Josh Freese talks about his exit at the Foo Fighters and the return to Nine Inch Nails.
Drummer Josh Freese spoke about his surprising expulsion at the Foo Fighters. The musician joined the band as a touring drummer in 2023 after the long-time drummer Taylor Hawkins died unexpectedly in March 2022. In May of this year, however, Freese was surprisingly released from the band.
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In an interview with the “New York Times”, Freese now explained: “In retrospect, it was probably more due to her management.” When asked about his feelings towards the music of the Foo Fighters, he answered openly: “It was not the music that I could really identify with.”
High pressure after Taylor’s death
In the interview, Freese described his two -year time in the band as very demanding: “I come as Dave Grohl’s drummer and should save the day after the beloved Taylor Hawkins died,” he said. This constantly put him under pressure to “run constantly on all cylinders.” After leaving, Freese humorously shared ten possible reasons why he had to leave the band, including the whistle of “My Hero” on tour for a week or the ring in every rehearsal with a 20-minute cow bell session.
Return to Nine Inch Nails
Since then, Freese has returned to his former band Nine Inch Nails, where he played drums from 2005 to 2008. The return took place shortly after Nine Inch Nails drummer Ilan Rubin was recruited for the Foo Fighters. Freese said about the return: “It is unbelievable to be on tour with Trent and the crew and experience this energy every evening. I look forward to being part of this dynamic again.”
Replacement by Ilan Rubin
For the Foo Fighters, Ilan Rubin has now taken over the space on the drums. Freese described the exchange compared to the “New York Times” as “ironic, but perfect for the band.” Because the drummer is an absolute professional.
As part of the 30th anniversary of the Foo Fighters, Dave Grohl commented on Freeeses for the first time. In a letter to the fans, which was published on the official website of the Foo Fighters, he paid tribute to the “thundering virtuosity of Josh Freese” and thanked all former members for their contributions to band history.