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Three Grammys for Foo Fighters as they grieve Taylor Hawkins

Updated / Monday, 4 Apr 2022 11:49
Foo Fighters won all three Grammys they were nominated for
Foo Fighters won all three Grammys they were nominated for

The Foo Fighters, who were forced to cancel their Grammys appearance following the tragic death of their drummer Taylor Hawkins last month, won three awards at the ceremony in Las Vegas on Sunday night.

The band won all three Grammys they were nominated for - Best Rock Performance for Making a Fire, Best Rock Song for Waiting on a War and Best Rock Album for Medicine at Midnight, their 10th studio album and the last to feature Hawkins.

The band's Grammy tally is now 15, making them the most Grammy-garlanded American band ever.

No one from the Foo Fighters appeared at the ceremony, though a tribute to 50-year-old Hawkins - who died in a hotel room in Bogotá last month - was held during the televised event.

Taylor Hawkins

Presenter Jimmy Jam accepted the prizes on the band's behalf, "with prayers to their loved ones".

During the ceremony, host Trevor Noah said: "This was the moment in the show when I was supposed to be introducing the Foo Fighters. We would have been celebrating with them, as they won three Grammy awards earlier today."

Trevor Noah

"But they are, of course, not here due to the passing of their legendary drummer Taylor Hawkins," he added.

"Our thoughts go out to Taylor's family, his friends, the Foo Fighter family and all of their fans around the world. We'd like to take a moment now to remember Taylor."

The audience were then shown a montage of footage of Hawkins performing and backstage to the strains of the Foo Fighters song My Hero.

A larger In Memoriam segment followed, remembering more of the music world's late stars from the past year.

The Foo Fighters' wins come just days after the group, founded by lead singer and former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl, cancelled all planned tour dates.

Billie Eilish performing at the 64th Grammy Awards

Later in the evening, Billie Eilish paid tribute to Hawkins during her performance at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas by wearing a black T-shirt emblazoned with an image of the late drummer.

Jon Batiste - who was nominated in 11 different categories - picked up five awards, including Best Music Video for Freedom and later in the evening Album of the Year for We Are.

The US gambling capital of Las Vegas hosted the ceremony for the first time ever, after organisers postponed the original 31 January event over a surge in Covid-19 cases and then moved it out of Los Angeles.

US musician Jon Batiste accepts the trophy for Best Music Video

The timing of the Grammys, just one week after Will Smith stunned the world by slapping Chris Rock on stage at the Oscars, added an extra layer of unpredictability to what is already usually one of the edgier nights on the showbiz awards circuit.

During the pre-ceremony, at which most awards are doled out before the televised gala, Batiste picked up an early win for his work on the soundtrack for the animated film Soul, and two more in the American Roots category.

Questlove followed his Oscar win last week by winning the Grammy for Best Music Film for Summer of Soul.

St Vincent won her third Grammy when she took the award for Best Alternative Music Album for Daddy's Home.

Canadian music veteran Joni Mitchell made a rare public appearance and made a short speech as she accepted the award for Best Historical Album for The Early Years (1963 - 1967).

Former Disney channel actress Olivia Rodrigo, who arrived on the carpet in a Vivienne Westwood gown, won her first-ever Grammy on Sunday in the Best Pop Solo Performance category for drivers license and also took gongs for Best New Artist and Best Pop Vocal Album for Sour.

In her acceptance speech, she said: "When I was nine-years-old, I told my mom I was going to be an Olympic gymnast, even though I could barely do a cartwheel. And she thought I was joking, but I was super defensive.

"So the next week when I told her I was going to win a Grammy, she was very supportive, even though I'm sure she thought it was just a little kid pipe dream. But I want to thank my mom for being supportive of all of my dreams, no matter how crazy.

"And I want to thank my mom and my dad for being equally as proud of me for winning a Grammy as they were when I learned how to do a back walkover. This is for you guys and because of you guys, thank you."

Irish hopes were dashed when Dublin playwright Conor McPherson, who was nominated alongside fellow producers Simon Hale and Dean Sharenow for Bob Dylan's stage play Girl from the North Country, lost out on Best Musical Theatre Album to The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical.

Music's chaos agent Kanye West did not appear to be in attendance even as he won two Grammys, one of which he shared with Jay Z.

But in the competitive Best Rap Album category, it was Tyler, the Creator who won for Call Me If You Get Lost.

This year's Grammys field was wide open - especially after the Recording Academy expanded the top four categories yet again, this time to include 10 nominees, in a bid to improve diversity.

"I guess in this instance, expansion of the categories does mean more women, more marginalised people getting recognised," said six-time Grammy winner Brandi Carlile, who was up for five golden gramophones this year.

"Some things improve in certain areas, they slip in other places," she said, but added: "I'm watching it change and evolve and get better every year, and I'm heartened by it."

The expansion also resulted in one of the most eclectic crops of Best New Artist nominees in recent memory.

"Pop just has a bigger footprint, but I love that they're diving into other genres," said country singer Jimmie Allen, a nominee in the category.

Angélique Kidjo, who has four past Grammys under her belt and notched another win on Sunday for Best Global Music Album, said the Recording Academy had made strides in recent years but that there was a "long road" ahead.

Angélique Kidjo accepts the Global Music Album award

"It's a work in progress," she said. "There's goodwill on their part. How do we bring that into action?"

The Brooklyn-based Pakistani vocalist Arooj Aftab - who was also vying for the Best New Artist trophy - meanwhile won her first Grammy ever for Best Global Music Performance for Mohabbat.

The Recording Academy also included a special segment on Ukraine, in partnership with Global Citizen, encouraging awareness of the war as well as fundraising efforts for humanitarian aid.

Source: AFP

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