Foo Fighters drummer Ilan Rubin recently spoke in detail about how he joined the band, following Josh Freese’s exit last year. Rubin, who spent nearly 17 years touring with Nine Inch Nails, said he was contacted directly by Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl once his touring commitments were nearing an end, and that the transition into the new role has been welcoming and surprisingly seamless.
Speaking with Go With Elmo, Rubin stated that Grohl called him to discuss the opening and to check his availability after Nine Inch Nails’ dates wrapped, with Rubin adding that he prepared for early sessions as if it were “night one of a tour” by researching how the band had been performing songs in recent years.
He also addressed the much-discussed timing that saw Freese quickly return to Nine Inch Nails after Rubin took the Foo Fighters gig, arguing it wasn’t a “swap” and that there was “no story” beyond practical decisions. Rubin said the Foo Fighters’ need for a drummer came first, and that Nine Inch Nails opting to bring in Freese made sense because he had previously played with the group and wouldn’t require a lengthy break-in period.
“Well, at some point in time I got a call from Dave. We talked about some stuff. He knew that my touring commitments at the time were coming to an end, and I was available after that. I know that’s a bit of a vague way of putting it, but there’s some delicacy here. ‘Cause I went from a band I’d played with for almost 17 years. So that was an end of a lengthy, extensive era for me. And this new chapter has been incredible — still very new, obviously. I don’t even know how long it’s been — maybe six, seven months, give or take. I have no idea. But it’s been incredible — the most outgoing, inviting people and organization. Kind of just feeling like everything fits like a glove is great, especially after having played with so many bands for such a long time.
He added:
“I’m not saying that those weren’t great in their own right, but I’m very much a creature of habit. So I like to stay where I am. Even though my career kind of unexpectedly turned into this thing where I’ve played with multiple bands, that was never my intention — ever. But I stay where I go. And going into a whole new world can be very daunting, but it’s just been so welcoming that I couldn’t be happier. Everything’s awesome. So much fun. Everything is fun, which is great. The smiles are real, and I can’t get enough of it. I don’t know how many shows we’ve played up to this point, but it’s still super fresh. Very exciting. And it’s a great place to be and a great group of people.”
We had met a few times over the years, but it’s not like we were ‘buddy buddy’ texting all the time. [He had seen me play with the Nine Inch Nails] probably a couple of times over the years, probably going back to, like — I don’t know — if I had to say, maybe 2017 or so. But there would be years in between of seeing one another again.
“I haven’t really talked about this whole sort of chapter, so this is a new thing,” Ilan continued. “Not that I have anything to hide here, but it was just kind of, like, ‘Hey, you probably didn’t expect to hear from me, but there’s some stuff going on, and I see that your last date is’ — whenever it was; time is a giant blur, regardless of bands and touring. I have two kids, and I don’t know what day it is today. But that’s how it started.”
The personnel change has been a major talking point among fans since Freese’s departure, including previous Alternative Nation coverage of Josh Freese’s wife calling out the Foo Fighters firing as the situation played out publicly.
Rubin made his live debut with Foo Fighters on September 14, 2025 at the Fremont Theater in San Luis Obispo, California. He joined Grohl, Nate Mendel, Pat Smear, Chris Shiflett and Rami Jaffee after being announced as the band’s new drummer in July 2025, stepping into a role that had previously been held by Taylor Hawkins from 1997 until Hawkins’s death in 2022.
