Foo Fighters Reveal Josh Freese as New Drummer

Foo Fighters will tour with Josh Freese, as the veteran drummer inherits the spot from the late Taylor Hawkins.

Freese, 50, began taking part in professionally on the age of 12 and is a veteran of many rock bands together with Guns N’ Roses, Sting, Nine Inch Nails, Weezer, A Perfect Circle, Devo and others.

The band revealed Freese’s addition throughout a Veeps.com livestream efficiency as we speak. The present began with the band’s different members chatting about random subjects in a rehearsal studio whereas well-known drummers such as Tommy Lee, Chad Smith and Danny Carey dropped in for more and more ludicrous causes. Finally, Freese was revealed behind the equipment, asking his new bandmates if they might get on with the rehearsal.

Freese is understood for a no-nonsense, heavy-hitting method to taking part in. His angle matches that of Dave Grohl, and likewise with Hawkins himself. “I always say… that when little boys are day dreaming of cool-sounding jobs ‘when they grow up,’ that being a drummer is right up there alongside of astronaut, baseball player, fireman,” He informed Vice in 2016.

Recalling he’d discovered an previous drum equipment in his musician dad’s attic, he continued: “My dad played me the most elementary rock’’n’ roll 101 beat, and I sat down and immediately played it. I fell in love instantly and then spent the next few years playing along to Van Halen, Devo, Police, and Queen records before taking formal lessons.”

On his method to working with others, Freese stated: “I always tell people, ‘Play with as many people as you can play with, without burning all bridges or fucking things up for yourself.’” And in case his qualification for providing recommendation was doubtful, he famous: “I’ve paid taxes yearly since I used to be 12 from drumming revenue. Other than a paper route I had for about six weeks after I was 10, that is the one job I’ve ever had.”

Hawkins played with Foo Fighters for 25 years and appeared on eight of their studio albums, before dying suddenly on March 25, 2022, in Bogota, Colombia, where the band was scheduled to perform at the Festival Estereo Picnic. He was 50 years old.

Foo Fighters subsequently canceled their remaining 2022 tour dates, though they honored Hawkins with a pair of star-studded tribute concerts in London and Los Angeles last September. Both concerts found the band joined by a handful of high-profile drummers, including Pearl Jam’s Matt Cameron, Blink-182’s Travis Barker, the Darkness’ Rufus Taylor, Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Chad Smith and Freese.

Foo Fighters are gearing up for a characteristically busy schedule in the second half of 2023, having already been announced as headliners for a slew of festivals, including Boston Calling, Sonic Temple and Bonnaroo. They released a New Year’s Eve statement confirming their intention to continue as a band, reflecting on the tumultuous year and expressing optimism for the future.

“As we are saying goodbye to essentially the most tough and tragic 12 months that our band has ever recognized, we’re reminded of how grateful we’re for the those who we love and cherish most, and for the family members who’re not with us,” they wrote. “Foo Fighters have been fashioned 27 years in the past to signify the therapeutic energy of music and a continuation of life, and for the previous 27 years, our followers have constructed a worldwide neighborhood, a faithful help system that has helped us all get by way of the darkest of occasions collectively.”

They described the band as “a spot to share our pleasure and our ache, our hopes and fears, and to affix a refrain of life collectively by way of music. Without Taylor, we by no means would have grow to be the band that we have been – and with out Taylor, we all know that we’re going to be a distinct band going ahead. We additionally know that you just, the followers, meant as a lot to Taylor as he meant to you. And we all know that once we see you once more — and we’ll quickly — he’ll be there in spirit with all of us each evening.”