This past Friday was spent as part of our Spring Break days with my family and BFF. We happened to be at the house for what started as a super-sized Hallmark Drinking Game night but it changed slightly to include some badminton fun in our neighborhood park, re-watching Studio 666, the Foo Fighters recent campy horror movie, and then some Hallmark Christmas flicks…and lots of wine.

We made it through most of the night with lots of laughs. It wasn’t until I looked at my phone and scrolled Instagram to see the news that Taylor Hawkins, the Foos’ beloved drummer, had passed away. I had to look at the post over and over again before saying anything because I literally couldn’t believe the statement that I was reading. How could that be possible?! They were on tour and we just saw them a month before at Innings Fest in Tempe. I then told everyone and my BFF and I doomscrolled to see all the news unfold online. Fans as devastated as we were with non-stop posts. No news of what happened. Just the statement from the Foo Fighters that he was gone and at a very-young-age of 50.

Where do you go after 26 years of music? After being one of the biggest bands in the world and you lose your drummer, and in Dave’s case, your best friend? For starters, they’ve canceled the rest of their tour. And I bet they don’t play again for a long time or if ever again. It’s not about finding someone else to beat the drums. Taylor was a crucial piece of the amazing puzzle and rock giant that is the Foo Fighters.

My BFF and I have reminisced since Friday about how fortunate we’ve been to have seen the Foo Fighters perform many times and as crazy as the recent Innings Fest was on February 26, we’re so glad we were there. We literally battled the masses because of our love of the Foo! Taylor sang an awesome Queen cover that was unforgetable with Dave at the drums. It was an awesome set and we were there among the thousands of crazy drunkards. My favorite time seeing them though was at Cal Jam in October 2017. The Foo resurrected this big music fest and it was awesome. We had the best time and discovered so many cool bands and experienced old favorites, too.

I’ve been sad about other musicians passing. Prince and George Michael both got me. Chester Bennington and Chris Cornell, too. But with Taylor’s passing, it’s a different level of sadness. For more than a decade, the Foo Fighters have been my favorite band. I’ve had many favorites over the years but they filled that role for me most recently. And, accepting the fact that even if they do come back to perform again, it will never be the same and that’s tough. Tougher though is being in their shoes and Taylor’s family’s shoes, too. What a terrible, terrible loss.

I was listening to the Lithium channel on SiriusXM earlier this week and caught their Taylor Tribute. Fans were calling in and saying how much they were kicking themselves for passing on seeing them live. “We’ll see them on the next tour.” As I told my BFF, we’ll never be in that category. We saw them, over and over, and will continue to show up for them and other bands we love because you never know what tomorrow will bring. The Cruise Director life for me, always. Don’t wait. Just go and experience live music and see your favorites. There’s nothing like it.

RIP Taylor and thank you for all the years of rock and roll. May your family, bandmates, friends and fans hold on to all the awesome memories you’ve made for them forever. You will always be My Hero.