let’s see what it’s like to be produced, for real.” He left the reins to Gil, and I enjoyed it. It was a different kind of experience. It was a little more organized.
Q: So you guys left it completely to Norton?
A: No. In the end, Dave took over the reins, and the power structure shifted a little bit. At the end of the day, three-quarters of the day was comfortable, and then we took it back. It wasn’t a big, giant drama. In the end, Dave wanted more input to finish the thing off. But it’s good to change it up after every record.
Ricardo Baca: 303-954-1394 or rbaca@denverpost.com
Foo Fighters
Rock. Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison with Supergrass. Monday-Tuesday. 7:30 p.m. $45-$49.50. 303-830-8497 or .
