Drummer Josh Freese is a Foo no more.
“The Foo Fighters called me Monday night to let me know they’ve decided ‘to go in a different direction with their drummer.’ No reason was given,” Freese said in an Instagram post he published Friday afternoon.
“Regardless, I enjoyed the past two years with them, both on and off stage, and I support whatever they feel is best for the band. 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. But as most of you know, I’ve always worked freelance and bounced between bands so, I’m fine.”
Freese followed up with a bit of humor, adding, “Stay tuned for my Top 10 possible reasons Josh got booted from the Foo Fighters list.”
A sense of humor has played a role in Freese’s time in the band. He was first introduced through a livestream sketch that included several rock stars.
The livestream skit began with frontman Dave Grohl standing around in the studio with fellow Foo Fighters members Rami Jaffee, Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett and Pat Smear talking about usual band topics. Then, a knock at the door introduced Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, who poked his head in to say a quick “Hello,” followed by another knock that introduced Tommy Lee of Mötley Crüe, who was dropping off some P.F. Chang’s, and then another one that brought in Danny Carey of Tool.
The next shot was a camera pan that revealed Freese sitting behind a drum set, asking if the guys were ready to play, then they launched into “All My Life.”
The drummer replaced the late Taylor Hawkins, and performed with the Foo Fighters for the first time at the Ohana Festival at Doheny State Beach in Dana Point in 2023. Sharing the stage with other stars is nothing new for Freese, whose beastly drumming skills earned him a spot alongside several high-caliber rock acts, including Guns N’ Roses, the Offspring, Blink-182, The Vandals, A Perfect Circle, Nine Inch Nails, Sublime with Rome, Sting and Devo.
Like Grohl, Freese was an Orange County local but currently resides in Long Beach with his wife.
“Taylor and I both grew up in Orange County…30 mins away from one another but whenever we were in a group full of musicians (usually far away from home somewhere) we’d joke that we were the only 2 guys from OC in the room,” Freese wrote on Instagram in September 2022, after playing in a Hawkins tribute concert. “We always had that funny little bond, and he’d always remind me that he was tired of hearing about ‘that other young guy from OC who was already making records and touring’ when he was a teenager.”