He becomes the third drummer to sit behind the kit for the band following Taylor Hawkins’ death
Foo Fighters have confirmed that their new drummer is Josh Freese. The band announced Freese during their live stream rehearsal on Sunday (May 21) for their upcoming tour dates. He becomes the third drummer to sit behind the kit for Foo Fighters since Taylor Hawkins’ untimely death last March.
Freese was most recently touring with The Offspring, who recently recruited former Suicidal Tendencies drummer Brandon Pertzborn. Throughout his career, Freese has performed and recorded with Sting, Devo, Guns N’ Roses, A Perfect Circle, Nine Inch Nails, Paramore, Sublime with Rome, and more. Freese also took part in the Taylor Hawkins Tribute Show in Los Angeles last September.
Following the departure of drummer William Goldsmith during the recording sessions for Foo Fighters’ debut LP The Colour and the Shape, Taylor Hawkins official joined the band in the spring of 1997. He made his studio debut on 1999’s There Is Nothing Left To Lose (Roswell/RCA). Hawkins went on to play on every record until 2021’s Medicine at Midnight. The record hit No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and took the top spot in several other countries. The album garnered the band three GRAMMY® Awards, including Best Rock Song (“Waiting on a War”), Best Rock Performance (“Making a Fire”), and Best Rock Album.
The band’s 2023 performances will take place across the U.S. in August though October. The Breeders, Garbage, The Pretty Reckless, Wet Leg, and Taipei Houston will serve as special guests on select dates. Tickets for all shows are on sale now HERE.
Earlier this week, Foo Fighters released “Under You” – the second single from their forthcoming album But Here We Are. The track follows the previously revealed “Rescued.” The new album arrives on June 2 via Roswell/RCA and will be available on black vinyl, white vinyl, CD, cassette, and digital download. Fans can pre-order the record now HERE.
This spring, Foo Fighters make their return with a full festival docket. The band will perform at Boston Calling, Sonic Temple, Bonnaroo, Sea Hear Now, and more. Last year, Foo Fighters were slated to perform at Boston Calling as well as Welcome to Rockville, but canceled in the wake of Hawkins’ passing. While it remains unclear who will sit behind the kit, rock fans are enjoying a bittersweet moment of seeing the band’s name on festival bills again.
Additionally, Foo Fighters will be headlining The Ohana Festival at the end of September. The annual outing takes place in Dana Point, California on September 29 through October 1, with Foo Fighters closing it out on the final day. The Killers and Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder are also headlining, along with performances from HAIM, Father John Misty, The War on Drugs, Rainbow Kitten Surprise, and more.
Foo Fighters’ last live performance was in Buenos Aires’ Hipódromo de San Isidro at Lollapalooza Argentina.