Veteran rock drummer Josh Freese has opened up about his firing from Foo Fighters earlier this year.
“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,” Freese told The New York Times. Although Freese is no stranger to picking up high-stakes, high-profile gigs on short notice, he said the weight of replacing Hawkins made him feel “like I had to be firing on all cylinders all the time.”
“Looking back, it was probably more an issue with their management,” Freese surmised of his dismissal. On a personal level, he’s not too hung up on the decision, adding, “It wasn’t music that I really resonated with.”
READ MORE: Josh Freese Theorizes Top 10 Reasons for Foo Fighters Dismissal
When Did Foo Fighters Fire Josh Freese?
Freese announced his dismissal from Foo Fighters in May, noting that “no reason was given” for the decision. “In my 40 years of drumming professionally, I’ve never been let go from a band, so while I’m not angry — just a bit shocked and disappointed,” he added. (Foo Fighters thanked Freese for his “thunderous wizardry” when they released “Today’s Song” in early July.)
The drummer didn’t stay idle for long. In July, Freese rejoined Nine Inch Nails, with whom he’d previously toured from 2005 to 2008. Longtime Nine Inch Nails drummer Ilan Rubin simultaneously joined Foo Fighters.
READ MORE: 11 Rock Bands That Got Rid of Their Drummers in 2025
“I couldn’t believe it,” Freese said of the drummer swap. “But Ilan’s a phenomenal drummer, a phenomenal musician. He’ll be perfect for the gig.”
Could Josh Freese Join Pearl Jam?
It’s been a tough year for rock drummers, with more than a dozen veteran bands announcing personnel changes. That includes fellow ’90s rock legends Pearl Jam, whose drummer Matt Cameron recently left the group after 27 years.
Some fans have speculated that Freese is a shoo-in for the gig, but he doesn’t know if the band will make him an offer.
“But whatever happens, I’m going to be out there playing,” he said. “That’s all I’ve ever wanted to do.”
Foo Fighters Albums Ranked
From the one-man-band debut to their sprawling, chart-topping classics, a look at the studio releases by Dave Grohl and band.
Gallery Credit: Corey Irwin
