Dave Grohl<\/strong> has finally addressed Foo Fighters<\/strong>‘ decision to part ways with drummer Josh Freese<\/strong> last year, shedding light on the band’s internal discussions and the emotional weight of moving forward after Taylor Hawkins<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Freese<\/strong> \u2014 a veteran sticksman known for his work with Nine Inch Nails<\/strong> and countless others \u2014 was recruited in 2023 to fill the void left by Hawkins<\/strong>‘ death. But in May 2025, he revealed via Instagram that the band had decided “to go in a different direction with their drummer,” adding: “No reason was given.” Since then, former Nine Inch Nails<\/strong> drummer Ilan Rubin<\/strong> has stepped in behind the kit for Foo Fighters<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Now, speaking on The Zane Lowe Show on Apple Music 1<\/em>, Grohl<\/strong> has opened up about how the decision unfolded. According to the frontman, the call was made during a break from touring in 2024.<\/p>\n “In those six or seven months, as a band, we talked about what to do next, a new direction, and thought, ‘Okay, let’s call Josh<\/strong> and let him know that we are going to move on with a different drummer,'” Grohl<\/strong> explained, emphasizing that the move “didn’t happen overnight.”<\/p>\n “We called, as a band, all of us called, it wasn’t just me,” he continued. “Basically, we called Josh<\/strong> and were, like, ‘Hey, man, that was awesome. That was such a blast, thank you so much, but we are going to move on and find another drummer.'”<\/p>\n Grohl<\/strong> also referenced comments Freese<\/strong> made in an August 2025 interview with The New York Times<\/em>, where the drummer admitted the gig never fully clicked for him. “It wasn’t music that I really resonated with,” Freese<\/strong> said at the time, adding that stepping in after Hawkins’ passing came with immense pressure.<\/p>\n “I’m coming in as Dave Grohl<\/strong>‘s drummer, and the guy that’s supposed to save the day after the beloved Taylor Hawkins<\/strong> died\u2026 I felt like I had to be firing on all cylinders all the time.”<\/p>\n Grohl<\/strong> acknowledged that sentiment. “Since then, there’s been a lot of talk about it,” he said, “but I think Josh<\/strong> said it best when he said that he didn’t feel our music really resonated with him, and that’s really important.”<\/p>\n The Foo Fighters<\/strong> frontman also spoke candidly about the emotional complexity of carrying on without Hawkins<\/strong>, who had been Grohl<\/strong>‘s bandmate for 25 years.<\/p>\n “We had Taylor Hawkins<\/strong> as our drummer for 25 years and, beyond being an amazing drummer, he was this incredible spirit,” Grohl<\/strong> said. “He was this incredible human being and he was our brother. He was our best friend. So, continuing after Taylor<\/strong> was really complicated, not just for us, but for any drummer that was going to come in to, like, you know, fill his shoes.<\/p>\n “We always talk about him every fucking day. In everything we do we want to have that energy \u2014 we want to have that energy for Taylor<\/strong>.”\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Enter your information below to get a daily update with all of our headlines and receive The Orchard Metal newsletter.<\/p>\n