Josh Freese was introduced as Foo Fighters’ new drummer a little over a week ago. It’s wrong to frame the addition of Freese as replacing the late Taylor Hawkins, who died suddenly in March 2022, because nobody could ever do that. But Dave Grohl and the Foos are trying to make the previously inconceivable transition behind the kit as seamless as possible ahead of But Here We Are, their album due out this Friday, June 2.
Last Wednesday, May 24, marked Freese’s first show with Foo Fighters at Bank Of New Hampshire Pavilion in Gilford, New Hampshire, and Grohl took a beat between songs to ask the crowd to welcome Freese, “who has helped save the band.” Before beginning “Cold Day In The Sun” and emotionally dedicating it to Hawkins, Grohl said, “We would not be here tonight if it weren’t for Josh.”
Freese reposted the Foos’ Instagram post from that night, including photos by Scarlet Page, along with the caption, “Surreal, bittersweet, optimistic.”
Foo Fighters headlined Boston Calling Music Festival on Friday, May 26, before performing at Sonic Temple Festival at Historic Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. During the latter set, Foo Fighters continued Freese’s initiation by covering songs from bands Freese has drummed for in the past such as Nine Inch Nails’ “March Of The Pigs” (as captured by NME and noted on setlist.fm) and Devo’s “Whip It.”
“You might not think you know him, but you’ve heard this motherf*cker for the last 20 years,” Grohl said of Freese while teeing up “Whip It” (as seen on Reddit). “This guy has played on like 400 f*cking albums. […] Oh yeah, he was in this band for f*cking 27 years. From Ohio!”
Freese’s Instagram bio lays out his career credentials pretty plainly: “Drums: A Perfect Circle, Danny Elfman, Devo, Foo Fighters, Nine Inch Nails, The Replacements, Sting, The Vandals, Weezer.”
Fans will have plenty of opportunities to see Freese in his new Foos role. See their 2023 tour dates here.
But Here We Are is out 6/2 via Roswell Records/RCA Records. Find more information here.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. .
