The drummer rejoining the band’s touring lineup for the first time since 2008 after spending two years on the road with Foo Fighters
Josh Freese stopped performing with Nine Inch Nails in 2008, marking the end of a three-year stint in the touring band for the group led by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. He spent the next few years touring with Weezer, Paramore, Sublime with Rome, and more. Earlier this year, he was notably let go from Foo Fighters. But he never forgot what it felt like to be onstage with Nine Inch Nails and he’s ready to relive that feeling.
“NIN was a band that left me walking off stage every single night thinking, ‘That was incredible. We absolutely crushed it,’” Freese shared in his first public statement since it was announced that he would reunite with Nine Inch Nails on their upcoming Peel It Back run. “And it wasn’t just a feeling, it was a certainty. That level of intensity, pride, and satisfaction after each show is something I’ve rarely experienced anywhere else.”
Freese joined Foo Fighters in 2023 to fill the the vacancy left by the late Taylor Hawkins. When the band relived him of his duties, they cited a decision “to go in a different direction with their drummer.” Earlier this week, it was revealed that Freese would be replaced by Ilan Rubin, who recently departed from Nine Inch Nails. Rubin’s stint with the band began first in 2008, when he replaced Freese, but became more permanent in 2013.
“Being back on tour with Trent and the crew — helping them do what they do best night after night — is something I’m incredibly excited about,” Freese continued. “To be part of that energy again feels amazing. If you get a chance to catch one of these shows over the next six weeks, I promise, they’re going to be absolutely unforgettable. Hope to see you out there.”
Nine Inch Nails will resume the Peel It Back tour with Freese on Aug. 6 when the North American leg kicks off in Oakland, California. The run will conclude on Sept. 19 in Los Angeles.
