After just two years behind the kit, Foo Fighters parted ways with drummer Josh Freese, who revealed in May that the band had “decided to go in a different direction with their drummer.” Several months later, the group hired Ilan Rubin to take his place.
In a new interview with the Japanese magazine Rockin’On, Dave Grohl opened up on his decision to bring Rubin on as Foo Fighters’ new drummer – a move that comes as the band marks its 30th anniversary.
It should be noted that the conversation was originally published in Japanese and has been translated to English.
“Ilan has known me for quite some time,” Grohl said of Rubin. “The music scene around us is quite small, and bands are particularly connected, so we’re all connected here and there. So when we were looking for a drummer, his name happened to come up. […] I knew even before we started working together that he was not only a great drummer, but also a friendly and nice guy.”
Before joining the Foos, Rubin spent more than a decade behind the kit for Nine Inch Nails, drumming for the band from 2009 to 2025. He’s also performed with Angels & Airwaves, Danny Elfman, Paramore, and a number of other acts.
“The most important thing for our band is the human connection,” the frontman continued. “Whether you can feel that connection while playing as a band. Even just looking at the time we spend together on stage is quite a long time, but it’s also true that the time we spend together on stage is even more meaningful.”
“But he’s a really amazing musician,” Grohl added. “He’s incredibly good at guitar and piano, and his composition skills are also amazing. And of course, his drumming is absolutely amazing! We have similar tastes in music, so I really feel like ‘birds of a feather flock together’ (laughs). And more than anything, his courage on stage is very impressive.”
Grohl’s admiration for Rubin seems to be mutual, as the drummer told Rockin’ On that he felt an immediate connection with the band.
“In a way, I ended up joining this band by chance, but right now I feel like I’m at home so much,” Rubin said. “I have so much fun being with everyone, it even feels like we’ve been touring together for years (laughs). […] It’s absolutely the best, and I’m just so comfortable.”
“Even from the first time we stepped onstage at that small venue [in San Luis Obispo, CA], we felt so natural,” Rubin added, “and after our first show, I had this feeling that it’s only going to get better from here, and it really has.”
