For the first time in ages, there were festivals all over the country. New Orleans Jazz Fest, Shaky Knees and Memphis’ Beale Street Music Festival. Foo Fighters were slated to headline Saturday night in Memphis and Sunday in New Orleans. but were replaced by Sammy Hagar and the Circle and Red Hot Chili Peppers, respectively.
In memory of the late Taylor Hawkins, Hagar and his band covered “My Hero.” In a post on Instagram, Hagar explained how it all came together and explained the band’s initial apprehension about replacing the Foos.
When we were asked by the promoter to fill in for the Foo Fighters at the Beale Street Music Festival, my first reaction was ‘No fucking way!’ We discussed it as a band, & we came up with ‘Why not! Let’s just go play music and you’re at a big ass Circle party for those people, just do what we do!’ Then with Dave Grohl’s blessings we decided to do a broken down version of one of my favorite songs from one of my favorite bands. It felt appropriate. No rehearsal, After all this is rock ‘n’ roll and thats what it’s all about. Enjoy.
Hagar and the Circle join the lengthy list of artists who have honored Hawkins, who died in Bogota on March 25.
