Rock n Roll
Foo Fighters Dismiss Drummer Josh Freese Without Explanation, Days Ahead of Live Return
The Foo Fighters are making headlines again—not for music, but for controversy. Just as the band prepares for its highly anticipated return to the stage following frontman Dave Grohl’s recent personal scandal, longtime touring drummer Josh Freese revealed he has been unexpectedly let go.
Josh Freese, who joined the band in 2023 after the tragic death of drummer Taylor Hawkins, shared the news via Instagram on May 16. “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,” Josh Freese wrote. “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.”
The announcement comes just days before the Foo Fighters are scheduled to perform at the Singapore Grand Prix on October 4—their first live performance since Dave Grohl’s revelation in September that he fathered a child outside his marriage. The scandal has cast a shadow over the band’s public image, and now, with Freese’s departure, questions about internal instability have resurfaced.
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Josh Freese, a respected veteran in the music industry, has performed with Nine Inch Nails, Guns N’ Roses, Devo, and many others. Despite a four-decade-long career, he noted this is the first time he’s been formally dropped from a band. “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,” he added. He concluded with a tongue-in-cheek tease: “Stay tuned for my ‘Top 10 possible reasons Josh got booted from the Foo Fighters’ list.”
The Foo Fighters have yet to issue an official statement addressing the situation, further fueling speculation among fans and industry observers. Reactions poured in from across the music community in the absence of clarity.
There is also no word on who will replace Foo Fighters drummer Josh Freese behind the drum kit. Some fans and commentators are now speculating whether the band might follow in the footsteps of groups like Primus, which hosted open auditions after drummer Tim “Herb” Alexander’s departure. That search attracted over 6,000 applicants, eventually bringing Louisiana-based John Hoffman into the fold.
Freese’s sudden exit adds another layer of unpredictability to the Foo Fighters’ already tumultuous chapter. With live dates on the horizon and no drummer publicly named, the band is now navigating its next act in both sound and identity.
Whether this move signals a deeper reshuffle within the group or a pivot toward a new sound era remains to be seen. For now, the Foo Fighters’ silence only raises the volume on the speculation.
