Dave Grohl Finally Explains Why Foo Fighters Unceremoniously Axed Drummer Josh Freese in 2025
It doesn’t feel like it, but almost a year has passed since drummer Josh Freese was booted out of the Foo Fighters. The decision still stirs up lots of emotions for both fans and the band. After almost two years behind the kit, the legendary drummer found himself out of a job – and now, frontman Dave Grohl is finally setting the record straight about what really went down. What happened?
The Band’s Difficult Decision to Part Ways with Josh Freese
In a straightforward February 19, 2026 interview with Apple Music 1’s “The Zane Lowe Show,” via NME, Grohl revealed that the difficult choice to move on from Freese wasn’t made lightly – or quickly. According to the iconic singer, the conversation started during the band’s touring hiatus in 2024. This was a period that gave the Foo Fighters time to reflect on their musical direction and sound. Grohl stated:
“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 and let him know that we are going to move on with a different drummer,'”
Grohl emphasized “it didn’t happen overnight.” He made it crystal clear that this wasn’t a unilateral decision made by him alone. “We called, as a band, all of us called, it wasn’t just me,” he stressed.
“Basically, we called Josh 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.'”
Why Josh Freese and The Foo Fighters Weren’t the Right Fit
Grohl’s comments seem to align with what Freese himself revealed in a 2025 interview. The drummer had candidly admitted that the Foo Fighters’ music “never really resonated” with him – a statement that Grohl now references as crucial to understanding the split.
“Since then, there’s been a lot of talk about it,” Grohl acknowledged, “but I think Josh said it best when he said that he didn’t feel our music really resonated with him, and that’s really important.”
Know what? He’s right. Musical chemistry isn’t just about technical skill – it’s about feeling the music deep in your bones. Freese is an absolute monster behind the kit, having worked with everyone from Nine Inch Nails to A Perfect Circle, but sometimes even the best players don’t click with a particular band’s sound.
The Impossible Task of Replacing Taylor Hawkins
Admittedly, stepping into the late, great Taylor Hawkins’ shoes was always going to be a nightmare scenario for any drummer. Hawkins wasn’t just the Foo Fighters’ timekeeper for 25 years – he was the band’s heart, their brother, their best friend. His tragic death in March 2022 left a void that no amount of skill or talent could easily fill.
Grohl admitted as much during the Apple Music interview, calling the situation “really complicated” for both the band and any drummer who would attempt to continue Hawkins’ legacy. “Beyond being an amazing drummer, he was this incredible spirit,” Grohl said. “He was this incredible human being and he was our brother.”
The pressure on Freese must have been overwhelming. As he told The New York Times in August 2025: “I’m coming in as Dave Grohl’s drummer, and the guy that’s supposed to save the day after the beloved Taylor Hawkins died.” He described feeling like he “had to be firing on all cylinders all the time.”
That had to be tough. That kind of pressure can crush anyone, no matter how talented they are.
Where Josh Freese Landed After His Foo Fighters Stint
The good news? Freese didn’t stay down for long. After his May 2025 dismissal from the Foo Fighters – which he initially announced with characteristic humor, listing 10 tongue-in-cheek reasons he might have been fired (including “once whistled ‘My Hero’ for a week solid on tour”) – he has since returned to Nine Inch Nails, a band he’d previously drummed for from 2005 to 2008. Cool!
Per THR, Freese excitedly wrote (in part) in a 2025 Instagram post announcing his return:
“Leaving Nine Inch Nails at the end of 2008 was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make… Nine Inch Nails was a band that left me walking off stage every single night thinking, ‘That was incredible. We absolutely crushed it.'”
Now back with NIN, Trent Reznor and company, Freese really seems to have found his groove again – proof that sometimes the best moves happen after the toughest breaks.
The Foo Fighters Move Forward With A New Drummer
Following Freese’s departure, the Foo Fighters recruited Ilan Rubin, ironically the former Nine Inch Nails drummer, to take over behind the kit. The band continues to honor Hawkins’ memory with every performance. Grohl notes “we always talk about him every f*cking day.”
“In everything we do we want to have that energy – we want to have that energy for Taylor,”
Grohl emphasized, showing that while the band has moved forward, they’ll never forget the irreplaceable presence drummer Hawkins brought to their music.
Difficult Decisions Lead to Success – and Not Only in Music
Looking back at situations such as this, one thing becomes clear: sometimes the musical vibes and band chemistry simply aren’t there – even when all players are super talented. The Foo Fighters had a need for a drummer who could connect with their music on a deeper level, while Freese needed a band whose sound truly spoke to – and resonated with him.
There’s clearly no villain in this story, it was a complex decision that led everyone to where they ultimately needed to be. The lesson here is that the toughest choices can often produce the best outcomes – and certainly brighten everyone’s future.
