Foo Fighters look ahead to life without Taylor Hawkins

LOS ANGELES: American rock band Foo Fighters confirmed that they will continue after drummer Taylor Hawkins, death in March, telling fans that they will see them "soon".

Their post stated: "As we say goodbye to the most difficult and tragic year that our band has ever known, we are reminded of how thankful we are for the people that we love and cherish most, and for the loved ones who are no longer with us," reports Variety.

"Without Taylor, we never would have become the band that we were - and without Taylor, we know that we're going to be a different band going forward," the statement reads.

"We also know that you, the fans, meant as much to Taylor as he meant to you. And we know that when we see you again - and we will soon - he'll be there in spirit with all of us every night," the statement added.

This marks the Dave Grohl-led band's first public acknowledgement that it will continue without Hawkins, who died in March at 50 while the band was on tour in Colombia.

According to Variety, Hawkins joined Foo Fighters in 1997 after two years as the drummer for Alanis Morissette, and quickly became an integral part of the rock band''s sound and image.

To honour Hawkins, Grohl held two star-studded tribute concerts in London and Los Angeles which featured performances from Morissette, Joan Jett, Travis Barker, Josh Homme, Wolfgang Van Halen, Pink, Miley Cyrus, Stewart Copeland and Chad Smith as well as members of Queen, Motley Crue, Def Leppard, Soundgarden, Rush, Metallica and Black Sabbath.