After The Foo Fighters’ Taylor Hawkins’ early passing at age 50 from a drug overdose in March of this year, fans thought they had heard the last of Hawkins. However, according to Black Sabbath legend Ozzy Osbourne’s longtime producer Andrew Watt, in addition to Osbourne’s recent large collaboration Patient Number 9 that was released on September 9 with an “all-star cast of players with Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Chad Smith, Robert Trujillo, Taylor Hawkins, and more Ozzy Osbourne and Taylor Hawkins have several collaborative songs that are yet to be released (Loudwire.com).
Producer Andrew Watt is still being secretive about the purpose of these songs and when and where they will be released; Watt explains that, on top of Osbourne’s new album, which he dedicated to Hawkins in memoriam, “there’s a bunch of other stuff with Ozzy and Taylor, as well, that’s going to be used for another thing.”
Hawkins is credited as the drummer for most of the songs on the album, including the twelfth number, “God Only Knows,” which also features Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Chad Smith as a co-drummer. Smith played percussion on many other tracks that Hawkins is not featured on. Hawkins also has writing credits on the tracks “Parasite,” “Mr. Darkness,” and “God Only Knows.”
While their extensive collaboration implies a longtime friendship, before Taylor Hawkins’ post-partum appearance on the album, Osbourne did not know who Hawkins was before Patient Number 9. In an interview conducted by Kerrang!, Ozzy said: “To be perfectly honest with you, I’d never heard of him before he played on my album. But he must be good to play with Dave Grohl’s Foo Fighters. When I met him, and from what I saw of him, he was really nice man, one whose soul will surely last. I should imagine that everyone in that band was f****** devastated when the poor guy passed away.” But fans are assured- according to People Magazine, Hawkins was able to listen to his part on Patient Number 9 before his passing.
Nevertheless, Hawkins’ talent and kindness touched the soul of all those who worked with him and with all those who heard his music. The future release of his unreleased songs with Ozzy Osbourne will reignite these feelings as fans and friends alike continue to mourn the loss of this percussionist legend.
For more information about Ozzy Osbourne’s recent activities, check out this article about how the rock artist’s first live performance in three years was cut short on national television on September 8.
Photo Credit: Boston Lynn Schulz
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