Yesterday, Rolling Stone ran a thoroughly reported piece about the final days of Taylor Hawkins, the Foo Fighters drummer who tragically passed in March. The article featured interviews with 20 people who were close to Hawkins, including Pearl Jam’s Matt Cameron and Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Chad Smith. Earlier today, Cameron issued an apology for his quotes on Instagram: “I assumed it would be a celebration of his life and work,” he said regarding the story. “My quotes were taken out of context and shaped into a narrative I had never intended.”
Now, Smith is doing the same, stating: “Taylor was one of my best friends and I would do anything for his family. I was asked by Rolling Stone to share some memories of our time together, which I thought was going to be the loving tribute he deserved. Instead, the story they wrote was sensationalized and misleading, and had I known I never would have agreed to participate. I apologize to his family and musical friends for any pain this may have caused. I miss Taylor every day.”
In the article, both of the artists spoke about the pressure that Hawkins was under. Cameron mentioned that, in the days leading up to his death, Hawkins “…had a heart-to-heart with Dave [Grohl] and, yeah, he told me that he ‘couldn’t f*cking do it anymore’… I guess they did come to some understanding, but it just seems like the touring schedule got even crazier after that.” Representatives from the Foo Fighters disputed this exchange between Grohl and Hawkins, among other things.
Red Hot Chili Peppers is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.