Less than two years after joining Foo Fighters following Taylor Hawkins’ death in 2022, drummer Josh Freese was let go from the band. Freese revealed his firing in a May Instagram post, saying the Foos offered no explanation beyond “going in a different direction with their drummer.”
Now, in a new interview with The New York Times, Freese is breaking his silence about his time with and exit from the Dave Grohl fronted band.
The seasoned musician admitted to the publication that, even though he has known Grohl since he was 17, joining Foo Fighters came with far more pressure than his other gigs. “I’m coming in as Dave Grohl’s drummer, and the guy that’s supposed to save the day after the beloved Taylor Hawkins died,” he said. “Like I had to be firing on all cylinders all the time.”
Still, Freese found the job to be rewarding, making his sudden dismissal all the more surprising.
Reflecting on his firing, Freese admits to being blindsided by the decision, particularly since no explanation was given. Without providing too much detail, Freese takes some of the blame off of Grohl, pointing his finger elsewhere. “Looking back, it was probably more an issue with their management,” Freese said.
Now that the shock of his termination has worn off, it doesn’t seem like Freese is too upset about no longer being a member of the Foos. When asked to give his thoughts on Foo Fighters and their music now that he is no longer a member of the band, Freese shrugged: “It wasn’t music that I really resonated with.”
The drummer has since rejoined Nine Inch Nails, sitting behind the kit with the Trent Reznor fronted band again after leaving them in 2008 to spend more time with his family.
In a twist of fate, Foo Fighters and Nine Inch Nails have done a bit of a drummer swap.
Dave Grohl and co. have recruited Nine Inch Nails’ longtime drummer Ilan Rubin – who joined NIN in 2008 after Freese exit – to replace Freese in Foo Fighters.
Reacting to the news, Freese told The New York Times: “I couldn’t believe it. But Ilan’s a phenomenal drummer, a phenomenal musician. He’ll be perfect for the gig.”
