Foo Fighters recently conducted secret open auditions to find a new drummer following Josh Freese’s departure from the band. Drum coach Dave Elitch revealed this information on Instagram. A revelation about AC/DC rejecting a drummer was revealed too.
Elitch shared details about the audition process after one of his students participated in the tryouts but was not selected for the position.
“When musicians go out for gigs and you don’t get them, it’s a lot harder than other industries,” he continued. “Like actors, for instance, go out for hundreds of roles in their career, and musicians might go out for a handful. Like maybe a dozen, if you’re lucky. So when you don’t get them, it’s crushing.”
Elitch emphasized that rejection is a normal part of the music industry. He noted that even successful musicians have experienced setbacks.
“And also, everyone has not gotten a gig,” he added. “All of your favorite drummers and all these super famous big name people, they have not gotten gigs they’ve gone out for. So it’s a normal part of the process.”
Fan reactions to the news have been mixed. Some expressed confidence in the band’s audition process, while others questioned the circumstances surrounding Freese’s departure.
One fan wrote on Reddit, “Well, the last time Foo Fighters held auditions that we know of, they got Shifty, so I trust that process for them!”
Another fan said, “Josh Freese being ‘bad enough’ to warrant throwing him out without a drummer picked and needing to go to auditions to find one just makes this whole saga even more sour-tasting.”
The drummer search comes amid significant changes within both Foo Fighters and Nine Inch Nails. What appears to be a strategic exchange between the two prominent rock acts is taking place.
