Jane’s Addiction frontman and Lollapalooza co-founder Perry Farrell has posted a touching video message on his Facebook page in which he discusses his friendship with late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins, who died Friday at age 50.
Blabbermouth.net reports that Farrell recorded the five-minute message on Saturday, and it was played Sunday during the Lollapalooza Brasil festival, where Foo Fighters had been scheduled to play a headlining set.
“Taylor Hawkins…was my best friend — beloved in my home by my wife, my children, even my dogs,” Farrell begins his tribute. “He was one of the most passionate drummers I’ve ever seen in my lifetime. When I think of him, I sum it up with one word: velocity. He had the gift to maintain a confident striking and stroking velocity on drums.”
Perry continues, “There’s a large part of my heart that I had reserved for him. I accepted him into my heart when we became friends because he was such a pure guy, so pure of heart…I would receive texts from Taylor. There were always bits and pieces of songs he was writing or looking to write or wanted me to listen to. I got music tidbits as often as I got ‘I love you’s.”
Farrell goes on to explain that their mutual passion for music was the “common ground” that served as a basis for their friendship.
He concludes, “The only sense that I could make of the tragedy is to know that Taylor’s now in heaven; he can hear us. What I’m gonna do from this day forward is to try to make music that I think Taylor would really love.”
The video also features footage of Perry and Taylor singing Queen‘s “Bohemian Rhapsody” together accompanied by a street musician playing piano.
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