Foo Fighter Turned Down Guns N' Roses

William Lee | 11-10-2019

Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins has revealed that he once turned down an offer from Guns N' Roses after Queen's Roger Taylor advised him to stick with Dave Grohl.

Hawkins shared the story with Classic Rock. He said that while he was with the Foo Fighters in London supporting their 1999 album "There Is Nothing Left To Lose" he received a phone call from his mother telling him that Guns N' Roses' management had called looking for him.

Taylor shared, "Axl was trying to get together a new version of Guns N' Roses, and I think he was checking around for people. They wanted to know if I would come in and try out or whatever. It was kind of otherworldly."

The drummer said that he then reached out to his friend Roger Taylor of Queen for advise and the legendary drummer shared a similar experience he had with an offer to join with former Mott The Hoople singer Ian Hunter and guitarist Mick Ronson while Queen's career was in the early stages and had not yet reached superstar status.

Hawkins shared Roger's response to him, "And he said, 'I see you and Dave onstage and there's something you can't buy there. There's something between you guys that might not be there with Axl Rose.' And he was right.'"