There Goes My Hero

Hey Dad, it’s me.  Have you got a minute?

Last night Wembley Stadium played host to the Foo Fighters as they paid tribute to their late drummer, Taylor Hawkins.  You know how much I love the Foo’s!  I would have given anything to be at Wembley last night.  Those lucky enough to have been there were treated to one heck of a show. Courtesy of YouTube, so was I. 

Taylor died in March this year.  He was fifty. Same age as me. I didn’t know him but I have watched and listened to everything the Foo Fighters have ever created so in some ways I felt like he was my buddy. 

For as long as I can remember I have wanted to be a drummer. I also know a lot of drummers who want to be comedians. I think immaculate timing brings us together. Whenever I have been lucky enough to hang out with a drummer they only seem to want to talk about stand up while I pester them about the drums.

Fifty songs were played during the evening, guesting several drummers from the rock fraternity.

I asked Google ‘How many different drummers played during the Taylor Hawkins tribute show?’ I didn’t get the answer I wanted and I know the question was thorough enough to warrant an answer more relevant than “Paul McCartney, AC/DC and Queen all appeared on the Taylor Hawkins…”.

Just for fun I then googled, ‘How deep is the ocean off the Gibraltar coast?’

“The Strait of Gibraltar’s depth ranges between 300 and 900 meters, 980 and 2,950 feet or 160 and 490 fathoms.”

Google is a snob!

I digress.

It was the penultimate song that gave me goosebumps. I had goosebumps when I watched it. I have goosebumps now as I write. Goosebumps and that one f*cking tear!

Sorry Dad, you know I am not a swearer by nature but any piece being written about the Foo Fighters would seem empty with out a little ‘F’ word.

The forty ninth song was My Hero. It made me think of you. What made this unmissable? The drummer. Dave Growl introduced him:

‘Now we got the little guy. Ladies and gentleman we have one more drummer that’s going to come up and play with us tonight. And let me tell ya I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone hit the drums as hard as this person. But beyond that he’s a member of our family and he needs to be here tonight with all of us. I think it makes sense that he comes up and plays with us tonight. Ladies and gentlemen, would you please welcome Mr Shane Hawkins on the drums.’

‘Shane starts this song’, says Dave to the crowd and the snare and base are hit. Hard!

 Wow!

Shane is the sixteen year old son of Taylor Hawkins. He played his heart out. The expression on his faced covered all emotions.  At the end of the song, Shane soloed for a bit. It was just stunning. The looks from his bandmates had one thing in common. Pride.

I watched it three times in quick succession, before I moved on to some other performances from the concert but kept I coming back to Shane. 

It’s playing right now as I type.   Goosebumps! Again!

The words of the song resonate: ‘There goes my hero, watch him as he goes.’ It’s a stunning song with such meaning. 

But come on, this is Shane!  He is playing the drums his dad used to play in front of sixty odd thousand people!  Shane is following in his dad’s footsteps. Shane has no fear. He got up and joined the band, playing effortlessly and seemingly without nerves. He left it all on the stage. It simply blew me away.

I have added My Hero to my play list: Dad – Be Inspired. It’s full of songs that remind me of you plus some great tunes that musicians have written about their own dad.

While I think about it, you should listen to Gang Of Youths and their latest album angel in real time. Before you or anyone else corrects me,  this is how they spell it.  No capitals. Now, I assume you can get this as you’re somewhere up there above the clouds and that is where all my music is stored. Listen. Enjoy. You’re welcome.

I digress again. Shocker. I can’t stop thinking about Shane’s tribute.

My Hero is playing right now as I type and this is the third draft and now four days after the concert. The goosebumps return. Why? That’s a question Google couldn’t answer because in truth I don’t really know.

I have been inspired by a sixteen year old kid who misses his dad, his teacher, his pal and his hero. Remind you of anyone, Dad?

I talk about paying a tribute to you. You passed nine years ago and that bloody book still isn’t finished. Taylor died less than six months ago and Shane isn’t talking about paying a tribute to his dad. HE IS PAYING A TRIBUTE TO HIS DAD.

I miss you so much.

Now, with relative ease I have written eight hundred and fifty seven words. I will add to them. See, already that’s another ten. I will write that book and I will pay tribute to my hero.

 Chat soon.