Justin Hawkins was “petrified” about performing at the tribute concerts for the late Taylor Hawkins.
The Darkness frontman was a surprise highlight of the 2022 gigs in London and Los Angeles organised by Dave Grohl in honour of his late Foo Fighters bandmate, but the ‘I Believe in a Thing Called Love’ hitmaker was worried about messing up, particularly due to his own group’s connection to the drummer.
He told Britain’s Rolling Stone magazine: “When Taylor died, it was devastating for us because he was Rufus (Taylor, drummer)’s godfather.
“We were on the road in Canada and it was an awful moment, so we did our best to support Rufus through that time.
“But I’d known Taylor too and we’d joked about having the same surname, and there was even a guy who claimed to be the missing family link between us.
“I got the call from Dave Grohl and I was kind of petrified in a way, because he meant so much to me and there was so much at stake. I didn’t want to f*** it up, because I am someone who famously likes to self-sabotage.”
Justin spent some time preparing for the gigs and was ultimately very pleased with both his performance and how well it was received.
He said: “I booked a studio, I prepared for it properly and that’s very unlike me.
“I had to get it right, and it was extremely well received, and I think that’s when people started to see me a little bit differently.
“I performed with Brian Johnson from AC/DC too and he rang me after just to chat, and I saw him at an awards do recently.
“It blows my mind to think I’m considered a national treasure, but it blows it even more to think I’m on first name terms with one of my actual heroes.”