In 2013, drummer Taylor Hawkins formed the side project Chevy Metal. For Hawkins, who had toured with Alanis Morissette and was a member of Foo Fighters, the new group was a chance to explore new sonic space.
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Now Shane Hawkins, drummer and son of the late Taylor, who passed away while on tour with the Foo Fighters in 2022, recently sat in with Chevy Metal a decade after its forming. It’s a full circle moment and one many music fans hope continues to propel Shane, who rose to fame while performing with the Foos during a tribute show for Taylor, into the limelight.
On July 27 and 29, Shane took the stage with Chevy Metal in Newport Beach and Agoura Hills to play the kit on some songs originally by Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, the Police, Thin Lizzy, and Mötley Crüe.
But Shane wasn’t the only guest. Poison drummer Rikki Rockett was there, as was the Cars guitarist Elliot Easton, along with Kenny Aronoff, the drummer for John Mellencamp and John Fogerty.
Shane has been playing out more as of late, ever since performing with the Foo Fighters. And that group is also on tour, recently paying tribute to another fallen rocker, Sinéad O’Connor, with Taylor’s old touring mate Alanis Morissette.
“We’re singing this song for a reason tonight,” said Grohl after he and his band played a cover of Mandinka from O’Connor’s 1987 debut album, The Lion and the Cobra.
“Yes, for a beautiful woman with high intelligence and deep empathy, way ahead of her time, who is no longer with us,” added Morissette. “This is for her.”
As for Shane, he also made headlines when he performed earlier this year with Grohl on the same day his daughter Violet joined the Foos onstage. Shane played the song “I’ll Stick Around,” which he also played in L.A. at the tribute for his father.
Shane also made waves when he and Nandi Bushell got together for a jam session and performed tracks “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana, “Everlong” by Foo Fighters, and more.
Check out a video of Shane with Chevy Metal covering Led Zeppelin below.
Photo by Didier Messens/Redferns
