Foo Fighters drummer reveals on social media he’s been fired after only two years with Dave Grohl group

The drummer joined the Foo Fighters after a lengthy search for the late Taylor Hawkins’ replacement
  • Drummer Josh Freese has announced he is no longer with the Foo Fighters.
  • The announcement was revelaed on Freese’s Instagram, explaining in 40 years he has never been fired from a band.
  • Speculation now mounts who could be his replacement, though one previous drummer for the band cannot understand the reasoning behind the move.

It's all change at Camp Foo Fighters this week, with the announcement that drummer Josh Freese has been let go from the band – just two years after joining them.

In a social media post, Freese explained that the band's management contacted him earlier in the week to inform him that his services were no longer required.

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Posting on Instagram, Freese revealed: "The Foo Fighters called me Monday night to let me know they've decided 'to go in a different direction with their drummer.’

Josh Freese of The Offspring performs live onstage at iHeartRadio LIVE with The Offspring at iHeartRadio Theater on August 12, 2021 in Burbank, California. (Photo by Andrew Toth/Getty Images for iHeartMedia)Josh Freese of The Offspring performs live onstage at iHeartRadio LIVE with The Offspring at iHeartRadio Theater on August 12, 2021 in Burbank, California. (Photo by Andrew Toth/Getty Images for iHeartMedia)
Josh Freese of The Offspring performs live onstage at iHeartRadio LIVE with The Offspring at iHeartRadio Theater on August 12, 2021 in Burbank, California. (Photo by Andrew Toth/Getty Images for iHeartMedia) | Getty Images for iHeartMedia

“Regardless,” he continued, “I enjoyed the past two years with them, both on and off stage, and I support whatever they feel is best for the band."

Freese, a renowned session drummer who has previously worked with Nine Inch Nails, Guns N’ Roses, and A Perfect Circle, did not provide further explanation about his departure but expressed surprise at the decision.

"In my 40 years of drumming professionally, I've never been let go from a band,” he wrote, “so while I'm not angry - just a bit shocked and disappointed.”

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The decision has confused many Foo Fighters fans, given the fanfare surrounding Freese's arrival. Former Foo Fighters drummer William Goldsmith, who had an acrimonious split from the band during the recording of The Colour and the Shape, chimed in with this response:

Goldsmith wrote, "Say what? Why for playing everything not only perfectly but going above and beyond what most are remotely capable of? I apologize, but respectfully, this makes absolutely no sense to me."

Freese became the permanent drummer for Foo Fighters after Taylor Hawkins's death in March 2022. Current rumours suggest that Hawkins’s son, Oliver Hawkins, could be in line to take over the role, having performed with the band during the Taylor Hawkins memorial shows in September 2022

What are your thoughts about Foo Fighters letting Josh Freese go, and who do you think will become the new drummer for the band? Let us know your thoughts by leaving a comment down below.

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