The Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concert took place on Tuesday night in Los Angeles. The star-studded show featured many friends of the late legendary drummer. A trio of Def Leppard members, including Joe Elliott, alongside guests such as Miley Cyrus, the Rush icons, Pat Smear, and Chris Shiflett, were just a few of the names that made an appearance to honor their dear friend.
Def Leppard started their performance with the band’s 1983 single ‘Rock of Ages’ from their ‘Pyromania’ album. After they finished the song, Elliott brought out Miley Cyrus to the stage, and they performed ‘Photograph.’ Before coming off the stage, Cyrus shared her love for her late friend with the audience and dedicated the song to him.
Just before their performance of ‘Rock of Ages’ performance started, Joe Elliott told the audience a story about the late drummer. He said that thirty years ago, guitarist Phil Collen had gone into a guitar shop in Laguna Hills, and a 20-year-old kid had sold him several guitars.
Fast forward to four or five years later, Def Leppard was about to do a show in England, and that kid came walking into the dressing room. Collen couldn’t believe it when he saw the kid, and he was playing the drums for Alanis Morissette at the time. Elliott said that the kid who sold the guitars to Collen back in the day was Taylor Hawkins.
Joe Elliott’s words about the late drummer Taylor Hawkins:
“Thirty years ago, Phil Collen walked into a guitar store in Laguna Hills, and a 20-year-old kid sold him a bunch of guitar strings. And about four or five years later, we did ‘Top of the Pops’ in England, and this kid walks into the dressing room, and Phil says, ‘What the f*ck are you doing here?’ He played drums for Alanis Morissette, and that was Taylor Hawkins.”
You can watch the performances below.
