Just months after firing Josh Freese from the band, Foo Fighters have enlisted drummer Ilan Rubin to take his spot.
A source confirmed to Variety that Rubin, who has been a touring member of Nine Inch Nails since 2009, will step in for Freese as the band’s drummer, as first reported by the Hollywood Reporter. It’s unclear if his role will be permanent or just for touring, as the band has shows starting in October in Jakarta, Singapore and Mexico City.
In an unusual twist, Freese will step in for Rubin as the touring drummer for Nine Inch Nails’ upcoming “Peel It Back” tour, Variety has confirmed. Freese became a permanent drummer for Nine Inch Nails in 2005 and remained with the group until 2008. Rubin had initially been slated to be part of the “Peel It Back” tour, but reportedly informed frontman Trent Reznor that he had accepted a job with another band, per THR. Nine Inch Nails appeared to confirm Freese’s appointment with a post on X.
Rubin has been a consistent force as a drummer over the years, playing with Nine Inch Nails, Angels & Airwaves and Paramore. As a member of Nine Inch Nails, he became the youngest-ever inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2020.
Freese, meanwhile, is a veteran drummer who has played with everyone from Devo and A Perfect Circle to Guns N’ Roses. In May, he announced on social media that he had been fired from Foo Fighters after filling in for Taylor Hawkins following his death for the past few years.
“I enjoyed the past two years with them, both on and off stage, and I support whatever they feel is best for the band,” he wrote. “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. Stay tuned for my ‘Top 10 possible reasons Josh got booted from the Foo Fighters’ list.”
In a comical follow-up post, Freese shared a list of the 10 possible reasons he might have been fired from the band, including “once whistled [the Foo Fighters’ hit] ‘My Hero’ for a week solid on tour” and “never even once tried growing a beard.”
