The trio, featuring Wiley Hodgden on bass and Mick Murphy on guitar, is actually an original material-writing evolution of Taylor's hard-rocking covers band Chevy Metal. The Birds of Satan materialized after the Foo Fighters took some time off following their last tour and Foo leader Dave Grohl's documentary 'Sound City'.

Taylor, who previously released two albums as his side project Taylor Hawkins & the Coattail Riders, explains:

"We'd been doing these gigs and I had this one week (booked in the studio) so I said to those guys, 'Do you think we can make an EP in a week?' And they were like, 'Fuck yeah!' ... And it was just good and it was super fun and super loose and raw and sounds like the records I loved growing up... It's got that loose, raw, band-in-a-room, jamming feel... There's out of tune vocals and out of time drums. All sorts of s— all over it but I think it sounds fun and exciting."

Fellow Foo Fighters Dave Grohl, Rami Jaffee and Pat Smear are featured on the release as guest musicians.

Taylor Hawkins has a full plate this year: besides the Birds of Satan he is also recording of the next Foo Fighters album, and he will be tracking drums for Mötley Crüe's bassist and primary songwriter Nikki Sixx on his next Sixx: A.M. album. Says Nikki on Twitter:

"Really excited Taylor Hawkins is gonna play on some of the new @SixxAm album. What a fucking honor cause he is one of my favorite drummers..."