Before the world knew Dave Grohl as the powerhouse behind Nirvana’s thunderous beats or Taylor Hawkins as the high-energy force propelling Foo Fighters’ rhythm, there was a drummer who quietly shaped their musical foundation—someone who left a deep, lasting impression on both men before the stages, the Grammys, or the stadium tours.
That drummer was Roger Taylor of Queen.
While neither Grohl nor Hawkins took formal lessons from Taylor in the traditional sense, both have acknowledged him as a central figure in their development—Grohl even once describing Taylor as his “earliest real drum influence.” It’s a testament to the way music transcends the classroom; Taylor didn’t sit down with them and teach them fills or grooves. Instead, his presence through Queen’s recordings, his style, and his unique rock-and-roll charisma became the blueprint for a generation of drummers who learned by listening, watching, and obsessing.
For Grohl, discovering Queen as a teenager was transformative. He was drawn to the way Taylor merged precision with flamboyance, raw energy with melodic sensibility. Taylor didn’t just keep time—he added a sense of drama and emotion to his drumming that made each track come alive. Whether it was the driving force behind “Tie Your Mother Down” or the subtle swing in “Somebody to Love,” Taylor’s playing had character. For Grohl, who grew up idolizing punk rock drummers and later carved out a new blueprint for alternative rock percussion, Taylor represented a perfect blend of technique and personality.
Taylor Hawkins, too, spoke frequently about his admiration for Roger Taylor. Hawkins was the kind of drummer who played with heart first, always channeling the emotional intensity of his heroes. He often cited Queen’s performances—especially their iconic Live Aid set—as pivotal in shaping his musical outlook. Watching Taylor command the stage with flamboyance and finesse showed Hawkins that a drummer didn’t need to stay tucked in the background. Taylor could be as much a star as the frontman.
Both Grohl and Hawkins were cut from the same cloth in that regard. Their style—fierce, passionate, and dynamic—echoed Taylor’s approach. Grohl’s explosive sound in Nirvana, followed by his own songwriting in Foo Fighters, carried forward the ethos of turning drums into a storytelling instrument. Hawkins, with his infectious energy and ability to play with both delicacy and aggression, followed in that same tradition.
Roger Taylor’s influence wasn’t just technical—it was deeply emotional. He gave permission to drummers to be more than rhythm-keepers; they could be artists, personalities, even icons. For Grohl and Hawkins, Taylor was more than an idol—he was the unseen teacher in their bedrooms, the mentor through vinyl and VHS, the drummer who showed them what was possible.
So while history may never record a classroom session between Taylor and his famous admirers, the lessons were given all the same—and both Grohl and Hawkins carried them proudly onto every stage they graced.
